Council of Ruisi-Urbnisi ( ka, რუის-ურბნისის საეკლესიო კრება) was a

synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word '' synod'' comes from the meaning "assembly" or "meeting" and is analogous with the Latin word mean ...

convened at Ruisi and

Urbnisi Urbnisi ( ka, ურბნისი) is a village in Georgia’s Shida Kartli region, in the district of Kareli. Situated on a high left bank of the Mtkvari river, it was an important city in ancient and early medieval Iberia as Georgia was know ...

by the Georgian monarch David IV in 1103, that limited the church’s authority, expelled rebellious clergy, and expanded the royal administration into the clerical sphere.

Overview

Throughout the 10th-11th centuries the

Georgian Orthodox Church The Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს სამოციქულო ავტოკეფალური მართლმადიდებელი ეკლესია, tr), commonly ...

came into possession of vast land holdings, turning it into “ state within a state” and clashing with the royal authority. In 1089, David IV became the King of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

and began to actively reform the country. In 1103 he convened the "''Ruis-Urbnisi Church Council"'' at which he purged the clerical hierarchy of his opponents. The aim was the subjection of the church to state power, which was necessary for David given his plans of centralization and the reordering of church affairs. He gave unprecedented power to his friend and advisor

George of Chqondidi George of Chqondidi ( ka, გიორგი ჭყონდიდელი, ''Giorgi Chqondideli'') (died c. 1118) was a Georgian churchman and court minister best known as a tutor and the closest adviser of King David IV of Georgia (r. 1089–11 ...

. The office of the powerful

Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdio ...

of Chqondidi was merged with that of ''

Mtsignobartukhutsesi ''Mtsignobartukhutsesi'' () the head of notaries, composer of documents in feudal Georgia. From the beginning of the 12fth century - the head of government, or Chancellor, the first person after the king. Following the ecclesiastic Council of Ruis ...

'', chief adviser to the king on all state issues, and the new office of '' Chqondidel-Mtsignobartukhutsesi'' introduced direct royal authority into the church. The new chancellor also was given judicial powers and influence in both domestic and foreign affairs. For the following centuries, the Church would remain a crucial feudal institution, whose economical and political power would always be at least equal to that of the main noble families. ''Ruis-Urbnisi Council'' adopted a special

Code In communications and information processing, code is a system of rules to convert information—such as a letter, word, sound, image, or gesture—into another form, sometimes shortened or secret, for communication through a communicati ...

('' Dzeglistsera'' lit. "pillar-writing"). It's believed that the author of the "Code" is Arsen Iqaltoeli, the translator of the "''Great Nomocanon''". It condemned Armenian

Miaphysitism Miaphysitism is the Christological doctrine that holds Jesus, the " Incarnate Word, is fully divine and fully human, in one 'nature' ('' physis'')." It is a position held by the Oriental Orthodox Churches and differs from the Chalcedonian pos ...

in stronger terms than ever before.

Sources

* Synod of Ruis-Urbnisi (1103), ed. E. Gabidzashvili, Tbilisi, 1978 {{David the Builder Georgian Orthodox Church