(Metamorphosis of Christianity in the Caucasus: From Its Expansion to the Integration of the Region to the Russian Empire in the 19th Century)

Abstract: Christianity in the Caucasus – from its expansion in the 3rd – 4th centuries to the integration of the region to the Russian Empire in the 19th century went through peculiar metamorphic changes. It had its own history for each nation of the region. On the one hand, old Transcaucasian cultures (Armenian and Georgian) entirely adopted Christianity and maintained it throughout the centuries. On the other hand, the mountain dweller nations of the Caucasus, lacking their own statehood, have only partially adopted Christianity with the long-term presence of religious syncretism (mix of paganism, Judaism, Christianity and Mohammedanism) and after all, they were mostly islamized. Beside a number of internal and external influences and factors, the mental conservatism of Caucasian ethnic groups also appears important in these processes.

Authors: Šmigeľ, Michal – Cherkasov, Aleksandr A. – Kmeť, Miroslav

DOI: 10.17846/CL.2019.12.2.80-97

Publication order reference: doc. PhDr. Michal Šmigeľ, PhD.; Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, Faculty of Arts, Department of History, Tajovského 40, 974 01 Banská Bystrica, Slovakia; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
doc. Aleksandr A. Cherkasov, DrSc.; Volgograd state university, 100 University Ave, 400 062 Volgograd, Russian Federation

The second affiliation to doc. Aleksandr A. Cherkasov, DrSc.: International Network Center for Fundamental and Applied Research, 1150 Connecticut Ave. NW, STE 900 Washington, District of Columbia, 20036, USA; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

doc. PaedDr. Miroslav Kmeť, PhD.; Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, Faculty of Arts, Department of History, Tajovského 40, 974 01 Banská Bystrica, Slovakia; email: miroslav.kmeť@umb.sk

Source: Konštatínove listy, 2019, vol.: 12, issue: 2, pages: 80-97 (PDF file)

Keywords: PAGANISM, JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, SYNCRETISM, ISLAM, CAUCASIAN NATIONS, MUHACIR, RUSSIAN EMPIRE

Language: SLOVAK