Bishop Saba (Intskirveli)

Bishop Saba (Intskirveli) (1981-____)

Saba may be spelt Sabbas, Sava, Savva.

Early life of Lasha Intskirveli

On 22 June, 1981, in the Ozurgeti district of Georgia, Lasha Intskirveli was born to Andro Intskirveli (an engineer) and Lia Kutidze (a housewife), who were both 20 years of age at the time.

On 4 April, 1993, Lasha was baptised in the Cathedral Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, in Shemokhmedi, Ozurgeti district, by the Archpriest Basil Kikvadze (later Archimandrite Ioane).

Lasha was raised an Orthodox Christian within the bosom of the Georgian Orthodox Church.

Archimandrite Ioane (Kikvadze) became Lasha’s first spiritual father and mentor.

Higher education

In 1996, with the blessing of Bishop Joseph (Kikvadze) of Ozurgeti, Lanchkhuti and Chokhatauri, Lasha was accepted as a student in the Theological Seminary of Saint John the Theologian in Batumi.

While he was studying, he became acquainted with the monastic life. For some time, he lived and served as a novice in the Monastery of Machairas in Cyprus.

In 2000, Lasha successfully completed his studies at the seminary in Batumi.

In 2001, with the blessing of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II, and of Metropolitan Dimitri (Shiolashvili) of Batumi and Lazeti, Lasha travelled to Serbia to continue his education in the University of Belgrade’s Faculty of Theology of Saint John the Theologian.

In 2007, he successfully completed his studies in Belgrade, and he returned to Georgia in 2008.

Monastic tonsure, 2008

In 2008, Lasha Intskirveli was tonsured as a rasophor by Metropolitan Dimitri (Shiolashvili), and he was given the name George. At the time, he was assigned to serve as the secretary to Metropolitan Dimitri.

On 29 June, 2009, Lasha Intskirveli was tonsured by Metropolitan Dimitri to be a monk. He was given the name Saba.

Diaconal ordination, 2009

On 5 July, 2009, Metropolitan Dimitri of Batumi, Lazeti and North America ordained Monk Saba (Intskirveli) to the Holy Diaconate.

Transfer to the USA, 2010

In October, 2010, Hierodeacon Saba (Intskirveli) was transferred to the USA.

Presbyteral ordination, 2010

On 26 October, 2010, Hierodeacon Saba (Intskirveli) was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by the Metropolitan Dimitri of Batumi, Lazeti and North America. He was the first clergyman of the Georgian Church to be ordained in the North American continent.

Pastoral service

On 26 October, 2010, Hieromonk Saba was assigned to serve as abbot of the Georgian Monastery of Saint David the Builder in Hanover, Pennsylvania, and as rector of Saint George’s Georgian Orthodox Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

On 22 May, 2011, the Hieromonk Saba was elevated to the dignity of igumen, particularly because of his devotion to his clerical duties and service.

On 9 February, 2013, the Igumen Saba was elevated to the dignity of archimandrite.

In March, 2013, Archimandrite Saba (Intskirveli) was assigned to serve as the rector of the Nativity of the Theotokos Georgian Orthodox Church in Brooklyn, New York.

On 13 October, 2013, Archimandrite Saba was awarded the right to carry the pastoral staff and to wear the mantiya of an archimandrite.

Archimandrite Saba

On 3 June, 2014, Archimandrite Saba (Intskirveli) of was elected by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Apostolic Church of Georgia to become the bishop of the newly-established North American Diocese of the Georgian Patriarchate. The following is from an official publication :

 A MEETING OF THE HOLY SYNOD WAS HELD IN THE PATRIARCHATE 03/06/2014
 
 Bishop Zosime (Shioshvili) of Tsilkani (in the Mtskheti Municipality) and Dusheti made the statement 
 on the primary outcome of the meeting of the Holy Synod.  According to him, the main issue on the agenda 
 of the meeting was the election of four new bishops in foreign dioceses, particularly in the Austro-German, 
 the Dutch-Luxembourg-Belgium, and the American dioceses, as well as in the diocese of Saingilo.
 
 Archimandrite Lazarus (Samarbegishvili) will become the head of the Austro-German diocese ; 
 Archimandrite Dosite (Bogveradze) will become the leader of the Dutch Diocese ; Archimandrite Saba (Intskirveli) 
 will become the head of the North American Diocese ; and Archimandrite Demeter (Tetruashvili) will become 
 the leader of the Diocese of Saingilo.
 
 Bishop Zosime noted that the Synod approved and adopted a statement of the Catholicos-Patriarch in connection 
 with the anti-discrimination law.
 
 Bishop Zosime refuted rumours widespread in society about the resignation of the patriarch and the 
 consideration of this issue at the meeting of the Holy Synod.
 
 As it became known, at a meeting of the Holy Synod, the first Archbishop of Georgia, John, was glorified as a 
 saint.
 
 The text of resolution of the Holy Synod will be publicly available in the nearest future.

Episcopal ordination, 2014

On 22 June, 2014, Archimandrite Saba (Intskirveli) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate in the Svetitskhoveli (Living Pillar) Cathedral in Mtskheta by Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II, together with members of the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church.

Bishop Saba

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral

Episcopal service

Bishop Saba (Intskirveli) was assigned to serve as the first Bishop of the Diocese of North America. His predecessor, Metropolitan Dimitri (Shiolashvili) had been in assigned in 2009 to serve as administrator of the North American parishes, and to develop their mutual organisation towards a diocesan structure. This was in addition to his duties in Georgia.

In the same year (2014), Bishop Saba’s sister, Ketevan, was tonsured to be a nun (female monk).

Bishop Saba took up residence in Ashley, Pennsylvania.

Bishop Saba, serving at Bodbe Monastery

Upon taking up his assignment, Bishop Saba also became a member of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America.

On 31 July, 2015, the Ambassador of Georgia to Canada, Alexander Latsabidze, held an official meeting with Bishop Saba (Intskirveli) from the Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Diocese of North America, at the Georgian Embassy in Ottawa, Ontario.

In 2018, Bishop Saba blessed the establishment of a monastery in Oklahoma, USA. In the same year, he visited the Georgian community in Vancouver, British Columbia.

In February, 2020, Bishop Saba participated in the 10th anniversary of the Iveron Icon Georgian Parish in Toronto, Ontario.

In November, 2020, Bishop Saba officially opened the Monastery of Saint James-New Studion in Piedmont, Oklahoma.

Saint James-New Studion Monastery

Covid-19 disruptions, 2020-2021

In 2020-2021, the Covid-19 virus came to North America. With it and its treatment as a pandemic came repeated and prolonged closures and/or limited permitted attendance in the Temples everywhere in North America. The particular nature of these limitations depended on the regulations established by each state and province. All travel was severely curtailed, and international travel became very difficult or impossible.

— Bishop of North America 2014-____. Preceded by : Metropolitan Dimitri (Shiolashvili). Succeeded by : ___.