mixeil labaZe

adreqristianuli eparqiebis sakiTxi lazeTSi

(Zvel WaneTSi)

saqarTvelos erT-erTi istoriul kuTxeSi - lazeTSi, anu WaneTSi,

qristianobam Cv. w. I saukuneSi SeaRwia - am kuTxis qarTvelebs andria
pirvelwodebulma da mataTam uqadages. amaTgan mataTam gansasvenebelic
lazeTis miwaze, gonioSi hpova. SeiZleba iTqvas, rom lazeTi iyo pirveli
kuTxe saqarTvelosi, saidanac mociqulebma daiwyes qarTvelTa moqceva.
qarTul istoriografiaSi, tradiciulad, iTvleba, rom lazeTi
(WaneTi), marTalia, odiTgan dasaxlebuli iyo qarTveluri mosaxleobiT,
magram TiTqmis arasodes yofila qarTuli saxelmwifos nawili. amgvari
mcdari Tvalsazrisis gaqarwyleba Tavis droze scada pavle ingoroyvam,
TumcaRa sabWoTa reJimis pirobebSi mas am mxrivac seriozuli problemebi
Seeqmna da samecniero kvlevis gagrZelebis saSualeba ar mieca.
aRsaniSnavia, rom saxelwodeba `lazeTi” gviandelia da Seqmnilia
berZnuli gavlenis Sedegad, iseve rogorc meore termini - `lazia”,
romelic X-XI ss. qarTul wyaroebSi gvxvdeba am mxaris aRsaniSnavad.
tradiciulad, qarTveli mematianeebi lazeTs uwodeben `megrelTa
sofels”, anu egrisis nawilad Tvlian.
am kuTxis adgilobrivi saxelwodeba unda yofiliyo `WaneTi”. es saxeli
kargadaa cnobili istoriul wyaroebSi - rogorc qarTulSi, ise ucxourSi
(berZnul-romaulsa da osmalurSi); aseve xalxur metyvelebaSic - taoeli,
livaneli da maWaxleli qarTvelebi lazebs dResac `Wanebs” eZaxian1. `Wan-"
fuZisagan momdinare terminebi qarTul enaTmecnierebaSic gamoiyeneba.
rac Seexeba `laz-" fuZian terminebs, rogorc aRvniSneT, isini
gviandelia da warmoSobili Cans berZnulis gavleniT: termini `lazika”
pirvelad gvxvdeba Zveli romaeli mematianis, arianes (II s.) naSromSi. arianes
cnobiT, im droisaTvis Crdilo-aRmosavleT SavizRvispireTSi arsebobda
qalaqi Zveli lazika. rogorc irkveva, es qalaqi aris igive nikofsia (T.
yauxCiSvili, 1976, gv. 99), amJamad - nasoflari q. tuafsedan ramdenime
kilometris moSorebiT, romelsac adgilobrivi adiReuri mosaxleoba
(SafsuRebi) n–g~HfsHx0–-s uwodebs, xolo rusi kazakebi - негепсухоевское-s.
mogvianebiT berZnul-romaul wyaroebSi lazika ukve mTels dasavleT
saqarTvelos aRniSnavs. qarTul mecnierul wreebSi bolo dromde miCneuli
iyo, rom isaa berZnuli Sesatyvisi qarTuli terminisa `egrisi”. amgvari
Tvalsazrisi metad saeWvoa, radganac qarTuli wyaroebi egriss
saqarTvelos SemadgenlobaSi moiazrebs, xolo berZnul-romauli wyaroebis
Tanaxmad, lazika iberiaSi ar Sedis; t. futkaraZe miiCnevs, rom lazika iyo
bizantiis mier kontrolirebadi qarTuli teritoriis saxelwodeba.

1 dRes lazebi TavianT Tavs `lazefe"-s uwodeben, Tumca saxelwodeba `Wanic" araa maTTvis ucnobi -
zRvispireli lazebi mTiel lazebs `Wanefe"-s anu `Wanebs" eZaxian da, esaa kninobiT-familaruli
termini. lazeTSi bevria `Wan-" fuZis Semcveli toponimi Tu hidronimi: WanafeTi (sofeli), WaneTi
(soflis ubani), Wanuri Rali (Rele) da a.S.
