Saint Samuel second Catholicos of Georgia

Samuel was the second Catholicos of the Church of Georgia, who served in the sixth century as one of the early chief shepherds of the Georgian Church. By tradition he was a native of Byzantium, and he came to Georgia as a bishop together with Catholicos Peter, having been invited by King Vakhtang Gorgasali and sent with the blessing of the patriarch of Constantinople. After the repose of Catholicos Peter, Samuel succeeded him at the head of the Georgian Church.

Samuel's tenure fell during the reigns of King Dachi, the son and successor of Vakhtang Gorgasali, and of Dachi's son Bakur. According to the tradition, King Dachi bestowed upon him the city of Mtskheta in accordance with the will of King Vakhtang; at that time the cathedral of Svetitskhoveli in Mtskheta served as the residence of the Catholicos. The sources remember Samuel as a pastor of great foresight who cared deeply for his flock and faithfully served the Church of Georgia.

Among the works attributed to him is the founding of the Tsqarostavi Church in the Javakheti region. He is also remembered as a close acquaintance of the holy martyr Queen Shushanik, who suffered for the faith in the same century. The Holy Synod of the Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church canonized Catholicos Peter and Catholicos Samuel together on October 17, 2002. Saint Samuel is commemorated on November 30.