Georgia Folder, its Rivers, Caucasus mountains, and Silk Road.kmz

Georgia Folder, its Rivers, Caucasus mountains, and Silk Road

Georgia, 449-502, Georgian King, Vakhtang I of Iberia, Gorgasali, 7ft10in, met Peter in Byzantium
Georgia, 449-502, Georgian King, Vakhtang I of Iberia; Martyr Razhden of Persia the Georgian, Commemorated on August 3; Hierarch Peter, First Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30; St Prochorus of Georgia, Commemorated on February 12;

Georgia (Iberia, the land of St George)
Georgia (country) ; Venerable John the Georgian, of Mt. Athos, Commemorated on July 12 ; Hieromartyr Kozman, Commemorated on July 18; Martyr Ilia Chavchavadze of Georgia, Commemorated on July 20; Martyr Salome the Georgian, Commemorated on July 20 ; St Hilarion of Tvali, Commemorated on July 24; Martyr Eustathius of Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated on July 29; St Tsotne Dadiani the Confessor, Commemorated on July 30 ; St Arsenius the Bishop of Ninotsminda, Commemorated on July 31; 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers with their Mother and Sister and Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda, Commemorated August 3 ; St Euthymius the Elder of the St John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated on August 8; Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; New Martyr Nazarius, Metropolitan of Kutaisi-Gaenati, and his companions of Georgia, Commemorated August 14 ; Martyr Christopher of Guria, Georgia, Commemorated on August 16; Icon of the Mother of God of Georgia, Commemorated August 22 ; Martyr Susanna the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated August 28; Venerable Simeon the Wonderworker, Commemorated September 4 ; Hieromartyr Dositheus of Tbilisi, Commemorated September 12 ; Repose of St. Anthimus, Bishop of Georgia, Commemorated on September 14 ; Venerable Joseph, Abbot of Alaverdi, Georgia, Commemorated September 15 ; Martyr Susanna the Queen of Georgia; New Martyr Isaac of Georgia, Commemorated on September 16; Greatmartyr and Prince Bidzina of Georgia, Commemorated on September 18 ; Arrival of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God in Georgia, Commemorated on September 26; Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; St Melchizedek I, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; St Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1 ; St Jotham Zedgenidze, Commemorated on October 30; Martyr David the Prince of Georgia; Martyr Evdemoz the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated October 4 ; Venerable Nicholas, Radiant Star of the Georgians, Commemorated on November 3 ; St John of Georgia, Commemorated November 4 ; Martyr Constantine the King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 10 ; Martyrdom of the Greatmartyr George of Georgia, Commemorated on November 10 ; Martyr Michael (Gobron) of Georgia, Commemorated on November 17 ; Venerable Hilarion the Monk and Wonderworker of Thessalonica, Georgian, Commemorated on November 19 ; Hieromartyr Gregory (Peradze) of Georgia, Commemorated on November 23 ; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated on November 29 ; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30 ; Hierarch Samuel, Second Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30 ; Hierarch Peter, First Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30 ; St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgia, Commemorated on December 2 ; 100,000 Martyrs of Tbilisi by the Mongols, Commemorated December 11 ; Synaxis of the Saints of Georgia, Commemorated on December 11 ; Venerable George the Scribe, of Khakhuli, Commemorated on December 19 ; New Martyr Theologia, Commemorated on January 2; New Martyr George of Iberia, Commemorated January 2; St Euthymius (Takaishvili), Commemorated on January 3 ; Apostle Thaddeus of the Seventy, Commemorated January 4; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated January 8 ; St Nino (Nina), Equal of the Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated January 14 ; Venerable Salome of Ujarma, Commemorated January 15 ; St Ephraim the Lesser, Commemorated January 18 ; Venerable Hieromonk Alexei of Teklati, Commemorated on January 18 ; St Anthony the Founder of Monasticism in Georgia, Commemorated January 19 ; St Macarius the Stylite of Martkobsk, Georgia, Commemorated on January 19 ; St Euthymius the Confessor, Commemorated on January 20 ; St George (John) of Georgia, Commemorated January 21 ; St John, Commemorated on January 23 ; St Gabriel, Bishop of Imereti, Commemorated January 25 ; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26 ; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29 ; St Evagrisi the disciple of St Shio, Commemorated February 4 ; St Arsenius of Iqalto in Georgia, Commemorated February 6; Venerable Shio Mgvime, Commemorated February 9 ; St John Chimchimeli the Philosopher, Commemorated on February 10 ; St Prochorus of Georgia, Commemorated February 12 ; Fathers and Martyrs of the Georgian Monasteries in Jerusalem, Commemorated February 12 ; Icon of the Mother of God "Iveron", Commemorated February 12 ; Martyr Luke of Jerusalem, the Georgian, Commemorated on February 12 ; Martyr Nicholas Dvali, Commemorated February 12 ; St Hilarion the Georgian, the New, Commemorated February 14 ; Hieromartyr Theodore of Atchara, Commemorated on February 17 ; St Nicholas the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated February 18 ; 9 Martyred brothers of Kola, Commemorated February 21 ; St John (Chrysostom) IV, the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on March 3; Venerable Shio Mgvime, Commemorated March 3 ; St John of Khakhuli the Oqropiri, also called Chrysostom, Commemorated on March 10; St Demetrius the Devoted, King of Georgia, Commemorated on March 16; St Ambrose the Confessor, Commemorated on March 16 ; St Demetrius the Devoted, King of Georgia, Commemorated on March 16; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17; GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR, APOSTLE TO ARMENIA (23 March 332); Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28; St Eulogius of Salosi, the Prophet and Fool-for-Christ, Commemorated on April 1; St John Shavteli of Salosi, Bishop of Gaenati, Georgia, Commemorated on April 1; St George Matskevereli of Georgia, Commemorated on April 2; Martyr Suchias and his Soldiers in Georgia, Commemorated on April 15; St Ephraim the Great of Atsquri, Commemorated on April 15 ; St Basil Ratishvili of Georgia, Commemorated on April 18; 6,000 Martyrs of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on April 26; Martyrs of Lazeti, Commemorated on April 29; Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1; St Zosimas II of Kumurdo, Commemorated on May 1; St Mamai the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on May 3; St Michael of Ulompo, Georgia, Commemorated on May 3 ; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; St Akaki Asistavi of Georgia, Commemorated on May 7; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8; Repose of the Venerable Shio the Anchorite of Georgia, Commemorated on May 9; St Euthymius the New, Founder of the Iveron Monastery and His Fellow Georgian Saints of Mt. Athos, Commemorated on May 13; Martyrs killed by the Latins at the Iveron Monastery on Mt. Athos, Commemorated on May 13; Venerable Dodo of the St David-Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on May 17; Martyr David of Georgia, Commemorated on May 18; St John the Bishop of the Goths in the Crimea, Commemorated on May 19; The Entrance of St Nino (Nina) the Enlightener into Georgia, Commemorated on May 19; Glorification of the Venerable Zabulon, the father of St Nino Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated on May 20; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23; St Basil of Georgia, the son of King Bagrat III, Commemorated on May 27; Martyred Fathers and Mothers of Atchara, Commemorated on May 29; St David Gareji, Commemorated on June 9; St John of Shavtel-Gaenati, Commemorated on June 9; St (John) Tornike of Mt Athos, Commemorated on June 12; St Anthimus, Bishop of Georgia, Commemorated on June 13; St Kaikhosro the Georgian, Commemorated on June 16; St Shalva of Akhaltsikhe, Commemorated on June 17; Martyr Archil II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21; Martyr Luarsab II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21; Martyr Orentius, one of the seven martyred brothers in Georgia, Commemorated on June 24; Feast of All Saints of Georgia, Commemorated on June 26; St John the Bishop of the Goths in the Crimea, Commemorated on June 26; Venerable George of Mt. Athos, Georgian, Commemorated on June 27; Holy Queen Dinar, Commemorated on June 30 ; St George the God-Bearer, Commemorated on July 3;

Iberia (Georgia, the land of St George)
Georgia (country) ; Venerable John the Georgian, of Mt. Athos, Commemorated on July 12 ; Hieromartyr Kozman, Commemorated on July 18; Martyr Ilia Chavchavadze of Georgia, Commemorated on July 20; Martyr Salome the Georgian, Commemorated on July 20 ; St Hilarion of Tvali, Commemorated on July 24; Martyr Eustathius of Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated on July 29; St Tsotne Dadiani the Confessor, Commemorated on July 30 ; St Arsenius the Bishop of Ninotsminda, Commemorated on July 31; 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers with their Mother and Sister and Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda, Commemorated August 3 ; St Euthymius the Elder of the St John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated on August 8; Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; New Martyr Nazarius, Metropolitan of Kutaisi-Gaenati, and his companions of Georgia, Commemorated August 14 ; Martyr Christopher of Guria, Georgia, Commemorated on August 16; Icon of the Mother of God of Georgia, Commemorated August 22 ; Martyr Susanna the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated August 28; Venerable Simeon the Wonderworker, Commemorated September 4 ; Hieromartyr Dositheus of Tbilisi, Commemorated September 12 ; Repose of St. Anthimus, Bishop of Georgia, Commemorated on September 14 ; Venerable Joseph, Abbot of Alaverdi, Georgia, Commemorated September 15 ; Martyr Susanna the Queen of Georgia; New Martyr Isaac of Georgia, Commemorated on September 16; Greatmartyr and Prince Bidzina of Georgia, Commemorated on September 18 ; Arrival of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God in Georgia, Commemorated on September 26; Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; St Melchizedek I, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; St Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1 ; St Jotham Zedgenidze, Commemorated on October 30; Martyr David the Prince of Georgia; Martyr Evdemoz the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated October 4 ; Venerable Nicholas, Radiant Star of the Georgians, Commemorated on November 3 ; St John of Georgia, Commemorated November 4 ; Martyr Constantine the King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 10 ; Martyrdom of the Greatmartyr George of Georgia, Commemorated on November 10 ; Martyr Michael (Gobron) of Georgia, Commemorated on November 17 ; Venerable Hilarion the Monk and Wonderworker of Thessalonica, Georgian, Commemorated on November 19 ; Hieromartyr Gregory (Peradze) of Georgia, Commemorated on November 23 ; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated on November 29 ; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30 ; Hierarch Samuel, Second Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30 ; Hierarch Peter, First Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30 ; St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgia, Commemorated on December 2 ; 100,000 Martyrs of Tbilisi by the Mongols, Commemorated December 11 ; Synaxis of the Saints of Georgia, Commemorated on December 11 ; Venerable George the Scribe, of Khakhuli, Commemorated on December 19 ; New Martyr Theologia, Commemorated on January 2; New Martyr George of Iberia, Commemorated January 2; St Euthymius (Takaishvili), Commemorated on January 3 ; Apostle Thaddeus of the Seventy, Commemorated January 4; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated January 8 ; St Nino (Nina), Equal of the Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated January 14 ; Venerable Salome of Ujarma, Commemorated January 15 ; St Ephraim the Lesser, Commemorated January 18 ; Venerable Hieromonk Alexei of Teklati, Commemorated on January 18 ; St Anthony the Founder of Monasticism in Georgia, Commemorated January 19 ; St Macarius the Stylite of Martkobsk, Georgia, Commemorated on January 19 ; St Euthymius the Confessor, Commemorated on January 20 ; St George (John) of Georgia, Commemorated January 21 ; St John, Commemorated on January 23 ; St Gabriel, Bishop of Imereti, Commemorated January 25 ; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26 ; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29 ; St Evagrisi the disciple of St Shio, Commemorated February 4 ; St Arsenius of Iqalto in Georgia, Commemorated February 6; Venerable Shio Mgvime, Commemorated February 9 ; St John Chimchimeli the Philosopher, Commemorated on February 10 ; St Prochorus of Georgia, Commemorated February 12 ; Fathers and Martyrs of the Georgian Monasteries in Jerusalem, Commemorated February 12 ; Icon of the Mother of God "Iveron", Commemorated February 12 ; Martyr Luke of Jerusalem, the Georgian, Commemorated on February 12 ; Martyr Nicholas Dvali, Commemorated February 12 ; St Hilarion the Georgian, the New, Commemorated February 14 ; Hieromartyr Theodore of Atchara, Commemorated on February 17 ; St Nicholas the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated February 18 ; 9 Martyred brothers of Kola, Commemorated February 21 ; St John (Chrysostom) IV, the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on March 3; Venerable Shio Mgvime, Commemorated March 3 ; St John of Khakhuli the Oqropiri, also called Chrysostom, Commemorated on March 10; St Demetrius the Devoted, King of Georgia, Commemorated on March 16; St Ambrose the Confessor, Commemorated on March 16 ; St Demetrius the Devoted, King of Georgia, Commemorated on March 16; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17; GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR, APOSTLE TO ARMENIA (23 March 332); Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28; St Eulogius of Salosi, the Prophet and Fool-for-Christ, Commemorated on April 1; St John Shavteli of Salosi, Bishop of Gaenati, Georgia, Commemorated on April 1; St George Matskevereli of Georgia, Commemorated on April 2; Martyr Suchias and his Soldiers in Georgia, Commemorated on April 15; St Ephraim the Great of Atsquri, Commemorated on April 15 ; St Basil Ratishvili of Georgia, Commemorated on April 18; 6,000 Martyrs of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on April 26; Martyrs of Lazeti, Commemorated on April 29; Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1; St Zosimas II of Kumurdo, Commemorated on May 1; St Mamai the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on May 3; St Michael of Ulompo, Georgia, Commemorated on May 3 ; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; St Akaki Asistavi of Georgia, Commemorated on May 7; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8; Repose of the Venerable Shio the Anchorite of Georgia, Commemorated on May 9; St Euthymius the New, Founder of the Iveron Monastery and His Fellow Georgian Saints of Mt. Athos, Commemorated on May 13; Martyrs killed by the Latins at the Iveron Monastery on Mt. Athos, Commemorated on May 13; Venerable Dodo of the St David-Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on May 17; Martyr David of Georgia, Commemorated on May 18; St John the Bishop of the Goths in the Crimea, Commemorated on May 19; The Entrance of St Nino (Nina) the Enlightener into Georgia, Commemorated on May 19; Glorification of the Venerable Zabulon, the father of St Nino Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated on May 20; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23; St Basil of Georgia, the son of King Bagrat III, Commemorated on May 27; Martyred Fathers and Mothers of Atchara, Commemorated on May 29; St David Gareji, Commemorated on June 9; St John of Shavtel-Gaenati, Commemorated on June 9; St (John) Tornike of Mt Athos, Commemorated on June 12; St Anthimus, Bishop of Georgia, Commemorated on June 13; St Kaikhosro the Georgian, Commemorated on June 16; St Shalva of Akhaltsikhe, Commemorated on June 17; Martyr Archil II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21; Martyr Luarsab II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21; Martyr Orentius, one of the seven martyred brothers in Georgia, Commemorated on June 24; Feast of All Saints of Georgia, Commemorated on June 26; St John the Bishop of the Goths in the Crimea, Commemorated on June 26; Venerable George of Mt. Athos, Georgian, Commemorated on June 27; Holy Queen Dinar, Commemorated on June 30 ; St George the God-Bearer, Commemorated on July 3;

Georgian History Folder

Georgia, 400 BC - 1st Century AD, Caucasian Iberia 302BC-580AD

Georgia, Caucasian Iberia (ie. Georgia), 302BC-580AD
Georgia, Caucasian Iberia (ie. Georgia), 302BC-580AD; Martyr Romulus and with him many others, Commemorated on September 6 ; Repose of St. Anthimus, Bishop of Georgia, Commemorated on September 14 ; New Martyr George of Iberia, Commemorated on January 2 ; New Martyr Theologia, Commemorated on January 2; GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR, APOSTLE TO ARMENIA (23 March 332); The Entrance of St Nino (Nina) the Enlightener into Georgia, Commemorated on May 19; St Anthimus, Bishop of Georgia, Commemorated on June 13;

Georgia, 302 BC - 748 AD, History Folder, Caucasian Iberia

Georgia, 000, 1st Century AD Folder, Robe of the Lord, Sts. Andrew , Matthias, Simon the Zealot, Bartholomew,

Georgia, 1-58, Aderki, or Rok, or Pharasmanes I of Iberia, b to Mithridates of Armenia, eastern Roman campaigns
----------During the reign of King Aderki of Kartli, the Jewish diaspora in Mtskheta learned that a wondrous Child had been born in Jerusalem. Then, thirty years later, a man came from Jerusalem to deliver this message: “The youth has grown up. He calls Himself the Son of God and preaches to us the New Covenant. We have sent envoys to every Jewish diaspora to urge the scholars of the religion to come to Jerusalem and judge what measures should be taken in regard to this matter.” response to the envoy’s request and at the recommendation of the Jewish Sanhedrin, Elioz of Mtskheta and Longinoz of Karsani were chosen to journey to Jerusalem. Elioz of Mtskheta was born to a pious family, and as his mother prepared him for the journey, she tearfully begged him not to take any part in the spilling of the blood of the Messiah. the Roman soldiers were nailing our Savior to the Cross on Golgotha, Elioz’s mother miraculously heard each strike of the hammer. She cried out in fear, “Farewell majesty of the Jews! For inasmuch as you have killed your Savior and Redeemer, henceforth you have become your own enemies!” With this she breathed her last. Sidonia the soldiers had cast lots for the Robe of our Lord, it was acquired by Elioz and Longinoz, and with great honor they carried it back with them to Mtskheta. Upon their arrival, Elioz met his sister Sidonia, who took from him the Sacred Robe. With much grief she listened to the story of our Savior’s Crucifixion, clutched the Robe to her breast, and immediately gave up her spirit. Georgia, 1-58, King, Aderki, or Rok, or Pharasmanes I of Iberia; I (died 58) was a king of Iberia. He plays a prominent role in the historian Tacitus’ account of policy and campaigns in the eastern Roman Empire under Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero. According to Cyril Toumanoff, Pharasmanes was a member of the third Pharnavazid dynasty and reigned from 1 to 58. Pharasmanes is mentioned on the Stele of Vespasian. During his reign, Iberia was transformed into the Transcaucasian empire,[1] that would dominate the kingdoms of Armenia and Albania.[2] allies of Rome, his brother Mithridates was installed as king of Armenia by Roman emperor Tiberius, who invaded Armenia in 35. When the Parthian prince Orodes, son of Artabanus II of Parthia, attempted to dispossess Mithridates of his newly acquired kingdom, Pharasmanes led a large Iberian army and defeated the Parthians in a pitched battle (Tacitus, Annals. vi. 32-35).[3] Pharasmanes personally smashed Orod’s helmet with one blow: Orod galloped off, and the rumours of his death demoralized the Parthians.[4] 52, Pharasmanes instigated his son, Rhadamistus, whose ambitious and aspiring character began to give him umbrage, to make war upon his uncle Mithridates, and supported him in his enterprise.[5] After a short reign, Rhadamistus was in turn expelled by the Parthians in 55, and took refuge again in his father's dominions. The Romans had expressed their displeasure at the proceedings of Rhadamistus, and in order to curry their favor, Pharasmanes put his son to death.[6] Pharasmanes was apparently succeeded by Mithridates (Mihrdat) I.[7][8] an unknown date, Pharasmanes married an unnamed Armenian princess of the Artaxiad dynasty. She was the daughter of the Artaxiad Armenian monarchs Tigranes IV and his sister-wife Erato. His Armenian wife bore him three sons: Mithridates I (Mihrdat), Rhadamistus, and Amazaspus (Amazasp), who is known from the Epigram of Amazaspos found in Rome. has tentatively suggested the identification of Pharasmanes with the Aderki (or Rok) of the medieval Georgian chronicles whose reign is said to have coincided with the appearance of the first Christian communities in Iberia, and the travel of the Jews from Mtskheta to Jerusalem whence they witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus and brought the Holy Tunic to Iberia. According to the Georgian chronicles, Aderki's division of his kingdom between his two sons, Kartam (Kardzam) and Bartom (Bratman), inaugurated the start of dyarchy in Iberia which would last for five generations. Many modern scholars, however, doubt the existence of the diarchy, for the contemporary foreign source make references only to sole monarch.[9] Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; St Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; Embrace the reign of King Aderki of Kartli, the Jewish diaspora in Mtskheta learned that a wondrous Child had been born in Jerusalem. Then, thirty years later, a man came from Jerusalem to deliver this message: “The youth has grown up. He calls Himself the Son of God and preaches to us the New Covenant. We have sent envoys to every Jewish diaspora to urge the scholars of the religion to come to Jerusalem and judge what measures should be taken in regard to this matter.” response to the envoy’s request and at the recommendation of the Jewish Sanhedrin, Elioz of Mtskheta and Longinoz of Karsani were chosen to journey to Jerusalem. Elioz of Mtskheta was born to a pious family, and as his mother prepared him for the journey, she tearfully begged him not to take any part in the spilling of the blood of the Messiah. the Roman soldiers were nailing our Savior to the Cross on Golgotha, Elioz’s mother miraculously heard each strike of the hammer. She cried out in fear, “Farewell majesty of the Jews! For inasmuch as you have killed your Savior and Redeemer, henceforth you have become your own enemies!” With this she breathed her last. Sidonia the soldiers had cast lots for the Robe of our Lord, it was acquired by Elioz and Longinoz, and with great honor they carried it back with them to Mtskheta. Upon their arrival, Elioz met his sister Sidonia, who took from him the Sacred Robe. With much grief she listened to the story of our Savior’s Crucifixion, clutched the Robe to her breast, and immediately gave up her spirit. miracles were worked by the Robe, and news of this flashed like lightning throughout Mtskheta. King Aderki had a great desire to possess the Robe but, frightened by the miracles, he did not attempt to free it from Sidonia’s embrace. Elioz was obliged to bury his sister and the Precious Robe together. A cypress tree grew up on Sidonia’s grave. When the disciples of Christ cast lots after Pentecost, the lot for evangelizing Georgia fell to the Most Holy Theotokos. But Christ revealed to His Mother that it was not His will for her to preach there. “You have been entrusted to protect the Georgian nation,” He said, “but the role of evangelizing that land belongs to My disciple Andrew the First-called. Send him with an image of your face “Not-Made-By-Hands” to protect the Georgian people to the end of the ages!” to the will of God and the blessing of the Theotokos, Saint Andrew the First-called set off for Georgia to preach the Christian Faith. He entered Georgia from the southwest, in the region of Atchara, and subsequently preached in every region of the nation. He established a hierarchy for the Georgian Church and then returned to Jerusalem for Pascha. When he visited Georgia for the second time, the Apostle Andrew was accompanied by the Apostles Matthias and Simon the Canaanite. passed and, under threat from Persian fire-worshippers and other pagan communities, the memory of Christ faded from the minds of the Georgian people. at the beginning of the 4th century, according to God’s will and the blessing of the Most Holy Theotokos, the holy virgin Nino arrived in Kartli to preach the Christian Faith. She settled in the outskirts of Mtskheta, in the bramble bushes of the king’s garden. Saint Nino inquired as to the whereabouts of our Lord’s Robe, but no one could remember where it had been preserved. In her quest for the Precious Robe, she became acquainted with Elioz’s descendants, the Jewish priest Abiatar and his daughter, Sidonia. Saint Nino converted them to Christianity. Nino was blessed by God with the gift of healing. She healed the afflicted through the name of our crucified Savior and through the grace of the cross formed from grapevines by the Theotokos and bound with strands of Saint Nino’s hair. that time King Mirian ruled Kartli. Following in the footsteps of his ancestors, he worshiped the idol Armazi, but in the depth of his heart he was drawn to the Faith that the holy virgin was preaching. Mirian’s wife, Queen Nana, was the daughter of a famous military leader of Pontus. Thus, the king had received some prior knowledge of the Faith of the Greeks. Queen Nana fell deeply ill, and only through the prayers of Saint Nino was she spared from death. After this miraculous healing, King Mirian became intrigued by the Faith that Saint Nino was preaching, and he began asking the newly enlightened Abiatar about the Holy Scriptures. while he was hunting on Mount Tkhoti near Mtskheta, King Mirian was suddenly gripped by an evil spirit, and he burned with a desire to destroy the Christian people of his land and—above all others— the virgin Nino. But suddenly the sun was eclipsed, and the king was surrounded by darkness. The frightened Mirian prayed to the pagan gods to save him from this terror, but his prayers went unanswered. Then, in utter despair, he began to pray to the Crucified God-man and a miracle occurred: the darkness scattered and the sun shone as before. Raising his hands to the east, Mirian cried out, “Truly Thou art the God preached by Nino, God of gods and King of kings!” returned to the capital, King Mirian went immediately to the bramble bushes where Saint Nino dwelt. He greeted her with great honor and spent several hours seeking her counsel. Upon her recommendation, he sent messengers to Emperor Constantine in Byzantium, requesting that he send priests to baptize the people of Kartli and architects to build churches. happened on June 24 of the year 324, which was a Saturday. King Mirian began to construct a church so that the priests arriving from Constantinople would have a place to serve. Seven columns to support the church were formed from the wood of a cypress tree that had grown in the king’s garden. Six of the columns were erected without a problem, but the seventh could not be moved from the place where it had been carved. Saint Nino and her disciples prayed through the night, and at dawn they watched as a youth, encompassed by a brilliant light, descended from the heavens and raised the column. The miraculous column began to shine and stopped in mid-air at a height of twelve cubits. myrrh began to flow from under the Holy Pillar’s foundations, and the entire population of Mtskheta flocked to that place to receive its blessing. Approaching the Life-giving Pillar, the sick were healed, the blind received sight, and the paralyzed began to walk. that time a certain Bishop John and his suite had arrived from Constantinople. Saint Constantine the Great sent a cross, an icon of the Savior, a fragment from the Life-giving Cross of our Lord (from the place where His feet lay), and a nail from His Crucifixion as gifts to the newly enlightened King Mirian and his people. the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi Rivers in Mtskheta, the king and queen, the royal court, and all the people of Kartli were baptized into the Christian Faith. After the glorious baptism, Bishop John and his retinue from Constantinople set off toward southern Georgia, for the village of Erusheti. There they built churches and presented the Christian community with the nail from our Lord’s Crucifixion. Soon after, they began to construct Manglisi Church and placed the fragment from the Life-giving Cross inside. Mirian wanted to keep some of the newly obtained sacred objects in the capital city, but Saint Nino informed him that one of the holiest objects, the Robe of our Savior, was already located in Mtskheta. The king summoned the priest Abiatar and inquired about the Robe, then rejoiced greatly after Abiatar confirmed Saint Nino’s words that the Robe of the Lord was held in the embrace of Sidonia, who was buried under the stump of the cypress tree which now served as the pedestal for the Life-giving Pillar. that time a lush, sweet-smelling, wonderworking tree grew up on a mountain over Mtskheta and, at Bishop John’s suggestion, Prince Revi, the son of King Mirian, ordered that the tree be chopped down and a cross formed from its wood. The tree was chopped down and replanted, without its roots, next to a church that was under construction. For thirty-seven days the tree retained its original appearance—even its leaves did not fade or wither. Then, after thirty-seven days had passed, three crosses were formed from its wood. many days after this miracle the people of Mtskheta saw a vision: during the night a fiery cross shone above the church, surrounded by stars. When morning came, two of the stars had moved away from the cross in opposite directions—one to the west and the other to the east. The fiery cross headed to the north, stopped for some time over the hill on the other side of the River Aragvi, then disappeared. Nino advised King Mirian to erect one of the three crosses in the west, on Tkhoti Mountain, and another in the east, in the village of Ujarma. But it was unclear where the third cross should be erected, so King Mirian prayerfully beseeched the Lord to reveal to him the place. Lord heard his prayers and sent an angel to show him the place: a rocky hill to the north of the capital, at the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari Rivers. Today this hill is called Jvari (Cross) and upon it towers the magnificent church of Jvari Monastery. At the moment the cross was erected on this hill, all the idols in Mtskheta fell and shattered to pieces. to his death King Mirian blessed his heir, Prince Bakar, and urged him to dedicate his life to the Holy Trinity and fight ceaselessly against idolaters. Then he peacefully reposed in the Lord. to his will, Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles King Mirian was buried in the upper church at Samtavro, where today a convent in honor of Saint Nino is located. The king was too modest to be buried in the lower church, the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, in which the Life-giving Pillar had been preserved. Nana reposed two years later and was buried next to her husband. St John Zedazeni of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; St David Gareji, Commemorated on June 9;