Sesabamisad, lazika ver iqneboda qarTuli `egrisis” berZnuli Sesatyvisi
(t. futkaraZe, 2005, gv. 187).
marTlacda, Tuki xsenebul Tvalsazriss gaviziarebT, cxadi gaxdeba,
rom qarTul miwebze bizantiis imperiis gavlenis cvalebadobis Sesabamisad,
icvleboda lazikis sazRvrebica da gansazRvrebac: berZnul cnobierebaSi
is xan mTel dasavleT saqarTvelos moicavda, xanac - am regionis romelime
konkretul nawils, romelzec vrceldeboda bizantiis xelisufleba an
gavlena.
egrisis erTi nawili - istoriuli WaneTi (samxreT-dasavleTi
saqarTvelo), romelic imTaviTve qarTul-bizantiuri dapirispirebis
mTavar areals warmoadgenda, garkveuli periodebis ganmavlobaSi,
nawilobriv marTlac eqceoda bizantiis gavlenis qveS iseve, rogorc
Crdilo-dasavleTi saqarTvelo (Tanamedrove afxazeTi), romlis erTi
nawilic - `qarTlis cxovrebis" mixedviT, `egriswylis quemoTi" -
bizantiis mier kontroldeboda.
ase rom, Sesabamis wyaroebze dayrdnobiT, Cven SegviZlia
darwmunebiT vilaparakoT mxolod imaze, rom sxvadasxva dros
bizantia flobda egrisis calkeul nawilebs da ara mTlianad am
mxares.
aRsaniSnavia, rom samxreT-dasavleTi saqarTvelo, anu WaneTi,
moicavda teritorias md. Woroxis SesarTavidan vidre md.
Termodonamde (Tanamedrove Terme Cai TurqeTSi). p. ingoroyva WaneTs
yofs sam mxared - aRmosavleT, Sua da dasavleT WaneTad. mis mier
Sedgenil rukaze aRniSnulia, rom aRmosavleTi WaneTi moicavs
teritorias goniodan ofamde, Sua WaneTi - susurmene/hAsidan md.
xarSutis wylamde, xolo dasavleTi WaneTi, Sesabamisad, gadaWimuli
iyo xarSutis wylidan Termodonamde (ix. p. ingoroyva, 1954, gv.
272).
 rukaze aRniSnuli mxareebidan dasavleTi WaneTi adreve moeqca
bizantiis gavlenis qveS, xolo Sua WaneTi Cv. w. I saukuneSi
qarTuli mxarea. rogorc efTvime mTawmindeli gvauwyebs, andria
pirvelwodebuli `miiwia... qalaqad trapezuntad, romel igi Sen ars
sofelsa megrelTasa” (saqarTvelos samoTxe, 1882, gv. 24-45), e.i.
trapizoni egrisSi mdebareobs, xolo egrisi, Tavis mxriv, im dros
nawilia erTiani qarTlisa, romelsac marTavs egrisis erisTavis,
qujis SvilTaSvili - mefe aderki.
aRmosavleT WaneTs andria pirvelwodebuli Tavisi mesame
mogzaurobis dros swvevia svimon kananelTan da mataTasTan erTad.
efTvime mTawmideli wers, rom mociqulebi `moiwivnes queyanasa
qarTlisasa da vidre mdinaredmde Woroxisa”, aqedan gadavidnen mxareSi,
romelsac `sosanigeTi” ewodeboda ( saqarTvelos samoTxe, 1882, gv. 24-45).
p. ingoroyvas azriT, `sosanigeTi" igivea, rac sanebis//sanigebis mxare,
aRmosavleTi WaneTi: `es aris, rogorc gamorkveuli gvqonda, sanebis anu
sanigebis mxare, romelic antikuri xanis dasasrulsa da adreul saSualo
saukuneTa dasawyisSi (vidre me-6 saukunemde) calke qarTul samTavros
warmoadgenda da romlis teritoriaze mdebareobda cixe-qalaqi afsari
(CrdiloeT seqtorSi) da hAsis navsadguri (samxreT seqtorSi)" (p.
ingoroyva, 1954, gv. 225-226).
