Background
AMVROSIY, Sukhumi was born in 1860 in Verkhnyaya Mingreliya, Sukhumi Okrug.
Catholicos and Patriarch of All-Georgian
AMVROSIY, Sukhumi was born in 1860 in Verkhnyaya Mingreliya, Sukhumi Okrug.
Graduate Stavropol’Theological Seminary and Moscow Theological Academy.
Took monastic vows while still a senior student. As priest-monk appointed father-superior, Bediyskiy Monastery, West Georgia As archimandrite and member, Geo-lmeritinskaya Synodal Office was made father-superior of Spaso-Preobrazhensk Monastery, Novgorod Province.
Censured for open opposition to exarchate admin of Geo Church. After 1917 October Revol administered Sukhumi Eparchy as member, Catholicos Council. Acquired fame as ecclesiastical archeologist, publishing research results under the pseudonym "Am-Beri”.
Elected Catholicos and Patriarch of All-Geo at synod in Gelati Monastery a few months after Soviet occupation of Georgia This was soon followed by acts of sacrilege at Motsamed Monastery (defilement of relics) and a campaign to expropriate church treasures, leading to ruthless persecution of Amvrosiy along with all other members of Geo clergy. 1922 protested persecution of Church by Soviet regime in memorandum to Conference of Genua.
Was arrested and faced show tria at which he assumed full responsibility. Prison sentence commuted to house arrest on medical grounds.