Nikoloz (Nariman) Makarashvili, a controversial religious leader and suspended Orthodox cleric with a fringe but devoted following who hailed him as “King,” “God,” and “saint,” was found dead on April 19 in his apartment in Tbilisi’s Ponichala district.
Police have opened an investigation into incitement to suicide, a standard procedure in such cases, while followers traded accusations as the reports suggested that a group of them, due to religious beliefs, did not allow a doctor to enter the apartment to examine the monk, who was reportedly in poor health.
Makarashvili, who was said to have last been seen on April 9, lived alone in Tbilisi, where his followers regularly gathered outside his apartment and prayed, believing he performed miracles, including healing illnesses. He reportedly lived in near total silence for years and practiced prolonged fasting.
Tensions flared outside his apartment on Sunday, both before police forced open his door, when he was found dead, and in the aftermath, when followers demanded entry.
‘Monk Nikoloz’
Nikoloz Makarashvili was reportedly ordained as a monk in the 1990s and spent several years under the guidance of Monk Gabriel (Urgebadze), a Georgian cleric who has been canonized as a saint after his death. In 2016, the Georgian Orthodox Church distanced itself from Makarashvili, stating that “for nearly 20 years his priestly service had been suspended due to certain health-related reasons.”
Makarashvili reportedly had a disputed relationship with the Church, including with the late Patriarch Ilia II. However, he continued to attract followers. He had to change apartments in Tbilisi several times as his followers, who gathered in building entrances to pray and sing, often had disagreements, including occasional violent clashes, with other residents in the buildings, who complained about followers’ conduct.
His presence became a recurring topic on Georgian social media, where his followers were often referred to as a “sect.”
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