Georgia, 33 AD, Robe of the Lord, Seamless robe of Jesus, Sidonia's embrace
Georgia, 33 AD, Robe of the Lord, Seamless robe of Jesus; Seamless Robe of Jesus (also known as the Holy Robe, Holy Tunic, Holy Coat, Honorable Robe, and Chiton of the Lord) is the robe said to have been worn by Jesus during or shortly before his crucifixion. Competing traditions claim that the robe has been preserved to the present day. One tradition places it in the Cathedral of Trier, another places it in Argenteuil's Basilique Saint-Denys, and several traditions claim that it is now in various Eastern Orthodox churches, notably Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta, Georgia. St Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; the reign of King Aderki of Kartli, the Jewish diaspora in Mtskheta learned that a wondrous Child had been born in Jerusalem. Then, thirty years later, a man came from Jerusalem to deliver this message: “The youth has grown up. He calls Himself the Son of God and preaches to us the New Covenant. We have sent envoys to every Jewish diaspora to urge the scholars of the religion to come to Jerusalem and judge what measures should be taken in regard to this matter.” In response to the envoy’s request and at the recommendation of the Jewish Sanhedrin, Elioz of Mtskheta and Longinoz of Karsani were chosen to journey to Jerusalem. Elioz of Mtskheta was born to a pious family, and as his mother prepared him for the journey, she tearfully begged him not to take any part in the spilling of the blood of the Messiah. When the Roman soldiers were nailing our Savior to the Cross on Golgotha, Elioz’s mother miraculously heard each strike of the hammer. She cried out in fear, “Farewell majesty of the Jews! For inasmuch as you have killed your Savior and Redeemer, henceforth you have become your own enemies!” With this she breathed her last. sidonia St. Sidonia After the soldiers had cast lots for the Robe of our Lord, it was acquired by Elioz and Longinoz, and with great honor they carried it back with them to Mtskheta. Upon their arrival, Elioz met his sister Sidonia, who took from him the Sacred Robe. With much grief she listened to the story of our Savior’s Crucifixion, clutched the Robe to her breast, and immediately gave up her spirit. miracles were worked by the Robe, and news of this flashed like lightning throughout Mtskheta. King Aderki had a great desire to possess the Robe but, frightened by the miracles, he did not attempt to free it from Sidonia’s embrace. Elioz was obliged to bury his sister and the Precious Robe together. A cypress tree grew up on Sidonia’s grave. When the disciples of Christ cast lots after Pentecost, the lot for evangelizing Georgia fell to the Most Holy Theotokos. But Christ revealed to His Mother that it was not His will for her to preach there. “You have been entrusted to protect the Georgian nation,” He said, “but the role of evangelizing that land belongs to My disciple Andrew the First-called. Send him with an image of your face “Not-Made-By-Hands” to protect the Georgian people to the end of the ages!” to the will of God and the blessing of the Theotokos, Saint Andrew the First-called set off for Georgia to preach the Christian Faith. He entered Georgia from the southwest, in the region of Atchara, and subsequently preached in every region of the nation. He established a hierarchy for the Georgian Church and then returned to Jerusalem for Pascha. When he visited Georgia for the second time, the Apostle Andrew was accompanied by the Apostles Matthias and Simon the Canaanite. passed and, under threat from Persian fire-worshippers and other pagan communities, the memory of Christ faded from the minds of the Georgian people. at the beginning of the 4th century, according to God’s will and the blessing of the Most Holy Theotokos, the holy virgin Nino arrived in Kartli to preach the Christian Faith. She settled in the outskirts of Mtskheta, in the bramble bushes of the king’s garden. Saint Nino inquired as to the whereabouts of our Lord’s Robe, but no one could remember where it had been preserved. In her quest for the Precious Robe, she became acquainted with Elioz’s descendants, the Jewish priest Abiatar and his daughter, Sidonia. Saint Nino converted them to Christianity. Nino was blessed by God with the gift of healing. She healed the afflicted through the name of our crucified Savior and through the grace of the cross formed from grapevines by the Theotokos and bound with strands of Saint Nino’s hair. that time King Mirian ruled Kartli. Following in the footsteps of his ancestors, he worshiped the idol Armazi, but in the depth of his heart he was drawn to the Faith that the holy virgin was preaching. Mirian’s wife, Queen Nana, was the daughter of a famous military leader of Pontus. Thus, the king had received some prior knowledge of the Faith of the Greeks. Queen Nana fell deeply ill, and only through the prayers of Saint Nino was she spared from death. After this miraculous healing, King Mirian became intrigued by the Faith that Saint Nino was preaching, and he began asking the newly enlightened Abiatar about the Holy Scriptures. while he was hunting on Mount Tkhoti near Mtskheta, King Mirian was suddenly gripped by an evil spirit, and he burned with a desire to destroy the Christian people of his land and—above all others— the virgin Nino. But suddenly the sun was eclipsed, and the king was surrounded by darkness. The frightened Mirian prayed to the pagan gods to save him from this terror, but his prayers went unanswered. Then, in utter despair, he began to pray to the Crucified God-man and a miracle occurred: the darkness scattered and the sun shone as before. Raising his hands to the east, Mirian cried out, “Truly Thou art the God preached by Nino, God of gods and King of kings!” returned to the capital, King Mirian went immediately to the bramble bushes where Saint Nino dwelt. He greeted her with great honor and spent several hours seeking her counsel. Upon her recommendation, he sent messengers to Emperor Constantine in Byzantium, requesting that he send priests to baptize the people of Kartli and architects to build churches. happened on June 24 of the year 324, which was a Saturday. King Mirian began to construct a church so that the priests arriving from Constantinople would have a place to serve. Seven columns to support the church were formed from the wood of a cypress tree that had grown in the king’s garden. Six of the columns were erected without a problem, but the seventh could not be moved from the place where it had been carved. Saint Nino and her disciples prayed through the night, and at dawn they watched as a youth, encompassed by a brilliant light, descended from the heavens and raised the column. The miraculous column began to shine and stopped in mid-air at a height of twelve cubits. myrrh began to flow from under the Holy Pillar’s foundations, and the entire population of Mtskheta flocked to that place to receive its blessing. Approaching the Life-giving Pillar, the sick were healed, the blind received sight, and the paralyzed began to walk. that time a certain Bishop John and his suite had arrived from Constantinople. Saint Constantine the Great sent a cross, an icon of the Savior, a fragment from the Life-giving Cross of our Lord (from the place where His feet lay), and a nail from His Crucifixion as gifts to the newly enlightened King Mirian and his people. the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi Rivers in Mtskheta, the king and queen, the royal court, and all the people of Kartli were baptized into the Christian Faith. After the glorious baptism, Bishop John and his retinue from Constantinople set off toward southern Georgia, for the village of Erusheti. There they built churches and presented the Christian community with the nail from our Lord’s Crucifixion. Soon after, they began to construct Manglisi Church and placed the fragment from the Life-giving Cross inside. Mirian wanted to keep some of the newly obtained sacred objects in the capital city, but Saint Nino informed him that one of the holiest objects, the Robe of our Savior, was already located in Mtskheta. The king summoned the priest Abiatar and inquired about the Robe, then rejoiced greatly after Abiatar confirmed Saint Nino’s words that the Robe of the Lord was held in the embrace of Sidonia, who was buried under the stump of the cypress tree which now served as the pedestal for the Life-giving Pillar. that time a lush, sweet-smelling, wonderworking tree grew up on a mountain over Mtskheta and, at Bishop John’s suggestion, Prince Revi, the son of King Mirian, ordered that the tree be chopped down and a cross formed from its wood. The tree was chopped down and replanted, without its roots, next to a church that was under construction. For thirty-seven days the tree retained its original appearance—even its leaves did not fade or wither. Then, after thirty-seven days had passed, three crosses were formed from its wood. many days after this miracle the people of Mtskheta saw a vision: during the night a fiery cross shone above the church, surrounded by stars. When morning came, two of the stars had moved away from the cross in opposite directions—one to the west and the other to the east. The fiery cross headed to the north, stopped for some time over the hill on the other side of the River Aragvi, then disappeared. Nino advised King Mirian to erect one of the three crosses in the west, on Tkhoti Mountain, and another in the east, in the village of Ujarma. But it was unclear where the third cross should be erected, so King Mirian prayerfully beseeched the Lord to reveal to him the place. Lord heard his prayers and sent an angel to show him the place: a rocky hill to the north of the capital, at the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari Rivers. Today this hill is called Jvari (Cross) and upon it towers the magnificent church of Jvari Monastery. At the moment the cross was erected on this hill, all the idols in Mtskheta fell and shattered to pieces. to his death King Mirian blessed his heir, Prince Bakar, and urged him to dedicate his life to the Holy Trinity and fight ceaselessly against idolaters. Then he peacefully reposed in the Lord. to his will, Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles King Mirian was buried in the upper church at Samtavro, where today a convent in honor of Saint Nino is located. The king was too modest to be buried in the lower church, the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, in which the Life-giving Pillar had been preserved. Nana reposed two years later and was buried next to her husband.

Georgia, 33 AD, Elioz (Elias) of Mtskheta, traveled to Jerusalem, brought back the robe
Georgia, 33 AD, Elioz (Elias) of response to the envoy’s request and at the recommendation of the Jewish Sanhedrin, Elioz of Mtskheta and Longinoz of Karsani were chosen to journey to Jerusalem. Elioz of Mtskheta was born to a pious family, and as his mother prepared him for the journey, she tearfully begged him not to take any part in the spilling of the blood of the Messiah. the Roman soldiers were nailing our Savior to the Cross on Golgotha, Elioz’s mother miraculously heard each strike of the hammer. She cried out in fear, “Farewell majesty of the Jews! For inasmuch as you have killed your Savior and Redeemer, henceforth you have become your own enemies!” With this she breathed her last. Georgia, AD 33, Robe of the Lord, Seamless robe of Jesus; St Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1;

Georgia, 33 AD, Mary, Mother of God (Most Holy Theotokos), Georgia Protector, sent her icon instead with Andrew
Georgia, 33 AD, Mary, Mother of God (Most Holy Theotokos), Georgia Protector; the disciples of Christ cast lots after Pentecost, the lot for evangelizing Georgia fell to the Most Holy Theotokos. But Christ revealed to His Mother that it was not His will for her to preach there. “You have been entrusted to protect the Georgian nation,” He said, “but the role of evangelizing that land belongs to My disciple Andrew the First-called. Send him with an image of your face “Not-Made-By-Hands” to protect the Georgian people to the end of the ages!” Saint Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1 ; Jerusalem Saint, 18 BC-62AD, Mary, Mother of God; The Nativity of our Most Holy Lady the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, Commemorated on September 8; The Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, Commemorated on August 15;

Georgia, 33 AD, Saint Andrew the First Called, with icon called to Georgia by Jesus
Georgia, 33 AD, Saint Andrew the First Called Georgia, AD 33, Robe of the Lord, Seamless robe of Jesus; St Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; the disciples of Christ cast lots after Pentecost, the lot for evangelizing Georgia fell to the Most Holy Theotokos. But Christ revealed to His Mother that it was not His will for her to preach there. “You have been entrusted to protect the Georgian nation,” He said, “but the role of evangelizing that land belongs to My disciple Andrew the First-called. Send him with an image of your face “Not-Made-By-Hands” to protect the Georgian people to the end of the ages!” St. Ephraim the Lesser, Commemorated on January 18;

Georgia, 33 AD, Apostle Matthias, preaching in Western Georgia, drank deadly poison unharmed
Georgia, 33 AD, Apostle Matthias ; Georgia, 33 AD, Saint Andrew the First Called Georgia, AD 33, Robe of the Lord, Seamless robe of Jesus; Apostle Matthias of the Seventy, Commemorated on August 9; to Church Tradition, he was preaching at Pontine Ethiopia (presently Western Georgia) and Macedonia. He was frequently subjected to deadly peril, but the Lord preserved him to preach the Gospel. pagans forced the saint to drink a poison potion. He drank it, and not only did he himself remain unharmed, but he also healed other prisoners who had been blinded by the potion. When Saint Matthias left the prison, the pagans searched for him in vain, for he had become invisible to them. Another time, when the pagans had become enraged intending to kill the Apostle, the earth opened up and engulfed them. Holy Apostle Matthias was born at Bethlehem of the Tribe of Judah. From his early childhood he studied the Law of God under the guidance of Saint Simeon the God-Receiver (February 3). the Lord Jesus Christ revealed Himself to the world, Saint Matthias believed in Him as the Messiah, followed constantly after Him and was numbered among the Seventy Apostles, whom the Lord “sent them two by two before His face” (Luke 10:1). the Ascension of the Savior, Saint Matthias was chosen by lot to replace Judas Iscariot as one of the Twelve Apostles (Acts 1:15-26). After the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Matthias preached the Gospel at Jerusalem and in Judea together with the other Apostles (Acts 6:2, 8:14). From Jerusalem he went with the Apostles Peter and Andrew to Syrian Antioch, and was in the Cappadocian city of Tianum and Sinope. Here the Apostle Matthias was locked into prison, from which he was miraculously freed by Saint Andrew the First-Called. Apostle Matthias journeyed after this to Amasea, a city on the shore of the sea. During a three year journey of the Apostle Andrew, Saint Matthias was with him at Edessa and Sebaste. to Church Tradition, he was preaching at Pontine Ethiopia (presently Western Georgia) and Macedonia. He was frequently subjected to deadly peril, but the Lord preserved him to preach the Gospel. pagans forced the saint to drink a poison potion. He drank it, and not only did he himself remain unharmed, but he also healed other prisoners who had been blinded by the potion. When Saint Matthias left the prison, the pagans searched for him in vain, for he had become invisible to them. Another time, when the pagans had become enraged intending to kill the Apostle, the earth opened up and engulfed them. Apostle Matthias returned to Judea and did not cease to enlighten his countrymen with the light of Christ’s teachings. He worked great miracles in the Name of the Lord Jesus and he converted a great many to faith in Christ. Jewish High Priest Ananias hated Christ and earlier had commanded the Apostle James, Brother of the Lord, to be flung down from the heights of the Temple, and now he ordered that the Apostle Matthias be arrested and brought for judgment before the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem. impious Ananias uttered a speech in which he blasphemously slandered the Lord. Using the prophecies of the Old Testament, the Apostle Matthias demonstrated that Jesus Christ is the True God, the promised Messiah, the Son of God, Consubstantial and Coeternal with God the Father. After these words the Apostle Matthias was sentenced to death by the Sanhedrin and stoned. Saint Matthias was already dead, the Jews, to hide their malefaction, cut off his head as an enemy of Caesar. (According to several historians, the Apostle Matthias was crucified, and indicate that he instead died at Colchis.) The Apostle Matthias received the martyr’s crown of glory in the year 63. St Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; St. Ephraim the Lesser, Commemorated on January 18;

Georgia, 33 AD, Apostle Simon the Canaanite, Simon the Zealot, bridegroom at Cana, d in Georgia
Georgia, 33 AD, Apostle Simon the Canaanite, Simon the Zealot ; Moses of Chorene writes that he was martyred at Weriosphora in Caucasian Iberia.[13] Georgia, 33 AD, Apostle Matthias ; Georgia, 33 AD, Saint Andrew the First Called Georgia, AD 33, Robe of the Lord, Seamless robe of Jesus; Apostle Matthias of the Seventy, Commemorated on August 9; St Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; St. Ephraim the Lesser, Commemorated on January 18; Apostle Simon the Zealot, Commemorated on May 10; Simon was from Cana in Galilee, and was known to the Lord and His Mother. Tradition says that he was the bridegroom at the wedding where the Savior performed His first miracle. After witnessing the miracle of the water which had been turned into wine, he became a zealous follower of Christ. For this reason, he is known as Saint Simon the Zealot. Simon was one of the twelve Apostles, and received the Holy Spirit with the others on Pentecost. He traveled to many places from Britain to the Black Sea, proclaiming the Gospel of Christ. After winning many pagans to the Lord, Saint Simon suffered martyrdom by crucifixion. Demetrius of Rostov says that this Saint Simon is to be distinguished from the Apostle Simon Peter, and from the Lord’s relative Simon (Mt.13:55), who was the second Bishop of Jerusalem. Simon is also commemorated on June 30 with the other Apostles.

Georgia, 54-91, Georgian Saint, Bartholomew, finally skinned alive and beheaded to Albanus, Dagestan
Georgian Saint, 54-91, Bartholomew; Armenian King, 54-91, Triadates I; BARTHOLOMEW THE APOSTLE, (24 AUGUST NT); name "Bartholomew" appears in the New Testament only on lists of the names of the twelve apostles. This list normally is given as six pairs, and the third pair in each of the Synoptics is "Philip and Bartholomew" (M 10:3; P 3:18; L 6:14; but A 1:15). gives no list of the Twelve, but refers to more of them individually than the Synoptists. He does not name Bartholomew, but early in his account (John 1:43-50) he tells of the call to discipleship of a Nathaniel who is often supposed to be the same person. The reasoning is as follows: John's Nathanael is introduced as one of the earliest followers of Jesus, and in terms which suggest that he became one of the Twelve. He is clearly not the same as Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Thomas, Judas Iscariot, Judas (not Iscariot, also called Lebbaeus or Thaddeus), all of whom John names separately. He is not Matthew, whose call is described differently (M 9:9). This leaves Bartholomew, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes. Of these, Bartholomew is the leading candidate for two reasons: (1) "Bar-tholomew" is a patronymic, meaning "son of Tolmai (or Talmai)." It is therefore likely that he had another name. (A historical novel which may not be well researched informs me that a first-century Jew would be likely to use the patronymic instead of the forename as a mark of respect in speaking to a significantly older Jew.) "Nathanael son of Tolmai" seems more likely than "Nathanael also called James (or Simon)." (2) Nathanael is introduced in John's narrative as a friend of Philip. Since Bartholomew is paired with Philip on three of our four lists of Apostles, it seems likely that they were associated. St. Bartholomew, by Michaelangelo have no certain information about Bartholomew's later life. Some writers, including the historian Eusebius of Caesarea (now Har Qesari, 32:30 N 34:54 E, near Sedot Yam), say that he preached in India. The majority tradition, with varying details, is that Bartholomew preached in Armenia, and was finally skinned alive and beheaded to Albanus or Albanopolis (now Derbent, 42:03 N 48:18 E) on the Caspian Sea. His emblem in art is a flaying knife. The flayed Bartholomew can be seen in Michelangelo's Sistine painting of the Last Judgement. He is holding his skin. The face on the skin is generally considered to be a self-portrait of Michelangelo. by James Kiefer Apostle Bartholomew of the Twelve, Commemorated on June 11 ; Holy Apostle Bartholomew was born at Cana of Galilee and was one of the Twelve Apostles of Christ. After the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, it fell by lot to the holy Apostles Bartholomew and Philip (November 14) to preach the Gospel in Syria and Asia Minor. In their preaching they wandered through various cities, and then met up again. Accompanying the holy Apostle Philip was his sister, the holy virgin Saint Mariamnne. the cities of Syria and Myzia, they underwent much hardship and tribulations, they were stoned and they were locked up in prison. In one of the villages they met up with the Apostle John the Theologian, and together they set off to Phrygia. In the city of Hieropolis by the power of their prayers they destroyed an enormous viper, which the pagans worshipped as a god. The holy Apostles Bartholomew and Philip with his sister confirmed their preaching with many miracles. Hieropolis there lived a man by the name of Stachys, who had been blind for 40 years. When he received healing, he then believed in Christ and was baptized. News of this spread throughout the city, and a multitude of the people thronged to the house where the apostles were staying. The sick and those beset by demons were released from their infirmities, and many were baptized. The city prefect gave orders to arrest the preachers and throw them in prison, and to burn down the house of Stachys. At the trial pagan priests came forth with the complaint that the strangers were turning people away from the worship of the ancestral gods. that perhaps some sort of magic power was hidden away in the clothes of the apostles, the prefect gave orders to strip them. But Saint Mariamne became like a fiery torch before their eyes, and none dared touch her. They sentenced the saints to death. The Apostle Philip was crucified upside down. Suddenly there was an earthquake, and a fissure in the earth swallowed up the prefect of the city, together with the pagan priests and many of the people. Others took fright and rushed to take down the apostles from the crosses. Since the Apostle Bartholomew had not been suspended very high, they soon managed to take him down. The Apostle Philip, however, had died. After making Stachys Bishop of Hieropolis, the Apostle Bartholomew and Saint Mariamne left the city and moved on. the Word of God, Mariamne arrived in Lykaonia, where she peacefully died (February 17). The Apostle Bartholomew went to India, where he translated the Gospel of Matthew into their language, and he converted many pagans to Christ. He also visited Greater Armenia (the country between the River Kura and the upper stretches of the Tigrus and Euphrates Rivers), where he worked many miracles and healed the daughter of King Polymios from the demons afflicting her. In gratitude, the king sent gifts to the apostle, who refused to accept them, saying that he sought only the salvation of the souls of mankind. Polymios together with his wife, daughter, and many of those close to them accepted Baptism. And people from more than ten cities of Greater Armenia followed their example. But through the intrigues of the pagan priests, the Apostle Bartholomew was seized by the king’s brother Astiagus in the city of Alban (now the city of Baku), and crucified upside down. But even from the cross he did not cease to proclaim the good news about Christ the Savior. Finally, on orders from Astiagus, they flayed the skin from the Apostle Bartholomew and cut off his head. Believers placed his relics in a leaden coffin and buried him. about the year 508 the holy relics of the Apostle Bartholomew were transferred to Mesopotamia, to the city of Dara. When the Persians seized the city in 574, Christians took the relics of the Apostle Bartholomew with them when they fled to the shores of the Black Sea. But since the enemy overtook them there, they were compelled to leave the coffin behind, and the pagans threw it into the sea. By the power of God the coffin miraculously arrived on the island of Lipari. In the ninth century, after the taking of the island by the Arabs, the holy relics were transferred to the Neapolitan city of Beneventum in Italy, and in the tenth century part of the relics were transferred to Rome. holy Apostle Bartholomew is mentioned in the Life of Saint Joseph the Hymnographer (April 4). Having received from a certain man part of the relics of the Apostle Bartholomew, Saint Joseph conveyed them to his own monastery near Constantinople, and he built a church in the name of the Apostle Bartholomew, placing in it a portion of the relics. Saint Joseph ardently desired to compose hymns of praise in honor of the saint, and he fervently besought God to grant him the ability to do so. the Feast day in memory of the Apostle Bartholomew, Saint Joseph saw him at the altar. He beckoned to Joseph and took the holy Gospel from the altar table and pressed it to his bosom with the words, “May the Lord bless you, and may your song delight the whole world.” And from that time Saint Joseph began to write hymns and canons to adorn not only the Feast day of the Apostle Bartholomew, but also the Feast days of many other saints, composing about 300 canons in all. Saints John Chrysostom, Cyril of Alexandria, Epiphanius of Cyprus and certain other teachers of the Church regard the Apostle Bartholomew as being the same person as Nathanael (John 1:45-51, 21:2).

Georgia, 200, 3rd Century Folder, St Nino, King Mirian III, St George, Christian Georgia

Georgia, 284-361, King Mirian III of Iberia (Converted by St Nino who healed his Queen)
Georgia, 284-361, King Mirian III of Iberia (Converted by St Nino); Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; the reign of King Aderki of Kartli, the Jewish diaspora in Mtskheta learned that a wondrous Child had been born in Jerusalem. Then, thirty years later, a man came from Jerusalem to deliver this message: “The youth has grown up. He calls Himself the Son of God and preaches to us the New Covenant. We have sent envoys to every Jewish diaspora to urge the scholars of the religion to come to Jerusalem and judge what measures should be taken in regard to this matter.” response to the envoy’s request and at the recommendation of the Jewish Sanhedrin, Elioz of Mtskheta and Longinoz of Karsani were chosen to journey to Jerusalem. Elioz of Mtskheta was born to a pious family, and as his mother prepared him for the journey, she tearfully begged him not to take any part in the spilling of the blood of the Messiah. the Roman soldiers were nailing our Savior to the Cross on Golgotha, Elioz’s mother miraculously heard each strike of the hammer. She cried out in fear, “Farewell majesty of the Jews! For inasmuch as you have killed your Savior and Redeemer, henceforth you have become your own enemies!” With this she breathed her last. St. Sidonia the soldiers had cast lots for the Robe of our Lord, it was acquired by Elioz and Longinoz, and with great honor they carried it back with them to Mtskheta. Upon their arrival, Elioz met his sister Sidonia, who took from him the Sacred Robe. With much grief she listened to the story of our Savior’s Crucifixion, clutched the Robe to her breast, and immediately gave up her spirit. miracles were worked by the Robe, and news of this flashed like lightning throughout Mtskheta. King Aderki had a great desire to possess the Robe but, frightened by the miracles, he did not attempt to free it from Sidonia’s embrace. Elioz was obliged to bury his sister and the Precious Robe together. A cypress tree grew up on Sidonia’s grave. When the disciples of Christ cast lots after Pentecost, the lot for evangelizing Georgia fell to the Most Holy Theotokos. But Christ revealed to His Mother that it was not His will for her to preach there. “You have been entrusted to protect the Georgian nation,” He said, “but the role of evangelizing that land belongs to My disciple Andrew the First-called. Send him with an image of your face “Not-Made-By-Hands” to protect the Georgian people to the end of the ages!” to the will of God and the blessing of the Theotokos, Saint Andrew the First-called set off for Georgia to preach the Christian Faith. He entered Georgia from the southwest, in the region of Atchara, and subsequently preached in every region of the nation. He established a hierarchy for the Georgian Church and then returned to Jerusalem for Pascha. When he visited Georgia for the second time, the Apostle Andrew was accompanied by the Apostles Matthias and Simon the Canaanite. passed and, under threat from Persian fire-worshippers and other pagan communities, the memory of Christ faded from the minds of the Georgian people. at the beginning of the 4th century, according to God’s will and the blessing of the Most Holy Theotokos, the holy virgin Nino arrived in Kartli to preach the Christian Faith. She settled in the outskirts of Mtskheta, in the bramble bushes of the king’s garden. Saint Nino inquired as to the whereabouts of our Lord’s Robe, but no one could remember where it had been preserved. In her quest for the Precious Robe, she became acquainted with Elioz’s descendants, the Jewish priest Abiatar and his daughter, Sidonia. Saint Nino converted them to Christianity. Nino was blessed by God with the gift of healing. She healed the afflicted through the name of our crucified Savior and through the grace of the cross formed from grapevines by the Theotokos and bound with strands of Saint Nino’s hair. that time King Mirian ruled Kartli. Following in the footsteps of his ancestors, he worshiped the idol Armazi, but in the depth of his heart he was drawn to the Faith that the holy virgin was preaching. Mirian’s wife, Queen Nana, was the daughter of a famous military leader of Pontus. Thus, the king had received some prior knowledge of the Faith of the Greeks. Queen Nana fell deeply ill, and only through the prayers of Saint Nino was she spared from death. After this miraculous healing, King Mirian became intrigued by the Faith that Saint Nino was preaching, and he began asking the newly enlightened Abiatar about the Holy Scriptures. while he was hunting on Mount Tkhoti near Mtskheta, King Mirian was suddenly gripped by an evil spirit, and he burned with a desire to destroy the Christian people of his land and—above all others— the virgin Nino. But suddenly the sun was eclipsed, and the king was surrounded by darkness. The frightened Mirian prayed to the pagan gods to save him from this terror, but his prayers went unanswered. Then, in utter despair, he began to pray to the Crucified God-man and a miracle occurred: the darkness scattered and the sun shone as before. Raising his hands to the east, Mirian cried out, “Truly Thou art the God preached by Nino, God of gods and King of kings!” returned to the capital, King Mirian went immediately to the bramble bushes where Saint Nino dwelt. He greeted her with great honor and spent several hours seeking her counsel. Upon her recommendation, he sent messengers to Emperor Constantine in Byzantium, requesting that he send priests to baptize the people of Kartli and architects to build churches. happened on June 24 of the year 324, which was a Saturday. King Mirian began to construct a church so that the priests arriving from Constantinople would have a place to serve. Seven columns to support the church were formed from the wood of a cypress tree that had grown in the king’s garden. Six of the columns were erected without a problem, but the seventh could not be moved from the place where it had been carved. Saint Nino and her disciples prayed through the night, and at dawn they watched as a youth, encompassed by a brilliant light, descended from the heavens and raised the column. The miraculous column began to shine and stopped in mid-air at a height of twelve cubits. myrrh began to flow from under the Holy Pillar’s foundations, and the entire population of Mtskheta flocked to that place to receive its blessing. Approaching the Life-giving Pillar, the sick were healed, the blind received sight, and the paralyzed began to walk. that time a certain Bishop John and his suite had arrived from Constantinople. Saint Constantine the Great sent a cross, an icon of the Savior, a fragment from the Life-giving Cross of our Lord (from the place where His feet lay), and a nail from His Crucifixion as gifts to the newly enlightened King Mirian and his people. the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi Rivers in Mtskheta, the king and queen, the royal court, and all the people of Kartli were baptized into the Christian Faith. After the glorious baptism, Bishop John and his retinue from Constantinople set off toward southern Georgia, for the village of Erusheti. There they built churches and presented the Christian community with the nail from our Lord’s Crucifixion. Soon after, they began to construct Manglisi Church and placed the fragment from the Life-giving Cross inside. Mirian wanted to keep some of the newly obtained sacred objects in the capital city, but Saint Nino informed him that one of the holiest objects, the Robe of our Savior, was already located in Mtskheta. The king summoned the priest Abiatar and inquired about the Robe, then rejoiced greatly after Abiatar confirmed Saint Nino’s words that the Robe of the Lord was held in the embrace of Sidonia, who was buried under the stump of the cypress tree which now served as the pedestal for the Life-giving Pillar. that time a lush, sweet-smelling, wonderworking tree grew up on a mountain over Mtskheta and, at Bishop John’s suggestion, Prince Revi, the son of King Mirian, ordered that the tree be chopped down and a cross formed from its wood. The tree was chopped down and replanted, without its roots, next to a church that was under construction. For thirty-seven days the tree retained its original appearance—even its leaves did not fade or wither. Then, after thirty-seven days had passed, three crosses were formed from its wood. many days after this miracle the people of Mtskheta saw a vision: during the night a fiery cross shone above the church, surrounded by stars. When morning came, two of the stars had moved away from the cross in opposite directions—one to the west and the other to the east. The fiery cross headed to the north, stopped for some time over the hill on the other side of the River Aragvi, then disappeared. Nino advised King Mirian to erect one of the three crosses in the west, on Tkhoti Mountain, and another in the east, in the village of Ujarma. But it was unclear where the third cross should be erected, so King Mirian prayerfully beseeched the Lord to reveal to him the place. Lord heard his prayers and sent an angel to show him the place: a rocky hill to the north of the capital, at the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari Rivers. Today this hill is called Jvari (Cross) and upon it towers the magnificent church of Jvari Monastery. At the moment the cross was erected on this hill, all the idols in Mtskheta fell and shattered to pieces. to his death King Mirian blessed his heir, Prince Bakar, and urged him to dedicate his life to the Holy Trinity and fight ceaselessly against idolaters. Then he peacefully reposed in the Lord. to his will, Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles King Mirian was buried in the upper church at Samtavro, where today a convent in honor of Saint Nino is located. The king was too modest to be buried in the lower church, the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, in which the Life-giving Pillar had been preserved. Nana reposed two years later and was buried next to her husband. St Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; Martyrdom of the Great-martyr George of Georgia, Commemorated on November 10; St Nino (Nina), Equal of the Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated on January 14 ; Venerable Salome of Ujarma, Commemorated on January 15; St Prochorus of Georgia, Commemorated on February 12; The Entrance of St Nino (Nina) the Enlightener into Georgia, Commemorated on May 19; Martyr Orentius, one of the seven martyred brothers in Georgia, Commemorated on June 24;