amdenad, p. ingoroyva asaxelebs aRm. WaneTis or sasazRvro
punqts - afsars, anu gonios da hAss, anu surmenes (susurmenes - am
saxiTaa igi aRniSnuli rukaze). aqve davazustebT, rom am mxares,
rogorc Cans, qarTlis mefes daqvemdebarebuli mmarTveli ganagebs,
xolo afsaris cixe-qalaqi romaelTa kontrolqveSaa: romaeli
mematiane ariane (I s.) gadmogvcems, rom man afsarSi jamagiri dauriga
mebrZolebs, daaTvaliera TavdacviTi nagebobebi da Seamowma sursaTis
raodenoba (narkvevebi, 1961, gv. 549-550). afsaris mimdebare zRvis sanapiro
ki, arianes cnobiTve, dasaxlebulia iberiis mefis, farsman II-is
qveSevrdomi Zidritebis tomiT, romelsac ukavia teritoria md. Woroxidan
md. arqabemde (iqve, gv. 544).
`qarTlis cxovrebis” Tanaxmad, andria mociqulma mis mier moqceul
mosaxleobas `daudgina episkoposni, mRvdelni da diakonni” (gv. 41); Tu
gaviTvaliswinebT imas, rom mociqul pavles mixedviT episkoposi
warmoadgenda qristianTa Temis umaRles xelmZRvanels, xolo Temebi
umetesad did qalaqebSi iqmneboda, maSin gamodis, rom aRmosavleT WaneTSi
unda yofiliyo minimum ori episkoposi - afsarisa da hAsisa; Sua WaneTSi ki
savaraudoa erTi - trapizonis episkoposi.
sainteresoa, rom IV saukunis dasawyisisaTvis, roca bizantiis
imperatorma konstantine I-ma qristianoba saxelmwifo religiad
gamoacxada da qveynis administraciul-teritoriuli erTeulebis -
diocezebis Sesabamisad Seqmna msxvili saeklesio olqebi, trapizonis
anu xaldiis eparqia, biWvinTis anu pitiuntis eparqiasTan erTad
Sevida polemonis pontos diocezSi (s. yauxCiSvili, 1948, gv. 42).
Cveulebriv, istoriografiaSi miCneulia, rom trapizonis, anu
xaldiis eparqia moicavda aRmosavleT WaneTsac - e.i. xsenebuli mxare
bizantiis SemadgenlobaSi Sedioda da ar iyo dakavSirebuli
saqarTvelosTan.
arsebuli wyaroebi gansxvavebuli daskvnis gamotanis saSualebas
iZleva, Tumca sanam uSualod maT ganxilvas SevudgebodeT, saWirod
migvaCnia, yuradReba gavamaxviloT imaze, Tu rogor unda
moxvedriliyo trapizonisa da biWvinTis eparqiebi polemonis pontos
diocezSi.
cnobilia, rom III saukunis meore naxevarSi (256-260 ww.)
SavizRvispira regionebi skviTur-guTurma tomebma aaoxres: `dasavleT
saqarTveloSi, lazikasa da mTel Savi zRvis napirebs skviTebi
ewvivnen. saca ki isini gaCndebodnen da Seeseodnen, yvelafers
iklebdnen da anadgurebdnen. yvelaze metad am dros fazisi anu
foTi da biWvinTa dazianda" - wers amis Taobaze iv. javaxiSvili (iv.
javaxiSvili, 1967, gv. 215). 258 wels guTebma da skviTebma aiRes da
gaanadgures trapizonic (Jordanes, 1915, gv. 27-34). Turqi istorikosi
omer asani aRniSnavs, rom momxdurTa Semosevebis gamo trapizonis
Zveli mosaxleni mTebs Seexiznen da es adgili mTlad gaukacrielda.
Semdeg aq dasaxldnen berZnebi, Tumca trapizoni TiTqmis VIII s.-mde
SavizRvispireTis umniSvnelo qalaqad darCa ( Asan, 2005, gv. 40-41).
aqedan gamomdinare, savaraudoa, rom rogorc trapizonsa da
biWvinTaSi, ise mTlianad dasavleT saqarTveloSi qristianTa
adreuli Temebi swored am periodSi unda Semcirebuliyo, zogan ki
saerTod ganadgurebuliyo. aqve aRsaniSnavia, rom agaTangelosis (V s.)
