Religion
Christianity was known in Georgia since the first century AD. The first preachers who came to western Georgia were the apostles Andrew, called the First, and Simon Kananaios.
Since the early fourth century a new phase of Christianity began in eastern Georgia with the arrival of Saint Nino of Cappadocia. Officially, Christianity was announced in Kartli (eastern Georgian kingdom) in 326 AD by King Mirian.
His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia IIThe conversion to Christianity deeply impacted the spiritual and political life of Georgia, while the pre-existing pagan beliefs (worship of Greek gods in the west and Iranian-zoroastrinianas beliefs in the eastern part of Georgia) were replaced by Christianity.
The extensive Orthodox religion, which believes in the two parts of Christ (the divine and human nature) was of prime importance to spiritual and political unification of Georgia.
Today most of the population profess the cult of the Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church (84.6%). Religious minorities are Islam with 7.1%, Armenian Apostolic, 5.2% Jewish 0.8%, Roman Catholic, 0.6% among others. Most muslim Georgians live in Adjara and catholics in the south.
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