| Grigoli | |
| Metropolitan of Poti and Khobi | |
| Church: | Georgian Orthodox Church |
| Ordination: | October 14, 1989 |
| Consecration: | March 24, 1996 |
| Alma Mater: | Tbilisi Theological Seminary Grigol Robakidze University |
| Diocese: | Poti and Khobi |
| See: | Poti |
| Honorific Prefix: | His Eminence |
| Education: | Doctor of Philosophy |
| Nationality: | Georgian |
| Other Post: | Rector of New Georgian University, Head of the Department of the Georgian Patriarchate for Publishing and Reviewing |
Metropolitan Grigoli Berbichashvili (in Georgian: მიტროპოლიტი გრიგოლ ბერბიჭაშვილი, born July 18, 1956) is the Georgian Orthodox Metropolitan of Poti and Khobi, a member of holy synod of Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia, Head of the Department of the Georgian Patriarchate for Publishing and Reviewing and Rector of New Georgian University.
Metropolitan Grigoli was born Guram Berbichashvili (in Georgian: გურამ ბერბიჭაშვილი) on July 18, 1956, in Tbilisi, Georgian SSR. After graduating secondary school (1973) he matriculated into the civil aviation college in Krivoi Rog, Ukraine (1974). Since early 1980s he was a parishioner of St. Barbara's Church in Tbilisi. In 1988-1990 he studied at Tbilisi Theological Seminary and in 1990-1994 studied theology at Tbilisi Theological Academy. In 2014-2017 he studied on a doctoral program of philosophy at Grigol Robakidze University, Tbilisi. In May 2017 he defended his PhD thesis: "Iona Khelashvili's Metaphysical Conception" and received Doctor of Philosophy degree.[1]
October 14, 1989, he was ordained a deacon at Svetitskhoveli Cathedral by Metropolitan Konstantin Melikidze of Batumi and Shemokmedi. A year later he was ordained a priest at the Batumi Cathedral. The same year he became dean of Likhauri Church (Ozurgeti municipality) and of Achi St. George Church. February 2, 1994, he was ordained archpriest and awarded with golden cross by Catholicos Patriarch of all Georgia.[2]
On March 21, 1996, Grigoli Berbichashvili was ordained a monk. On March 23, of the same year, he was ordained an Archimandrite and awarded with beautified cross and mitre. On March 24, 1996, he was consecrated Bishop of Poti by Catholicos Patriarch of all Georgia at Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. In 2003 he was raised to an Archbishop of Poti and Khobi and in 2007 was raised to the rank of Metropolitan.As a member of holy synod Metropolitan Grgioli served on several positions. In 1996-2003 he was a head of the department of the Georgian Patriarchate for the Armed forces and Law Enforcement Institutions. 2005-2008 he was chairman of the committee of the Georgian Patriarchate for the relationship with state on the issues of education. Since 2003 he is a head of the department of the Georgian Patriarchate for Publishing and Reviewing.
Since his consecration Metropolitan Grigoli headed building and restoration of over thirty churches and monasteries in his Diocese including important spiritual centers such as Poti Cathedral and Nojikhevi Monastery.
In 1991-1995 he was supervising courses in canonical law for teachers in Ozurgeti and was publishing Orthodox Christian journal Tskaro. In 1995-1996 was rector at Ozurgeti St. Nino Gymnasium.
Since 2010 Metropolitan Grigoli is Editor-in-chief of Uplis tsikhe (Lord`s Castle), a Journal of the Georgian Patriarchate. In 2003 he founded St. Nicholas` Secondary School in Poti, in 2009 he founded Phazisi Philosophical-Theological Academy in Poti, in 2015 he founded New Georgian University – a higher educational research and teaching institution specializing in Christian Philosophy and Christian Psychology.[3]