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Our father among the [[saint]]s '''Samuel I of Georgia''' was the second catholicos of the [[Church of Georgia]], succeeding Catholicos [[Peter I of Georgia|Peter I]]. St. Samuel is commemorated on [[November 30]].
==Life==
Little in known of the life of Samuel. The dates of his birth and repose are unknown and the term of his office as catholicos is uncertain. He arrived in Georgia in company with St. Peter in the late fifth century at the invitation of King [[Vakhtang I Gorgasali of Iberia|Vakhtang Gorgasali]] and with the blessing of the [[patriarch]] of Constantinople. As with Catholicos Peter I, he came from the Eastern Roman Empire. Catholicos Samuel led the Georgian Church during the reigns of King Dachi and his son Bakur.
The residence of the catholicos was the [[Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (Mtskheta, Georgia)|Cathedral of Svetitskhoveli ]] in the city of Mtskheta. After his succession following the death of Catholicos Peter, King Dachi “bestowed upon Catholicos Samuel the city of Mtskheta, according to the will of King Vakhtang.” Samuel was also a close acquaintance of the martyred Queen Shushanik.
Catholicos Samuel is remembered as a pastor who demonstrated great foresight and cared deeply for his flock. He the Church of Georgia faithfully, and labored to spread and strengthen the Christian faith among the Georgian people. He initiated construction of Tsqarostavi Church in the Javakheti region.
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{{succession|
before=[[Peter Iof Georgia|Peter I]]|
title=[[List of Catholicoses of Georgia|Catholicos of Georgia]]|
years= 474-502?|
[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Catholicos-Patriarchs of Georgia]]
[[Category:5th-century bishops]]
