CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS DIMENSIONS OF SAMEGRELO’S DEVELOPMENT AND THE EDUCATIONAL ENDEAVORS OF CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES

In Georgia the educational work of Catholic missionaries in Samegrelo region from XVII to XIX centuries is important for the study of the history of the Roman Catholic Church and Georgian culture. The multi religious population of western Georgia, Samegrelo, was distinguished by a rather high culture of coexistence. The contributions of missionaries such as Don Cristoforo Castell, Don Antonio Jardina and others are especially noteworthy. They founded schools where reading and writing were taught in Georgian and Italian, along with Christian doctrine. Representatives of the Roman Church carried out fruitful activities in Samegrelo, they introduced the advanced knowledge of the world at that time, medical, agricultural and engineering innovations and taught foreign languages. The contribution of Catholic missionaries to Georgian science, culture and education is significant.