The National Center for Manuscripts of Georgia, named after Corneli Kekelidze, announces with deep sorrow that French scientist, researcher of Eastern Christian literature and religious service, great fan of Georgian literary culture, Charles Renu, Benedictine monk Father Atanase, has died.
The National Center for Manuscripts of Georgia shared this announcement via its Facebook Page on February 4, 2026, Thursday. The Centre also shared a small note on Charles Renu, his early life, and devotions.
Charles Renu dedicated 30 years of his scientific activity to cooperation with the National Center of Manuscripts, studying the hymnographic collection of the VII-VIII SS protected in Georgian language and translating it into French, thus helping to promote the general Christian importance of Georgian literary culture.
The National Manuscript Center bids farewell to the great scientist and honors his memory. They published the borrowed words of St. Benedict’s Abbey: “And now, High Priest, you may release your slave in peace, according to your word.”
At the age of almost 101, the Vandeel the elder has joined the risen Christ, which he believed deeply and whose belief he expressed with contagious enthusiasm. The main focus of his life was to pursue science.
The dedicated researcher devoted himself to the study and translation of Armenian and Georgian liturgical manuscripts. He was a member of CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research of France). He left an internationally recognized scientific legacy — about 300 articles and 30 monographs, the last of which was published at the age of 100.
His health has deteriorated in recent weeks. The inability to read and write for someone, for whom the text was equal to breathing, was a severe pain, especially for having plans to write new books.
In Ann-Calcutta Abbey, he will always be remembered as a monk devoted to his vocation, a lover of life, a bright and faithful to the end. Absolutely! „