Georgia, 292-332, St Nino, Equal of the Apostles, to Georgia for the Robe
Georgia, 280-332, St Nino, Equal of the Apostles; Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; St Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; Founding of the Church of St George, Commemorated on November 10; Martyrdom of the Great-martyr George of Georgia, Commemorated on November 10; St Nino (Nina), Equal of the Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated on January 14 ; Venerable Salome of Ujarma, Commemorated on January 15; The Entrance of St Nino (Nina) the Enlightener into Georgia, Commemorated on May 19; Glorification of the Venerable Zebulon, the father of St Nino Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated on May 20 ;

Georgia, 292-303, Saint George, Nino's Kin in Cappadocian, Armenia, greatmartyr George of Georgia
Georgia, 295-303, Saint George ; Founding of the Church of St George, Commemorated on November 10; Martyrdom of the Great-martyr George of Georgia, Commemorated on November 10; St Nino (Nina), Equal of the Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated on January 14 ; Venerable Salome of Ujarma, Commemorated on January 15;

Georgia, 300, 4th Century Folder, St and Queen, Salome of Ujarma with Nino

Georgia, 317-332, Saint Nino of Cappadocia, Armenia
Georgia, 317-332, Saint Nino of Cappadocia, Armenia; Georgia, 317-361, Saint Salome of Armenia; Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; the reign of King Aderki of Kartli, the Jewish diaspora in Mtskheta learned that a wondrous Child had been born in Jerusalem. Then, thirty years later, a man came from Jerusalem to deliver this message: “The youth has grown up. He calls Himself the Son of God and preaches to us the New Covenant. We have sent envoys to every Jewish diaspora to urge the scholars of the religion to come to Jerusalem and judge what measures should be taken in regard to this matter.” response to the envoy’s request and at the recommendation of the Jewish Sanhedrin, Elioz of Mtskheta and Longinoz of Karsani were chosen to journey to Jerusalem. Elioz of Mtskheta was born to a pious family, and as his mother prepared him for the journey, she tearfully begged him not to take any part in the spilling of the blood of the Messiah. the Roman soldiers were nailing our Savior to the Cross on Golgotha, Elioz’s mother miraculously heard each strike of the hammer. She cried out in fear, “Farewell majesty of the Jews! For inasmuch as you have killed your Savior and Redeemer, henceforth you have become your own enemies!” With this she breathed her last. St. Sidonia the soldiers had cast lots for the Robe of our Lord, it was acquired by Elioz and Longinoz, and with great honor they carried it back with them to Mtskheta. Upon their arrival, Elioz met his sister Sidonia, who took from him the Sacred Robe. With much grief she listened to the story of our Savior’s Crucifixion, clutched the Robe to her breast, and immediately gave up her spirit. miracles were worked by the Robe, and news of this flashed like lightning throughout Mtskheta. King Aderki had a great desire to possess the Robe but, frightened by the miracles, he did not attempt to free it from Sidonia’s embrace. Elioz was obliged to bury his sister and the Precious Robe together. A cypress tree grew up on Sidonia’s grave. When the disciples of Christ cast lots after Pentecost, the lot for evangelizing Georgia fell to the Most Holy Theotokos. But Christ revealed to His Mother that it was not His will for her to preach there. “You have been entrusted to protect the Georgian nation,” He said, “but the role of evangelizing that land belongs to My disciple Andrew the First-called. Send him with an image of your face “Not-Made-By-Hands” to protect the Georgian people to the end of the ages!” to the will of God and the blessing of the Theotokos, Saint Andrew the First-called set off for Georgia to preach the Christian Faith. He entered Georgia from the southwest, in the region of Atchara, and subsequently preached in every region of the nation. He established a hierarchy for the Georgian Church and then returned to Jerusalem for Pascha. When he visited Georgia for the second time, the Apostle Andrew was accompanied by the Apostles Matthias and Simon the Canaanite. passed and, under threat from Persian fire-worshippers and other pagan communities, the memory of Christ faded from the minds of the Georgian people. at the beginning of the 4th century, according to God’s will and the blessing of the Most Holy Theotokos, the holy virgin Nino arrived in Kartli to preach the Christian Faith. She settled in the outskirts of Mtskheta, in the bramble bushes of the king’s garden. Saint Nino inquired as to the whereabouts of our Lord’s Robe, but no one could remember where it had been preserved. In her quest for the Precious Robe, she became acquainted with Elioz’s descendants, the Jewish priest Abiatar and his daughter, Sidonia. Saint Nino converted them to Christianity. Nino was blessed by God with the gift of healing. She healed the afflicted through the name of our crucified Savior and through the grace of the cross formed from grapevines by the Theotokos and bound with strands of Saint Nino’s hair. that time King Mirian ruled Kartli. Following in the footsteps of his ancestors, he worshiped the idol Armazi, but in the depth of his heart he was drawn to the Faith that the holy virgin was preaching. Mirian’s wife, Queen Nana, was the daughter of a famous military leader of Pontus. Thus, the king had received some prior knowledge of the Faith of the Greeks. Queen Nana fell deeply ill, and only through the prayers of Saint Nino was she spared from death. After this miraculous healing, King Mirian became intrigued by the Faith that Saint Nino was preaching, and he began asking the newly enlightened Abiatar about the Holy Scriptures. while he was hunting on Mount Tkhoti near Mtskheta, King Mirian was suddenly gripped by an evil spirit, and he burned with a desire to destroy the Christian people of his land and—above all others— the virgin Nino. But suddenly the sun was eclipsed, and the king was surrounded by darkness. The frightened Mirian prayed to the pagan gods to save him from this terror, but his prayers went unanswered. Then, in utter despair, he began to pray to the Crucified God-man and a miracle occurred: the darkness scattered and the sun shone as before. Raising his hands to the east, Mirian cried out, “Truly Thou art the God preached by Nino, God of gods and King of kings!” returned to the capital, King Mirian went immediately to the bramble bushes where Saint Nino dwelt. He greeted her with great honor and spent several hours seeking her counsel. Upon her recommendation, he sent messengers to Emperor Constantine in Byzantium, requesting that he send priests to baptize the people of Kartli and architects to build churches. happened on June 24 of the year 324, which was a Saturday. King Mirian began to construct a church so that the priests arriving from Constantinople would have a place to serve. Seven columns to support the church were formed from the wood of a cypress tree that had grown in the king’s garden. Six of the columns were erected without a problem, but the seventh could not be moved from the place where it had been carved. Saint Nino and her disciples prayed through the night, and at dawn they watched as a youth, encompassed by a brilliant light, descended from the heavens and raised the column. The miraculous column began to shine and stopped in mid-air at a height of twelve cubits. myrrh began to flow from under the Holy Pillar’s foundations, and the entire population of Mtskheta flocked to that place to receive its blessing. Approaching the Life-giving Pillar, the sick were healed, the blind received sight, and the paralyzed began to walk. that time a certain Bishop John and his suite had arrived from Constantinople. Saint Constantine the Great sent a cross, an icon of the Savior, a fragment from the Life-giving Cross of our Lord (from the place where His feet lay), and a nail from His Crucifixion as gifts to the newly enlightened King Mirian and his people. the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi Rivers in Mtskheta, the king and queen, the royal court, and all the people of Kartli were baptized into the Christian Faith. After the glorious baptism, Bishop John and his retinue from Constantinople set off toward southern Georgia, for the village of Erusheti. There they built churches and presented the Christian community with the nail from our Lord’s Crucifixion. Soon after, they began to construct Manglisi Church and placed the fragment from the Life-giving Cross inside. Mirian wanted to keep some of the newly obtained sacred objects in the capital city, but Saint Nino informed him that one of the holiest objects, the Robe of our Savior, was already located in Mtskheta. The king summoned the priest Abiatar and inquired about the Robe, then rejoiced greatly after Abiatar confirmed Saint Nino’s words that the Robe of the Lord was held in the embrace of Sidonia, who was buried under the stump of the cypress tree which now served as the pedestal for the Life-giving Pillar. that time a lush, sweet-smelling, wonderworking tree grew up on a mountain over Mtskheta and, at Bishop John’s suggestion, Prince Revi, the son of King Mirian, ordered that the tree be chopped down and a cross formed from its wood. The tree was chopped down and replanted, without its roots, next to a church that was under construction. For thirty-seven days the tree retained its original appearance—even its leaves did not fade or wither. Then, after thirty-seven days had passed, three crosses were formed from its wood. many days after this miracle the people of Mtskheta saw a vision: during the night a fiery cross shone above the church, surrounded by stars. When morning came, two of the stars had moved away from the cross in opposite directions—one to the west and the other to the east. The fiery cross headed to the north, stopped for some time over the hill on the other side of the River Aragvi, then disappeared. Nino advised King Mirian to erect one of the three crosses in the west, on Tkhoti Mountain, and another in the east, in the village of Ujarma. But it was unclear where the third cross should be erected, so King Mirian prayerfully beseeched the Lord to reveal to him the place. Lord heard his prayers and sent an angel to show him the place: a rocky hill to the north of the capital, at the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari Rivers. Today this hill is called Jvari (Cross) and upon it towers the magnificent church of Jvari Monastery. At the moment the cross was erected on this hill, all the idols in Mtskheta fell and shattered to pieces. to his death King Mirian blessed his heir, Prince Bakar, and urged him to dedicate his life to the Holy Trinity and fight ceaselessly against idolaters. Then he peacefully reposed in the Lord. to his will, Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles King Mirian was buried in the upper church at Samtavro, where today a convent in honor of Saint Nino is located. The king was too modest to be buried in the lower church, the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, in which the Life-giving Pillar had been preserved. Nana reposed two years later and was buried next to her husband. St Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; Founding of the Church of St George, Commemorated on November 10; Martyrdom of the Great-martyr George of Georgia, Commemorated on November 10; St Nino (Nina), Equal of the Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated on January 14 ; Venerable Salome of Ujarma, Commemorated on January 15; The Entrance of St Nino (Nina) the Enlightener into Georgia, Commemorated on May 19; Glorification of the Venerable Zebulon, the father of St Nino Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated on May 20 ;

Georgia, 317, The Healer Icon, dreadful I, putrified tongue, prayer, guardian angel, bedside MOG
Georgia, 317, The Healer Icon; original icon known as “Tselitel’nitsa,” or “The Healer” was from the Tsilkan church in Kartali, Georgia. It was painted at the time of Saint Nino (January 14). is another icon with the same name in the Alexeev women’s monastery in Moscow, and many miracles took place before it at the end of the eightheenth century. Saint Demetrius of Rostov (September 21 and October 28) relates a story about this icon in his book THE BEDEWED FLEECE. cleric of the Navarninsky church, Vincent Bulvinensky, was in the habit of venerating the icon of the Mother of God whenever he entered the church. He would also recite the following prayer before the icon: “Hail, Virgin Theotokos full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed is the womb which bore Christ, and the breasts which nourished the Lord God, our Savior.” time, he found himself suffering from a dreadful affliction. His tongue began to putrefy, and he passed out from the pain. When he came to himself, he prayed his usual prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos. soon as he had finished his prayer, he saw a handsome young man at the head of his bed. The sufferer realized at once that this was his guardian angel. The angel looked at him with pity, calling on the Mother of God to heal him. Suddenly, the Theotokos appeared and healed the sick man who was so devoted to Her. He got out of bed and went to church, taking his place on the cliros for the service. Those present were astonished to see his recovery. miracle inspired the painting of “The Healer” icon depicting the Mother of God standing at the bed of the sick man. Tsilkani Church, (Probably near Ksani Fortress, Ksani River 2); Icon of the Mother of God €œthe Healer€, Commemorated on September 18 ; St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgia, Commemorated December 2; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7;

Georgia, 317-361, Saint Salome of Armenia, aka Salome of Ujarma
Georgia, 317-361, Saint Salome of Armenia; Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; St Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; Founding of the Church of St George, Commemorated on November 10; Martyrdom of the Great-martyr George of Georgia, Commemorated on November 10; St Nino (Nina), Equal of the Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated on January 14 ; Venerable Salome of Ujarma, Commemorated on January 15; The Entrance of St Nino (Nina) the Enlightener into Georgia, Commemorated on May 19; Glorification of the Venerable Zebulon, the father of St Nino Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated on May 20 ;

Georgia, 324, June 24, Pillar with Robe under it, Apparition, church, seven coloumns, youth from h, Fiery cross
Georgia, 324, June 24, Pillar with Robe under it; returned to the capital, King Mirian went immediately to the bramble bushes where Saint Nino dwelt. He greeted her with great honor and spent several hours seeking her counsel. Upon her recommendation, he sent messengers to Emperor Constantine in Byzantium, requesting that he send priests to baptize the people of Kartli and architects to build churches. happened on June 24 of the year 324, which was a Saturday. King Mirian began to construct a church so that the priests arriving from Constantinople would have a place to serve. Seven columns to support the church were formed from the wood of a cypress tree that had grown in the king’s garden. Six of the columns were erected without a problem, but the seventh could not be moved from the place where it had been carved. Saint Nino and her disciples prayed through the night, and at dawn they watched as a youth, encompassed by a brilliant light, descended from the heavens and raised the column. The miraculous column began to shine and stopped in mid-air at a height of twelve cubits. myrrh began to flow from under the Holy Pillar’s foundations, and the entire population of Mtskheta flocked to that place to receive its blessing. Approaching the Life-giving Pillar, the sick were healed, the blind received sight, and the paralyzed began to walk. that time a certain Bishop John and his suite had arrived from Constantinople. Saint Constantine the Great sent a cross, an icon of the Savior, a fragment from the Life-giving Cross of our Lord (from the place where His feet lay), and a nail from His Crucifixion as gifts to the newly enlightened King Mirian and his people. the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi Rivers in Mtskheta, the king and queen, the royal court, and all the people of Kartli were baptized into the Christian Faith. After the glorious baptism, Bishop John and his retinue from Constantinople set off toward southern Georgia, for the village of Erusheti. There they built churches and presented the Christian community with the nail from our Lord’s Crucifixion. Soon after, they began to construct Manglisi Church and placed the fragment from the Life-giving Cross inside. Mirian wanted to keep some of the newly obtained sacred objects in the capital city, but Saint Nino informed him that one of the holiest objects, the Robe of our Savior, was already located in Mtskheta. The king summoned the priest Abiatar and inquired about the Robe, then rejoiced greatly after Abiatar confirmed Saint Nino’s words that the Robe of the Lord was held in the embrace of Sidonia, who was buried under the stump of the cypress tree which now served as the pedestal for the Life-giving Pillar. that time a lush, sweet-smelling, wonderworking tree grew up on a mountain over Mtskheta and, at Bishop John’s suggestion, Prince Revi, the son of King Mirian, ordered that the tree be chopped down and a cross formed from its wood. The tree was chopped down and replanted, without its roots, next to a church that was under construction. For thirty-seven days the tree retained its original appearance—even its leaves did not fade or wither. Then, after thirty-seven days had passed, three crosses were formed from its wood. many days after this miracle the people of Mtskheta saw a vision: during the night a fiery cross shone above the church, surrounded by stars. When morning came, two of the stars had moved away from the cross in opposite directions—one to the west and the other to the east. The fiery cross headed to the north, stopped for some time over the hill on the other side of the River Aragvi, then disappeared. Nino advised King Mirian to erect one of the three crosses in the west, on Tkhoti Mountain, and another in the east, in the village of Ujarma. But it was unclear where the third cross should be erected, so King Mirian prayerfully beseeched the Lord to reveal to him the place. Lord heard his prayers and sent an angel to show him the place: a rocky hill to the north of the capital, at the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari Rivers. Today this hill is called Jvari (Cross) and upon it towers the magnificent church of Jvari Monastery. At the moment the cross was erected on this hill, all the idols in Mtskheta fell and shattered to pieces. to his death King Mirian blessed his heir, Prince Bakar, and urged him to dedicate his life to the Holy Trinity and fight ceaselessly against idolaters. Then he peacefully reposed in the Lord. to his will, Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles King Mirian was buried in the upper church at Samtavro, where today a convent in honor of Saint Nino is located. The king was too modest to be buried in the lower church, the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, in which the Life-giving Pillar had been preserved. Nana reposed two years later and was buried next to her husband. Georgia, 317-332, Saint Nino of Cappadocia, Armenia; Georgia, 317-361, Saint Salome of Armenia; Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; St Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; Founding of the Church of St George, Commemorated on November 10; Martyrdom of the Great-martyr George of Georgia, Commemorated on November 10; St Nino (Nina), Equal of the Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated on January 14 ; Venerable Salome of Ujarma, Commemorated on January 15; The Entrance of St Nino (Nina) the Enlightener into Georgia, Commemorated on May 19; Glorification of the Venerable Zebulon, the father of St Nino Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated on May 20 ;

Georgia, 361-378, Sauromaces II, christian, pro Roman policy, ousted by Saphur II, west restored by Rome, abandoned by R
Georgian King, 361-378, Sauromaces II of Iberia; II, of the Chosroid Dynasty, was a king of Iberia (Kartli, eastern Georgia) from 361 to 363 and diarch from 370 to 378. He is ignored by the Georgian historic tradition, but mentioned by the 4th-century historian of the Roman Empire, Ammianus Marcellinus. He was the first son of Rev II to Salome and brother of Trdat of Iberia. seems to have succeeded on the death of his paternal grandfather, Mirian III, the first Christian king of Iberia, in 361 and pursued pro-Roman policy. 363, he was ousted by the Sassanid king Shapur II who installed Aspacures II (Varaz-Bakur) in his place. Aspacures II was Saurmag's paternal uncle. The Sassanid intervention in the Caucasus eventually drew a Roman response and, later in 370, Roman Emperor Valens sent in the twelve legions—about 12,000 men—under Terentius who restored Saurmag in the western provinces of Iberia adjoining Armenia and Lazica, while Aspacures' successor Mihrdat III was permitted to retain control of the northeastern part of the kingdom. deal was not recognized by Shapur, who regarded it as grounds for war, and resumed hostilities against Rome early in 371.[1] By 378, however, the Gothic War had constrained Rome to abandon Sauromaces; his realm must have ceased to exist as Iberia passed, whole or nearly so, under the Sassanid suzerainty.[2]

Georgia, 365-380, Mihrdat III of Iberia, installed by Saphur II, R legions, kingdom divided, Adrianople, whole k
Georgian King, 365-380, Mihrdat III of Iberia ; III, of the Chosroid Dynasty, was the king of Iberia (Kartli, eastern Georgia) from c. 365 to 380 (diarch 370–378). succeeded his father, Varaz-Bakur known as Aspacures to the contemporaneous historian Ammianus Marcellinus and installed by Shapur II, the Sassanid king of Iran on the place of his nephew Sauromaces. Mihrdat is unknown to Ammianus who continues to refer to him as Aspacures (Amm. 27.12; 30.2). 370, the Iranian intervention in Iberia drew a Roman response, and Ammianus reports an expedition sent by Emperor Valens to restore Sauromaces to the throne of Iberia. When the Roman legions reached the river Cyrus, their commander Terentius and Sauromaces forged a deal with Aspacures to divide the kingdom in two along the river. Aspacures indicated that he had considered defecting to Rome, but feared for the life of his son Vitra, who was by then a hostage at the Sassanid court.[1] He was permitted to retain the control of northeastern Iberia, while Sauromaces was established in southwest. This situation is reflected in Leonti Mroveli’s story of defection of the people of Klarjeti (in Iberia’s southwest) to the Romans.[2] the Roman defeat at Adrianople, Sauromaces was probably expelled in 378 and Aspacures presumably regained the whole kingdom.[3]

Georgia, 380-394, Aspacures III of Iberia, christian, Romans lost Iberia and g p of Armenia
Georgian King, 380-394, Aspacures III of Iberia; III (or Varaz-Bakur II), of the Chosroid Dynasty, was the king of Iberia (Kartli, eastern Georgia) from c. 380 to 394. He was the son and successor of Mirdat III and was married to the daughter of Trdat, his relative and successor. He is credited by the Georgian chronicles with the construction of the church of Tsilkani.[1] During his reign, the Roman Empire signed the Peace of Acilisene with Sassanid Iran in which it admitted to the loss of Iberia and a greater portion of Armenia. His sons were Pharasmanes and Mihrdat.[2]

Georgia, 394-406, Trdat of Iberia, christian, old, tribute to Sassanids, churches, martyred
Georgian King, 394-406, Trdat of Iberia; (Georgian: თრდატი, sometimes Latinized as Tiridates), of the Chosroid Dynasty, was the king of Iberia (Kartli, eastern Georgia) from c. 394 to 406. to the Georgian chronicles, he was a son of Rev II, son of Mirian III, the first Christian king of Iberia and Salome. Trdat's brother was Sauromaces II of Iberia. is reported to have succeeded, already in an advanced age, his relative and son-in-law, Varaz-Bakur II, and to have been forced to pay tribute to the Sassanids. chronicles praise his piety and credit Trdat with the construction of churches at Rustavi and Nekresi.[1] The church founded by Trdat at Nekresi is identified by the archaeologist Nodar Bakhtadze with a ruined basilica uncovered in 1998.[2] Royal Martyr Mirdat, King of Kartli, Commemorated on July 8 ; Mirdat (408-410), the son of Varaz-Bakur, was the first martyred king of Georgia. He was raised by his maternal grandfather, King Trdat. faithful grandfather taught the future king to love God and his nation, and the young prince mindfully preserved his grandfather’s wisdom throughout his life. Mirdat was endowed with the greatest of a nobleman’s virtues: wisdom, discretion, physical prowess, fearlessness, valor, and courage. He liberated Klarjeti from the Byzantines, abolished the tribute system (by which Georgia was required to pay taxes to Persia), and prepared for war against the Persians. Persian king gathered an enormous army to punish the Georgian nation, and King Mirdat courageously marched toward Gardabani (in eastern Georgia) with his much smaller army. But the selflessness and bravery of the Georgian soldiers were no match for the multitude of Persian warriors. The Georgians suffered defeat, and the Persian conquerors captured the young king. Persian king demanded that Mirdat renounce the Christian Faith, but he was firmly rebuffed. Neither intimidation nor fear of persecution would break the will of the king. After torturing him for his love of Christ, the Persians bound him in chains, tormented him almost to death, and cast him into prison, where he gave up his soul to the Lord. martyrdom of King Mirdat took place at the beginning of the 5th century, in the year 410.

Georgia, 400, 5th Century Folder, St King Vakhtan 7ft10in, St Susanna

Georgia, 406-408, Pharasmanes IV of Iberia, pious christian, warrior, withheld tribute, Byzantine court, e white huns
Georgian King, 406-408, Pharasmanes IV of Iberia; IV, of the Chosroid Dynasty, was the king of Iberia (Kartli, eastern Georgia) from 406 to 409. to the medieval Georgian chronicles, he was the son of King Varaz-Bakur II and the daughter of Trdat of Iberia. as a pious monarch and an exceptional warrior, he is reported to have rebelled against the Iranian hegemony and have withheld paying tribute to the shah. He is also credited with the construction of Bolnisi.[1] is identified by some scholars with the Pharasmanes of the Syriac Vita Petri Iberi who was a brother of Osdukhtia, the paternal grandmother of Peter the Iberian, a well-known Georgian theologian and one of the leaders of anti-Chalcedonian movement in the Eastern Roman Empire. enjoyed a leading position at the Roman court and held the rank of a magister militum under Emperor Arcadius until being accused of committing adultery with the empress Eudoxia. He escaped back to Iberia where he became king and encouraged the White Huns to attack the Roman frontiers. was succeeded by his brother, Mihrdat[2]

Georgia, 408-410, King, Mihrdat IV, first martyred Georgian K, opposed Byz and Sassanian, impiety, n building
Georgian King, 408-410, Mihrdat IV of Iberia; IV (Georgian: მირდატ IV, Latinized as Mithridates), of the Chosroid Dynasty, was the king of Iberia (Kartli, eastern Georgia) from c. 409 to 411. was the son of Varaz-Bakur II and the grandson (on his mother’s side) of Trdat. Georgian chronicles criticizes him for impiety and neglect of religious building, and informs us that he opposed both major regional powers, the Roman and Sassanid empires.[1] Defeated by the Sassanid army, he was captured and deported to Iran, where he died. Royal Martyr Mirdat, King of Kartli, Commemorated on July 8 ; Mirdat (408-410), the son of Varaz-Bakur, was the first martyred king of Georgia. He was raised by his maternal grandfather, King Trdat. faithful grandfather taught the future king to love God and his nation, and the young prince mindfully preserved his grandfather’s wisdom throughout his life. Mirdat was endowed with the greatest of a nobleman’s virtues: wisdom, discretion, physical prowess, fearlessness, valor, and courage. He liberated Klarjeti from the Byzantines, abolished the tribute system (by which Georgia was required to pay taxes to Persia), and prepared for war against the Persians. Persian king gathered an enormous army to punish the Georgian nation, and King Mirdat courageously marched toward Gardabani (in eastern Georgia) with his much smaller army. But the selflessness and bravery of the Georgian soldiers were no match for the multitude of Persian warriors. The Georgians suffered defeat, and the Persian conquerors captured the young king. Persian king demanded that Mirdat renounce the Christian Faith, but he was firmly rebuffed. Neither intimidation nor fear of persecution would break the will of the king. After torturing him for his love of Christ, the Persians bound him in chains, tormented him almost to death, and cast him into prison, where he gave up his soul to the Lord. martyrdom of King Mirdat took place at the beginning of the 5th century, in the year 410.

