ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

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The spread of Christianity in the Eastern Black Sea region is the conversion to Christianity of the population of the Eastern Black Sea region (Colchis). Information about the spread of Christianity comes from written and archaeological sources, which do not always confirm each other. But archaeological materials provide a richer and more varied picture.

The main ways of penetration of Christianity in Colchis were coastal cities, many of which were founded by Greek colonists, inherited by the Romans and then by the Byzantines. Along the coast there were no convenient land roads and sea routes became the main gate of Christian missionaries, exiled martyrs, soldiers, traders who brought here a new faith. The most ancient and significant Christian structures were discovered by archaeologists in Roman-Byzantine cities.

Later legends and legends refer the penetration of Christianity into Colchis to the I (apostolic) century. According to the merit in enlightenment, Colchis put the apostles Andrew, Simon Cananite, venerated in Abazgia, Zichia, Vospora and Matthew. The apostolic concept was spread in Byzantium not by historical literature, but by apocryphal monuments. In the list of apostles and disciples of Pseudo-Epiphany (VI-VII centuries) it is said that Andrew preached in Sevastopolis the Great, the garrison of the fortress of Apsarus, on the river Fasis, the Scythians and . By the VIII-IX centuries, thanks to the apostolic lists, the idea of two centers of preaching of the apostles on the eastern bank was formed: the southern — the region of Andrew and Matthew (Sevastopolis, Phases, Apsarus, ) and the northern one connected with Simon (Bosporus).

Systematized and reformed the traditions of the apostolic preaching in the Eastern Black Sea region, the author of the life of the Apostle Andrew (1st floor of the IX century) - Epiphanius Monk, who initiated the legend of the preaching of the apostles throughout the Eastern Black Sea region. The basis for this was two sources: the list of the apostles Pseudo-Epiphany and local traditions. Epiphanius the Monk traveled in the footsteps of the apostles-preachers with a list of Pseudo-Epiphany in his hands and then summarized the scattered information of Pseudo-Epiphany and local legends about the apostolic sermons of Andrew, Simon and Matthew along the entire eastern bank of the Euxine Pontus (Lazica, Phasis, Svanetia, Alania, Avasgia, Vosporus). In the Byzantine synaxaries, information about Andrew’s preaching appears only from the tenth century, and the missionary work of Simon and Matthew in the Caucasus is not mentioned at all. Therefore, in the Middle Byzantine period, these traditions were not widely spread. However, Epiphanius Monk and his followers do not mention the appointment of bishops by the Apostle Andrew in the Eastern Black Sea region. The reason is the strict adherence to the list of apostles Pseudo-Epiphany and the lack of local tradition about the apostolic foundation of the pulpit. Most likely, the Eastern Black Sea bishoprics did not seek apostolic roots. Even where such a tradition could exist, for example in Vospora, the names given by Andrew the bishops are not mentioned.

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