Georgian-European Relationships and the Catholic Church in Chkaduashi

Abstract

The article presents interesting events in Georgian-European cultural relations over the course of centuries from different perspectives. Of immediate interest is Georgian-French relations as well as Colchian-French cultural relations, more specifically. This relationship was strengthened after the last Queen of Samegrelo, Ekaterine Chavchavadze-Dadiani moved to France with her children. After their arrival in France, Salome Dadiani ,the Queen’s daughter, married Prince Achille Murat and the two great dynasties became close relatives.

Despite this relationship and its outcomes, plans to build the only Catholic church in Samagrelo, in the village of Chkaduashi, has not been seriously studied by any previous researchers. This unique circumstance, therefore, is discussed and analyzed in an academic article for the first time in the present work.