PM Kobakhidze: Gospel values became the cornerstone of our statehood, culture, and national consciousness, making Georgia an integral part of the European Christian world

“Christianity first arrived in Georgia in the first century through the preaching of the Holy Apostles, while the monumental decision made seventeen centuries ago irreversibly defined the nation’s historic path,” Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated on Friday.

Speaking at the international conference ‘Foundations of European Civilisation and 1,700 Years of Christianity in Georgia’, the Prime Minister emphasised that Christian teachings became the bedrock of Georgian statehood, culture, and national identity, cementing the country’s status as an integral part of European Christian civilisation.

“I am delighted to host this international conference in Tbilisi today, centred on the foundations of European civilisation and 1,700 years of Christianity in Georgia. Christianity first took root in our land in the first century through the apostolic mission, and the historic choice made 17 centuries ago irrevocably shaped our path,” Kobakhidze stated.

“Gospel values became the central axis of our statehood, culture, identity, and national consciousness, transforming Georgia into an integral component and one of the ancient architects of the European Christian world,” the Prime Minister continued.

“For centuries, situated at the crossroads of vast empires and civilisations, our homeland preserved its distinct identity through the Orthodox faith. In this unbroken chain, the contribution of the Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia, alongside our greatest spiritual and public figures, remains immeasurable,” he added.