Georgian hymnody

See also ‘Byzantine hymnody’*, ‘Byzantine rite’*, ‘Greek hymnody’*, ‘Rite of Constantinople’*, ‘Rite of Jerusalem’*, ‘Greek hymns, archaeology’*. History The history of Georgian Orthodox hymnody can be traced back to the first centuries of Christianity, and is directly connected with the conversion of Georgia. In the first century AD, Christianity was preached in Georgia by the apostles St. Andrew and St. Symeon Cananeli (Symeon of Canania). Christianity became the state religion in the first half of the 4th century as a result of the missionary activity of St. Nino. Georgian ecclesiastical culture developed at a local level as well as being connected to Syria-Palestine, Byzantine, Coptic...