St. Nikoloz church in Batumi

St. Nikoloz church - in Batumi, Adjara. It was built in XIX century. St. Nikoloz church was the sign of ending the Turkish domination in this ancient Christian corner.

History

St. Nikoloz church of Batumi was built in 1865. The delegation of the Greeks of Batumi asked the Turkish Sultan to build church. The Sultan let them build the church with one condition that the bells would never be rung in the temple.

The first liturgy was held in 1871. During the Soviet Union, the church ceased to function for 10-12 years. In 1946, with the donation of the Orthodox people, the church had the restoration and priesthood was also held here.

In 1878, the residents of Batumi heard that the Russian army entered in the city by ringing the bell of St. Nikoloz church. “This church is well built but the whole church is built by stone. The interior is very poor and it needs some repair” - writes A. Frankel.

The money was raised for the renovation of church in 1895. The issue of building a bell tower to it was also resolved. In 1894-1898 boys-girls schools were opened in the temple area. In the early twentieth century, the Greeks from the island of Chios donated three big icons to the church - the Most Holy Mother of God, St. Nicholas, and St. George. Konstantin Tsandekov was consecrated as a priest of the church in 1917.

After World War II, Tamar Nakashidze and Elizaveta Kotidi, asked Patriarch Kalistrate (Tsintsadze) to help for requesting the government to open St. Nikoloz church. In 1948, after the agreement of government, the Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia, Kalistrate conducted a liturgy in St. Nikoloz church.

In 1998, with the blessing of Bishop of Batumi and Skhalta, Dimitri (now Archbishop of Batumi and Kobuleti) and under financial assistance of Mr. Zura Jaiani, the church was reconstructed. The yard and the exterior of the cathedral were repaired. In 1999, with the financial help of Mr. Oleg Galogre and Mr. Alexander Akhvlediani, the interior of the cathedral was renovated. Currently the church is under the construction of panting.