Caucasus University is pleased to invite you to a public lecture titled “The Monastery as the Foundation of the Modern Hospital: The Social Ideals of Christianity.”

• Date: May 12, 2:00 PM
• Venue: Caucasus University Library
• Speaker: Professor Tengiz Verulava, MD

This event is dedicated to the 1700th anniversary of Christianity being declared the state religion of Georgia. The lecture will examine the Church’s foundational role in shaping social responsibility and in the emergence of the earliest medical institutions.

A historical perspective reveals that, in Georgia, the Church served not only as a spiritual center, but also as a provider of social care and medical services. Indeed, the idea of universal access to healthcare in Georgia emerged 17 centuries ago in monastic infirmaries where treatment was free of charge and open to all.

The lecture will address the following key themes:

• Gelati Xenon: how a medieval hospital functioned;
• The clergy as healers: the concentration and stewardship of medical knowledge within monasteries;
• Medical education: the role of manuscripts and karabadins in the transmission of medical knowledge;
• From monastery to modern clinic: the monastic hospital as a prototype of contemporary healthcare management.

Attendance is free. We welcome all those interested in exploring the rich historical intersection of medicine and Christian culture.

Please complete your registration via the link.