The Early Christian Liturgy in Abkhazia: A Historical Inquiry
The Abkhaz Language in Early Christian Texts.
Before the 10th century, the liturgy in cathedrals in Abkhazia was most likely conducted in both Greek and Abkhaz. Unfortunately, none of the liturgical service-books from that period have survived. However, there is an indirect indication of the theoretical possibility of some literacy in Abkhaz in older times. This is mentioned in “Vita Constantini,” a 9th-century work devoted to the life of Saint Cyril (the creator of the Slavic script), which refers [attached] to the Abasgians (Abkhazians) among the peoples (Armenians, Iberians [Georgians], Goths, etc.) as having an alphabet and Christian service in their own language.
Additionally, the Abkhazian Kings corresponded with Patriarch Nicholas Mystikos of Constantinople, indicating that the Abkhazian Church likely had its own liturgical service-books, which have since been lost due to the decline of Christian culture in the region.
Translation:
When he was in Venice, bishops, priests and monks gathered against him like ravens against a falcon. And they advanced the trilingual heresy, saying: “Tell us, O man, how is it that you now teach, having created letters for the Slavs, which none else have found before, neither the Apostle, nor the pope of Rome, nor Gregory the Theologian, nor Jerome, nor Augustine? We know of only three languages worthy of praising God in the Scriptures, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.”
And the Philosopher answered them: “Does not God’s rain fall upon all equally? And does not the sun shine also upon all? And do we not all breathe air in the same way? Are you not ashamed to mention only three tongues, and to command all other nations and tribes to be blind and deaf? Tell me, do you render God powerless, that He is incapable of granting this? Or envious, that He does not desire this? We know of numerous peoples who possess writing and render glory unto God, each in its own language. Surely these are obvious: Armenians, Persians, Abkhazians, Iberians, Sogdians, Goths, Avars, Turks, Khazars, Arabs, Egyptians, and many others. If you do not wish to understand this, at least recognise the judgment of the Scriptures. For David cries out, saying: ‘O sing unto the Lord, all the earth: sing unto the Lord a new song.’ And again: (Psalm 96:1) (Psalm 98:4) (Psalm 66:4) ‘Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.’ And likewise: ‘Let all the earth worship Thee, and sing unto Thee; let it sing to Thy name, God on High.’ And furthermore: (Psalm 117:1) (Psalm 150:6) ‘O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise Him, all ye people. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.’ And in the Gospel according to John it says: ‘But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the children of God.’ And again in the same Gospel: (John 1:12) (John 17:20-21) ‘Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe in Me through their word, that they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee.’
And Matthew said: (Matthew 28:18-20) ‘All power is given unto Me in heaven, and on earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy.
While “Vita Constantini” mentions various nations as having their own alphabets and praising God in their languages, it's important to approach this claim with caution, as the historical evidence for some of these claims varies significantly. For instance, Armenia was converted to Christianity in the third century and developed a written language by the fifth century, the Iberians (Georgians) embraced Christianity in the fourth century and developed a system of writing in the following century. The Goths (Crimean Goths) had their own script by the sixth century, and Persian writing traditions date back to around 500 B.C. etc... However, there is no clearly evidenced written tradition for the Abkhaz language. Similarly, little is known about the literacy of the Avars, and no written tradition is known for the Crimean Turks mentioned by Constantine. Therefore, to truly verify this possibility, further research and discoveries are necessary.
History of Christianity in Abkhazia
Earliest Centuries: Christianity was first introduced to Abkhazia by Christ’s disciples, apostles Andrew the First and Simon the Canaanite. Monk Epiphanius of Jerusalem documented their journey. Simon preached and baptized locals in Sebastopolis (today’s Sukhum) and Anakopia (today’s New Athos), where he died.
3rd Century:
Apostle Matthew also preached and died in Sebastopolis.
Emperor Diocletian's reign saw the deportation of Christians, including Orentios and his six brothers, to Pitiund (Pitsunda).
4th Century:
Christian communities formed in Pitiund (today’s Pitsunda) led by Bishop Sophronius.
The Pitiund Bishopric, is the oldest Christian congregation in the Caucasus, at that time connected to the Pontic Diocese, whose archbishop sat in Caesarea in Cappadocia.
The first churches in Abkhazia were built in Pitsunda.
5th Century:
Another congregation formed in Sebastopolis led by Bishop Kerkoni, who appeared in the Fourth Ecumenical Council.
Christianity continued to spread under Byzantine Emperor Justinian the Great, who built a cathedral and sent priests to Abkhazia.
6th Century:
The Abasgian (Abkhazian) Diocese was established with its archbishopric in Sebastopolis, subordinate to the Patriarch of Constantinople.
Justinian established a church education school in Abkhazia.
7th Century:
The Diocese of Abasgia included bishoprics of Tsandripsh, Pitsunda, Anakopia, Sebastopolis, Tsibilium, and Gyuenos.
St Anastasius described Abkhazia as a "country of Christ-loving Abazgis."
8th Century:
The Kingdom of Abkhazia was established, requiring independent patriarchs for crowning monarchs.
The Patriarch of Antioch ordained Ioann as the first Catholicos-Patriarch of Abkhazia.
9th and 10th Centuries:
Significant church construction took place under Abkhazian King Leon III and King Bagrat II[I] (who was descended from the Georgian Bagration dynasty on his father's side and from the Abkhaz kings on his mother's side), including the cathedrals at Lykhny, Bzyb, Pitsunda, Mokva, and Anakopia, all rooted in Byzantine tradition.
In the 10th century, Abkhazia, as a result of dynastic inheritance, was united with Georgian-speaking regions in the medieval kingdom whose rulers carried the title 'Sovereign of the Abkhazians and Georgians'.
During this period, the liturgical language in Abkhazia shifted from Greek to Georgian, as Byzantine power decreased and doctrinal differences disappeared, with Georgian religious culture playing an increasingly dominant role.
In 1454, the Turkish fleet seized Sebastopolis, renaming it Sukhum-Kale, and replaced Christianity with Islam. The seat of the Abkhazian Church was moved from Pitsunda to Kutaisi in modern Georgia. Over the following centuries, Abkhazia had no bishops or parishes, and many Christian churches were looted and demolished by the Turks.
In the mid-17th century, during a journey to Moscow, Patriarch of Antioch Macarios III (Zaim) was approached by the Duke of Abkhazia, who requested the ordination of a bishop for his people. The patriarch granted the request and ordained an Abkhazian bishop.
In 1795, the last Abkhazian Patriarch, Catholikos Maxim II, died at the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, marking the final end of the Abkhazian Patriarchate at Pitsunda.
Further readings
Byzantine culture influences on the people of North, by Michel Kazanski
From the History of Byzantino-Apsilian Relations in the Eastern Black Sea Basin (V-VIII. Centuries)
Sacred topography of Anakopia fortress and its surroundings (Abkhazia)
The Art of Abkhazian Kingdom from the VIIIth to the XIth Centuries
Questions of Ethno-Cultural History of the Abkhazians, by Shalva Inal-Ipa