On September 23, 2024, with the blessing of the Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II,
a scientific conference dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the martyrdom of Saint Queen Ketevan was held at Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary.
The conference was opened by the Rector of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, Professor, Doctor of Theology, Philology and Political Sciences, Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze. He spoke about the merit of Saint Queen Ketevan and the deep significance of her martyrdom. Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze noted that, with the blessing of the Catholic Patriarch of All Georgia, the life and martyrdom of Georgian saints is always solemnly celebrated and studied at Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary; the academy is the arena of the movement of scientific thought, an upholder of respect and devotion to eternal spiritual values.
At the conference, speeches were presented by:
Metropolitan of Manglisi and Tetritskaro, Doctor of History, Professor Anania (Japaridze); the topic of his speech was “Georgia in the 17th Century and the Self-sacrifice of Queen Ketevan”. His Eminence Anania highlighted that Queen Ketevan lived in difficult and challenging times, he underscored that the Holy Queen’s objective, her fortitude and self-sacrifice were of supreme importance for our country.
The Head of the Department of History of Georgia, Doctor of History and Theology, Professor Sergo Vardosanidze; he spoke at length about the merit of the Queen martyred in Shiraz on September 13, 1624 (Old Style Dating) and the essence of religious and political significance of her martyrdom. He gave an overview of important references of the Holy Martyr Queen, preserved in Georgian and foreign sources and historiography.
The Head of the Department of Georgian Language and Literature, Doctor of Philology, Professor Lela Khachidze; she spoke about the image of Saint Queen Ketevan in Georgian literature.
Professor Eldar Bubulashvili, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Academician of Gelati Academy of Sciences; he gave a speech on the issues of the Great Martyr Queen Ketevan’s confession.
The conference was attended by the members of the Academic Council of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, teachers, students and invited guests.