Abkhazians are unique and interesting to everyone. Religion, cuisine, clothing, traditions and ceremonies - a presentation in any ethnographic society dedicated to the ancient Caucasian people necessarily affects each of these aspects of life.
Abkhazia is an incredibly distinctive country. Its inhabitants were able to preserve the old national beliefs by adopting Christianity. And the culture and life of the Abkhazians, like their traditional national clothes, are in many respects different from the customs of other peoples inhabiting the Caucasian region.
What religions are there in Abkhazia?
If everything is clear with the question of the name of the people living in this sunny mountainous country, these are Abkhazians, their religion is not entirely clear. On the one hand, Abkhazia is a Christian state, but on the other, Christians make up only about 60% of the total population, according to a 2003 social survey.
According to the same survey, about 16% of those professing Islam, of the total population, and almost 8% of non-believers live in the country. The remaining residents of Abkhazia ranked themselves as pagans, adherents of the traditional national faith, representatives of other religious faiths, and 6% found it difficult to answer the question.
What Christian denominations are there in Abkhazia?
Three branches of the Christian religion are represented on the territory of the country:
- Orthodoxy
- Catholicism;
- Lutheranism.
The vast majority of Christians are Orthodox. However, there are few churches in this country, several dozen, and Catholic and Lutheran churches can be counted on the fingers of one hand.
Orthodoxy is headed by its own diocese, which previously was part of the Georgian. As a result of the military conflict between the two countries, the diocese virtually ceased to obey the Georgian patriarch. In 2009, by the decision of the local clergy, the Sukhumi-Abkhaz Diocese of the Georgian Orthodox Church also ceased to exist legally. On the territory of the country, two dioceses were established instead of it - Pitsunda and Sukhumi. Both are administered by the Abkhaz Orthodox Church.
As for Catholicism, the current parish is located in Sukhumi. Here, the Catholic community has about 150 people. There are small Catholic communities in Gagra and in Pitsunda. Legally, Catholic churches are administered by the Apostolic Administration of the Caucasus. She, in turn, is part of the Roman Catholic Church. In the country there is a representative office of charitable Catholic organizations, for example, the Caritas Society.
Not far from the Catholic church in Sukhumi, the doors of the Lutheran church are open. Its parishioners are mainly visiting Europeans and ethnic Germans. The Lutheran parish of St. John opened to believers in 2002.
How is Islam represented?
Islam is not a traditional religion of Abkhazia. He touched the people of Abkhazia later than Christianity in the early Middle Ages. This happened at a time when the state, referred to in the history books as the Principality of Abkhazia, was dependent on the Turks.
There are two functioning mosques in the country. One of them is in Sukhumi, and the second in Gudauta. The location of the mosques is due to the fact that most professing this religion live in the Gudauta and Gagra regions of the country.
Is there Judaism?
The traditional Jewish religion is represented by one synagogue operating in Sukhumi. Most of the adherents of Judaism who lived before the outbreak of the military conflict with Georgia are not Abkhaz. Faith, whatever it may be, needs those who will profess it. Jews left the country after the outbreak of war in other states.
Mostly Jews of Georgian origin left, who were the majority in the local diaspora. Remained in the country are Russian-speaking adherents of Judaism, referring themselves to Ashkenazi. Most of them live in Sukhumi. And the total number of practicing Judaism in the country is about two hundred people.
What is the name of traditional religion?
Few countries in the world were able to save and preserve their own, traditional, primordial religion. Among such countries is Abkhazia. Religion of the Abkhazians is not paganism or polytheism. The primordial religion of these lands is called monotheism. To the word monotheism, as a rule, an explanation is added - Abkhazian.
How is monotheism different from paganism?
The main difference between monotheism and paganism is faith in a single god, the creator of all things. That is, in fact, monotheism is not much different in structure than many ancient forms of religions, for example, the faith of the Jews described in the Bible. That part of it that deals with the theme of the Exodus.
Paganism is characterized by the presence of a supreme deity or several, as well as a pantheon of super-beings with a lower rank. That is, pagan beliefs can combine at the same time several equivalent or different status cults. For example - fertility, crafts, forces of nature and others. Widespread in pagan beliefs and the presence of two principles - male and female.
Monotheism is devoid of such nuances. There is only one god in this religion, who created everything that man sees and what he lives with.
What is Abkhazian monotheism?
The religion of Abkhazia, the people of the native land of this country, is the subject of study for many who are interested in primary religions. For example, in 1994-1998, a large study was conducted by scientists from the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS).
What the Abkhazians believe from ancient times, the religion of this people, like any traditional religion, is not governed by any spiritual institutions or other forms of organized control. All the rules relating to rituals, cults and other manifestations of religion are controlled only by traditions and customs. However, this does not mean that there are no spiritual leaders among believers. The priesthood performs these functions.
Abkhaz local historians relate their religion to pantheism. This term combines philosophical and religious teachings that perceive God and nature, the world, as a whole. Some experts believe that the answer to the question about what religion the Abkhazians will have is a definition - the initial monotheism, that is, a kind of pre-religion, preserved in a unique, almost primary state. In its content, the Abkhazian faith is practically no different from many other religions, except that the maximum respect for nature, the world around and the land on which these people live.
To whom do they pray in Abkhazian monotheism?
Abkhazians, whose religion implies the existence of a single creator for everything that surrounds a person, believe in the god Antzaa. According to local religious teachings, it is he who is the deity who created the world and, in principle, created everything that exists, including the earth itself and man.