cnobil TxzulebaSi, romelic wmida grigolis cxovrebas Seexeba,
naTqvamia, rom `wmida grigolma akurTxa episkoposebi da dagzavna
didi armeniis mTel miwawyalze da mTel qveyanaze..." am
episkoposTagan agaTangelosi asaxelebs ors - irenarxes, romlis
samwysosac ar miuTiTebs da sofronis, romelic lazTa qveynis
episkoposad ukurTxebia wm.grigols.
es `lazTa qveyana", advili SesaZlebelia, yofiliyo ara mTeli
egrisi, aramed mxolod da mxolod misi romelime calkeuli kuTxe,
romelic bizantiis gavlenis qveS imyofeboda. rogorc cnobilia, wm.
grigoli akurTxes bizantiaSi - kapadokiis kesariaSi da, amasTan mis
mier araTu somxeTis mezobeli qveynebis, Tavad somxeTis moqcevac ar
dasturdeba: `ukidures SemTxvevaSi, grigoli mxolod bizantiis
imperiis farglebSi, an mosazRvre somxeTis nawilis ganmanaTleblad
SeiZleba iqnes miCneuli" - wers amis Taobaze v. goilaZe, romelic
Tavis mxriv imowmebs iv. javaxiSvils (v. goilaZe, 1991, gv. 116).
mitropolit anania jafariZis mtkicebiT, `wm. grigolis cxovrebis”
mixedviT, wmida grigolma lazeTSi gaagzavna Tavisi episkoposi, maSasadame,
aRniSnulidan gamomdinare, es lazeTi aris ara dasavleT saqarTvelo,
aramed klarjeTis samxreTiT anda samxreT-dasavleTiT mdebare mxare, anu
Wanika-trapezuntis regioni, romelic somxuri tradiciis Sesabamisad
Sedioda e.w. `did armeniaSi”, an uSualod somxeTSi da es mxare iseve
miiCneoda armeniis xeldebul qveynad, rogorc aRmosavleTiT albaneTi, anu
sivnieTis iqiT bardavamde mdebare mxare. es iyo grigolis areali” (a.
jafariZe, 2009, gv. 99).
Cveni azriT, zemoTmoyvanili Sexedulebani namdvilad gvaZlevs imis
gancxadebis safuZvels, rom trapizonisa da biWvinTis saepiskoposo
kaTedrebi aRudgeniaT bizantiaSi nakurTx mRvdelTmTavrebs, radganac
III-IV ss. mijnaze trapizonis mxarec da Tanamedrove afxazeTis
teritoriac - md. RaliZgamde uSualod bizantiis SemadgenlobaSia.
aqve davZenT, rom savaraudoa, swored am qarTul miwebs uwodebdnen
bizantielebi `lazikas".
aqedan gamomdinare, IV saukunis dasawyisSi, 325 w. nikeis krebas
eswrebian trapizonis episkoposi damnosi da biWvinTis episkoposi
stratofile. cxadia, es imas niSnavs, rom bizantiis mier
kontrolirebad qarTul miwebzec qristianoba saxelmwifo religiaa,
iseve rogorc mTel bizantiaSi.
amfonze, saqarTveloSi IV s.-is pirvel naxevarSi, mociqulTa
swor ninos mosvlis periodSi qristianuli Temebi TiTqmis aRar
arsebobs.
sainteresoa, rom aRm. WaneTSic am dros moSlili yofila mociqulTa
daarsebuli kaTedrebi, radganac iq qristianuli Temebi aRar
arsebobda. V saukunis bizantieli avtoris, gelasi kvizikelis cnobiT, IV s.-
is pirvel naxevarSi, konstantine I-is zeobis dros `RmrTis cneba miiRes
pontos gaswvriv mdebare miwa-wyalze mcxovrebma iberebma da lazebma” wmida
ninos, anu `tyve dedakacis” moRvaweobis Sedegad2 (p. ingoroyva, 1954, gv.
227). amave faqts adasturebs lazeTis mitropoliti germane

2 gelasi kvizikeli Wanebs `lazebs" uwodebs Tavisi epoqidan gamomdinare, radgan im droisaTvis, roca
gelasi kvizikeli lazTa da iberTa moqcevis Sesaxeb werda, WanTa miwebi lazikis meamboxe mmarTvel
gubazs epyra. swored amiTaa gamowveuli teqstSi mkafio ganmartebis arsebobac: `pontos gaswvriv
mdebare miwa-wyalze mcxovrebma... lazebma" - gelasi kvizikelma xom icis, rom Wanebi adre ar iyvnen
`lazebi".
