Melkisedek I

Melchizedek I was the first Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, serving from c. 1010 to 1033, and was based in Ani. He is venerated as a saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church. Prior to his tenure, the heads of the Georgian Church bore the title of Catholicos of Kartli. The unification of Georgia into a single kingdom under Bagrat III (r. 975–1014) contributed to the adoption of the combined title of Catholicos-Patriarch.

Following the repose of Catholicos Simeon, Melchizedek succeeded to the leadership of the Georgian Church, serving during the reigns of Bagrat III, George I, and Bagrat IV. He returned with substantial gifts and resources, which enabled the cathedral to be adorned with gold, silver, pearls, and precious stones.

Melchizedek’s will records his donations of churches, monasteries, villages, and sacred objects to Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and specifies the location of his intended burial.