2014-09-13
Grigol Peradze – Return of the Saint to His Native University
“Life of each person is a test. Father Grigol Peradze managed to pass this test with dignity. When I graduated from the Theological Academy in 1960 and arrived in Georgia, Ephraim II was Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia. He had a photo of Archimandrite Grigol Peradze on his desk. They had studied together. The Patriarch used to tell us amazing stories about Grigol Peradze. Grigol Peradze’s canonization had long been a subject of discussion. And time came, when the Holy Synod of Georgia recognized Grigol Peradze as a saint. I am happy that I am visiting the Tbilisi State University on this important day,” Georgian Patriarch Ilia II said at the ceremony of opening a memorial plaque for Saint Priest Martyr Grigol Peradze at the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU).
TSU Rector, Academician Vladimer Papava, Polish Ambassador to Georgia Andrzej Cieszkowski, Georgian and foreign guests attended the event dedicated to Saint Grigol Peradze’s 115th anniversary.
TSU Rector Vladimer Papava said that “Saint Priest Martyr Grigol Peradze is a special phenomenon for Georgia, Georgian church and our university. His memorial plaque has been opened at the university and actually another page has been turned in the history of our university and our country. He belonged to the first cohort of our university students and it is very important for us that all our professors, students, who have made special contributions to our country, church and upbringing of future generations, are appreciated at their true worth. The today’s event represents a symbolic return of Saint Grigol Peradze to the university.”
“This event is yet another confirmation of multi-century friendly and close relationship between Georgia and Poland. Saint Grigol is a clear symbol of this relationship. At the same time, he is a very important figure for both Warsaw and Tbilisi State Universities. His scientific works confirm this,” Polish Ambassador to Georgia Andrzej Cieszkowski said.
“It is incumbent on the Church to remember its saints; it is incumbent on the university to remember its students. It is an important day in the history of the Tbilisi State University – its former student returned to the native walls,” Davit Kolbaia from the Center for East European Studies at University of Warsaw, said.
TSU Rector Vladimer Papava awarded Priest Henrik Paprotsky from Orthodox Chapel of St. Grigol Peradze in Warsaw and Davit Kolbaia with the university medals for their contribution to boosting TSU’s international relations.
A film premiere “What Reminds Us of Grigol Peradze” by Ilia Peradze was held on the sideline of the event. Letters sent by Grigol Peradze to Ivane Javakhishvili, Korneli Kekelidze and Ekvtime Takaishvili kept in the archives of the National Center of Manuscripts, as well as rare photos, manuscripts and printed matters depicting Grigol Peradze’s life in his native country and emigration kept at the TSU Emigration Museum were exhibited.
Shortly before launching the event, a church service was held at St. David the Builder Church (in the university courtyard).
Archimandrite Grigol Peradze studied at the TSU Faculty of Philosophy in 1918-1921. In 1921 the Georgian church meeting sent the talented student to Germany to deepen his theological knowledge. Due to his tireless work, young Grigol Peradze received his PhD degree and became a famous European orientalist. He was delivering lectures on the history of Georgian church at leading European universities. He was professor at the University of Warsaw and spoke 16 languages.
In 1931, upon the request of the large Georgian community in Paris, he became a monk, founded the first Georgian St. Nino Orthodox Church in Europe and became its leader.
Despite numerous attempts, the communist government did not allow him to return to Georgia. He dreamt about returning and working at his native university. He wrote about it for multiple times to then Rector of TSU, Ivane Javakhishvili, his teacher Korneli Kekelidze and even to Ioseb Stalin.
Grigol Peradze spent his final years in Poland, his second motherland. After German troops invaded Poland, he did not leave Warsaw. Fascists captured Father Grigol and placed him in Auschwitz concentration camp, where he died at the age of 45 on December 6, 1942. His martyrdom is one of the clear moments of modern orthodoxy.
On September 17, 1995 the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church canonized Grigol Peradze. Later that same year, the Polish Orthodox Church also canonized him. Grigol Peradze’s name is inscribed on the memorial plaque at the University of Warsaw commemorating the university professors killed during the war.
The event has been organized by TSU and St. Grigol Peradze Society.
TSU Rector, Academician Vladimer Papava, Polish Ambassador to Georgia Andrzej Cieszkowski, Georgian and foreign guests attended the event dedicated to Saint Grigol Peradze’s 115th anniversary.
TSU Rector Vladimer Papava said that “Saint Priest Martyr Grigol Peradze is a special phenomenon for Georgia, Georgian church and our university. His memorial plaque has been opened at the university and actually another page has been turned in the history of our university and our country. He belonged to the first cohort of our university students and it is very important for us that all our professors, students, who have made special contributions to our country, church and upbringing of future generations, are appreciated at their true worth. The today’s event represents a symbolic return of Saint Grigol Peradze to the university.”
“This event is yet another confirmation of multi-century friendly and close relationship between Georgia and Poland. Saint Grigol is a clear symbol of this relationship. At the same time, he is a very important figure for both Warsaw and Tbilisi State Universities. His scientific works confirm this,” Polish Ambassador to Georgia Andrzej Cieszkowski said.
“It is incumbent on the Church to remember its saints; it is incumbent on the university to remember its students. It is an important day in the history of the Tbilisi State University – its former student returned to the native walls,” Davit Kolbaia from the Center for East European Studies at University of Warsaw, said.
TSU Rector Vladimer Papava awarded Priest Henrik Paprotsky from Orthodox Chapel of St. Grigol Peradze in Warsaw and Davit Kolbaia with the university medals for their contribution to boosting TSU’s international relations.
A film premiere “What Reminds Us of Grigol Peradze” by Ilia Peradze was held on the sideline of the event. Letters sent by Grigol Peradze to Ivane Javakhishvili, Korneli Kekelidze and Ekvtime Takaishvili kept in the archives of the National Center of Manuscripts, as well as rare photos, manuscripts and printed matters depicting Grigol Peradze’s life in his native country and emigration kept at the TSU Emigration Museum were exhibited.
Shortly before launching the event, a church service was held at St. David the Builder Church (in the university courtyard).
Archimandrite Grigol Peradze studied at the TSU Faculty of Philosophy in 1918-1921. In 1921 the Georgian church meeting sent the talented student to Germany to deepen his theological knowledge. Due to his tireless work, young Grigol Peradze received his PhD degree and became a famous European orientalist. He was delivering lectures on the history of Georgian church at leading European universities. He was professor at the University of Warsaw and spoke 16 languages.
In 1931, upon the request of the large Georgian community in Paris, he became a monk, founded the first Georgian St. Nino Orthodox Church in Europe and became its leader.
Despite numerous attempts, the communist government did not allow him to return to Georgia. He dreamt about returning and working at his native university. He wrote about it for multiple times to then Rector of TSU, Ivane Javakhishvili, his teacher Korneli Kekelidze and even to Ioseb Stalin.
Grigol Peradze spent his final years in Poland, his second motherland. After German troops invaded Poland, he did not leave Warsaw. Fascists captured Father Grigol and placed him in Auschwitz concentration camp, where he died at the age of 45 on December 6, 1942. His martyrdom is one of the clear moments of modern orthodoxy.
On September 17, 1995 the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church canonized Grigol Peradze. Later that same year, the Polish Orthodox Church also canonized him. Grigol Peradze’s name is inscribed on the memorial plaque at the University of Warsaw commemorating the university professors killed during the war.
The event has been organized by TSU and St. Grigol Peradze Society.
« back to list