(saqarTvelos eklesiis ierarqi) ruseTis mefe aleqsei mixailoviCisadmi
1651 wels wardgenil angariSSi, saidanac varkvevT, rom lazeTis
episkoposebis samyofeli - q. ofis taZari wmida ninos dauarsebia (iqve).
Cveni azriT, es cnobebi amtkicebs im faqts, rom aRmosavleTi
WaneTi ar Sedioda trapizonis eparqiaSi, radganac aseT SemTxvevaSi iq
qristianobis qadageba saWiro arc iqneboda. Sesabamisad, gamodis, rom
es mxare arc politikurad emorCileboda bizantiis imperias - ufro
sarwmuno Cans, rom is qarTlis nawili iyo.
somexi mematiane movses xorenaci mociqulTa swor wmida ninos
Sesaxeb wers, rom man iqadaga `klarjTagan moyolebuli darialanamdis
da kaspTagan masquTebamde", Tanac imowmebs agaTangeloss. miuxedavad
imisa, rom movses xorenacis cnobebi wm. ninos Sesaxeb TvalsaCinod
gansxvavdeba qarTul Tu bizantiur wyaroebSi daculi cnobebisagan,
sayuradReboa is, rom somexi mematiane wm. ninos mier klarjeTis
moqcevaze saubrobs. rogorc cnobilia, klarjeTis nawili iyo aRm.
WaneTic, romelsac `qarTlis cxovrebaSi" swored `klarjeTisa zRvis
piri" ewodeba. Sesabamisad, gamodis, rom wm. ninos mosvlis periodSic
xsenebuli mxare klarjeTis erisTavs eqvemdebareboda.
amasTan, mitropolit germanes angariSSi naxsenebi ofi anu,
rusuli dawerilobiT, õîïèà (p. ingoroyva, 1954, gv. 227) dResac cnobilia
- esaa patara daba (Turquli saxeliT Of) TurqeTis respublikis
rizes ilSi. aqedan sul 3-4 km-iTaa daSorebuli surmene (Turq.
Sürmene) anu hAsi.
Cveni azriT, advili SesaZlebelia, rom wm. ninom ofSi taZris
daarsebiT aRadgina adre hAsSi arsebuli saepiskoposo kaTedra.
Tumca, uSualod hAsSi, anu surmeneSi, igi amas ver SeZlebda, radgan es
dasaxlebuli punqti ukve bizantias epyra. e.i. IV saukunisaTvis
bizantiasa da saqarTvelos Soris sasazRvro punqtia ofi, anu xofi.
IV saukunis bolos aRm. WaneTi isev klarjeTis nawilia. klarjeTi ki
berZnebs qarTlis mefe varaz-baqarisTvis waurTmeviaT: "darCa varaz-
baqars qarTli Tvinier klarjeTisa, da hereTi da egrisi" (qarTlis
cxovreba, 1955, gv. 137). vaxtang gorgaslis mematiane juanSeri aRniSnavs,
rom es movlena qarTvelebs RvTis wyromad miuCneviaT, radgan varaz-baqars
`ver keTilad epyra sjuli qristesi” (iqve, gv. 146). V saukunis 50-ian
wlebSi, roca saqarTvelos momavali mefe vaxtang gorgasali 10 wlisaa,
berZnebi ipyroben dasavleT saqarTvelos cixegojamde: `gamovides berZenni
afxazeTiT... da daipyres egris-wyliTgan vidre cixe-gojadmde” - wers
juanSeri. saqarTvelom dakarga zRvaze gasasvleli, bizantiis imperiam ki
axlad mopovebuli qarTuli miwebi SeuerTa lazikas.