Georgia, 411-435, King, Archil, 2 conflicting versions, Zoroastrianism firm in c Geo, successful rebellion, retal raid
Georgia, 411-435, King, Archil of Iberia; of the Chosroid Dynasty, was the king of Iberia (Kartli, eastern Georgia) from c. 411 to 435. He was the son and successor of King Mirdat IV. two principal medieval Georgian chronicles – The Conversion of Kartli, and The Life of Kartli, – relate conflicting versions of Archil’s reign. former story is extremely brief, but regretfully indicates that the positions of Zoroastrianism, an official Sasanid religion, was firm in Christian Iberia, a testimony to the effectively unchallenged Sasanid hegemony over the country. other chronicle informs us of Archil’s successful rebellion against Iran, his victory over a punitive force and a retaliatory raid into Arran. The authenticity of this latter account has been questioned by modern scholars. is also attested in two Armenian sources: Koryun’s The Life of Mashtots, cap. 18; and Moses of Chorene, III.60.[1]

Georgia, 435-447, King, Mihrdat V of Iberia, pious christian, Vakhtang's father
Georgia, 435-447, King, Mihrdat V of Iberia; V, of the Chosroid Dynasty, was the king of Iberia (Kartli, eastern Georgia) reigning, according to a medieval Georgian literary tradition, for 12 years, from c. 435 to 447 (according to Cyril Toumanoff). was the son and successor of King Archil. The Georgian annals praise Mihrdat for his piety, but provide no details about his reign. He was married to Sagdukht, daughter of Barzabod, Mihranid prince of Gardman, and fathered Vakhtang, his successor.[1]

Georgia, 447-502, King, Vakhtang I of Iberia, alliance with Byzan, reorg Orthodox Church, foundation of Tiblisi
Georgia, 447-502, King, Vakhtang I of Iberia I Gorgasali (c. 439 or 443 – 502 or 522), of the Chosroid dynasty, was a king of Iberia, natively known as Kartli (eastern Georgia) in the second half of the 5th and first quarter of the 6th century. led his people, in an ill-fated alliance with the Byzantine Empire, into a lengthy struggle against Sasanian Iranian hegemony, which ended in Vakhtang's defeat and weakening of the kingdom of Iberia. Tradition also ascribes him reorganization of the Georgian Orthodox Church and foundation of Tbilisi, Georgia's modern capital.[1] Vakhtang's reign is problematic. Ivane Javakhishvili assigns to Vakhtang's rule the dates c. 449–502 while Cyril Toumanoff suggests the dates c. 447–522. Furthermore, Toumanoff identifies Vakhtang with the Iberian king Gurgenes known from Procopius' Wars of Justinian.[2] is a subject of the 8th or 11th century vita attributed to Juansher, which intertwines history and legend into an epic narrative, hyperbolizing Vakhtang's personality and biography. This literary work has been a primary source of Vakhtang's image as an example warrior-king and statesman, which has preserved in popular memory to this day. emerged as one of the most popular figures in Georgia's history already in the Middle Ages[3] and has been canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church[4] as The Holy and Right-Believing King Vakhtang and is commemorated on December 13 [O.S. November 30].[4]

Georgia, 447-502, King Vakhtang Gorgasali (wolf's head), 7'10", unity for faith motherland, Ossetia v, Byz v, autocephalous Peter
Georgia, 447-502, King Vakhtang Gorgasali (wolf's head), Kartli (town, Tbilisi), K at 15, 7'10", unity selflessness for faith motherland, Ossetia v, Caucasian mt tribe treaties, Byz v in west, life to God, warhorse cary up mt, outrun deer, stress calm, autocephalous c, first catholicos peter, Jerusalem monastery, G forts churches diocese monasteries strongholds royal residence capital Tiblisi, political creed church union w Byz, independence, church nation union, died 502 Pesia battle; Kartli; Saint Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30; holy and right-believing king Vakhtang I ascended the throne of Kartli at the age of fifteen. that time Kartli was continually being invaded by the Persians from the south and by the Ossetians from the north. situation was no better in western Georgia: the Byzantines had captured all the lands from Egrisi to Tsikhegoji. his coronation, the young King Vakhtang summoned his court and addressed his dedicated servants with great wisdom. said that the sorrowful circumstances in which the nation had found itself were a manifestation of God’s anger at the sins of the king and the people. called upon everyone to struggle in unity and selflessness on behalf of the Faith and motherland. Vakhtang led a victorious campaign against the Ossetians, freed the captive princess (his older sister), and signed several treaties with the Caucasian mountain tribes to secure their cooperation in the struggle against foreign conquerors. he carried out another campaign in western Georgia, freed that region from the Byzantines, reinforced the authority of King Gubaz, and returned in triumph to Kartli. Vakhtang was remarkable in faith, wisdom, grace, virtue, and appearance (he towered above all others at a stately seven feet ten inches). spent many nights in prayer and distributed alms to the poor, in this way dedicating his life to God. Vakhtang could fight tirelessly in battle. in armor and fully armed, he could carry a war-horse on his shoulders and climb from Mtskheta to the Armazi Fortress in the mountains outside the city. foot he could outrun a deer. holy king was judicious in politics, displayed great composure, and preserved a sense of calm even when critical decisions needed to be made. the brow of Vakhtang’s military helmet was depicted a wolf, and on the back, a lion. a glimpse of the helmet with the wolf and lion, the Persians would cry out to one another: “Dar’ az gurgsar!” (“Beware of the wolf’s head!”) This was the source of King Vakhtang’s appellation “Gorgasali.” King Vakhtang’s reign the Georgian Church was first recognized as autocephalous. the holy king banished the pagan fire-worshippers from Georgia, he also sent a certain Bishop Michael—who was inclined to the Monophysite heresy, which had been planted in Georgia by the Persians—to Constantinople to be tried by the patriarch. bishop had disgracefully cursed the king and his army for rising up against the Monophysites. In fact, he was so infuriated that when King Vakhtang approached him to receive his blessing, he kicked him in the mouth and broke several of his teeth. patriarch of Constantinople subsequently defrocked Bishop Michael and sent him to a monastery to repent. importantly perhaps, the patriarch and the Byzantine emperor then sent to the patriarch of Antioch several clergymen whom King Vakhtang had chosen for consecration. Antioch the patriarch consecrated twelve of these clergymen as bishops and enthroned a certain Petre as the first Catholicos of Georgia. fulfilled the will of Holy King Mirian by founding the Georgian Holy Cross Monastery in Jerusalem. addition, he replaced a wooden church that had been built in Mtskheta at the time of Saint Nino with a church made of stone. his reign several new dioceses were founded. Vakhtang built a cathedral in Nikozi (Inner Kartli) and established a new diocese there, to which he translated the holy relics of the Protomartyr Razhden. Vakhtang built fortresses at Tukhari, Artanuji, and Akhiza; monasteries in Klarjeti at Artanuji, Mere, Shindobi, and Akhiza; established many other strongholds, churches, and monasteries as well. built a new royal residence in Ujarma laid the foundations of the new Georgian capital, Tbilisi. political creed consisted of three parts: an equal union of the Georgian Church with the Byzantine Church, national independence, and the unity of the Church and nation. the year 502 the sixty-year-old King Vakhtang was obliged to defend his country for the last time. In a battle with the Persians he was fatally wounded when a poisoned arrow pierced him under the arm. Before he died, King Vakhtang summoned the clergy, his family and his court and urged them to be strong in the Faith and to seek death for Christ’s sake in order to gain eternal glory. of Georgia mourned the passing of the king. His body was moved from the royal residence in Ujarma to Mtskheta, to Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, which he had himself built. There he was buried with great honor. fifteen centuries later, with the blessing of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II, an addition was built onto the Sioni Patriarchal Cathedral in Holy King Vakhtang Gorgasali’s name, and a cathedral in his honor was founded in the city of Rustavi.

Georgia, 447-502, King, Vakhtang I of Iberia, Gorgasali, 7ft10in, met Peter and Samuel in Byzantium
Georgia, 447-502, Georgian King, Vakhtang I of Iberia, Gorgasali, 7ft10in, met Peter and Samuel in Byzantium; is written in the biography of Holy King Vakhtang IV Gorgasali that the king was introduced to Peter, a pupil of Saint Gregory the Theologian, during one of his visits to Byzantium, and he became very close to him. At that time he was also introduced to the future catholicos Samuel. close spiritual bond of the holy king and the catholicos, combined with their concerted efforts on behalf of the Church, contributed immeasurably to the establishment of friendly political relations between Georgia and Byzantium and the proclamation of the autocephaly of the Georgian Apostolic Church. Martyr Razhden of Persia the Georgian, Commemorated on August 3; Hierarch Peter, First Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30; holy and right-believing king Vakhtang I ascended the throne of Kartli at the age of fifteen. At that time Kartli was continually being invaded by the Persians from the south and by the Ossetians from the north. The situation was no better in western Georgia: the Byzantines had captured all the lands from Egrisi to Tsikhegoji. his coronation, the young King Vakhtang summoned his court and addressed his dedicated servants with great wisdom. He said that the sorrowful circumstances in which the nation had found itself were a manifestation of God’s anger at the sins of the king and the people. He called upon everyone to struggle in unity and selflessness on behalf of the Faith and motherland. Vakhtang led a victorious campaign against the Ossetians, freed the captive princess (his older sister), and signed several treaties with the Caucasian mountain tribes to secure their cooperation in the struggle against foreign conquerors. Then he carried out another campaign in western Georgia, freed that region from the Byzantines, reinforced the authority of King Gubaz, and returned in triumph to Kartli. Vakhtang was remarkable in faith, wisdom, grace, virtue, and appearance (he towered above all others at a stately seven feet ten inches). He spent many nights in prayer and distributed alms to the poor, in this way dedicating his life to God. King Vakhtang could fight tirelessly in battle. Vested in armor and fully armed, he could carry a war-horse on his shoulders and climb from Mtskheta to the Armazi Fortress in the mountains outside the city. On foot he could outrun a deer. The holy king was judicious in politics, displayed great composure, and preserved a sense of calm even when critical decisions needed to be made. the brow of Vakhtang’s military helmet was depicted a wolf, and on the back, a lion. Catching a glimpse of the helmet with the wolf and lion, the Persians would cry out to one another: “Dar’ az gurgsar!” (“Beware of the wolf’s head!”) This was the source of King Vakhtang’s appellation “Gorgasali.” King Vakhtang’s reign the Georgian Church was first recognized as autocephalous. When the holy king banished the pagan fire-worshippers from Georgia, he also sent a certain Bishop Michael—who was inclined to the Monophysite heresy, which had been planted in Georgia by the Persians—to Constantinople to be tried by the patriarch. The bishop had disgracefully cursed the king and his army for rising up against the Monophysites. In fact, he was so infuriated that when King Vakhtang approached him to receive his blessing, he kicked him in the mouth and broke several of his teeth. patriarch of Constantinople subsequently defrocked Bishop Michael and sent him to a monastery to repent. importantly perhaps, the patriarch and the Byzantine emperor then sent to the patriarch of Antioch several clergymen whom King Vakhtang had chosen for consecration. In Antioch the patriarch consecrated twelve of these clergymen as bishops and enthroned a certain Petre as the first Catholicos of Georgia. fulfilled the will of Holy King Mirian by founding the Georgian Holy Cross Monastery in Jerusalem. In addition, he replaced a wooden church that had been built in Mtskheta at the time of Saint Nino with a church made of stone. During his reign several new dioceses were founded. King Vakhtang built a cathedral in Nikozi (Inner Kartli) and established a new diocese there, to which he translated the holy relics of the Protomartyr Razhden. Vakhtang built fortresses at Tukhari, Artanuji, and Akhiza; founded monasteries in Klarjeti at Artanuji, Mere, Shindobi, and Akhiza; and established many other strongholds, churches, and monasteries as well. He built a new royal residence in Ujarma and laid the foundations of the new Georgian capital, Tbilisi. His political creed consisted of three parts: an equal union of the Georgian Church with the Byzantine Church, national independence, and the unity of the Church and nation. the year 502 the sixty-year-old King Vakhtang was obliged to defend his country for the last time. In a battle with the Persians he was fatally wounded when a poisoned arrow pierced him under the arm. Before he died, King Vakhtang summoned the clergy, his family and his court and urged them to be strong in the Faith and to seek death for Christ’s sake in order to gain eternal glory. of Georgia mourned the passing of the king. His body was moved from the royal residence in Ujarma to Mtskheta, to Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, which he had himself built. There he was buried with great honor. fifteen centuries later, with the blessing of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II, an addition was built onto the Sioni Patriarchal Cathedral in Holy King Vakhtang Gorgasali’s name, and a cathedral in his honor was founded in the city of Rustavi. St Prochorus of Georgia, Commemorated on February 12;

Georgia, 447-457, Razhden the Protomartyr, Crusified in Tsromi, Persian nobleman converted christian
Georgia, 447-457, Razhden the Protomartyr, Crusified in Tsromi, Persian nobleman converted christian; Tsromi in central Georgia, Tsromi Church, 7th Century; Martyr Razhden of Persia the Georgian, Commemorated on August 3; Razhden the Protomartyr was descended from a noble Persian family. When Holy King Vakhtang Gorgasali married the daughter of the Persian king Hormuzd III Balunducht, the queen took Razhden with her to Georgia. Kartli Razhden converted to the Christian Faith, and King Vakhtang presented him with an estate and appointed him as a military adviser and commander. that time Georgia was under heavy political pressure from Persia. Enraged at King Vakhtang’s clearly Christian convictions, the Persian king Peroz (Son of Yazgard III.)(457-484) attacked Georgia with an enormous army. His accomplishments in this battle earned Razhden his distinction as a brave and virtuous warrior. long the furious King Peroz ordered that “a certain Persian aristocrat who had converted to Christianity and survived the battle” be taken captive. The Persians surrounded Razhden, bound his hands and feet, and delivered him to their king. Peroz received him with feigned tenderness, saying, “Greetings, my virtuous Razhden! Peace be to you! Where have you been all this time, and for what reason have you turned from the faith of your fathers to confess a creed in which your fathers did not instruct you?” fearlessly asserted that Christianity is the only true faith and that Christ is the only true Savior of mankind. King Peroz tried to conceal his anger and cunningly lure Razhden to his side, but his attempt was in vain. Convinced that his efforts were futile, Peroz finally ordered that the saint be beaten without mercy. The expert executioners trampled Saint Razhden, battered him, knocked out his teeth, dragged him across jagged cliffs, then chained him in heavy irons and cast him into prison. the news of Razhden’s suffering and captivity spread to Mtskheta, the Georgian nobility came to Peroz and requested that he free the holy man. Peroz consented to their request, but made Razhden vow to return. arrived in Mtskheta, bid farewell to his family and the beloved king Vakhtang Gorgasali and, despite his loved ones’ admonitions to the contrary, returned to Peroz. The Persian king tried again to return Razhden to the religion of the fire-worshippers. But seeing that he would not be broken, Peroz instead ordered his exile to a military camp at Tsromi in central Georgia. Then he secretly ordered the chief of the Persian camp to turn him away from Christianity and to execute him if he refused. “Your flattery and bribes are insulting to me. With joy I am prepared to endure every suffering for the sake of Christ!” replied to his appeals, “If he hopes in the Crucified One, then he also is fit to suffer crucifixion!” Such was the Persians’ verdict. They erected a cross, crucified Christ’s humble servant, and prepared to shoot at the pious man with bow and arrow. “Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commit my spirit!” were the last words of Saint Razhden. night a group of Christians stole the Persians’ cross, took the holy martyr’s body down from it, and buried his holy relics in secret. A few years later Vakhtang Gorgasali translated Saint Razhden’s relics from Tsromi to Nikozi (in central Georgia) and interred them in a cathedral that he had built there not long before. Holy King Vakhtang later erected churches in honor of Georgia’s first martyr in Ujarma and Samgori in eastern Georgia.

Georgia, 456-468, King, Gubazes I of Lazica, King Vakhtang freed him from Byzantines
Georgia, 456-468, King, Gubazes I of Lazica; Around 456 Gubazes tried to negotiate an alliance with the Sassanid Persians in order to break free from Roman hegemony. In response, in 456, the emperor Marcian dispatched a military expedition against the Lazi, calling upon Gubazes to abdicate or to depose his son, who was his co-ruler, "as it was against tradition to have two joint rulers". Eventually Gubazes abdicated in favor of his son and, in 466, paid a visit to Constantinople, where he had to endure the reprimands of the emperor Leo I, but he was eventually treated with favour and sent back to his homeland, where he seems to have been able to resume his reign. Gubazes' visit to Constantinople is also mentioned in the Life of St. Daniel the Stylite, which reports that Gubazes accompanied Leo to see the renowned monk Daniel, who greatly impressed the Lazic king and even mediated a treaty between the two monarchs. This period coincided with a campaign launched against Lazica by its eastern neighbour, King Vakhtang I of Iberia, which is narrated in the Georgian Chronicles. Vakhtang was then a Sassanid vassal and his activities in Lazica may have been indirect assistance from the Sassanid shah, as previously offered to Gubazes during his break with Rome. Around 468 Gubazes, aided by the Romans, attacked the pro-Persian mountainous region of Suania, which had seceded from Lazic overlordship, but, aside from a couple of fortresses, he failed to retake the territory. His failure may have been due to the interference of the Iberians, since the Georgian Chronicles allude to another, in this case victorious, campaign, undertaken by Vakhtang of Iberia in Lazica around this time. Lazica region, Western Inland Georgia, Rioni River 6, Senaki River; St Tsotne Dadiani the Confessor, Commemorated on July 30 ; Saint Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30;

Georgia, 460-505, Peter, 1st Georgia Catholicos, f Byz, close to Vakhtang I, autocephaly, harmony b church & state
Georgia, 460-505, Peter, first Catholicos of Georgia in Kartli (town, Tbilisi), Gregory's pupil in Byz, close to Vakhtang I, so Geo close w Byz, autocephaly, harmony between church and state, respect for king; Kartli; Hierarch Peter, first Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30; Peter was the first catholicos of Georgia. He led the Church of Kartli from the 460s through the beginning of the 6th century. to God’s will, Saint Peter inaugurated the dynasty of the chief shepherds of Georgia. is written in the biography of Holy King Vakhtang IV Gorgasali that the king was introduced to Peter, a pupil of Saint Gregory the Theologian, during one of his visits to Byzantium, and he became very close to him. At that time he was also introduced to the future catholicos Samuel. close spiritual bond of the holy king and the catholicos, combined with their concerted efforts on behalf of the Church, contributed immeasurably to the establishment of friendly political relations between Georgia and Byzantium and the proclamation of the autocephaly of the Georgian Apostolic Church. returned to his own capital, King Vakhtang sent an envoy to Byzantium to find him a wife. He also sent a request that the hierarch Peter be elevated as catholicos and that the priest Samuel be consecrated bishop. He pleaded with the patriarch to hasten the arrival of Catholicos Peter and the twelve bishops with him. patriarch of Constantinople approved King Vakhtang’s request to institute the rank of catholicos of Georgia. Since the Georgian Church was still under the jurisdiction of Antioch, Peter and Samuel were sent to the Antiochian patriarch himself to be elevated. The autocephaly of the Georgian Church was proclaimed upon the arrival of the holy fathers in Georgia. Peter ruled the Church according to the principle of autocephaly and established a form of self-rule that would later help to increase the authority of the Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church. mutual respect and cooperation of the catholicos and the holy king laid the foundations for future, harmonious relations between secular and Church authorities in Georgia. Their example defined the authority of the Church and a national love and respect for the king. accompanied Holy King Vakhtang Gorgasali to war with the Persians in 502. It is written that “the fatally wounded king Vakhtang summoned the catholicos, the queen, his sons and all the nobility.” Saint Peter heard the king’s last confession, granted the remission of his sins, presided at his funeral service, and blessed the prince Dachi (502-514) to succeed him as king of Kartli. Catholicos Peter led the Georgian Church with great wisdom to the end of his days. Holy Synod of the Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church canonized the holy catholicos Peter and the holy catholicos Samuel on October 17, 2002.

Georgia, 480-547, Samuel, 2nd Georgia Catholicos, f Byz, close to Vakhtang I, Svetitskhoveli & Tsqarostavi churches
Georgia, 480-547, Samuel, 2nd Georgia Catholicos, f Byz, close to Vakhtang I, autocephaly, harmony b church & state, a Svetitskhoveli Cathedral iMtskheta, led GChurch reigns oDachi & Bakur, began Tsqarostavi Church iJavakheti ; Kartli; Hierarch Samuel, Second Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30; Samuel ascended the throne of the Apostolic Orthodox Church of Georgia in the 6th century, after the holy catholicos Peter. Saint Peter, Samuel was a native of Byzantium. He arrived with Catholicos Peter in Georgia as a bishop, at the invitation of King Vakhtang Gorgasali and with the blessing of the patriarch of Constantinople. that time Svetitskhoveli in Mtskheta was the residence of the catholicos. the repose of Catholicos Peter, Samuel succeeded him, and King Dachi “bestowed upon him the city of Mtskheta, according to the will of King Vakhtang.” Saint Samuel led the Georgian Church during the reigns of King Dachi and his son Bakur. He initiated construction of Tsqarostavi Church in the Javakheti region. we know of Saint Samuel’s activity paints him as a pastor who demonstrated great foresight and cared deeply about his flock. He was also a close acquaintance of the holy martyr Queen Shushanik. Samuel faithfully served the Autocephalous Church of Georgia and labored to strengthen the Christian Faith of the Georgian people to the end of his days. Holy Synod of the Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church canonized the holy catholicos Peter and the holy catholicos Samuel on October 17, 2002.

Georgia, 460-475, Queen, Shushanik (Susanna) husband converted to fire worship, killed her when she would not
Georgia, 460-475, Saint Shushanik (Susanna) Queen of Georgia; Georgia, 470-482, Varsken, Viceroy of Gugark, Tashiri, Georgia; Gugark, Tashiri, Georgia; Martyr Susanna the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on August 28; Shushanik (Susanna) was the wife of the Georgian prince Varsken, the ruler of Hereti.1 Having been raised in a pious Christian family, she was deeply penetrated with love and the fear of God. that time Kartli was under heavy political pressure from Persia, and Prince Varsken visited the Persian king Peroz in hopes of encouraging more friendly relations between the two countries. He willingly denied the true Faith, converted to the worship of fire, and promised the king to convert his wife and children upon his return to Hereti. approached the border of Hereti, Varsken sent messengers to Tsurtavi, the city in which he ruled, to ensure that his subjects met him with due respect. The blessed Shushanik, having learned of her husband’s betrayal, fell to the ground and wept over him with bitter tears. Then she took her four children, deserted the palace, and sought refuge in a nearby church. evening Shushanik was visited by her spiritual father, the elder Jacob, who predicted, “Varsken’s cruelty and mercilessness are unmistakable. Know that terrible trials await you. Will you be firm and unbending in your position?” “I would rather die than unite with him and destroy my soul!” she answered. days later the prince arrived in Tsurtavi. As promised, he tried to persuade his wife to convert, but Saint Shushanik firmly answered, “As you have renounced your Creator, so I am renouncing you. I will no longer take part in your affairs, no matter what suffering I must endure!” next time, Varsken sent his younger brother Jojik and Bishop Apots to convince Shushanik to return to the palace. Shushanik refused for some time, but in the end she yielded to their persuasion. She set off for the palace with the Holy Gospel and the Lives of the holy martyrs, and when she arrived she locked herself in a squalid cell. Two days later Varsken returned to the palace and invited Shushanik, his brother Jojik, and his sister-in-law for supper. The queen, however, could not bring herself to share a meal with one who had betrayed Christ: she pushed away the cup that Jojik’s wife had offered her, thus further angering her husband. furious Varsken beat his wife mercilessly, fettered her in irons, locked her in prison, and forbade the guards to let anyone in to see her. Shushanik spent six years in captivity. While she was serving her sentence, she helped the poor that came to her. Through her prayers the sick were healed and children were born to the childless. Before her death, Holy Martyr Shushanik blessed those around her and requested that she be buried at the place from which her unbelieving husband had dragged her out of the palace. happened in the year 475. The clergy and people alike wept bitterly over Shushanik’s tragic fate. Her holy relics were buried in accordance with her will. 578, with the blessing of Catholicos Kirion I, Saint Shushanik’s holy relics were translated to Tbilisi, where they remain today, in the Metekhi Church of the Most Holy Theotokos. Susanna of Georgia is also commemorated on October 17. Hereti, a province of southeastern Georgia, was under Persian control at that time. Prince Varsken was essentially the viceroy for the Persians.

Georgia, 470-482, Varsken, Viceroy of Gugark, Tashiri, Georgia, Traitor, Killed Wife Susanna
Georgia, 470-482, Varsken, Viceroy of Gugark, Tashiri, Georgia; Gugark, Tashiri, Georgia; Georgia, 460-475, Saint Shushanik (Susanna) Queen of Georgia; Martyr Susanna the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on August 28;

Georgia, 500, 6th Century Folder, 13 Assyrian Fathers, including John of Zedezeni, David Gareji, and St. Shio

Georgia, 502, War with Persia, Vakhtang I killed, 7ft10in
Georgia, 502, War with Iran, Vakhtang I killed; Catholicos Peter accompanied Holy King Vakhtang Gorgasali to war with the Persians in 502. It is written that œthe fatally wounded king Vakhtang summoned the catholicos, the queen, his sons and all the nobility.Â Saint Peter heard the king'™s last confession, granted the remission of his sins, presided at his funeral service, and blessed the prince Dachi (502-514) to succeed him as king of Kartli. Georgia, 449-502, Georgian King, Vakhtang I of Iberia; Hierarch Peter, First Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30;

Georgia, 502-534, Dachi of Iberia, Vakhtang's son, more concillatory, christianized mountainous s, enlarged Tiblisi, citadel
Georgia, 502-534, Georgian King, Dachi of Iberia, Vakhtang's son, more concillatory w Persians, further christianized mountainous subjects, enlarged Tiblisi, completed citadel there; Georgian King, 502-534, Dachi of Iberia ; of the Chosroid Dynasty, was the king of Iberia (Kartli, eastern Georgia) reigning, according to a medieval Georgian literary tradition, for 12 years, from c. 522 to 534. was given a territorial epithet Ujarmeli for having spent years at his residence at Ujarma. name Dachi derives from Middle Persian Darchr, itself being a compound of the Iranian words dar ("court, palace") and chr [ag] ("seed, origin").[1] to the medieval Georgian chronicles, Dachi was the eldest son of King Vakhtang I Gorgasal by Balendukht, daughter of the Iranian Sassanid king Hormizd III. succeeded his father, who had launched an abortive rebellion against the Sassanid hegemony, took a more conciliatory line with his Iranian suzerains. his base at Ujarma in Kakheti, which had constituted the royal demesne from the days of the early Chosroids, he spent special missionary efforts to further Christianize his mountainous subjects. also enlarged the town of Tbilisi and completed the construction of its citadel which had been founded by his father. was succeeded by his son, Bacurius II.[2][3] 9 Martyred brothers of Kola, Commemorated on February 22 ; Venerable Shio Mgvime, Commemorated on March 3;

Georgia, 534-547, Bacurius II of Iberia, King, died leaving young children, I fell under Sassanid control
Georgian King, 534-547, Bacurius II of Iberia; II, of the Chosroid Dynasty, was a king of Iberia (natively known as Kartli; ancient Georgia) from 534 to 547. name Bacurius is the Latin form of the Greek Bakour, itself a variant of the Middle Iranian Pakur, derived from Old Iranian bag-puhr ('son of a god').[1][2] The name "Bakur" is the Georgian and Armenian attestation of Middle Iranian Pakur.[1] was the son and successor of King Dachi. According to the medieval Georgian chronicler Juansher, he died leaving young children and Iberia fell under Sassanid control.[3] He had two children, Pharasmanes V and one of the parents of Pharasmanes VI. 9 Martyred brothers of Kola, Commemorated on February 22 ; Venerable Shio Mgvime, Commemorated on March 3;

Georgia, 540's, 13 Assyrian Fathers (St Shio, John of Zedazeni, David Gareji, Joseph of Alaverdi)
Georgia, 13 Assyrian Fathers, 6th Century; Thirteen Assyrian Fathers were, according to Georgian church tradition, a group of monastic missionaries who arrived from Mesopotamia to Georgia to strengthen Christianity in the country in the 6th century. They are credited by the Georgian church historians with the foundation of several monasteries and hermitages and initiation of the ascetic movement in Georgia.[1][2] lives of the Assyrian Fathers are related in a cycle of medieval Georgian hagiographic texts and are unattested beyond these sources. Some of these vitae are formalities composed for an 18th-century synaxary, but four of them exist in original form, as well a metaphrastic version. The dating as well as authorship of these texts is controversial. The Georgian Catholicoi Arsen I (830-87) and Arsen II (955-80) have been suggested as authors of some of the vitae. Other, unattributed, texts may have been composed earlier, in the late 7th century.[3] monasteries in modern Georgia are named after the Assyrian Fathers and are said to have been founded and led by them and their numerous disciples. In the Middle Ages, these religious foundations played an important role in forging Georgian Christian identity.[3] written and oral, names as many as 19 Assyrian monks active in Georgia in the 6th century and the number "13" seems to be largely symbolic. Modern scholarly opinion is divided as to whether they were Assyrians, Assyrian-educated Georgians, whether missionaries or refugees — monophysite or diophysite — from Syria, from which monophysitism had retreated while Georgia was still primarily monophysite at that time.[3] in Iberia where the fathers served Chief of the Assyrian Fathers were: Davit Garejeli / David of Gareja Ioane Zedazneli / John of Zedazeni Abibos Nekreseli / Abibos of Nekresi Shio Mgvimeli / Shio of Mgvime Ioseb Alaverdeli / Joseph of Alaverdi Anton Martkopeli / Anton of Martkopi Tadeoz Stepantsmindeli / Thaddeus of Stepantsminda Piros Breteli / Pyrrhus of Breti Iese Tsilkneli / Jesse of Tsilkani Stepane Khirseli / Stephen of Khirsa Isidore Samtavneli / Isidor of Samtavisi Mikael Ulumboeli / Michael of Ulumbo Zenon Ikaltoeli / Zenon of Ikalto Venerable Joseph, Abbot of Alaverdi, Georgia, Commemorated September 15 ; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated on November 29; St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgia, Commemorated on December 2; St Anthony the Founder of Monasticism in Georgia, Commemorated on January 19; St Macarius the Stylite of Martkobsk, Georgia, Commemorated on January 19; Venerable Shio Mgvime, Commemorated on February 9 ; Venerable Shio Mgvime, Commemorated on March 3; Venerable Dodo of the St David-Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on May 17; St. David Gareji, Commemorated on June 9 ;

Georgia, 540's, 13 Assyrian Fathers (under St John of Zedazeni)
Georgia, 13 Assyrian Fathers, 6th Century; Thirteen Assyrian Fathers were, according to Georgian church tradition, a group of monastic missionaries who arrived from Mesopotamia to Georgia to strengthen Christianity in the country in the 6th century. They are credited by the Georgian church historians with the foundation of several monasteries and hermitages and initiation of the ascetic movement in Georgia.[1][2] lives of the Assyrian Fathers are related in a cycle of medieval Georgian hagiographic texts and are unattested beyond these sources. Some of these vitae are formalities composed for an 18th-century synaxary, but four of them exist in original form, as well a metaphrastic version. The dating as well as authorship of these texts is controversial. The Georgian Catholicoi Arsen I (830-87) and Arsen II (955-80) have been suggested as authors of some of the vitae. Other, unattributed, texts may have been composed earlier, in the late 7th century.[3] monasteries in modern Georgia are named after the Assyrian Fathers and are said to have been founded and led by them and their numerous disciples. In the Middle Ages, these religious foundations played an important role in forging Georgian Christian identity.[3] written and oral, names as many as 19 Assyrian monks active in Georgia in the 6th century and the number "13" seems to be largely symbolic. Modern scholarly opinion is divided as to whether they were Assyrians, Assyrian-educated Georgians, whether missionaries or refugees — monophysite or diophysite — from Syria, from which monophysitism had retreated while Georgia was still primarily monophysite at that time.[3] in Iberia where the fathers served Chief of the Assyrian Fathers were: Davit Garejeli / David of Gareja Ioane Zedazneli / John of Zedazeni Abibos Nekreseli / Abibos of Nekresi Shio Mgvimeli / Shio of Mgvime Ioseb Alaverdeli / Joseph of Alaverdi Anton Martkopeli / Anton of Martkopi Tadeoz Stepantsmindeli / Thaddeus of Stepantsminda Piros Breteli / Pyrrhus of Breti Iese Tsilkneli / Jesse of Tsilkani Stepane Khirseli / Stephen of Khirsa Isidore Samtavneli / Isidor of Samtavisi Mikael Ulumboeli / Michael of Ulumbo Zenon Ikaltoeli / Zenon of Ikalto Venerable Joseph, Abbot of Alaverdi, Georgia, Commemorated September 15 ; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated on November 29; St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgia, Commemorated on December 2; St Anthony the Founder of Monasticism in Georgia, Commemorated on January 19; St Macarius the Stylite of Martkobsk, Georgia, Commemorated on January 19; Venerable Shio Mgvime, Commemorated on February 9 ; Venerable Shio Mgvime, Commemorated on March 3; Venerable Dodo of the St David-Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on May 17; St. David Gareji, Commemorated on June 9 ;

Georgia, 540's, Anthony, Monasticism in Georgia, of the 13 Assyrian Fathers, Anton of Martqopi
Georgia, 540's, Anthony, Monasticism in Georgia, of the 13 Assyrian Fathers; Georgia, 13 Assyrian Fathers, 6th Century; St Anthony the Founder of Monasticism in Georgia, Commemorated on January 19; holy father Anton of Martqopi arrived in Georgia in the 6th century with the rest of the Thirteen Syrian Fathers and settled in Kakheti to preach the Gospel of Christ. He always carried with him an icon of the Savior “Not-Made-By-Hands.” Anton made his home in the wilderness, and deer visited him every evening to nourish him with their milk. day the deer arrived earlier than expected, and they were followed by a wounded fawn. Clearly something had frightened them. Anton retraced the animals’ path, he discovered a nobleman, the head of a nearby village, hunting in the fields. Astonished to see the old monk with his icon, standing amidst a gathering of deer, the nobleman, being a pagan, became convinced that he was dangerous and ordered his servants to take him to a smith and chop off his hands. was led at once to the smith, but when the craftsman heated his sword and drew it above the monk’s hands in preparation, he fell down suddenly and his arms became like wood. daunted smith fell mute, but blessed Anton made the sign of the Cross over him and he was immediately healed. heard about this miracle, the nobleman perceived that Abba Anton was truly holy, and he began to hold him in reverence. “Tell me what you need, and I will provide it for you,” he told Elder Anton. The monk requested a single piece of salt, and they brought him two large blocks. He broke off a small piece and placed it near his cell for the deer. the incident at the smith’s, many people began to visit Anton, and the holy father constructed a monastery for the faithful. before long their attention became burdensome, and Elder Anton fled from the world to the peak of a mountain. There he began to preach from the top of a pillar, where he would remain the last fifteen years of his life. God revealed to Fr. Anton the day of his repose, the monk-stylite gathered his pupils, imparted to them a few last words of wisdom, blessed them, and died on his knees in front of his beloved icon. Anton’s body was taken down from the pillar and buried in the monastery that he had founded, before the icon of the Theotokos.

