Patriarch David V of Georgia
Encyclopedia
David VDavid V (April 6, 1903 — November 9, 1977) was a Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia
from July 2, 1972, until his death. His full title was His Holiness and Beatitude, Archbishop of Mtskheta
-Tbilisi
and Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.
Born in the village of Mirotsminda (now Kharagauli municipality, Imereti
), David became a priest in 1927 and a bishop
in 1956. From 1959 to 1972 he served as a chorbishop
to Catholicos-Patriarch Ephraim II, upon whose death he succeeded as the prelate of the Georgian Orthodox Church.
David V’s ascension to the patriarchal sea was followed by some controversy. Unlike his predecessor Ephraim II, who frequently appealed to the Georgian patriotism, David never gained popularity because of his perceived loyalty to the Soviet
regime. Furthermore, Georgian dissidents suspected the Soviet security (KGB
) was involved in David’s election by rigging it and destroying Ephraim's will which had allegedly endorsed Bishop Ilia of Sukhumi and Abkhazia as his successor. Georgian nationalist underground claimed in their samizdat
publications corruption and moral depravity flourished in the church under David V who was also accused of being involved, along with the Georgian Communist party officials and the KGB, in robbery of the Georgian church treasures.
David V died in Tbilisi
and was buried at the Sioni Cathedral
in 1977. He was succeeded by Ilia II, whom the Soviets had allegedly tried to keep out of office.
Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia
Catholicos–Patriarch has been the title of the heads of the Georgian Orthodox Church since 1010. The first Catholicos–Patriarch of All Georgia was Melkisedek I...
from July 2, 1972, until his death. His full title was His Holiness and Beatitude, Archbishop of Mtskheta
Mtskheta
Mtskheta , one of the oldest cities of the country of Georgia , is located approximately 20 kilometers north of Tbilisi at the confluence of the Aragvi and Kura rivers. The city is now the administrative centre of the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region...
-Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
and Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.
Born in the village of Mirotsminda (now Kharagauli municipality, Imereti
Imereti
Imereti is a province in Georgia situated along the middle and upper reaches of the Rioni river. It consists of the following Georgian administrative-territorial units:#Kutaisi #Baghdati region#Vani region#Zestafoni region...
), David became a priest in 1927 and a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
in 1956. From 1959 to 1972 he served as a chorbishop
Chorbishop
A chorbishop is a rank of Christian clergy below bishop. The name chorepiscope or chorepiscopus is taken from the Greek and means rural bishop.-History:Chorepiscopi are first mentioned by Eusebius in the second century...
to Catholicos-Patriarch Ephraim II, upon whose death he succeeded as the prelate of the Georgian Orthodox Church.
David V’s ascension to the patriarchal sea was followed by some controversy. Unlike his predecessor Ephraim II, who frequently appealed to the Georgian patriotism, David never gained popularity because of his perceived loyalty to the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
regime. Furthermore, Georgian dissidents suspected the Soviet security (KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
) was involved in David’s election by rigging it and destroying Ephraim's will which had allegedly endorsed Bishop Ilia of Sukhumi and Abkhazia as his successor. Georgian nationalist underground claimed in their samizdat
Samizdat
Samizdat was a key form of dissident activity across the Soviet bloc in which individuals reproduced censored publications by hand and passed the documents from reader to reader...
publications corruption and moral depravity flourished in the church under David V who was also accused of being involved, along with the Georgian Communist party officials and the KGB, in robbery of the Georgian church treasures.
David V died in Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
and was buried at the Sioni Cathedral
Tbilisi Sioni Cathedral
The "Sioni" Cathedral of the Dormition is a Georgian Orthodox cathedral in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. Following a medieval Georgian tradition of naming churches after particular places in the Holy Land, the Sioni Cathedral bears the name of Mount Zion at Jerusalem...
in 1977. He was succeeded by Ilia II, whom the Soviets had allegedly tried to keep out of office.