aseT viTarebaSi, lazikis mmarTveli gubaz I 456 wels Tavs
konstantinopolisagan damoukidebel gvirgvinosnad acxadebs da cxra wlis
ganmavlobaSi ebrZvis bizantias, sanam 465 wels iZulebuli ar gaxdeba,
imperator leon I-s eaxlos konstantinopolSi zavis dasadebad. amis
Taobaze berZnulidan Targmnil TxzulebaSi `daniel stilitis cxovreba”
naTqvamia: `movida Robazianos mefe afxazTa xilvad leon mefisa berZenTa~sa,
xolo aqunda orTave amaT mefeTa sauravi ra~me queyanaTa dawynarebisaTAs,
zRvarTa ganyofisa, sadamdis aris saberZneTisa anu megrelTa afxazeTis
samefo~sa... da dasdves sazRvrad cixe xufaTi” (p. ingoroyva, 1954, gv. 204).
p. ingoroyvas, romelsac xsenebuli nawyveti mohyavs Tavis TxzulebaSi
`giorgi merCule”, miaCnia, rom gubaz I-s (`Robazianoss”) bizantiis
imperatorTan, leon I-Tan molaparakebis Sedegad sazRvari gahyavs
Tanamedrove q. xofasTan (TurqeTi), TumcaRa Cveni mxriv davazustebT, rom
qalaq xofaSi araviTari cixe araa. cixe, romelsac dRes lazebi
`xofuri jixas", anu xofis cixes eZaxian, mdebareobs xsenebuli
qalaqidan dasavleTiT, sof. peroniTsa (Turq çaml1) da q. arqabs
Soris mTaze da, radganac xofelTa aSenebul cixed iTvleba,
saxeladac amitom hqvia `xofuri jixa".
ofSi, anu xofSi, ki amJamadac kargadaa SemorCenili citadelisa
da mis SigniT sxvadasxva TavdacviTi nagebobebis nangrevebi, aseve qvis
didi sveti, rac sazRvris maCvenebeli unda iyos. dRes am nangrevTa
axlos gadis saavtomobilo gza.
amdenad, savaraudoa, rom xufaTis cixe swored ofis cixe iyos
da ara xofisa. aqve davZenT imasac, rom dRevandeli lazeTis
sxvadasxva TemSi axlac SemorCenilia identuri toponimebi -
magaliTad, filargeTi soflis saxelia arqabis TemSic da aTinas
TemSic, aseve aTinas TemSia sof. surmenaTi, romelic, gadmocemis
mixedviT, surmenedan ltolvil lazebs dauarsebiaT da a.S.
analogiurad saxelwodeba `xofi//xofa" SesaZlebelia rqmeoda aRm.
WaneTis ramdenime dasaxlebul punqts.
saqarTvelos eklesiis avtokefaliis mopovebis dros xufaTis
cixec da mTeli `klarjeTisa zRvis piri" vaxtang gorgaslis xelSi
iyo. mitropoliti anania jafariZec aRniSnavs, rom `vaxtang
gorgasalis dros sazRvari bizantiasa da saqarTvelos Soris xufaTze ido
(xofTan), radganac `bolo klarjeTisa zRvispiri” saqarTveloSi
Semodioda” ( a. jafariZe, 2009, gv. 99). anu V s.-is bolosaTvis bizantia-
saqarTvelos sazRvari gadioda iqve, sadac wm. ninos dros, IV s.-Si.
safiqrebelia, rom xufaTSive SenarCunebuli iqneboda wm. ninos mier
aRdgenili saepiskoposo kaTedrac.
amave dros, p. ingoroyvas cnobiT, V saukuneSi mcxeTis
sakaTalikoso saydars eqvemdebareboda im droisaTvis axladdaarsebuli
tamburis saepiskoposoc (p. ingoroyva, 1954, gv. 377-380, 441-442). mis mier
Sedgenil WaneT-lazeTis rukaze (iqve, gv. 272) `tamburi, anu hamamaSeni
zRvispirisa” mdebareobs; md. furtunas SesarTavTan, anu dRevandeli q.
artaSenis (Turq. Arde-en) adgilas. e.i. mcxeTis sakaTalikosos ierarqi,
xufaTis garda, mjdara dRevandel q. artaSenSic.
aqedan gamomdinare, SegviZlia davaskvnaT, rom I-V ss.-Si
aRmosavleTi WaneTi, anu is teritoria, sadac dRevandlamde SemorCa
qarTveluri mosaxleobac da metyvelebac (lazuri anu Wanuri
kiloebi) rogorc politikurad, aseve eklesiuradac qarTlis nawils
Seadgenda da ar Sedioda bizantiis imperiis mier kontrolirebad
lazikis mxareSi. swored aman ganapiroba aRm. WaneTSi qarTveluri
metyvelebis Semonaxva. kerZod, Cans, es mxare bizantiis gavlenis qveS
moeqca mxolod Semdgom saukuneebSi.