Georgia, 540's, Abibus, Nekressi Bishop, of 13 Fathers, Dagestani's also, watered fire god, Jesus sign, d escape, incorrupt r
Georgia, 540's, Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi , Georgia (Alazani River 2), of t 13 Armenian Fathers, converted Dagestani's also, Persian rule, fire altars everywhere, water on the fire, Stylite Simeon sign from Jesus, strengthened, declined escape, shattered skull, wild beasts, body guard, but Christian burial, incorrupt relics, relic miracles; Nekressi ; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated on November 29 ; Abibus of Nekresi was one of the Thirteen Syrian Fathers who arrived in Georgia in the 6th century under the leadership of Saint John of Zedazeni. the blessing of his instructor, Saint Abibus began his apostolic activity in Nekresi, a village set among the hills in the eastern region of Kakheti. his virtuous deeds, Saint Abibus was soon consecrated bishop of his diocese. to the chronicle Life of Kartli, Saint Abibus converted not only Georgians but also most of the mountain tribes—including the Dagestani/Didoians—to the Christian Faith. with apostolic zeal, Saint Abibus journeyed throughout the villages of his diocese, preaching the Truth and calling upon all to strengthen the true Faith. time that Saint Abibus was serving as bishop coincided with a dark period of Persian rule in eastern Georgia. Persians exerted every effort to implant their faith—the worship of fire—and everywhere erected altars where the fire burned without ceasing. in the village of Rekhi the holy hierarch, finding a group of fire-worshipers forcing the Georgian faithful to worship the flame, poured water on their fire to extinguish it. enraged pagan priests bound Saint Abibus, beat him cruelly, locked him up, and reported the incident to the marzban. The marzban ordered that the bishop be brought to him at once. Abibus was a friend of the holy wonderworker Simeon the Stylite of the Wonderful Mountain. Simeon received a sign from God of the imminent martyrdom of Saint Abibus and, in order to console him, sent him a letter, an evlogia (a blessing—probably a piece of prosphoron or some other holy object) and a staff. Abibus was being escorted to the marzban, in the village of Ialdo he met a messenger from Antioch who presented him with Saint Simeon’s gifts. letter and gifts gladdened the holy hierarch and strengthened him for his martyrdom. Saint Abibus was approached by a group of Christians who offered to help him escape, but he graciously declined. arrived in Mtskheta, the saint prayed at Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, requested that the guards permit him to meet with Saint Shio of Mgvime. Persians granted his request, and the spiritual brothers greeted one another with love and prayed together to the Lord. Abibus was brought before the dread marzban and asked how he could dare raise his hand against the Persian god. replied with complete composure, saying, “I did not kill any god; rather I extinguished a fire. Fire is not a god, but a part of nature, which is created by God. Your fire was burning wood, and a little water was enough to extinguish it. The water turned out to be stronger. Your fury amazes me. Isn’t it humiliating to call something a god which has no soul?” at this response, the marzban ordered the holy hierarch’s execution. executioners mercilessly beat the blessed Abibus and shattered his skull with stones. Then they dragged his body through the city, cast it to the beasts, and assigned a guard to ensure that the Christians did not come to steal it. that night the priests and monks of Rekhi came, took the body of the holy martyr, and buried it with great honor at Samtavisi Monastery (located midway between Mtskheta and Gori). miraculous healings have taken place over the grave of Saint Abibus. the rule of Prince Stepanoz of Kartli, the incorrupt relics of Saint Abibus were translated from Samtavisi to Samtavro Monastery in Mtskheta, according to the decree of Catholicos Tabori. They were buried under the holy altar at Samtavro Church.

Georgia, 540's, Holy Fathers of Shio Mgvime monastery, Georgia, great story, dove, spring prayer, obedient bear, cup in air
Georgia, 540's, Holy Fathers of Shio Mgvime monastery, Georgia (the cave of Shio, Kura River 8), 13 Syrian Fathers, Blessed by MOG, arrived Georgia 540's, Zedazeni Mt, prayer&fasting, John ofZ's good works throughout Georgia, Founding many monasteries active today, revived G monastic life, Shio, nobleman fAntioch, to nearby Sarkineti Mts, deserted highlands, dove b food, ruler Evagre of Tsikhedidi found him w hunting, financed &joined him, became igumen, great ascetic Ila stayed w John carrying water all way up from river, Z Mt no water, John asked God for a spring and got it, cup left suspended in air at ShioM, Bear scares Ila, J commands bear and his kind to not harm anyone on Z Mt. C still in effect; Shio Mgvime (the cave of Shio); Holy Fathers of the Shio-Mgvime Monastery, Commemorated on January 4; Thirteen Syrian fathers arrived in Georgia in the 6th century, having received a blessing for their journey from the Most Holy Theotokos. settled on Zedazeni Mountain, living an ascetic life of prayer and fasting. spiritual leader, Ioane (John), then sent them to perform good works throughout various regions of Georgia. founding of many monasteries and the revival of monastic life in Georgia today are linked to the names of the Thirteen Syrian Fathers. Ioane sent one of his disciples, Shio, the son of a God-fearing Antiochian nobleman, to take up his abode in the nearby Sarkineti Mountains. the grace of God, a dove brought food to Saint Shio in the deserted highlands where he labored. certain ruler, Evagre of Tsikhedidi, would often go hunting in the area where Saint Shio lived. one of his excursions he happened upon venerable Shio and was so awed by his wondrous way of life that he decided to remain there with him. Evagre gave up all his possessions and was found worthy to be appointed abbot at the time of Saint Shio’s death. Ioane remained on Zedazeni Mountain with only one disciple, the holy deacon Ilia. Fr. Ilia was a great consolation to Saint Ioane in his infirmities. Saint Ilia was also a great ascetic in his own right, laboring in prayer, fasting, and mortification of the flesh. mountain on which they lived was completely lacking water. Ilia labored in the sweat of his brow carrying water from the Aragvi River, which flows around the foot of Zedazeni Mountain. the great ascetic labors of his disciple, Saint Ioane besought God with tears that He would supply them with a spring of water on top of this high mountain. God heard the prayer of His servant and a spring of delicious water began to flow. Ilia the Deacon often accompanied Saint Ioane on his travels. Ioane once took him to the monastery of Saint Shio, and Ilia the Deacon, as requested, presented Saint Ioane with a cup of wine in the refectory. The blessed Ioane made the sign of the Cross over the cup, raised it aloft, prayed to God, and left the cup suspended in the air. It remained where he had placed it, as if supported by an invisible hand. day Saint Ilia went to the spring to draw water. Glancing up he saw opposite him a bear of enormous size approaching the spring. was terrified and, leaving his bucket, turned and fled to the great schemamonk Ioane to tell him about the bear. Saint Ioane followed his disciple to the well and saw the bear drinking water. Saint Ioane meekly said, “Drink if you are thirsty and go away from here. But I tell you that henceforth, you and your kind shall never dare to cause any harm to anyone on this mountain.” the words of the saint and inclining its head like an obedient servant, the bear immediately left the spring. And to this day the animals continue to obey Saint Ioane’s command. holy deacon Ilia remained with Saint Ioane the rest of his life. Georgian Apostolic Church beseeches the protection of the venerable Evagre, Ilia the Deacon, and all the blessed and pious elders who dwelt with the Thirteen Syrian Fathers and continued laboring in holiness to the end of their lives.

Georgia, 541-550, Georgian Saint, Eustathius of Mtskheta, Persian Cobbler
Georgian Saint, 541-550, Eustathius of Mtskheta; or Eustace of Mtskheta (died c. 550) is an Orthodox Christian saint, executed for his apostasy from Zoroastrianism by the Sasanian military authorities in Caucasian Iberia (Kartli, eastern Georgia). His story is related in the anonymous 6th-century Georgian hagiographic novel The Passion of Eustathius of Mtskheta. of the earliest extant works of the Georgian literature, The Passion of Eustathius of Mtskheta was written by an anonymous author later in the 6th century, within thirty years of Eustathius' reported death. The morphology of the work as well as some theological phrases also supports this dating, although the earliest surviving manuscript dates from c. 1000 (Georgian National Center of Manuscripts, MSS H-341). The text is also interesting for the first Georgian formulation of the Ten Commandments, an account of the life of Jesus which recalls Tatian's Diatessaron (a Gospel harmony of the 2nd century), and traces of influence of the 2nd century Apology of Aristides. The Passion was first published by Mikhail Sabinin in 1882.[1] is reported by the hagiographer to have been an Iranian cobbler originally called Gvirobandak, son of a high-ranking Zoroastrian priest (magi), from Ganzak. Having converted to Christianity, he flees persecution to Georgia (Iberia), then under the Iranian military authority, in 541. He settles at the Christian town of Mtskheta and marries a Christian woman. The local Iranian cobblers’ guild denounces Eustathius to the marzban Arvand Gushnasp with seven other converts to be judged. Arvand punishes the apostates by having their noses pierced and casts them in prison under sentence of death. Six months later, Arvand releases them, however, as a farewell gesture to the local people, when recalled from Georgia by the king Khosrau I. Four years later, under the new marzban Vezhan Buzmihr, Eustathius is rearrested, but reaffirms his faith before the court in a speech of some 3,000 words that makes up nearly half the Passion. Eventually, the marzban, albeit reluctant, has him beheaded in Tbilisi. The remains of Eustathius were taken to Mtskheta and buried at its principal church.[1][2] Martyr Eustathius of Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated on July 29; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated on November 29; St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgiam Commemorated on December 2;

Georgia, 547-561, King, Pharasmanes V of Iberia, aka Parsman, revered and funded Shio
Georgia, 547-561, King, Pharasmanes V of Iberia, aka Parsman King Parsman heard about his military adviser’s radical change of life, he was deeply disturbed and wandered into the wilderness to find him. But when he witnessed the divine grace shining on Saint Shio’s face, he took off his crown and knelt humbly before him. Fr. Shio reverently blessed the king, helped him to stand up, and replaced the crown on his head. Following the king’s example, all the royal court came to receive Shio’s blessing. A certain nobleman with an injured eye knelt before Saint Shio, touched his eye to the holy father’s foot, and received healing at once. another time King Parsman asked Saint Shio if there was anything he needed, and he answered, “O Sovereign King, God enlightens the hearts of kings. Do that which your heart tells you!â€ In response, the king donated much wealth for the construction of a church in the wilderness: the lands of four villages, a holy chalice and diskos, a gold cross, and an ornately decorated Gospel that had belonged to the holy king Vakhtang Gorgasali (†502). construction of the church was complete, the king traveled there in the company of the catholicos, several bishops and Saint John of Zedazeni. The hierarchs consecrated the newly built church, and a monastic community soon grew up on its grounds. Eventually, the number of monks laboring at King Parsman’s monastery grew to nearly two thousand. Many people visited this place to receive Saint Shio’s wonderworking blessings, and they were healed from many diseases. Georgian King, 547-561, Pharasmanes V of Iberia; V, of the Chosroid Dynasty, was the king of Iberia (Kartli, eastern Georgia) from 547 to 561. was the son and successor of Bakur II, and was succeeded by his nephew Parsman VI.[1] to the medieval Armenian adaptation of the Georgian Chronicles, in the reign of Parsman, the Ossetians (Georgian designation for Alans) attacked and ravaged Kartli, prompting Parsman to place himself under the Persian protection on terms of paying tribute. However, this version differs from that given by the Georgian original in the History of King Vakhtang Gorgasali, where nothing is said about the Alans and an unprovoked Persian aggression is recalled.[2] St. Evagrisi the disciple of St. Shio, Commemorated on February 4; 9 Martyred brothers of Kola, Commemorated on February 22 ; Venerable Shio Mgvime, Commemorated on March 3;

Georgia, 550 6th Century, 9 Martyred brothers of Kola, pagans no Church until baptism, 9 p children b, then stoned by parents
Georgia, 550 6th Century, 9 Martyred brothers of Kola, (Kura River Source) pagans not allowed in Church until baptism, 9 p children baptized, then stoned by their parents ; Kola; 9 Martyred brothers of Kola, Commemorated February 21 ; centuries ago, the village of Kola was located at the source of the Mtkvari River. There Christians and pagans dwelt together as neighbors. Christian and pagan children would play together, but when the Christian children heard church bells ringing, they recognized the call to prayer and dropped their games. pagan children—Guram, Adarnerse, Baqar, Vache, Bardzim, Dachi, Juansher, Ramaz, and Parsman—would follow the Christian children to church. the Christians always stopped them near the gates of the church and reprimanded them, saying, “You are children of pagans. You cannot enter God’s holy house.” They would return sorry and dejected. day the nine pagan children tried to enter the church forcibly, but they were cast out and scolded. “If you want to enter the church, you must believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” they were told. “You must receive Holy Communion and join the community of Christian believers.” great joy the youths promised the Christians that they would receive Holy Baptism. When the Christians of Kola related to their priest the good news of the pagan boys’ desire, he recalled the words of the Gospel: He that loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he that takes not his cross, and follows after Me, is not worthy of Me. (Matt. 10:37-38). was not afraid of the anger that would follow from the pagan community, but rather took the boys on a cold winter night and baptized them in the icy river. A miracle occurred while the Holy Sacrament was being celebrated: the water became warm and angelic hosts appeared to the youths. Greatly encouraged in their faith, the children decided to remain in the Christian community rather than return to their parents. their parents learned that they had been baptized in the Christian Faith, they dragged their children away from the church, abusing and beating them into submission all the way home. The heroic children endured the abuses and, though they went hungry and thirsty for seven days, repeated again and again, “We are Christians and will not eat or drink anything that was prepared for idols!” gentle flattery, nor costly clothing, nor promises of good things to come could tempt the God-fearing youths. Rather they asserted, “We are Christians and want nothing from you but to leave us alone and allow us to join the Christian community!” enraged parents went and reported to the prince everything that had happened. But the prince was of no help—he simply told them, “They are your children, do with them as you wish.” obstinate pagans asked the prince permission to stone the children. So a large pit was dug where the youths had been baptized, and the children were thrown inside. “We are Christians, and we will die for Him into Whom we have been baptized!” proclaimed the holy martyrs, the Nine Children of Kola, before offering up their souls to God. godless parents took up stones, and then others joined in, until the entire pit had been filled. They beat the priest to death, robbed him, and divided the spoils among themselves. martyric contest of the Nine Righteous Children of Kola occurred in the 6th century, in the historical region of Tao in southern Georgia.

Georgia, 561-561, Georgian King, Pharasmanes VI of Iberia, Sassanid Dominated
Georgian King, 561-561, Pharasmanes VI of Iberia; VI, of the Chosroid Dynasty, became the king of Iberia (Kartli, eastern Georgia) in 561. The length of his reign is unknown. The royal power was largely nominal at that time as the Sassanid Empire dominated Iberia. was the fraternal nephew of Parsman V, his predecessor. Parsman VI himself was succeeded by his son, Bakur III.[1] 9 Martyred brothers of Kola, Commemorated on February 22 ;

Georgia, 561-580, Bacurius III of Iberia, King, 580 Sassanian Persia abolished kingship
Georgia, 561-580, Georgian King, Bacurius III of Iberia, 580 Sassanian Persia abolished kingship; Georgian King, 561-580, Bacurius III of Iberia; III (Georgian: ბაკურ III, Latinized as Bacurius) (died 580) was the last Chosroid king of Iberia (natively known as Kartli; ancient Georgia) upon whose death the Iberian monarchy was abolished by Sassanid Iran. name Bacurius is the Latin form of the Greek Bakour (Βάκουρ), itself a variant of the Middle Iranian Pakur, derived from Old Iranian bag-puhr ('son of a god').[1][2] The name "Bakur" is the Georgian (ბაკურ) and Armenian (Բակուր) attestation of Middle Iranian Pakur.[1] succeeded his father, King P'arsman VI, as the king of Iberia. The date of his accession to the throne is unknown but he ruled as contemporary of Hormizd IV of Iran.[3] Bakur's authority was rather limited and hardly extended beyond his fortress at Ujarma while the capital Tbilisi, and Inner Iberia was governed more directly by the Sassanids. When he died in 580, Hormizd IV took opportunity to abolish the kingship in Iberia.[4] He was father of Adarnase I of Iberia. 9 Martyred brothers of Kola, Commemorated on February 22 ; Venerable Shio Mgvime, Commemorated on March 3;

Georgia, 588-590, Guaram I of Iberia, King, Byzantine curopalates (in charge of Palace)
Georgian King, 588-590, Guaram I of Iberia; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated on November 29; St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgia, Commemorated on December 2; 9 Martyred brothers of Kola, Commemorated on February 22 ; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7;

Georgia, 590-627, Stephen I of Iberia, King, pro byzantine to pro persian reverse, Miaphysite to chalcedonian, flayed by b
Georgia, 590-627, Stephen I of Iberia, King, pro byzantine to pro persian reverse, made Tiblisi capital, Cross on his Sassanid Iberian coin, Church of the Holy Cross at Mtskheta , anti chalcedonian (Miaphysite) then c, k by byzantines, flayed alive; Chalcedonian_Christianity, 451 Ecumenical Council in Chalcedon, union of two natures (divine and human) in one hypostasis of Jesus Christ, who is thus acknowledged as a single person. Plus, confirmed Nicene Creed, not Miaphysite or Oriental Orthodox; Christianity is the branch of Christianity that accepts and upholds theological and ecclesiological resolutions of the Council of Chalcedon, the Fourth Ecumenical Council, held in 451.[1] Christianity accepts the Christological Definition of Chalcedon, a Christian doctrine concerning the union of two natures (divine and human) in one hypostasis of Jesus Christ, who is thus acknowledged as a single person (prosopon).[2][3] Chalcedonian Christianity also accepts the Chalcedonian confirmation of the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, thus acknowledging the commitment of Chalcedonism to Nicene Christianity.[4][5] regard to their specific attitudes towards theological resolutions of the Council of Chalcedon, Christian denominations (both historical and modern) can be divided into: Chalcedonian – those that accept theological resolutions of the Council of Chalcedon; Semi-Chalcedonian – those whose acceptance of Chalcedonian theological resolutions is partial or conditional;[6] Non-Chalcedonian – those that reject theological resolutions of the Council of Chalcedon. Today, Chalcedonian Christianity encompasses the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church and Protestant denominations, while non-Chalcedonian, or Miaphysite, Christianity encompasses the Oriental Orthodox Churches. Georgian King, 590-627, Stephen I of Iberia ; I (died 627), of the Guaramid Dynasty, was a presiding prince of Iberia (Kartli, central and eastern Georgia) from c. 590 to 627. was killed during the battle with the invading Byzantine army. son and successor of Guaram I of Iberia, Stephen reversed his father’s pro-Byzantine politics to pro-Iranian and, through loyalty to his Sassanid suzerains, succeeded in reuniting Iberia under his sway. made Tbilisi his capital and defended it with a Georgian-Iranian force when the Byzantine emperor Heraclius, in alliance with the Khazars, attacked Iberia in 626 (see Byzantine–Sassanid War of 602–628). was taken captive in the fighting and Heraclius had him flayed alive. His office was given to Adarnase I, his relative of the old Chosroid house.[1][2] period of Stephen's rule coincided with another crucial moment in the history of Georgia. When Stephen switched from a pro-Byzantine position to cooperation with Iran, his religious sympathies shifted toward anti-Chalcedonism, leading to its official adoption by the catholicos of Iberia in 598 or 599. 608, however, the Georgian Orthodox Church returned to a Chalcedonic position, prompting the sister church of Armenia to break communion with the Georgian church and excommunicate its catholicos Kirion I. It was Heraclius’s campaign, however, that brought about the final victory of Chalcedonian faith in Iberia.[3] I was the first among the Georgian rulers who inscribed on the obverse of the "Ibero-Sassanid" drachmas minted by himself the initials of his name, symmetrically placed on the border in Georgian stylized letters. On the reverse of his coins, instead of the sacred flame (Atar), the principal emblem of Zoroastrianism, he placed the Cross – symbol of the victory of Christianity. This was a significant political act pointing not to Stephen’s mere Iranophilia, but rather to his efforts to reestablish the political autonomy of eastern Georgia and strengthen the Christian church.[4][5] exterior stone plaque of the church of the Holy Cross at Mtskheta, Georgia, mentions the principal builders of this church: Stephanos the patricius, Demetrius the hypatos, and Adarnase the hypatos who have traditionally been equated by the Georgian scholars with Stephen I, son of Guaram; Demetre, brother of Stephen I and Adarnase I. However, an opinion expressed by Professor Cyril Toumanoff disagrees with this view by identifying these individuals with Stephen II, Demetre (brother of Stephen I), and Adarnase II (son of Stephen II), respectively.[6] Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated on November 29; St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgia, Commemorated on December 2; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7;

Georgia, 600, 7th Century Folder, Muslim Dagestan and Azerbaizhan

Georgia, 650, Martyr Neophytus of Urbin, Persian, Omar, vision St Shio w angels, converted, stoned
Georgia, 650, Urbnisi, Martyr Neophytus of Urbin; Urbnisi; Martyr Neophytus of Urbin, Georgia, Commemorated October 28 ; holy hieromartyr Neophytus of Urbnisi descended from a line of Persian fire-worshippers. the 7th century, by order of the Saracen emir Mumni, the military leader Ahmad attacked Georgia with an enormous army. After overrunning the central part of Shida (Inner) Kartli, Ahmad dispatched two of his commanders, Omar and Burul, to the capital city of Mtskheta. At the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers, across from the village of Tsikhedidi in the rocky Sarkineti region, the invaders discovered a group of caves and plotted to occupy them. They tried to cross the Mtkvari but were unable. suffered a setback, the enemies asked their captives what was located in those caves. They were told that this was the Shio-Mgvime Monastery, where dwelt God’s chosen, who had deprived themselves of every earthly blessing. at this reply, the commanders decided to pass this information on to Ahmad. Then, as though it were commonplace, Ahmad sent Omar to the monastery to ask the monks to pray for him and remember him at the grave of their abbot, Saint Shio. “Pray for me, O slaves of God, and accept these gifts of aloe and incense. Offer these as a sacrifice to your abbot,” he told them. the monastery caves, Omar sent a messenger to inform the monks that he was coming to them in peace and bearing gifts. Drawing near to the monastery gates, the commander saw an army of incorporeal hosts descending from the heavens and among them an elder, radiant with a great light. meek and modest behavior of the monks left a great impression on Omar. He soon understood that the strange armies he had seen on the steps of the monastery were angels of God and that the elder was Saint Shio of Mgvime, abbot of the monastery. He related his vision to the monks and vowed to return to them, receive the sacrament of Holy Baptism, be tonsured a monk, and remain there to join in their holy labors. Omar abandoned all his possessions, his military rank, and his wealth and was baptized in the Christian Faith at the Shio-Mgvime Monastery as he had promised. of his slaves were baptized with him as well. Omar received the new name Neophytus (Newly Planted / From the Greek word neophytos, which in I Tim. 3:6 refers to a new convert), and his slaves became Christodoulus (Christ’s Slave) and Christopher (Christ-bearer). to God’s will, Saint Neophytus was consecrated bishop of Urbnisi, and all were amazed at his wisdom and steadfastness. He was a true father to his flock: “He strengthened the weak, healed the sick, raised the fallen, cleansed the possessed, directed the lost and sought out those who were perishing, protecting them, and forbidding them to wander off again.” the enemy could not tolerate the native Persian’s apostolic activity, and he convinced the fire-worshippers to kill the Christian shepherd. So the unbelievers devised an ambush and attacked Neophytus’ isolated cell, then tied him up and began to mock, curse, and revile him. They knew that Saint Neophytus longed to become like the holy protomartyr Stephen, and they plotted to stone him to death. his time to depart this world had arrived, Saint Neophytus turned to his persecutors with a tender voice, saying, “Sweet is death to me, O unbelievers! Sweet it is to me. I desire to sunder the link between my mortal and immortal nature.... With my own blood I will confirm the Holy Church, which is founded upon the Precious Blood of the Son and Word of God, Whom I preach. May that which was foreordained for me by the Providence of God be fulfilled, for He has called me to His light from the depths of ungodliness!” furious pagans stoned the saint to death. With his last breath Holy Hieromartyr Neophytus cried out, “Lord Jesus Christ receive my soul!”

