The Rev. Nick Mumejian '24 Preaches on Forgiveness at Interfaith Cathedral

In October 2023, one week after the escalation of the Israel-Palestine conflict, the Rev. Nick Mumejian ‘24, managing editor of The Muslim World Journal at HIU, was in Tbilisi, Georgia, preaching on forgiveness and leading a vigil of lament. He was standing under the roof of the Peace Cathedral, a space that holds a mosque, a synagogue, and a church.

"There was still a lot of not knowing what was happening, so a lot of pain was fresh,” Nick said. “And here I am, trying to preach on forgiveness. Wow, that's an experience.” Nick maintains a close friendship with Bishop Malkhaz Songulashvili, founder of Peace Cathedral. 

The media has referred to the Peace Cathedral as a radical experiment in interfaith relations. It is one of the first spaces in the world to bring a mosque, synagogue, church, and other places of worship together. The Peace Cathedral seeks unity in an increasingly divided Georgia. The founder told the media: it’s so crazy it just might work.

Georgia's location between Europe and Asia has made it a crossroads of different cultures and faiths, leading to both cooperation and conflict.

Nick, a Baptist minister, and Malkhaz, who is part of the Evangelical Baptist Association in Georgia, first met in early 2020 when Bishop Malkhaz approached the Alliance of Baptists, to which Nick is affiliated, in hopes of becoming part of the association. The two went out for lunch and immediately hit it off. “We WhatsApp each other at least once a week,” Nick shared. 

Bishop Malkhaz is also a professor of interfaith relations at Ilia State University, Tbilisi. He was fascinated to learn Nick works for an interfaith institution as prominent as Hartford International University. 

Nick thinks the Peace Cathedral is unique and necessary, especially in these times. “I think it's important because it symbolizes the interfaith cooperation,” Nick said. 

He is fascinated by its fundraising methods. “You could not fundraise for your own faith.” For example, “The Christians could not fundraise for the Church. They had a fundraiser for the mosque and synagogue. And so this way, it's trying to demonstrate no partiality.” 

Nick and Bishop Malkhaz recently discussed their upcoming plans during a Zoom call, which include a potential visit from the Bishop to the United States in early 2025, with hopes that he might speak at Hartford International University.