This is very similar to the biblical story of the creation of peace and life. At this point, the similarity does not stop. The deity Antzaa has helpers. These are the highest creatures, representing God both on earth and in heaven, and helping him to cope with everything that happens. They are called apayimbaras. In addition to celestial affairs, apayimbaras roam among people on the earth, whose name is Abkhazia. Religion of the Abkhazians claims that these higher beings are pleasing to God about everything that happens in the world he created.
The similarity of the functions of the apayimbars and the fact of their presence with the host of angels is not in doubt even among people who are far from the subtleties of religious beliefs, prone to skepticism. But these gods are not called gods with prayer or service. There is only one God in the faith of the Abkhazians - Antsea, and there are many apayimbars. The most revered among them is Dydrysh.
What does the word apayimbara mean?
The literary translation of the term “apayimbaras” sounds like “prophets”. On the Abkhazians themselves, the religion of this people, sanctuaries and rituals put a different meaning in this term. Abkhazians have two meanings in this term:
- angel;
- senior person who is respected and obedient to younger people.
Older and younger people are not only a characteristic of age. These concepts are much broader and take into account the merits of man, his actions for the benefit of the people, lifestyle and much more. That is, the term “apayimbaras” has both religious meaning and is part of everyday, colloquial speech. When using words in conversation, they characterize a person leading a laudable lifestyle, having influence on others, and being respected in society.
Where did this word come from?
The literary translation of the term “apaimbaras” is due to the origin of the word. Linguists suggest its verbal form of the word "Paygambar", translated from Farsi meaning "a prophet carrying a message from Allah." So called Mohammed.
That is, it is assumed that the term is borrowed from another culture or simply the penetration of a word into the Abkhaz language from Farsi.
What is the difference between apayimbars and angels?
Each of the apayimbars is busy with its own business. This unites them with the characters of mythology - the spirits of lakes, mountains, forests, brownies, stoves and other representatives of folklore that are present in every culture.
Younger apayimbars observe the condition:
- rivers;
- mountains;
- forests;
- households;
- people's homes;
- cattle;
- sea and other things.
Even the state of the hearth is monitored by apayimbaras. They not only observe what is happening, but can intervene in it. For example, maintain a fire in the center of a shepherd if he falls asleep. They can protect cattle from attack by predators or pestilence. Of course, the Apayimbaras report on all that is happening to the creator of the world, Antsea.
Senior apayimbaras manage everything that makes up the main points in human life, that is, fate. They are called - asatsva. In some areas of the country, the name of the senior apimbars sounds a little different - asachscha.
The meaning, the meaning of this word is “those who give away fate”. Immediately after the birth of a person, Ashatsva gather around him and determine what kind of newborn happiness will be, how many years his life will last, what kind of deeds will fall to his lot.
It is believed that asatsva fly in the form of pigeons. And not only to newborn children. They also warn of changes in life's path or of dangers in store. For example, if a pigeon flies up to a traveler who has sat down to rest, then this is a sign for a person telling him that something not very good is ahead.
Of course, asatsva, just like the younger apayimbars, report to the divine creator about everything that happens.
Where do worship services take place?
Each nation builds shrines or temples, not an exception and Abkhazians. Religion, whatever it is, needs a place where believers can come.
Abkhazian sanctuaries are called - anyha. Seven Great Sanctuaries cherish the Abkhazian land, their totality is called - bizhnykh. Currently, only five of them are valid:
- Dydrysh-nykh;
- Lashkendar-nih;
- Lykh-nyha;
- Ldzaa-nyha;
- Ylyr-nykh.
The sixth ancient shrine is located in the ethnic Russian valley of Pskhu. The sanctuary is called Inal-Cuba.
The seventh shrine is considered lost. Some historians and local historians believe that closes the circle of the Great Sanctuaries cherishing the chosen land, a place called Byt-hu. Others put forward the version that in antiquity they could act as the seventh shrine:
- Lapyr-nykh;
- Getcha
- Napra niha;
- Kapba Nyha.
At the moment, it was not possible to prove belonging to the circle of the Great Sanctuaries of any of these places.
The sanctuaries are kept in good condition by the priests - aniha pai. There is no way to become a priest in Abkhazia, a minister of worship must be born. Behind each of the shrines is an ancient clan belonging to which the Abkhazians could officially change their religion repeatedly, depending on the political situation, but for centuries, from ancient times to the present, they have taken care of the places entrusted to them by Antza.
What is interesting in the customs of modern Abkhazians?
Those who call themselves Christians do not observe the fasts and other customs of this religion. Those who relate to Muslims have often never seen the Koran in their lives. But each of the Abkhazians can tell about how this land was settled. The Creator, that is, Antzaa, left Abkhazia for himself, for its extraordinary beauty. But the piety of the Abkhaz people, their loyalty to the customs of their ancestors and traditional foundations, moved God so much that he gave this land to them. And since then, the Abkhazians live on the chosen land, keep it and use all the gifts that it gives.
Living here celebrate many holidays, both their own, monotheistic, and Christian, and Islamic. However, each celebration comes down to a traditional Caucasian feast, with stories at the table of ancient stories, legends and legends.
In the customs of the inhabitants of Abkhazia, the spirit of other cultures mixed with their original ritual in a bizarre manner. However, the new customs did not replace the original, national, but rather, on the contrary, were absorbed by them and adapted for themselves.