Georgia, 664, Dagestan, northeast of Georgia
Dagestan; Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Caucasian Avars; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated November 29 ; St Pimen of Salosi the Enlightener of Dagestan and the North Caucasus People, Commemorated on March 16 ; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17 ; Fathers martyred by the Dagestanians, Commemorated on June 1;

Georgia, 667, Azerbaizhan, east of Georgia
Azerbaizhan, 667-, east of Georgia; St Demetrius the Devoted, King of Georgia, Commemorated on March 16; Mothers of the Kvabtakhevi Monastery in Georgia, Commemorated on April 10 ; Martyr Suchias and his Soldiers in Georgia, Commemorated on April 15 ; Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8 ;

Georgia, 684-693, Guaram II of Iberia (Kartli, eastern Georgia), Georgian King, struggle with Khazars, a w Justinian II
Georgian King, 684-693, Guaram II of Iberia; II, of the Guaramid dynasty, was a presiding prince of Iberia (Kartli, eastern Georgia) from 684/5 to c. 693. was a hereditary duke (eristavi) of Klarjeti and Javakheti, and acquired the office of presiding prince of Iberia when his predecessor, Adarnase II of the Chosroid dynasty died in the struggle with the Khazars in 684/5. the year 689, after a successful Byzantine campaign against the Caliphate, Guaram transferred his allegiance to the emperor Justinian II and was conferred with the title of curopalates. He must have been succeeded by his son or grandson Guaram III shortly before 693, the year when the Arabs succeeded in taking the Caucasus with the help of their Khazar allies and introduced direct rule through their viceroy (wali) at Dvin.[1] Martyr David of Georgia, Commemorated on May 18;

Georgia, 693-748, Guaram III of Iberia, Georgian King, including Kakheti and Kartli, Arab rule 693
Georgian King, 693-748, Guaram III of Iberia; III, of the Guaramid dynasty, was a presiding prince of Iberia (Kartli, eastern Georgia) from before 693 to c. 748. III was bestowed with the Byzantine title of curopalates, and thus, must have succeeded his father or grandfather Guaram II shortly before 693, i.e., before the resurgent Caliphate ousted the Byzantines from the Caucasus region.[1] The c. 800 chronicle of Pseudo-Juansher also refers to the princes Mihr, Archil, and the sons of the latter – Iovane and Juansher – in this period. However, neither of these individuals were presiding princes of Iberia, but the provincial rulers of Kakheti in the east.[2] III had a son also called Guaram (or Gurgen), and two anonymous daughters one of whom married the Chosroid prince Archil, and the other married the Bagratid prince Vasak. His son, Guaram/Gurgen was married to a Nersianid princess, daughter of Adarnase III, and fathered Stephen III.[3] St Sarmean, the Catholicos of Kartli, Georgia, Commemorated on August 21; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated on January 8; St Mamai the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on May 3 ; Martyr David of Georgia, Commemorated on May 18;

Georgia, 693, Great Story of Martyrs David and Trichan of Tao, repentance and forgiveness
Martyr David of Georgia, Commemorated on May 18; holy martyrs David and Tarichan were born to Vardan and Tagine, pious Christians and relatives of the king. Vardan died while his sons were still young, and Tagine’s pagan brother Theodosius seized all the family’s possessions. that the brothers would eventually claim their legal inheritance, Theodosius resolved to convert his sister and nephews to his own creed. “Leave behind the Faith of the crucified Christ and receive mine and I will adopt your children,â€ he told Tagine. But Tagine firmly guarded the family against her brother’s evil intent. “It is enough that you have seized my sons’ estate,â€ she said. “But you cannot seize the inheritance they will receive from their Father in heaven!â€ was thwarted by his sister’s resoluteness. So instead, he tried to convert his nephews directly. He called them, embraced them warmly, and tempted them with sweets. “Now you are my sons, and everything I have belongs to you,â€ he told them. “Trust me like obedient sons of a beloved father. Turn from the Faith of your father, and I will show you a better way!â€ a brief silence, the holy youths answered, “We are perfectly content with our father’s Faith and will remain loyal to this Faith until the day our souls depart from our flesh. We are prepared to suffer everything for the love of our Lord and Heavenly Father!â€ dared not try to sway his nephews since he feared the revenge of the Christian community, so he left them in peace and plotted to murder them in secret. But Tagine sensed that danger was near and escaped with her sons to the region of Tao in the south. his spies Theodosius learned that the brothers were now herding sheep at the top of a mountain, and he ordered an ambush. But the brothers heard the noise and saw the armed soldiers before they attacked. David rejoiced upon seeing his uncle and ran toward him, but Theodosius stabbed him before he could embrace him. The holy martyr released his staff from his hand, and when it fell to the ground it was miraculously transformed into a large tree. Two hundred years later a group of Christians chopped the tree down and divided the holy wood among themselves. just witnessed his own brother’s murder, Tarichan raced toward the village of Divri for help. But his pursuers overtook him, stabbed him to death, and ran off. When they returned to Theodosius, they saw that God had punished him by taking away his sight. The soldiers were stunned, and they could neither utter a word nor move from the place of this miracle. After some time Theodosius’ eyes filled with bitter tears, and he was finally moved to repentance. first Tagine denounced her brother in a rage, and those who heard the cries of the inconsolable mother wept along with her. But while she was stroking the lifeless bodies of her sons, Theodosius turned to her, saying, “On you has shone the Inextinguishable Light from the Unapproachable and True Light, the Eternal Light. Pray to the holy martyrs that the Lord have mercy on me and make me, the unworthy, worthy of the seal of Christ, the All-merciful God, Who came into the world. Indeed, He is the One True God!â€ When Tagine heard these words, she recognized that God had received her sons as a holy sacrifice. Filled with new joy, she told her brother, “May God forgive you the murder of my sons!â€ she took a piece of the earth that had been stained by her son David’s blood and anointed her brother’s eyes. Immediately his sight was restored. happened in the year 693. As a witness to the sanctity of His martyrs, our God, Who loves mankind, illumined their bodies with a radiant light each evening when night fell. repented before the catholicos himself. He was baptized into the Christian Faith and erected a church in honor of his nephew Saint David. The mayor of Divri took Saint Tarichan’s holy relics and built a church over them in his name. Blessed Tagine began a new life in the village of Tadzarani and later reposed there.

Georgia, 736-914, History Folder, Arab Muslims in Georgia

Georgia, 700, 8th Century Folder, Arab Muslim Conquest of Georgia, St. Ephraim the Great of Atsquri Fortress

Georgia, 735-736, Umayyad Caliph, Marwan ibn Muhammad (Marwan the Deaf), fought all across Georgia East to West
Persia, 735-736, Umayyad Caliph, Marwan ibn Muhammad (Marwan the Deaf); ibn Muhammad's invasion of Georgia took place from 735 to 737. It was initiated by the Umayyad Caliphate. The goals of the campaign are disputed among historians. The Georgian historiography insists its main purpose was to finally break the stiff Georgian resistance against Arab rule,[1] however, the western historians such as Cyril Toumanoff,[2] and Ronald Suny,[3] view it as a general campaign directed at both the Byzantine Empire, who exerted dominion over Western Georgia, and the Khazars, whose repeated raids affected not only Iberia (Eastern Georgia) and the whole Caucasus, but had in 730 reached Arab lands all the way to Mosul. invasion[edit] invasion was led by Marwan ibn Muhammad, who later became the last Umayyad caliph Marwan II. He first campaigned in Kartli, after which he led his armies to the west and besieged the fortress of Anakopia, where Archil of Kakheti and his brother Mihr, who were assisted by Leon I of Abkhazia, were stationed. The Arabs failed to take the fortress and were forced to retreat. Fearing an onslaught, large numbers of Georgians fled to the mountainous regions. Marwan later invaded Samtskhe, encamped in Odzrkhe and led his forces against the princes of Argveti, Constantine and David, from whom, upon their capture, he demanded unconditional conversion to Islam, which both refused. He tortured and then killed them for their refusal. After that, Marwan took Tshkumi (modern Sukhumi) and Tsikhegoji and again turned to Anakopia. The Georgians fought fiercely and the Arabs were powerless to take the fortress, especially after heavy rains and floods began. The Arabs retreated with heavy losses. cruelty and ruthlessness was epitomized by the Georgians by naming him Murvan Qru ("Marwan the Deaf"). After his campaign, most major settlements were utterly ruined and people faced starvation. If Georgian historiography insists that Kartli was devastated by the invasion, Toumanoff, relying on local and Arab sources, claims that most of the damage in the Eastern part of the country was actually the result of the previous Khazar raids, and that the local Georgian prince, Guaram III of Iberia, actually sided with the Arabs in order to repeal them beyond the Caucasian range.[4] In any case, the Arab intervention gave them more power over Iberia than they had managed to attain in almost a century of previous conquests. They established the Emirate of Tbilisi to exert direct control over Iberia, even though the Principate of Iberia was not abolished, and local nobility retained most of their power. Because civil instability and foreign enemies were plaguing the caliphate, it was unable to launch another invasion and until 786 settled upon receiving irregular tributes from the Georgian local princes. Arab general Marwan the Deaf; ibn Muhammad ibn Marwan ibn al-Hakam (691 - 6 August 750), usually known simply as Marwan II, was the fourteenth and last caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate, ruling from 744 until he was killed in 750. of his reign was dominated by a civil war, and he was the last Umayyad ruler to rule the united Caliphate before the Abbasid Revolution toppled the Umayyad dynasty. and background[edit] ibn Muhammad was a member of the Marwanid household of the Umayyad Caliphate. His grandmother, named Zaynab. Marwan's father, Muhammad ibn Marwan, who was the son of the fourth Umayyad Caliph Marwan I (r. 684–685), and hence half-brother to fifth Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (r. 685–705).[1][2] mother was a woman who's mostly unnamed, however sometimes is called Rayya or Tarubah, and is likely of non-Arab origin (a Kurd according to some accounts). Some have referenced that his mother was already pregnant with Marwan before his legal father, Muhammad, bed her, thus making the child not his.[3] A couple sources report that Muhammad had taken her captive during the suppression of Ibn al-Zubayr's revolt.[4] There is much doubt and dispute on his mother's name but she was most commonly known as Umm Marwan (meaning "Mother of Marwan"). life[edit] 732–733 Caliph Hisham appointed Marwan governor of Armenia. In 735–736 Marwan invaded Georgia, devastated it and then took three fortresses of the Alans and made peace with Tumanshah. In 739-740 he launched further raids and obtained tribute. 744-745, on hearing news of the plot to overthrow al-Walid II, Marwan wrote to his relatives from Armenia strongly discouraging this. He urged them to harmoniously preserve the stability and well-being of the Umayyad house. Yazid III persisted in overthrowing al-Walid II, Marwan at first opposed him, then rendered allegiance to him. On Yazid's early death (Yazid named his brother Ibrahim as his successor. Yazid fell ill of a brain tumour[5]), Marwan renewed his ambitions, ignored Yazid's named successor Ibrahim, and became caliph. Ibrahim initially hid, then requested Marwan give him assurances of personal safety. This Marwan granted and Ibrahim even accompanied the new caliph to Hisham's residence of Rusafah. Old map of western Eurasia and northern Africa showing the expansion of the Caliphate from Arabia to cover most of the Middle East, with the Byzantine Empire outlined in green The expansion of the Muslim Caliphate until 750, from William R. Shepherd's Historical Atlas. Muslim state at the death of Muhammad Expansion under the Rashidun Caliphate Expansion under the Umayyad Caliphate Byzantine Empire named his two sons Ubaydallah and Abdullah heirs. He appointed governors and proceeded to assert his authority by force. However, the anti-Umayyad feeling was very prevalent, especially in Iran and Iraq. The Abbasids had gained much support. As such, Marwan's reign as caliph was almost entirely devoted to trying to keep the Umayyad empire together. took Emesa (Homs) after a bitter ten-month siege. Al-Dahhak ibn Qays al-Shaybani led a Kharijite rebellion. He defeated the Syrian forces and took Kufa. Sulayman ibn Hisham turned against Marwan, but suffered a severe defeat. The Kharijites advanced on Mosul and were defeated. Sulayman joined them. Al-Dahhak's successor al-Khaybari was initially successful in pushing back Marwan's center and even took the caliph's camp and sat on his carpet. However, he and those with him fell into fighting in the camp. Shayban succeeded him. Marwan pursued him and Sulayman to Mosul and besieged them there for six months. Then, reinforced, the caliph drove them out. Shayban fled to Bahrayn where he was killed; Sulayman sailed to India. Khurasan there was internal discord, with the Umayyad governor Nasr ibn Sayyar facing opposition from al-Harith and al-Kirmani. They also fought each other. In addition, Abbasid envoys arrived. There had long been religious fervor and a kind of messianic expectation of Abbasid ascendency. During Ramadan of 747 (16 May – 14 June), the Abbasids unfurled the standards of their revolt. Nasr sent his retainer Yazid against them. Yazid, however, was bested, taken, and held captive. He was impressed by the Abbasids and when released told Nasr he wanted to join them, but his obligations to Nasr brought him back. continued throughout Khurasan with the Abbasids gaining increasing ascendency. Finally, Nasr fell sick and died at Rayy on 9 November 748 at the age of eighty-five. campaigned in Egypt in 749 to quell the Bashmuric Revolt and secure his rear, but his campaign was a failure.[6] The Abbasids, meanwhile, achieved success in the Hijaz. Marwan suffered a decisive defeat by Abu al-Abbas al-Saffah on the banks of the Great Zab, called Battle of the Zab. At this battle alone, over 300 members of the Umayyad family died. Marwan fled, leaving Damascus, Jordan and Palestine and reaching Egypt, where he was caught and killed on 6 August 750. His heirs Ubaydallah and Abdallah escaped to modern Eritrea. Abdallah died in fighting there. death signaled the end of Umayyad fortunes in the East and was followed by the mass killing of Umayyads by the Abbasids. Almost the entire Umayyad dynasty was killed, except for the prince Abd ar-Rahman who escaped to Spain and founded an Umayyad dynasty there. In Egypt, Marwan's tongue was fed to a cat.[7] Martyr David the Prince of Georgia, Commemorated on October 2; 8th century was extremely difficult for the Georgian people. Marwan bin Muhammad (called “the Deaf” by the Georgians and “the Blind” by the Armenians), the Persian ruler and military leader for the Arab caliph, invaded eastern parts of the Byzantine Empire, then Armenia and Georgia. fire and the sword he fought his way across Georgia from the east to the city of Tskhumi (now Sokhumi) in the region of Abkhazeti. The princes David and Constantine Mkheidze of Argveti were faithful Christians and skilled military leaders. When they heard about the enemy’s invasion, the brothers prayed to God for protection, assembled their armies, and urged their people to pray fervently for God’s help. Persian warriors approached Argveti from Samtskhe and attacked the Georgians on Persati Mountain. The Georgian army won the battle, with David and Constantine leading the resistance against the fearsome conquerors. before long the enraged Marwan the Deaf gathered an enormous army and marched toward Argveti to take revenge. This time the enemy routed the Georgian army. Many were killed and those who survived were forced to flee to the forests. The commanders David and Constantine were taken captive. Persian soldiers bound David and Constantine and brought them before Marwan the Deaf, who began to mock them. But they reacted with complete composure, saying, “Your laughter and boasting are in vain, since earthly glory is fleeting and soon fades away. It is not your valor that has captured us, but our own sins. For the atonement of these sins have we fallen into the hands of the godless enemy!” furious Marwan ordered that the brothers be beaten without mercy, but they steadfastly endured the suffering. Stunned by the brothers’ resolve, Marwan decided to win them over with flattery instead. Promising him great honors and command of the armies, he turned to the older brother, David, saying, “I have heard of your valor, and I advise you to abandon your erroneous faith and submit yourself to the faith of Muhammad!” David crossed himself and answered, “Let not this disgrace come upon us, that we would depart from the light and draw nearer to the darkness!” Then he condemned the error of the Islamic faith: “Muhammad converted you from the worship of fire, but he could not instill in you the knowledge of the True God. Therefore it appears as though you suffered a shipwreck and saved yourselves from the depths of the sea, but drowned in the shallow waters of the coast.” at this reply, Marwan turned to the younger brother, Constantine, hoping to win him over to his side. But Constantine was also unbending, and he fearlessly glorified the Most Holy Trinity: “My brother David and I believe and follow the one Faith and one doctrine in which we have been instructed. Our faith is in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and we will die for the sake of the One True God!” ordered that the brothers be starved to death. After they had suffered for ten days, Marwan sent sorcerers and charmers to arouse in them a desire to convert to Islam, but their efforts were in vain. Finally the holy brothers David and Constantine were led to the riverbank near the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian. There they were brutally beaten and bound. Heavy rocks were hung from their necks, and they were drowned in the river. night three beams of light descended from the heavens and lit up the place where the brothers had been drowned. According to God’s holy will, the ropes binding the holy martyrs were loosed, and their bodies floated to the surface. A group of faithful Christians carried them out of the river and buried them on the bank of the Tsqaltsitela River, in a church that Marwan the Deaf had devastated. place of their burial remained concealed until the beginning of the 12th century, during the reign of King Bagrat the Great (1072-1117). Then, in fulfillment of King Bagrat’s decree, the Monastery of the Martyrs (Motsameta) was built over that place, and the incorrupt relics of the Great Martyrs are still preserved there. Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29 ;

Georgia, 736-1122, Arab Muslim Conquest of Georgia, Marwan II
Georgia, 736-1122, Arab Muslim Conquest of Georgia, Marwan II ; Martyr Neophytus of Urbin, Georgia, Commemorated on October 28 ; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated on January 8;

Georgia, 736-1080, Emirate of Tblisi
Georgia, 736-1080, Emirate of Tblisi ; St Gregory of Chandzoe in Georgia, Commemorated on October 5; Martyr Neophytus of Urbin, Georgia, Commemorated on October 28 ; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated on January 8;

Georgia, 744-750, David & Constantine Mkheidze, skilled m leaders, Marwan no internal knowl of God, but drowned
Georgia, 744-750, Saints David and Constantine Mkheidze; originally Mkhetsidze, also Pkheidze , Kheidze, Mkhetsia, and Khetsia, is a Georgian noble family, known from the eleventh century. This house, centered at the western district of Argveti, has survived to the end of the Georgian kingdoms and the Russian Empire which granted them recognition of their princely title (Georgian: tavadi, Russian: knyaz) in 1850.[1][2] Argveti; Martyr David the Prince of Georgia, Commemorated on October 2 8th century was extremely difficult for the Georgian people. Marwan bin Muhammad (called “the Deaf” by the Georgians and “the Blind” by the Armenians), the Persian ruler and military leader for the Arab caliph, invaded eastern parts of the Byzantine Empire, then Armenia and Georgia. fire and the sword he fought his way across Georgia from the east to the city of Tskhumi (now Sokhumi) in the region of Abkhazeti. The princes David and Constantine Mkheidze of Argveti were faithful Christians and skilled military leaders. When they heard about the enemy’s invasion, the brothers prayed to God for protection, assembled their armies, and urged their people to pray fervently for God’s help. Persian warriors approached Argveti from Samtskhe and attacked the Georgians on Persati Mountain. The Georgian army won the battle, with David and Constantine leading the resistance against the fearsome conquerors. before long the enraged Marwan the Deaf gathered an enormous army and marched toward Argveti to take revenge. This time the enemy routed the Georgian army. Many were killed and those who survived were forced to flee to the forests. The commanders David and Constantine were taken captive. Persian soldiers bound David and Constantine and brought them before Marwan the Deaf, who began to mock them. But they reacted with complete composure, saying, “Your laughter and boasting are in vain, since earthly glory is fleeting and soon fades away. It is not your valor that has captured us, but our own sins. For the atonement of these sins have we fallen into the hands of the godless enemy!” furious Marwan ordered that the brothers be beaten without mercy, but they steadfastly endured the suffering. Stunned by the brothers’ resolve, Marwan decided to win them over with flattery instead. Promising him great honors and command of the armies, he turned to the older brother, David, saying, “I have heard of your valor, and I advise you to abandon your erroneous faith and submit yourself to the faith of Muhammad!” David crossed himself and answered, “Let not this disgrace come upon us, that we would depart from the light and draw nearer to the darkness!” Then he condemned the error of the Islamic faith: “Muhammad converted you from the worship of fire, but he could not instill in you the knowledge of the True God. Therefore it appears as though you suffered a shipwreck and saved yourselves from the depths of the sea, but drowned in the shallow waters of the coast.” at this reply, Marwan turned to the younger brother, Constantine, hoping to win him over to his side. But Constantine was also unbending, and he fearlessly glorified the Most Holy Trinity: “My brother David and I believe and follow the one Faith and one doctrine in which we have been instructed. Our faith is in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and we will die for the sake of the One True God!” ordered that the brothers be starved to death. After they had suffered for ten days, Marwan sent sorcerers and charmers to arouse in them a desire to convert to Islam, but their efforts were in vain. Finally the holy brothers David and Constantine were led to the riverbank near the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian. There they were brutally beaten and bound. Heavy rocks were hung from their necks, and they were drowned in the river. night three beams of light descended from the heavens and lit up the place where the brothers had been drowned. According to God’s holy will, the ropes binding the holy martyrs were loosed, and their bodies floated to the surface. A group of faithful Christians carried them out of the river and buried them on the bank of the Tsqaltsitela River, in a church that Marwan the Deaf had devastated. place of their burial remained concealed until the beginning of the 12th century, during the reign of King Bagrat the Great (1072-1117). Then, in fulfillment of King Bagrat’s decree, the Monastery of the Martyrs (Motsameta) was built over that place, and the incorrupt relics of the Great Martyrs are still preserved there.

Georgia, 744 or 785, Prince Archil II of Kakheti, Martyr, Arab conquests
Georgia, Kakheti, 744, Prince Archil II of Kakheti, Martyr; Archil the Martyr was an 8th-century Georgian Orthodox Christian royal prince of the eastern Georgian region of Kakheti. biography is related in the medieval corpus of Georgian chronicles known as The Life of Kartli. One of its parts, the c. 800 history by Pseudo-Juansher, terminates with a brief account of Archil's tenure as prince, while another one “ The Martyrdom of Archil,[1] a brief text of uncertain age (between early 9th and late 11th centuries) inserted just after Ps.-Juansher's chronicle narrowly focuses on Archil's martyrdom.[2] was a scion of the former royal dynasty of Iberia (Kartli), the Chosroid dynasty and a son of Prince Stephen of Kakheti (r. 685-736). His rule coincided with the Arab conquests in Caucasia. The 735-737 expedition by Marwan ibn Muhammad forced Archil and his brother Mirian to flee to the west through Egrisi into Abasgia where they joined the local dynast Leon I in the defense of Anacopia against the invading Arabs. Returning to Kakheti, Archil launched a program of reconstruction and Christianization of his mountainous pagan subjects. The Georgian texts also relate the rise of the Georgian Bagratids, a future royal dynasty, during the time of Archil.[citation needed] 786, eastern Georgia was subjected to another Arab invasion, this time led by Khuzayma b. Khazim, who had been reconfirmed as viceroy of Arab-controlled Caucasia by the caliph al-Hadi (r. 785-786). Archil, in an untenable situation, pleaded for peace. Khuzayma b. Khazim promised Archil gifts in return for his acceptance of Islam, but the prince refused and was condemned to prison. Then the viceroy was informed of Archil being a descendant of the Chosroid kings who allegedly knew the location of a treasure hidden by the Byzantine emperor Heraclius while evacuating Caucasia in the 620s. has been canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church which commemorates him on June 21 (N.S. July 4).[3] was survived by two sons, Juansher and Iovane (John) and four daughters: Guarandukht, Mariam, Mirandukht and Shushan. Upon Archil's death, Iovane evacuated to Egrisi while Juansher remained in Kakheti[4] and later married Princess Latavri of Tao-Klarjeti of Bagrationi dynasty. Martyr Archil II, King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21; Holy Martyr Archil II, King of Georgia belonged to the dynasty of the Chosroidoi, and he was a direct descendant of the holy emperor Saint Mirian (+ 342). the reign of Archil II, Georgia was subjected to a devastating invasion by Murvana-Kru (“the Wildâ€), so called by the Georgian people for his inexorable cruelty. The position of the Georgian people was desperate, and the emperor Archil II, together with his brother Myro, the ruler of Western Georgia, tearfully implored the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, and She showed forth Her mercy. a battle by the Rivers Abasha and Tskhenis-Tskhali the Georgian forces miraculously gained the victory over the significantly superior forces of Murvana-Kru. this victory the emperor Archil II was occupied with the restoration of the Georgian kingdom. He rebuilt the city of Nukhpatis, rebuilt ruined churches in Mtskheta and furthered the acceptance of Christianity by many of the mountain tribes. But soon Georgia suffered a new Arab invasion with the sudden appearance of Dzhidzhum-Asim (Jijum-Asim). Having paid a tribute to the Arabs, the emperor did not expect this invasion. In order to deliver the land from new devastation and avert the intrusion of Islam upon it, he deemed it beneficial to go himself to Dzhizhum-Asim, and subject formerly independent Georgia to the Arabs, and ask for peace. Placing all his hope on the mercy of God and ready to offer up his soul for his holy Faith and for his nation, Saint Archil went to the camp of the Arabs. Dzhidzhum-Asim received him hospitably and promised his suzerainty, but insisted on acceptance of Mohammedanism. As the “Georgian Chronicleâ€ relates, the holy emperor Archil calmly said, “It will not be, that I should forsake Christ, the True God, Who for our salvation took upon Himself human flesh. I know, if I obey you, then I shall die a spiritual death and shall suffer eternally. If for my firmness you put me to death, I shall then rise as did my Lord, and I shall go to Himâ€. these words, Dzhidzhum-Asim gave orders to seize the confessor and take him off to prison. But neither tortures nor promises could make the eighty-year-old emperor Archil apostasize. March 20, 744 the holy emperor Archil was beheaded. The body of the martyr was secretly taken by Georgian Christians to the locale Ertso and buried in Kakhetia, in the Notkor church built by the holy emperor himself. Kakheti Region;

Georgia, 748-760, King, Adarnase III of Iberia, Kartli, eastern Georgia, still Byzantine curopalates in Caliphate
Georgian King, 748-760, Adarnase III of Iberia; III (Georgian: áƒáƒ“áƒáƒ áƒœáƒáƒ¡áƒ” III), of the Nersianid Dynasty, was a presiding prince of Iberia (Kartli, eastern Georgia) from c. 748 to 760. was a son of Prince Nerse I Nersiani by his wife, third daughter of Mirian of Kakheti. name Adarnase derives from Middle Persian Adurnarseh, with the second component of the word (Nase) being the Georgian attestation of the Middle Persian name Narseh, which ultimately derives from Avestan nairyo-sanya.[1] The Middle Persian name Narseh also exists in Georgian as Nerse.[1] The name Adurnarseh appears in the Armenian language as Atrnerseh.[2] a hereditary duke (eristavi) of Inner Iberia, he seems to have succeeded the Guaramid ruler Guaram III whose son was married to Adarnase's daughter. He was succeeded by his son, Nerse. title of curopalates testifies to the degree of Byzantine influence in Georgia even though the Caliphate suzerainty continued.[3] Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated January 29;

Georgia, 760-780, King, Nerse of Iberia, defied Arabs, imprisoned, released, fled to Khazars, moved NW to Abkhazia
Georgian King, 760-780, Nerse of Iberia; of the Nersianid family, was a ruling prince of Iberia (Kartli, eastern Georgia) from c. 760 to 772 and again from 775 to 779/80. succeeded his father, Adarnase III, Curopalates of Iberia, and defied the Arab hegemony in Georgia. 772, he was summoned by Caliph al-Mansur to Baghdad and cast in prison. Released by Caliph al-Mahdi (775-“785), Nerse was restored in Iberia in 775, but he again had difficulties with the Arabs, and was forced to flee, through the Daryal Pass, to the Khazars. Received with honors, but unable to gain any substantial support there, Nerse moved to Abkhazia where his family had taken refuge. His office was given by the Caliph to his nephew Stephen III. Nerse reconciled with the accomplished fact and, with the Arab permission, returned to Iberia, retiring from politics. By 786, when his Christianized Arab servant, Abo, was martyred, Nerse had disappeared from history.[1] Nerse had a daughter who married Adarnase I of Tao-Klarjeti. Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated January 29;

Georgia, 766-781, Abo the Perfumer, Bagdad, to Tbilisi, amazed at piety, baptized, to Abkhazeti, to Tiblisi, Martyred w joy
Georgia, 766-781, Abo the Perfumer, Bagdad, to Tbilisi w Duke Nerse, amazed at Georgian people piety, baptized in Khazaria, w Duke to Abkhazeti, back to Tiblisi, Martyred w joy; Tbilisi; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated January 8 ; the 8th century a Saracen army tyrannized Kartli as a first step towards overturning the Georgian nation. The invaders were certain that the best way to conquer Georgia was to uproot the Christian Faith. The Georgian people were alarmed, and the clergy and the best sons of Kartli sought desperately for a resolution to this calamity. Much blood was shed in 766 when the Muslim invaders crushed an uprising in the eastern region of Kakheti. 772, Caliph Al Mansur (754-775), dissatisfied with the provincial governor of Kartli, Duke Nerse, summoned him to Baghdad. Nerse spent the following three years in captivity. During that time he became acquainted with a seventeen-year-old perfumer named Abo, and when he was released he brought Abo back with him to Georgia. Abo was amazed at the great piety of the Georgian people, and he began to learn the Georgian language, attend the divine services, and speak with local priests. Abo sought with all his heart to become a Christian, and he was eventually baptized in Khazaria, while in the company of Duke Nerse. Abo accompanied the duke to Abkhazeti, to escape the Saracen raids. Discovering an entire population of Christians praising Jesus Christ with one heart and mouth, Abo gave great thanks to God for the opportunity to visit this area. Nerse later returned to Kartli, but Abo remained at the request of the Abkhaz king, who feared that the Saracens would torture Abo for his devout faith in Christ. Soon, however, Abo became restless and told the king, “Let me go, and I will freely declare my Christian Faith to those who hate Christ!” labored in Tbilisi for three years, preaching the Christian Faith. Then his own former countrymen betrayed and captured him, but he was released soon after at the request of the duke Stepanoz. new emir was appointed to rule in Tbilisi, and when the Christians heard that he was plotting to capture Abo, they begged him to conceal his identity. But Abo simply rejoiced and told them, “I am prepared not only to be tortured for Christ, but to die for His sake as well.” As predicted, the emir’s servants captured Abo and brought him before a judge. The judge tried in vain to entice Abo to return to the faith of his ancestors. Then, in a rage, he ordered that Abo be cast into prison and that his hands and feet be fettered in chains. But his suffering for Christ filled the blessed Abo with even greater love, and he asked his Christian brothers and sisters to sell his clothes and use the money earned to buy candles and incense for local churches. the day of his execution Abo washed his face, anointed it with holy oil, partook of the Holy Gifts, and prepared for his death as though preparing for a feast. “Weep not, but rejoice, for I am going to my Lord. Pray for me, and may the peace of God protect you,” he cheerfully told the faithful Christians who surrounded him in his last hours. his time had come, Saint Abo placed his arms on his breast in the form of a cross and joyously bowed his head beneath the sword. The executioners swung their swords three times in hopes of frightening Abo into denying Christ, but the blessed Abo stood unyielding until his last breath. Finally, convinced that all their efforts and cunning were in vain, the executioners were given a sign and they beheaded the holy Abo. Defeated and ashamed, Abo’s godless executioners tossed his body, his garments, and the earth that had been soaked with his blood into a sack, dragged it outside the city, and burned it near the Mtkvari River. Then they wrapped his ashes in sheepskin and cast them into the river. the evening a sign was given from above. Next to the Metekhi Cliff, by the bridge, a shining star hung over the river with its bright light reflecting in the water where the remains of the saint rested. Later, a chapel was built in honor of Saint Abo on the left bank of the Mtkvari.