 Sesabamisad, konstantinopolis sapatriarqos SemadgenlobaSi
lazikis eparqia Cndeba VIII-IX saukuneebidan da igi moicavs
teritorias trapizonidan vanis tbamde, anu WanTa samkvidro miwebis
garda masSi araqarTuli miwebic Sedis (am TemasTan dakavSirebiT ix.
a. jafariZe, 2009).

damowmebuli literatura

v. goilaZe, 1991 - v. goilaZe, saqarTvelos eklesiis saTaveebTan,

Tb., 1991.
p. ingoroyva, 1954 - p.ingoroyva, giorgi merCule, Tb., 1954.
narkvevebi, 1961 - saqarTvelos istoriis narkvevebi, I, Tb., 1961.
saqarTvelos samoTxe, 1882 - aleqsandre sabinini, saqarTvelos
samoTxe, Tb., 1882.
t. futkaraZe, 2005 - t. futkaraZe, qarTvelebi, nawili I, Tb.,
2005.
qarTlis cxovreba, 1955 - qarTlis cxovreba, s. yauxCiSvilis
redaqciiT, Tb., 1955.
T. yauxCiSvili, 1976 - berZeni mwerlebis cnobebi saqarTvelos
Sesaxeb, I, Tb., 1947.
iv. javaxiSvili, 1967 - iv. javaxiSvili, TxzulebaTa
Tormettomeuli, tomi I, Tb., 1967.
a. jafariZe, 2009 - mitropoliti anania jafariZe,
konstantinopolis sapatriarqos lazikis eparqia, Jurn.
`sveticxoveli”, 2009, #1.
Jordanes, 1915 - Jordanes, The Origins and Deeds of the Goths, 1915, london
Asan, 2005 - Omer Asan, Trabzon yer adlari, 2005, Trabzon.

MIKHEIL LABADZE
ON THE QUESTION OF EARLY CHRISTIAN EPARCHIES IN LAZETI (ANCIENT
CHANETI)

In the first century of our era Saint Andrew the First Called and Matatha preached
Christianity in Lazeti, one of the historical provinces of Georgia.
According to history South-west Georgian territory from the mouth of the Chorokhi
river to the modern Turkish town of Unie was a living space of Laz (Chans). The whole
region can conditionally be divided into middle and east Chaneti. Assimilation of the
west Laz to the Greek must have been taken place before the new era and of the middle
Laz after A.D. 258 when the Romans restored the city of Trabzon burnt by the Goths.
The east Chaneti that still has the Georgian population and the Laz, Kartvelian speech,
maintained its identity owing to the relief that was hard to reach and the nearness to the
rest of Georgia.
According to Kartlis Tskhovreba (The Life of Georgia) apostles come to Georgia
during the reign of King Aderk, when the west Georgia is a part of the united "Kartlian"
kingdom. The record says that Saint Andrew appointed bishops, priests and deans to the
people he had converted to Christianity. In the east Chaneti their must be at least two
bishops of Apsari and Htsisi, and the one - Trabzon bishop in the middle Chaneti. Greek
and Roman sources most often mention Apsari and Htsisi.
There also exists the evidence that the Cathedral of Opi, the residence of the Laz
bishops was founded by Saint Nino (P.Ingorokva). In the A.D. IV in the east Chaneti
Bishopric Cathedrals and Christianity seem to have been eliminated as Saint Nino
converts the population one more times and establishes cathedrals in the places where the
bishops of Htsisi (of Surmene) must have their seat in the earlier times. The city of Opi
is in three kilometers distance from Surmene.
According to the views dominated in the Georgian historiography at the time of
gaining autocephaly of the Georgian Church King Vakhtang possessed Khupati (Khopa)
castle. P.Ingorokva asserts that in the A.D. V century even the newly established
Tamburi bishopric fell under the jurisdiction of Mtskheta Catholicos. Tamburi was
situated at the place of modern town Artashen.