Georgia, 779-861, Saint Gregory of Chandzoe, Girgol, memorize, bishop, 4 fled to SW, holy prayers, cross light beams
Georgia, 779-861, Saint Gregory of Khandzta ; Georgia, Khandzta monastery, 782, Founded by St Gregory of Khandzta; Arsenius the Great, Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated September 25 ; St. Gregory of Chandzoe in Georgia, Commemorated on October 5; Holy Father Gregory of Khandzta was raised in the court of the Kartlian ruler Nerse. His family was part of the Meskhetian aristocracy. He received an education befitting his family’s noble rank and displayed a special aptitude for the sciences and theology. youth chosen by God was extraordinarily dedicated to his studies. In a short time he memorized the Psalms and familiarized himself with the doctrines of the Church. He also learned several languages and knew many theological works by heart. Gregory was still young, his loved ones expressed a wish to see him enter the priesthood. The wise youth had aspired to the spiritual life from early on, but he considered himself unprepared to bear such an enormous responsibility. “My pride prevents me from fulfilling your desire,” he told them. he consented to be ordained a priest, but the local princes sought to consecrate him a bishop. Frightened at the prospect, Gregory secretly fled to southwestern Georgia with three like-minded companions: his cousin Saba (a future bishop and the reviver of Ishkhani Monastery), Theodore (the builder of Nedzvi [Akhaldaba] Monastery), and Christopher (the builder of the Dviri Monastery of Saint Cyricus). The four brothers were unified by faith and love of God and bound by a single desire, as though they were one soul existing in four bodies. brothers arrived at the Monastery of Saint John the Baptist in Opiza and presented themselves before the abbot George. With his blessing they labored there for two years. Then Saint Gregory visited the monk Khvedios, the righteous hermit of Khandzta. to Gregory’s arrival, Khvedios had received a sign from God indicating that a monastery would be built in Khandzta by the hands of the priest Gregory. It was revealed to him that Fr. Gregory’s prayers were so holy that their sweet-smelling fragrance rose up before God like incense. The monk showed Saint Gregory the environs, and he was so drawn to this area that he soon returned there with the other brothers and began to build a monastery. monks were forced to construct the monastery in difficult conditions, since the earth was rocky and mountainous and they were not equipped with the proper tools. First they built a wooden church, and later four cells and a dining hall. certain aristocrat by the name of Gabriel Dapanchuli lived nearby, and Gregory turned to him for help with construction of the monastery. With great joy he donated the stone, labor and food necessary for this worthy project to be realized. In such a way the first monastery church in Khandzta was established. informed Holy King Ashot Kuropalates about the brothers’ activity, and the king invited their leader, Saint Gregory, to the palace. he received him with great honor, asked him to bless the royal family, and inquired in detail about the life and labors of the holy monks. Then he presented Gregory with a generous donation to the monastery and, having learned that the land in Khandzta could not be cultivated, bestowed upon the monastery a large plot of fertile land in Shatberdi. King Ashot’s sons, the princes Adarnerse, Bagrat, and Guaram, also donated generously to the monastery. so, during the bloody Arab-Muslim period of rule, when the Georgian people had sunk into deep despair, the Klarjeti Wilderness was transformed into a life-giving oasis to which the greatest sons of the nation flocked. rules of the monastery were strict. In each monk’s cell was nothing but a short, stiff bed and a small pitcher for water. Neither fires nor candles were lit inside. Gregory was known throughout all of Georgia. At the request of King Demetre II of Abkhazeti (837-872), Fr. Gregory built a monastery in the village of Ubisi in Imereti and appointed his disciple Ilarion of Jerusalem as abbot. He built this monastery on the border of western and eastern Georgia and in so doing foresaw the unification of the two kingdoms. Lord performed many miracles through Saint Gregory. Once the church bell-ringer was approaching the abbot’s cell and saw a light issuing forth from inside. He knew that Saint Gregory had lit neither a fire nor his oil lamp, and he became frightened, believing that a fire might have started in the abbot’s cell. As it turned out, others had witnessed similar wonders: when the saint stood praying, he would light up like the sun, and beams of light would emanate from his body in the shape of a cross. Gregory stood firmly in defense of morality, and he even confronted King Ashot Kuropalates when his conduct was at odds with the values of the Georgian people. Gregory had united his companions in their love of God, but among the roses there appeared a thorn. A certain Tskir, a protégé of the Tbilisi emir Sahak, schemed to obtain the episocopal see of Anchi. forcibly took control of Anchi Cathedral and committed many blasphemies. The clergy, and venerable Gregory in particular, condemned his behavior, but Tskir was consumed by pride and hired a killer to eliminate Saint Gregory. Like a prophet, Saint Gregory foresaw the imminent danger but went out to meet it nevertheless. Approaching his victim, while still at a distance from him, the murderer saw a bright light enveloping the holy father. He froze in fear, and his hand immediately withered. Only the prayers of Saint Gregory could heal him and permit him to return home. Church excommunicated Tskir, and he fled to the emir for refuge. With Sahak’s help he returned to the throne of Anchi and sent a military detachment to destroy Khandzta Monastery. monks of Khandzta and their abbot met the attackers in meekness and requested time to celebrate the Sunday Liturgy. The whole brotherhood prayed tearfully to the Lord to save the monastery. Liturgy had not yet been completed when a messenger arrived from Anchi to report that Tskir had died suddenly. the end of his life Saint Gregory spent most of his time at Shatberdi Monastery, which he himself had built. When he received a sign that his death was approaching, he distributed candles throughout all the monasteries in the Klarjeti Wilderness and requested that they be burned on the day of his death. He asked all to remember him and bade farewell to Khandzta. the day of his repose, holy fathers from all over Klarjeti gathered to receive a final blessing from their teacher. Gregory blessed them, admonished them for the last time, and gave up his soul to God. When he breathed his last, a voice was heard from heaven, calling him: “Do not be afraid to come, O Venerable Servant of Christ, for Christ, the King of heaven, has Himself anointed you an earthly angel and a heavenly man. Now come and approach thy Lord with great joy and prepare for exaltation, for you are blessed among the saints and your everlasting glory has been prepared!” in blessings and perfect in wisdom, justly ruling the inhabitants of the wilderness, Saint Gregory of Khandzta reposed on October 5, 861, at the age of 102. In accordance with his will, he was buried among his brothers at Khandzta Monastery.

Georgia, 780-786, Stephen III of Iberia, King, installed by the Caliph, probably executed
Georgian King, 780-786, Stephen III of Iberia; III, of the Guaramid dynasty, was a presiding prince of Iberia (Kartli, eastern Georgia) from 779/780 to 786. He was the son of the duke (eristavi) Gurgen. was installed by the Caliph in the place of his maternal uncle Nerse who had revolted against the Arab rule. By 786, when Nerse's Christianized Arab servant, Abo, was martyred, both Nerse and Stephen had disappeared from history, and the Guaramid power had vanished once and for all.[1] is probably the unnamed young Iberian prince mentioned by the Armenian chronicler Ghevond Yerets among the Caucasian dynasts executed at the hands of the Arab viceroy Khuzayma ibn Khazim.[2] Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated January 29;

Georgia, 780-1917, Georgian Bagrationi dynasty
Georgian Bagrationi dynasty, 813-1801 or 1917; Greatmartyr Ketevan the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on September 13; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8;

Georgia, 782, Khandzta monastery, Founded by St Gregory of Khandzta
Georgia, Khandzta monastery, 782, Founded by St Gregory of Khandzta; St Arsenius the Great, Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated September 25 ; Venerable Fathers and Mothers of the Klarjeti Wilderness, Commemorated October 5 ; St Gregory of Chandzoe in Georgia, Commemorated October 5 ; Venerable Fathers and Mothers of the Klarjeti Wilderness, Commemorated on October 5; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated January 29; St George Matskevereli of Georgia, Commemorated on April 2; St Ephraim the Great of Atsquri, Commemorated on April 15; St Michael of Ulompo, Georgia, Commemorated on May 3 ; Venerable Michael of Parekhi, Commemorated on May 27;

Georgia, 786-830, Ashot I, King, f Arabs, doomed at lake P but God bestowed power, restored castles, Grigol's host, adultry
Georgian King, 786-830, Ashot I of Iberia; I the Great (died 826/830) was a presiding prince of Iberia (modern Georgia), first of the Bagratid family to have attained to this office c. 813. his base in Tao-Klarjeti, he fought to enlarge the Bagratid territories and sought the Byzantine protectorate against the Arab encroachment until being murdered c. 826. is also known as Ashot I Kouropalates for the Byzantine Kouropalates title he wore. patron of Christian culture and a friend of the church, he has been canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church. Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29; the year 786, Ashot, the son of Adarnerse, ascended the throne of Kartli. From the very beginning of his reign he fought fiercely for the reunification of Georgia. His first step was to take advantage of the Arab Muslims’ weariness and banish them from Tbilisi. years passed and, under the leadership of a new ruler, the reinvigorated Muslims began to hunt for Ashot. The king was forced to flee after he delayed taking action against them. The enemy had again conquered Tbilisi. was compelled to leave Kartli, and he departed for Byzantium with his family and small army. The refugees journeyed as far as Javakheti in southern Georgia and stopped near Lake Paravani for a rest. But while they were sleeping, a Saracen army assailed their camp. king’s army was doomed, but “God helped Ashot Kuropalates and his scant army. He bestowed power upon them, and they defeated an enemy that greatly outnumbered them.” The king was deeply moved by God’s miraculous intervention and decided that, rather than journeying on to Byzantium as he had intended, he would remain in the region of Shavshet-Klarjeti. that time southern Georgia was suffering great calamities. A cholera epidemic intensified the struggles of a people devastated by a ruthless enemy. Very few had survived, but that powerless and wearied remnant gladly received Ashot Kuropalates as their new leader, and the king began to restore the region at once. Kuropalates restored Artanuji Castle, which had originally been built by King Vakhtang Gorgasali and later ravaged by the Arab general Marwan “the Deaf.” Ashot founded a city nearby and proclaimed it the residence of the Bagrationi royal family of Klarjeti. He also constructed a church in honor of Saints Peter and Paul. As it is written, “God granted Ashot Kuropalates great strength and many victories.” region of Klarjeti took on a new life, and through the efforts of Saint Grigol of Khandzta and his companions, the former wasteland was transformed into a borough bustling with churches, monasteries, and schools. Georgian noblemen soon began traveling to Klarjeti to forge their nation’s future with King Ashot and the other God-fearing leaders. Kuropalates was not only a leader who campaigned vigorously for the unification of Georgia—he was truly a godly-minded man. With great honor and joy he was the host of Fr. Grigol of Khandzta, a “heavenly man and an earthly angel.” Fr. Grigol blessed Ashot’s kingdom and his inheritance. those who labored at Khandzta Monastery, Ashot Kuropalates bestowed the best lands, including Shatberdi, to serve as rural estates, which would supply food for the monastery. His children, Adarnerse, Bagrat, and Guaram, would later contribute much of their own fortune to the revival of the monasteries in the Klarjeti Wilderness. (Udabno in Georgian. Translated as “wilderness,” these deserted places where hermits made their abodes often attracted monks and pious laymen as the fame of these holy men spread. Over the centuries, with the foundation of numerous monasteries, these deserts became veritable cities and only retained the name “wilderness” in a figurative sense.) after some time the usually virtuous King Ashot fell in love with a certain woman. He forgot his honor, his achievements, and his loyalty to God and the nation and took her to Artanuji Castle, an estate that had been built for the queen. Saint Grigol, however, heard about the king’s adulterous relationship and became exceedingly sorrowful. confronted the king about his behavior, and the desperate Ashot promised to leave the woman, but he could not bring himself to fulfill his promise. So Fr. Grigol took her to Mere Monastery and turned her over to the abbess, Mother Pebronia, without telling Ashot. Upon hearing what had happened, King Ashot pleaded with Mother Pebronia to return the woman, but the abbess refused. At long last Ashot bowed his head to the nun and repented, saying, “Blessed is the man who is no longer alive to this world.” king rediscovered his love for God and his country, and he prepared to return to Kartli. But his plans were foiled when a certain Muslim warrior named Khalil invaded, conquering the lands of Kartli, Hereti, and Kvemo Kartli. sent his men to assemble an army, but before the troops had been gathered, the Saracens attacked and forced them to flee. The king then traveled to Nigali Gorge with the intent of enlarging his army. Some of the draftees turned out to be traitors, and when the king discovered the betrayal, it was already too late. He hid in a church, but the godless men found him and stabbed him to death in the sanctuary. “They murdered him on the altar, as though slaughtering a sacrificial lamb, and his blood remains there to this day,” writes Sumbat, the son of Davit, in his book Lives of the Bagrationis. the first Bagrationi king, “a believer, upon whom the inheritance of the Georgian people was established,” was also a martyr. The Georgians took revenge on the murderers of their beloved king. When the people of Doliskana heard that Ashot had been killed, they pursued his murderers and killed them near the Chorokhi River. Venerable Grigol and the Georgian people wept bitterly over the loss of their king and hope. Saint Ashot’s holy relics were buried in the Church of Saints Peter and Paul that he himself had built.

Georgia, 786-830, Martyr Ashot Curapalati, Georgia reunification, lost Tblisi, went Byzantium, attacked on way, but God helped
Georgia, 786-830, Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Southwest Georgia, became king of Kartli 786, for reunification of Georgia, banished muslims from Tblisi, lost Tblisi, went to Byzantium, attacked on way, but God helped, remained near Lake Paravani Shavshet-Klarjeti, cholera, restored Artanuji castle, first Bagrationi king, Klarjeti region transformed churches, monasteries, schools, but adulterous relationship, repented, muslim Khalil invaded, conquering Kartli, Hereti and Kvemo K, to Nigali Gorge build army but traitors, martyred ; Artanuji; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29 ; the year 786, Ashot, the son of Adarnerse, ascended the throne of Kartli. From the very beginning of his reign he fought fiercely for the reunification of Georgia. His first step was to take advantage of the Arab Muslims’ weariness and banish them from Tbilisi. years passed and, under the leadership of a new ruler, the reinvigorated Muslims began to hunt for Ashot. The king was forced to flee after he delayed taking action against them. The enemy had again conquered Tbilisi. was compelled to leave Kartli, and he departed for Byzantium with his family and small army. The refugees journeyed as far as Javakheti in southern Georgia and stopped near Lake Paravani for a rest. But while they were sleeping, a Saracen army assailed their camp. The king’s army was doomed, but “God helped Ashot Kuropalates and his scant army. He bestowed power upon them, and they defeated an enemy that greatly outnumbered them.” The king was deeply moved by God’s miraculous intervention and decided that, rather than journeying on to Byzantium as he had intended, he would remain in the region of Shavshet-Klarjeti. that time southern Georgia was suffering great calamities. A cholera epidemic intensified the struggles of a people devastated by a ruthless enemy. Very few had survived, but that powerless and wearied remnant gladly received Ashot Kuropalates as their new leader, and the king began to restore the region at once. Kuropalates restored Artanuji Castle, which had originally been built by King Vakhtang Gorgasali and later ravaged by the Arab general Marwan “the Deaf.” Ashot founded a city nearby and proclaimed it the residence of the Bagrationi royal family of Klarjeti. He also constructed a church in honor of Saints Peter and Paul. As it is written, “God granted Ashot Kuropalates great strength and many victories.” region of Klarjeti took on a new life, and through the efforts of Saint Grigol of Khandzta and his companions, the former wasteland was transformed into a borough bustling with churches, monasteries, and schools. Georgian noblemen soon began traveling to Klarjeti to forge their nation’s future with King Ashot and the other God-fearing leaders. Kuropalates was not only a leader who campaigned vigorously for the unification of Georgia—he was truly a godly-minded man. With great honor and joy he was the host of Fr. Grigol of Khandzta, a “heavenly man and an earthly angel.” Fr. Grigol blessed Ashot’s kingdom and his inheritance. those who labored at Khandzta Monastery, Ashot Kuropalates bestowed the best lands, including Shatberdi, to serve as rural estates, which would supply food for the monastery. His children, Adarnerse, Bagrat, and Guaram, would later contribute much of their own fortune to the revival of the monasteries in the Klarjeti Wilderness. (Udabno in Georgian. Translated as “wilderness,” these deserted places where hermits made their abodes often attracted monks and pious laymen as the fame of these holy men spread. Over the centuries, with the foundation of numerous monasteries, these deserts became veritable cities and only retained the name “wilderness” in a figurative sense.) after some time the usually virtuous King Ashot fell in love with a certain woman. He forgot his honor, his achievements, and his loyalty to God and the nation and took her to Artanuji Castle, an estate that had been built for the queen. Saint Grigol, however, heard about the king’s adulterous relationship and became exceedingly sorrowful. confronted the king about his behavior, and the desperate Ashot promised to leave the woman, but he could not bring himself to fulfill his promise. So Fr. Grigol took her to Mere Monastery and turned her over to the abbess, Mother Pebronia, without telling Ashot. Upon hearing what had happened, King Ashot pleaded with Mother Pebronia to return the woman, but the abbess refused. At long last Ashot bowed his head to the nun and repented, saying, “Blessed is the man who is no longer alive to this world.” king rediscovered his love for God and his country, and he prepared to return to Kartli. But his plans were foiled when a certain Muslim warrior named Khalil invaded, conquering the lands of Kartli, Hereti, and Kvemo Kartli. sent his men to assemble an army, but before the troops had been gathered, the Saracens attacked and forced them to flee. The king then traveled to Nigali Gorge with the intent of enlarging his army. Some of the draftees turned out to be traitors, and when the king discovered the betrayal, it was already too late. He hid in a church, but the godless men found him and stabbed him to death in the sanctuary. “They murdered him on the altar, as though slaughtering a sacrificial lamb, and his blood remains there to this day,” writes Sumbat, the son of Davit, in his book Lives of the Bagrationis. the first Bagrationi king, “a believer, upon whom the inheritance of the Georgian people was established,” was also a martyr. The Georgians took revenge on the murderers of their beloved king. When the people of Doliskana heard that Ashot had been killed, they pursued his murderers and killed them near the Chorokhi River. Venerable Grigol and the Georgian people wept bitterly over the loss of their king and hope. Saint Ashot’s holy relics were buried in the Church of Saints Peter and Paul that he himself had built.

Georgia, 790-870, St. Ephraim the Great of Atsquri Fortress, Girgol's, prophet, wonderworker, holy relics
Atsquri Fortress; St. Arsenius the Great, Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on September 25; St. Ephraim the Great of Atsquri, Commemorated on April 15; Ephraim the Great of Atsquri—one of the most important figures in the Georgian Church of the 8th and 9th centuries—was a disciple and companion of Saint Grigol of Khandzta. his way from Klarjeti in southern Georgia to Abkhazeti in the northwest, Saint Grigol met the young Ephraim and immediately perceived in him a like-minded companion and the future wonderworker and bishop of Atsquri. promised to take the young man as his disciple. On his way back to Klarjeti Saint Grigol accompanied Ephraim and another youth, Arsenius, the future Catholicos of Georgia. He entrusted the upbringing of these two holy youths to his spiritual sons Christopher and Theodore. brothers of Khandzta Monastery objected to the arrival of the youths, since the monastery rules prohibited young visitors. But Saint Grigol told them that God had revealed this as His will and that, after being raised at the monastery, these young men would be like spiritual successors of Saint Ephraim the Syrian and Saint Arsenius the Great. Ephraim was later consecrated bishop of Atsquri and became a major figure in the Church of his time. He significantly contributed to the definitive strengthening of the autocephaly of the Georgian Church. As a result of his labors, the Georgian Church received a blessing from Antioch to prepare its own chrism in Mtskheta. Ephraim administered the diocese of Atsquri for forty years. God endowed him with the gifts of prophecy, wonderworking, and healing. He lived to an advanced age and reposed peacefully. Even today, those who approach his holy relics are healed of their infirmities. Ephraim of Atsquri is also mentioned in the Life of Saint Arsenius the Great [commemorated September 25].

Georgia, 788-854, Prince Constantine of Khandzta and Kartli, King, Jerusalem support each year, holy
Georgia, Arab Military Slave, 819-845, Bugha the Turk, Bugha al-Kabir; Martyr Constantine the King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 10; 9th century was one of the most difficult periods in Georgian history. The Arab Muslims wreaked havoc throughout the region of Kartli, forcibly converting many to Islam with fire and the sword. Many of the destitute and frightened were tempted to betray the Faith of their fathers. that time the valorous aristocrat and faithful Christian, Prince Constantine, was living in Kartli. He was the descendant of Kakhetian princes, hence his title “Kakhi.” is meet for a Christian believer, Saint Constantine considered himself the greatest of sinners and often said, “There can be no forgiveness of my sins, except through the spilling of my blood for the sake of Him Who shed His innocent blood for us!” on a pilgrimage to the holy places of Jerusalem, Constantine distributed generous gifts to the churches, visited the wilderness of the Jordan, received blessings from the holy fathers, and returned to his motherland filled with inner joy. After that time Constantine would send thirty thousand pieces of silver to Jerusalem each year. the years 853 to 854, when the Arab Muslims invaded Georgia under the command of Buga-Turk, the eighty-five-year-old Prince Constantine commanded the army of Kartli with his son Tarkhuj. the city of Gori an uneven battle took place between the Arabs and the Georgians. Despite their fierce resistance, the Georgians suffered defeat, and Constantine and Tarkhuj were taken captive. captive Constantine-Kakhi was sent to Samarra (a city in central Iraq) to the caliph Ja’far al Mutawakkil (847-861). Ja’far was well aware of the enormous respect Constantine-Kakhi received from the Georgians and all the Christian people who knew him. Having received him with honor, he proposed that Constantine renounce the Christian Faith and threatened him with death in the case of his refusal. Strengthened by divine grace, the courageous prince fearlessly answered, “Your sword does not frighten me. I am afraid of Him Who can destroy my soul and body and Who has the power to resurrect and to kill, for He is the true God, the almighty Sovereign, Ruler of the world, and Father unto all ages!” enraged caliph ordered the beheading of Saint Constantine-Kakhi. Bowing on his knees, the holy martyr lifted up a final prayer to the Lord. Saint Constantine-Kakhi was martyred on November 10, 852, the day on which Great-martyr George is commemorated. The holy martyr’s body was hung from a high pillar to intimidate the Christian believers, but after some time it was buried. few years later a group of faithful Georgians translated Saint Constantine’s holy relics to his motherland and reburied them there with great honor. In that same century the Georgian Orthodox Church numbered Prince Constantine-Kakhi of Kartli among the saints. Martyr John, Abbot of the Zedazeni Monastery, Commemorated on December 12 ;

Georgia, 800, 9th Century Folder, House of Jaqeli, Samtskhe

Georgia, 801, 9th - 12th century, House of Jaqeli or Chorchaneli
Georgia, 9th - 12th century, House of Jaqeli or Chorchaneli ; St George Matskevereli of Georgia, Commemorated on April 2 ;

Georgia, 801, 9th Century -1490, House of George Chorchaneli
Georgia, 9th Century -1490, House of George Chorchaneli ; St Serapion of Zarzma, Commemorated October 29 ;

Georgia, 813-830, King, Ashot I Kuropalates of Iberia, first of the Bagratid Line, moved southwest after plague, KbyArabs
Georgia King, 813-830, Ashot I of Iberia, first of the Bagratid Line; I the Great was a presiding prince of Iberia (modern Georgia), of the Bagratid family to have attained to this office c. From his base in Tao-Klarjeti, he fought to enlarge the Bagratid territories and sought the Byzantine protectorate against the Arab encroachment until being murdered c. 826. is also known as Ashot I Kouropalates for the Byzantine Kouropalates title he wore. patron of Christian culture and a friend of the church, he has been canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church.[citation needed] was the son of the Iberian nobleman Adarnase who had founded the Bagratoni hereditary fiefdom in Tao-Klarjeti (now northeast Turkey) and bequeathed to his son extensive possessions acquired upon the extinction of his Guaramid and Chosroid cousins. initially failed to gain a foothold in central Iberia (Shida Kartli), his efforts being dashed by the Arab control of Tiflis. established himself in his patrimonial duchy of Klarjeti, where he restored the castle of Artanuji said to have been built by the Iberian king Vakhtang I Gorgasali in the 5th century, and received the Byzantine protection, being recognized as the presiding prince and Kouropalates of Iberia. revive the country devastated by the Arabs and cholera epidemics, he patronized the local monastic communities established by Grigol Khandzteli, encouraged the settlement of the Georgians in the region. As a result, the political and religious center of Iberia was effectively transferred from central Iberia to the south-west, in Tao-Klarjeti.[1][2] his base in Tao-Klarjeti, Ashot fought to recover more Georgian lands from the Arab hold and, though not always successful, succeeded in taking much of the adjoining lands from Tao in the southwest to Shida Kartli in the northeast, including Kola, Artani, Javakheti, Samtskhe, and Trialeti.[3] Of the former Chosroid possessions, only Kakheti to the east eluded him.[3] With local Arab emirs in the Caucasus growing ever more independent, the Caliph recognized Ashot as the prince of Iberia in order to counter the rebellious emir of Tiflis Isma’il ibn Shu’aib c. 818. The emir had enlisted support of Ashot’s foe—the Kakhetian prince Grigol—and the Georgian highland tribes of Mtiulians and Tsanars. Ashot, joined by the Byzantine vassal king of Abkhazia, Theodosius II, met the emir on the Ksani, winning a victory and pushing the Kakhetians from central Iberian lands.[2] Bagrationi' fortunes reversed when Khalid b. Yazid, the Caliph's viceroy of Armīniya, moved in to reinforce the central Arab authority in the Caucasian polities in 827/8. Ashot I must have been still alive at that time, and the information provided by the 11th-century Georgian chronicler Sumbat, according to which Ashot was murdered in 826, is doubtful. It is more likely that the event took place four years later, on January 29, 830. Driven by the Arabs from central Iberia, Ashot fell back to the Nigali valley where he was assassinated by renegades at the altar of a local church.[4][5] Ashot's death, his holdings were allotted to his three sons: Bagrat I, Adarnase II, and Guaram.[2] His daughter was married to Theodosius II of Abkhazia. St Gregory of Chandzoe in Georgia, Commemorated on October 5; Martyr Constantine the King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 10; Martyr John, Abbot of the Zedazeni Monastery, Commemorated on December 12 ; St George Matskevereli of Georgia, Commemorated on April 2 ; St Ephraim the Great of Atsquri, Commemorated on April 15;

Georgia, 813-830, Holy King Askiot, Ananuri, Castle, Argavi, pious ruler, built churches&monasteries, killed by Arabs
Georgia, 0850, 9th Century, Holy King Askiot, Ananuri, Castle, Argavi, Georgia, Pious ruler, built many churches, several monasteries, killed by Arabs; Holy King Askiot of Georgia, Commemorated on January 27; Askiot reigned in Georgia in the IX century. pious ruler built many churches as well as several monasteries. was killed by Arabs in the church of the castle at Artanugi, Georgia, which he had built. the Georgian Synaxaria it is also referred to as Kouropalatis. Ananuri, Castle; (Georgian: ანანური) is a castle complex on the Aragvi River in Dusheti Municipality Georgia, about 45 miles (72 kilometres) from Tbilisi. was a castle and seat of the eristavis (Dukes) of Aragvi, a feudal dynasty which ruled the area from the 13th century. castle was the scene of numerous battles. 1739, Ananuri was attacked by forces from a rival duchy, commanded by Shanshe of Ksani and was set on fire. Aragvi clan was massacred. However, four years later, the local peasants revolted against rule by the Shanshe, killing the usurpers and inviting King Teimuraz II to rule directly over them. in 1746, King Teimuraz was forced to suppress another peasant uprising, with the help of King Erekle II of Kakheti. The fortress remained in use until the beginning of the 19th century. In 2007, the complex has been on the tentative list for inclusion into the UNESCO World Heritage Site program.[1] the castle was under siege, it was not defeated because a secret tunnel led to the water and thus provided a way to get food and water to the people who had taken refuge in the castle. The enemy finally captured a woman named Ana, who was from Nuri, and tortured her to reveal the location of the tunnel. But she chose to die rather than giving the secret away. Hence the castle was called Ananuri, and she became a legend. fortifications consist of two castles joined by a crenellated curtain wall. The upper fortification with a large square tower, known as Sheupovari, is well preserved and is the location of the last defense of the Aragvi against the Shanshe. The lower fortification, with a round tower, is mostly in ruins. the complex, amongst other buildings, are two churches. The older Church of the Virgin, which abuts a tall square tower, has the graves of some of the Dukes of Aragvi. It dates from the first half of the 17th century, and was built of brick. The interior is no longer decorated, but of interest is a stone baldaquin erected by the widow of the Duke Edishera, who died in 1674. larger Church of the Mother of God (Ghvtismshobeli), built in 1689 for the son of Duke Bardzim. It is a central dome style structure with richly decorated façades, including a carved north entrance and a carved grapevine cross on the south façade. It also contains the remains of a number of frescoes, most of which were destroyed by the fire in the 18th century.[2]

Georgia, 815-959, Hereti Kingdom of Kakheti Region
Hereti Kingdom of Kakheti Region; Martyr Susanna the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated August 28; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26 ; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29 ; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23; Holy Queen Dinar, Commemorated on June 30; Holy Queen Dinar, Commemorated on June 30;

Georgia, 819-845, Bugha the Turk, Arab Military Slave, Bugha al-Kabir
Georgia, Arab Military Slave, 819-845, Bugha the Turk, Bugha al-Kabir; Martyr Constantine the King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 10; Martyr John, Abbot of the Zedazeni Monastery, Commemorated on December 12 ;

Georgia, 825-875, Georgian Hilarion, Wworker of Thesslnc, MOG vision Georgia, then stayed in Thess, m relics shrine, to Romana
Greece, Macedonia, Thessalonica, 825-875, Georgian Hilarion, Monk & Wonderworker of Thessalonica, Macedonia (Axios River Mouth, K Triangle of Roman Roads), to D G Wilderness of Georgia, famous, to Jerusalem, Elijah's cave, vision MOG mt Olives, return to home, prepare meal for Lord, founded Georgia convent and monastery, to Olympus in AM, To C & Rome, stopped in Thess along the way, healed boy, convinced to stay by boy's f t perfect, miraculous shrine for h relics there, Emperor w move relics to C, but not city, Romana Monastery for his elders; Thessalonica; Venerable Hilarion the Monk and Wonderworker of Thessalonica, Georgian, Commemorated on November 19 ; Hilarion the Georgian was the son of a Kakheti aristocrat. were other children in the family, but only Hilarion was dedicated to God from his very birth. Hilarion’s father built a monastery on his own land, and there the boy was raised. the age of fourteen Hilarion left the monastery and his father’s guardianship and settled in a small cave in the Davit-Gareji Wilderness. he remained for ten years. report spread through all of eastern Georgia of the angelic faster and tireless intercessor in prayer. Crowds flocked to his cave to receive instruction, blessings, and counsel. When the bishop of Rustavi came to visit Hilarion, he ordained him a priest. Soon he was made abbot of Saint Davit of Gareji Lavra. his ordination, the holy father was praised even more among his people, and he decided to leave his motherland. Hilarion chose one of the brothers to replace him as abbot of the monastery and set off on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. the way Venerable Hilarion was attacked by a band of vicious thieves. They sought to kill the holy father, but their hands suddenly withered. When the terrified thieves realized that God had punished them for raising their hands to kill the saint, they fell to their knees before Saint Hilarion and begged his forgiveness. The venerable father blessed them with the sign of the Cross, healed them and let them depart in peace. Hilarion venerated the holy places in Jerusalem, then settled in a cave in the Jordan wilderness (according to tradition, the holy prophet Elijah had dwelt in that same cave). night Saint Hilarion saw a vision: He was standing before the Most Holy Theotokos, in the midst of twelve men, on the Mount of Olives, the place of our Lord’s Ascension. The Holy Virgin said to him, “Hilarion! Return to your home and prepare a meal for the Lord, my Son!” waking, Hilarion understood this vision with both his heart and mind and immediately set off for his motherland. he returned to Georgia, Saint Hilarion learned of the repose of his father and brothers. His mother gave her only living son the family inheritance. Hilarion founded a convent with the resources he had inherited, donated lands to the monastic community, and established its rules. Then he gathered seventy-six worthy monk-ascetics and founded a monastery for men. He distributed his remaining property to the poor and disabled. before, the news of Saint Hilarion’s virtuous deeds spread quickly through all of Georgia. Again many desired to receive his blessing and counsel, but when the clergy announced their intention to consecrate him a bishop, he abandoned Georgia for the second time. He took two companions and journeyed to Constantinople. the long journey, Hilarion and his companions finally reached Mt. Olympus in Asia Minor and settled in a small, forsaken church. During the evening services on Cheese-fare Saturday, the lamplighter from the Monastery of Saint Ioannicius the Great came to the church to light an icon lamp, and seeing that several people had settled there, he brought them some food. next Saturday, the feast of Saint Theodore the Tyro, the same monk returned to the church and saw that the brothers had gone the whole week eating nothing but a few lentils. They had not touched the food he had brought them. So the monk asked Saint Hilarion what they needed, and Hilarion requested prosphora and wine for the Bloodless Sacrifice. Then Saint Hilarion celebrated the Liturgy at the appropriate time, received Holy Communion, and served the Holy Gifts to the brothers. the abbot of the Great Lavra heard that a service had been celebrated by an unknown priest in a language other than Greek, he was infuriated and ordered his steward and several of the monks to chase the strangers off the monastery property. But Saint Hilarion responded to the steward in Greek and asked for permission to spend the night in the church, promising to depart in the morning. night the Theotokos appeared to the abbot of the lavra in a vision. She stood at the foot of his bed and rebuked him, saying, “Foolish one! What has moved you to cast out these strangers, who left their own country for the love of my Son and God? Why have you broken the commandment to receive and show mercy to strangers and the poor? Do you not know that there are many living on this mountain that speak the same language as they? They are also praising God here. He who fails to receive them is my enemy, for my Son entrusted me to protect them and to ensure that their Orthodox Faith is not shaken. They believe in my Son and have been baptized in His name!” next day the elder fell to his knees before Saint Hilarion, begged forgiveness for his impertinence, and requested that he remain at the monastery. Saint Hilarion consoled the elder and agreed to stay. Hilarion spent five years on Mt. Olympus, then journeyed again to Constantinople, to venerate the Life-giving Cross of our Lord. From there he traveled to Rome to venerate the graves of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul. the way to Rome his prayers healed a paralyzed man. After spending two years in Rome, Saint Hilarion set off again for Constantinople. the way, in the city of Thessalonica, the blessed Hilarion stopped for a rest at the home of the prefect. he arrived, a servant woman was carrying a paralyzed fourteen-year-old boy out of the house, and she laid him in the sun. The saint asked the woman for water, and when she had gone to bring it, he blessed the child with the sign of the Cross and healed him. the boy ran to his mother, and Saint Hilarion quickly departed from that place. the prefect, the boy’s father, had witnessed the miracle, and he ordered that the wonderworker be found. When he had been brought before him, the prefect begged Saint Hilarion to remain in Thessalonica and choose for himself a place to continue his miraculous works. the prefect to be a true lover of God, the saint heeded his entreaty and agreed to remain. The prefect built a church in the place that Hilarion had chosen, and before long the entire city had heard about Saint Hilarion and his miracles. Hilarion spent the remainder of his days in Thessalonica. When the Lord made known to him the day of his repose, he called for the prefect, thanked him, and instructed him to love the monks and all the suffering and to be just and merciful. saint reposed on November 19, 875, and the sorrowful prefect prepared a marble shrine for him. Those who were sick and who approached Saint Hilarion’s grave with faith were healed of their infirmities. prefect and the archbishop of Thessalonica informed the Byzantine emperor Basil the Macedonian (867-886) about the miracles that had occurred at the holy father’s grave. emperor in turn informed the monks who came to him from Mt. Olympus, among whom was the elder who once had tried to chase Saint Hilarion out of the church. Basil became intrigued with Saint Hilarion’s disciples and fellow countrymen through the stories of Hilarion’s miracles. Hilarion’s three disciples were presented to him, and the emperor was so struck by their holiness that he sent them to the patriarch of Constantinople to receive his blessing. Recognizing immediately that the three elders were filled with divine favor, the patriarch advised the emperor to confer great honors upon them. response, Emperor Basil invited the elders to choose for themselves and their countrymen one of the monasteries in Constantinople and make it their own. fathers graciously declined since they did not wish to live in the populous city. the monks asked the emperor to build cells for them outside the capital. Emperor Basil built a large church dedicated to the Holy Apostles in a place that the Georgian fathers had chosen in a certain ravine, where a spring of cold water flowed from beneath a little hill, and he carved a cell for himself as well. monastery was called “Romana,” after the nearby brook. the emperor sent his own two sons, Leo and Alexander, to be raised by the holy fathers. Basil sought to bury Saint Hilarion’s holy relics in the capital, but the people of Thessalonica would not allow the relics to be taken away. the end, it was necessary for the emperor’s envoys to conceal the sacred shrine and carry it back to Constantinople in secret. emperor, the patriarch, and all the people met the arrival of Saint Hilarion’s relics with glorious hymns and prayers. the special burial vault had been built, the emperor kept Saint Hilarion’s holy relics in his own chamber. nights after the relics had arrived, Basil awoke to an unusual fragrance. No one in the court could discover its source. the emperor dozed off again, Saint Hilarion appeared to him in his vestments and said, “You have done a good deed by preparing a shelter for my remains. the sweet fragrance you smell was acquired in the wilderness, not in the city. if you desire to receive the divine blessings in full, take me away to the wilderness!” emperor reported this wondrous turn of events to the patriarch and the prefect, and with their consent he brought the holy relics of Saint Hilarion to the Monastery of Romana.

Georgia, 830-876, King, Bagrat I of Iberia, Bagrat Kuropalates
Georgia King, 830-876, Bagrat I of Iberia; Martyr Constantine the King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 10; St. Prochorus of Georgia, Commemorated on February 12;

Georgia, 837-872, King, Demetre II of Abkhazeti, no more info
Georgia King, 837-872, Demetre II of Abkhazeti ; St Gregory of Chandzoe in Georgia, Commemorated on October 5;

Georgia, 840 approx., Michael of Parekhi, wonderworker, monastery in cave on cliff, sent out S&J to Zarzma
Parekhi Monastery; St Serapion of Zarzma, Commemorated October 29 ; Venerable Michael of Parekhi, Commemorated on May 27; Michael of Parekhi was a native of the village of Norgiali in the Shavsheti region of southern Georgia. He was tonsured a monk in the Midznadzori Wilderness. Michael journeyed to Khandzta Monastery, and with the blessing of the brotherhood, he built a small chapel and dwelling for the monks nearby. Built in a cave on the side of a cliff, Saint Michael’s establishment was difficult to reach (the new monastery was called “Parekhi,” or “Cave”). God was pleased with his good works, and He granted Saint Michael the gift of working wonders. In a divine revelation, Saint Michael was instructed to send his disciples Serapion and John to the region of Samtskhe. There they established a beautiful monastery in the village of Zarzma. some time Father Michael abandoned his cell and settled at the top of a large boulder. Once the devil caused him to stumble off the rock, but the Lord protected him and he remained unharmed. by the incident, Michael sent his disciples to bring Saint Gregory of Khandzta, and he related to him all that had happened. The blessed Gregory assuaged his brother’s fears, erected a cross on either side of Michael’s cell, and told him, “These two crosses of Christ will protect you, and the mercy of the Most Holy Trinity and the Precious Cross will be upon you.” Michael lived to an old age, and he was buried at Parekhi Monastery. Many faithful pilgrims who have visited his grave have been healed of their infirmities. to Basil of Zarzma, Saint Michael’s disciples wrote accounts of his labors, wisdom, and miracles after his repose, but these works have unfortunately not been preserved. What we know about the life of Saint Michael of Parekhi was preserved in the hagiographical writings of the 10th and 11th centuries.

Georgia, 840 approx., Saints Serapion and John of Zarzma, sent by Michael of Parekhi
Parekhi Monastery; St Serapion of Zarzma, Commemorated October 29 ; Serapion of Zarzma was the son of a Klarjeti aristocrat famed for his wealth and good deeds. Serapion had two brothers, who were still young when their mother died. father also reposed soon after. childhood Saint Serapion longed to lead the life of a hermit. With his younger brother, John, he set off for Parekhi Monastery, where he requested the spiritual guidance of “the spiritual father and teacher of orphans,” the great wonderworker Michael of Parekhi. older brother remained at home to continue the family tradition of caring for wanderers and the poor. Michael perceived in the young Serapion true zeal for a divine ministry and blessed him to enter the priesthood. while he was praying, Saint Michael was instructed in a vision to send his disciples Serapion and John to Samtskhe to found a monastery. was alarmed at the thought of such a great responsibility, but he submitted to his spiritual father’s will and set off for Samtskhe with several companions. He took with him a wonderworking icon of Our Lord’s Transfiguration. monks climbed to the peak of a very high mountain and, having looked around at their environs, decided to settle there and begin construction of the monastery. But soon the villagers chased the monks away, and the holy fathers located the exact place that their shepherd, Saint Michael, had seen in the vision. At that time a faithful nobleman named George Chorchaneli ruled in this mountainous region. Once, while he was out hunting, George saw smoke over the dense forest and sent a servant to discover the cause. He was soon informed that two remarkable monks had settled in that place. Immediately he set off for the spot, humbly greeted the monks, venerated the wonderworking icon, and asked for the fathers’ blessings. and inspired by Serapion’s preaching, the prince fell on his knees before him and promised to help him in every way to establish the new monastery. Having donated this land and the surrounding area to the monastery, he presented the monks with a deed assigning ownership of all the territory the monks could cover on foot in one day to the future monastery. The prince sent his servant to accompany them. brothers walked over unexplored territory, through dense forests, and over rocky paths. Two local residents, the God-fearing Ia and Garbaneli, accompanied them. But not all the local people received the monks so warmly: the residents of Tsiskvili met them with hostility and tried to block their path. very same night a miracle occurred: an earthquake split the rocks that were holding back Lake Satakhve and washed away the entire village of Tsiskvili. Only two brothers survived. To this day this place has been called “Zarzma” [the word “zari” is often used to denote a tragic occurrence]. brethren began to search for a suitable place to build their church. Saint Serapion wanted to construct the church on a high hill, but John and the other brothers objected. “It is not necessary, Holy Father, to build in this place,” they said. “It is high and cold here, and the brothers are dressed only in rags.” resolve this question, the holy fathers filled two small icon lamps with equal amounts of oil. Serapion placed one of them at the top of the hill, John placed the other near a stream on the southern side of the hill, and they began to pray. At daybreak Serapion’s lamp had already gone out, but John’s lamp continued to burn until midday. Thus they began to build the church in the place that John had chosen. monks faced many obstacles in the construction of their church. The area was covered with dense forest, and the stones necessary for building could be found only in the river. At George Chorchaneli’s suggestion, they salvaged the stone from a church that had been destroyed by the earthquake. three years of construction, the monastery was completed, and the wonderworking icon of the Transfiguration was placed in the altar of the church. The monks fashioned cells, and Saint Serapion established the Rule of the monastery. he was approaching death, Michael of Parekhi sent two of his disciples to Serapion and John. When he learned that the construction of the monastery was completed, he rejoiced exceedingly and blessed its benefactor, George Chorchaneli. Then he took the withered branch of a box tree and presented it to him, saying, “My son, plant this tree near the church and, if it blossoms again, know that it is God’s will that you zealously continue the work you have begun in His name.” After some time the branch blossomed, and this miracle became known to many. the blessed Serapion sensed the approach of death, he summoned the brothers, bade them farewell, and appointed Hieromonk George his successor as abbot. He was buried with great honor on the eastern side of the altar at the monastery church. Venerable Michael of Parekhi, Commemorated on May 27; Michael of Parekhi was a native of the village of Norgiali in the Shavsheti region of southern Georgia. He was tonsured a monk in the Midznadzori Wilderness. Michael journeyed to Khandzta Monastery, and with the blessing of the brotherhood, he built a small chapel and dwelling for the monks nearby. Built in a cave on the side of a cliff, Saint Michael’s establishment was difficult to reach (the new monastery was called “Parekhi,” or “Cave”). God was pleased with his good works, and He granted Saint Michael the gift of working wonders. In a divine revelation, Saint Michael was instructed to send his disciples Serapion and John to the region of Samtskhe. There they established a beautiful monastery in the village of Zarzma. some time Father Michael abandoned his cell and settled at the top of a large boulder. Once the devil caused him to stumble off the rock, but the Lord protected him and he remained unharmed. by the incident, Michael sent his disciples to bring Saint Gregory of Khandzta, and he related to him all that had happened. The blessed Gregory assuaged his brother’s fears, erected a cross on either side of Michael’s cell, and told him, “These two crosses of Christ will protect you, and the mercy of the Most Holy Trinity and the Precious Cross will be upon you.” Michael lived to an old age, and he was buried at Parekhi Monastery. Many faithful pilgrims who have visited his grave have been healed of their infirmities. to Basil of Zarzma, Saint Michael’s disciples wrote accounts of his labors, wisdom, and miracles after his repose, but these works have unfortunately not been preserved. What we know about the life of Saint Michael of Parekhi was preserved in the hagiographical writings of the 10th and 11th centuries.

Georgia, 840 approx, Saints Serapion and John of Zarzma monastery supported by Giorgi Chorchaneli
Zarzma monastery; St Serapion of Zarzma, Commemorated October 29 ; Serapion of Zarzma was the son of a Klarjeti aristocrat famed for his wealth and good deeds. Serapion had two brothers, who were still young when their mother died. father also reposed soon after. childhood Saint Serapion longed to lead the life of a hermit. With his younger brother, John, he set off for Parekhi Monastery, where he requested the spiritual guidance of “the spiritual father and teacher of orphans,” the great wonderworker Michael of Parekhi. older brother remained at home to continue the family tradition of caring for wanderers and the poor. Michael perceived in the young Serapion true zeal for a divine ministry and blessed him to enter the priesthood. while he was praying, Saint Michael was instructed in a vision to send his disciples Serapion and John to Samtskhe to found a monastery. was alarmed at the thought of such a great responsibility, but he submitted to his spiritual father’s will and set off for Samtskhe with several companions. He took with him a wonderworking icon of Our Lord’s Transfiguration. monks climbed to the peak of a very high mountain and, having looked around at their environs, decided to settle there and begin construction of the monastery. But soon the villagers chased the monks away, and the holy fathers located the exact place that their shepherd, Saint Michael, had seen in the vision. At that time a faithful nobleman named George Chorchaneli ruled in this mountainous region. Once, while he was out hunting, George saw smoke over the dense forest and sent a servant to discover the cause. He was soon informed that two remarkable monks had settled in that place. Immediately he set off for the spot, humbly greeted the monks, venerated the wonderworking icon, and asked for the fathers’ blessings. and inspired by Serapion’s preaching, the prince fell on his knees before him and promised to help him in every way to establish the new monastery. Having donated this land and the surrounding area to the monastery, he presented the monks with a deed assigning ownership of all the territory the monks could cover on foot in one day to the future monastery. The prince sent his servant to accompany them. brothers walked over unexplored territory, through dense forests, and over rocky paths. Two local residents, the God-fearing Ia and Garbaneli, accompanied them. But not all the local people received the monks so warmly: the residents of Tsiskvili met them with hostility and tried to block their path. very same night a miracle occurred: an earthquake split the rocks that were holding back Lake Satakhve and washed away the entire village of Tsiskvili. Only two brothers survived. To this day this place has been called “Zarzma” [the word “zari” is often used to denote a tragic occurrence]. brethren began to search for a suitable place to build their church. Saint Serapion wanted to construct the church on a high hill, but John and the other brothers objected. “It is not necessary, Holy Father, to build in this place,” they said. “It is high and cold here, and the brothers are dressed only in rags.” resolve this question, the holy fathers filled two small icon lamps with equal amounts of oil. Serapion placed one of them at the top of the hill, John placed the other near a stream on the southern side of the hill, and they began to pray. At daybreak Serapion’s lamp had already gone out, but John’s lamp continued to burn until midday. Thus they began to build the church in the place that John had chosen. monks faced many obstacles in the construction of their church. The area was covered with dense forest, and the stones necessary for building could be found only in the river. At George Chorchaneli’s suggestion, they salvaged the stone from a church that had been destroyed by the earthquake. three years of construction, the monastery was completed, and the wonderworking icon of the Transfiguration was placed in the altar of the church. The monks fashioned cells, and Saint Serapion established the Rule of the monastery. he was approaching death, Michael of Parekhi sent two of his disciples to Serapion and John. When he learned that the construction of the monastery was completed, he rejoiced exceedingly and blessed its benefactor, George Chorchaneli. Then he took the withered branch of a box tree and presented it to him, saying, “My son, plant this tree near the church and, if it blossoms again, know that it is God’s will that you zealously continue the work you have begun in His name.” After some time the branch blossomed, and this miracle became known to many. the blessed Serapion sensed the approach of death, he summoned the brothers, bade them farewell, and appointed Hieromonk George his successor as abbot. He was buried with great honor on the eastern side of the altar at the monastery church. Venerable Michael of Parekhi, Commemorated on May 27;

Georgia, 840, Zarzma monastery by Serapion (Kvabliani River, Samtskhe )
Zarzma monastery; St Serapion of Zarzma, Commemorated October 29 ; Venerable Michael of Parekhi, Commemorated on May 27;

Georgia, 842, Gabriel tGeorgian oMt Athos, Iveron monastery, chosen by MOG to walk on water tRetrieve Iveron Icon
Greece, Mt Athos, 842, Gabriel tGeorgian oMt Athos, Iveron monastery (seaport, Serbian and Georgian, Mt Athos), silence aIveron winter only, summer inaccessible clifts roots herbs, heavenly man earthly angel, icon arrives Iveron, pillar oLight oSea, several days, floating upright, drifted away fBoat, prayed, MOG appeared, told Gabriel only one worthy, appeared tGabriel, told him walk on water tGet it, image drew near, see Feb 12th; Iviron monastery ; Venerable Gabriel the Georgian of Mount Athos, Commemorated on July 12; Gabriel was a monk of the Iveron Monastery on Mt. Athos. summer he would withdraw to the inaccessible cliffs, and in winter he would return to the monastery and observe a strict rule of silence. in a coarse robe and eating nothing but roots and herbs, Saint Gabriel was truly a “heavenly man and an earthly angel.” at dusk, the monks of the monastery beheld a pillar of light shining forth upon the sea. vision lasted for several days, and finally monks from every monastery on the Holy Mountain gathered and descended together to the sea. beheld an icon of the Mother of God shining brilliantly and floating upright upon the surface of the water. fathers lowered a boat onto the water, hoping to bring the icon back with them to the shore, but each time their boat approached the icon, it drifted farther out to sea. the frustrated monks offered prayers and supplications to God in order to discern His will, the Most Holy Theotokos appeared in a divine revelation told them that the monk Gabriel alone was worthy to bring the icon bearing her image out from the sea. the same time, she appeared to the God-fearing Gabriel and told him, “Enter onto the sea and walk out upon the waves with faith, and I will send my love and mercy upon all the monks of this monastery.” elders of Mt. Athos located the rocky dwelling of the hermit Gabriel not far from the Iveron Monastery. brought Gabriel with them and went down to the sea with hymns and censing. stepped out onto the water and, walking upon the waves as upon dry land, approached the icon. the same time, the holy image drew nearer to him. the holy icon to his breast, Gabriel crossed back over the waves and delivered the icon safely to the shore. story of the miraculous Iveron Icon of the Theotokos is recounted in detail in the commemorations for February 12.) Gabriel reposed peacefully on Mt. Athos.

Georgia, 0850, 9th Century, Holy King Askiot, Ananuri, Castle, Argavi, pious ruler, built churches&monasteries, killed by Arabs
Georgia, 0850, 9th Century, Holy King Askiot, Ananuri, Castle, Argavi, Georgia, Pious ruler, built many churches, several monasteries, killed by Arabs; Holy King Askiot of Georgia, Commemorated on January 27; Askiot reigned in Georgia in the IX century. pious ruler built many churches as well as several monasteries. was killed by Arabs in the church of the castle at Artanugi, Georgia, which he had built. the Georgian Synaxaria it is also referred to as Kouropalatis. Ananuri, Castle; (Georgian: ანანური) is a castle complex on the Aragvi River in Dusheti Municipality Georgia, about 45 miles (72 kilometres) from Tbilisi. was a castle and seat of the eristavis (Dukes) of Aragvi, a feudal dynasty which ruled the area from the 13th century. castle was the scene of numerous battles. 1739, Ananuri was attacked by forces from a rival duchy, commanded by Shanshe of Ksani and was set on fire. Aragvi clan was massacred. However, four years later, the local peasants revolted against rule by the Shanshe, killing the usurpers and inviting King Teimuraz II to rule directly over them. in 1746, King Teimuraz was forced to suppress another peasant uprising, with the help of King Erekle II of Kakheti. The fortress remained in use until the beginning of the 19th century. In 2007, the complex has been on the tentative list for inclusion into the UNESCO World Heritage Site program.[1] the castle was under siege, it was not defeated because a secret tunnel led to the water and thus provided a way to get food and water to the people who had taken refuge in the castle. The enemy finally captured a woman named Ana, who was from Nuri, and tortured her to reveal the location of the tunnel. But she chose to die rather than giving the secret away. Hence the castle was called Ananuri, and she became a legend. fortifications consist of two castles joined by a crenellated curtain wall. The upper fortification with a large square tower, known as Sheupovari, is well preserved and is the location of the last defense of the Aragvi against the Shanshe. The lower fortification, with a round tower, is mostly in ruins. the complex, amongst other buildings, are two churches. The older Church of the Virgin, which abuts a tall square tower, has the graves of some of the Dukes of Aragvi. It dates from the first half of the 17th century, and was built of brick. The interior is no longer decorated, but of interest is a stone baldaquin erected by the widow of the Duke Edishera, who died in 1674. larger Church of the Mother of God (Ghvtismshobeli), built in 1689 for the son of Duke Bardzim. It is a central dome style structure with richly decorated façades, including a carved north entrance and a carved grapevine cross on the south façade. It also contains the remains of a number of frescoes, most of which were destroyed by the fire in the 18th century.[2]

Georgia, 888-923, King, Adarnase IV of Iberia, Bagratid d, Tao-K, Switching Alliances, w Armenia
Georgia, 888-923, King, Adarnase IV of Iberia, Bagratid d, Tao-K, Switching Alliances, w Armenia; Martyr Michael (Gobron) of Georgia, Commemorated November 17 ;

Georgia, 889, John of Zedazeni, Mtskheta, Georgia, murdered at Zendazeni by Muslims
Georgia, 889, John of Zedazeni, Mtskheta, Georgia ; Zedazeni Monastery. This location is only approximate. Zedazeni Monestary is located on the Zedazeni mountain the hills of Saguramo, northeast to Mtskheta and to the east side of the Aragvi River. ; Martyr John, Abbot of the Zedazeni Monastery, Commemorated December 12 ; life of the holy martyr John, Abbot of Zedazeni Monastery, has not been preserved, but the list recalling “the names of the holy fathers who reposed at Zedazeni Monastery after John of Zedazeni,” which was compiled by Catholicos Arsenius II, tells us that Abbot John was “murdered at Zedazeni by Muslims.” Saint John was martyred in the 9th century.

Georgia, 914-1122, History Folder, Arab Muslim Rule in Georgia

Georgia, 900, 10th Century Folder, Arab Rule in Georgia, Iveron Monastery on Mt Athos

Georgia, 900, 10th Century, Queen, Dinar of Hereti
Georgia Queen, 10th Century, Dinar of Hereti; (was a 10th-century Georgian royal princess of the Bagrationi dynasty of Tao-Klarjeti and Queen regnant of Hereti. She is venerated as a saint. The Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates her on June 30. was a daughter of hereditary ruler of Tao-Klarjeti, the eristavt-eristavi, "duke of dukes" Adarnase III of Tao by his unknown wife. to The Georgian Chronicles Queen Dinar, along with her son Ishkhani converted Hereti to the Eastern Orthodox confession and abandoned the Oriental Orthodox confession in the 10th century. Russia[edit] Dinar’s story is recounted in the Russian Chronicles more closely and The Tale of Tsaritsa Dinara may be about her. According to the Armenian historian Movses Kaghankatvatsi, Slavic tribes that carried out raids in the southern Caucasus the story of Queen Dinar became well known for them and this story made its way to Russia. on the north wall of the Throne Hall in the Moscow Kremlin, there's a fresco of Queen Dinar who's mounted on a white horse, victorious over the enemy. Holy Queen Dinar, Commemorated on June 30; Russian Church has preserved chronicles of the life of Queen Dinar, a woman who achieved much on behalf of the Christian Faith. For years scholars have disputed about the historical figure discussed in great depth in the Russian Church. Many believed that the sources described Holy Queen Tamar, but the period of Tamar’s rule does not match that of the figure described in the chronicles. The Georgian chronicle Life of Kartli, however, has preserved information about a certain Dinar, Queen of Hereti (southeastern Georgia), who, along with her son Ishkhanik, converted Hereti to the Orthodox Faith and delivered its people from the Monophysite heresy in the 10th century. Queen Dinar’s story resembles that recounted in the Russian Chronicles more closely than any other. to the Armenian historian Moses of Kalankaytuk, Slavic tribes that carried out incursions in the southernmost Caucasus often journeyed through the Transcaucasus, and it was with these tribes that the story of Queen Dinar made its way to Russia. The Georgian Church renders great honor to Holy Queen Dinar. As a result of her zealous labors and achievements, a large part of the eastern Transcaucasus was saved from the Monophysite heresy that dominated the region. on the north wall of the Throne Hall in the Moscow Kremlin, there hangs an image of Holy Queen Dinar mounted on a white horse, victorious over the enemy. Martyr Luke of Jerusalem, the Georgian, Commemorated on February 12; St Prochorus of Georgia, Commemorated on February 12;

Georgia, 914, Martyr Michael (Gobron), war hero, offered e glory, C executed before h eyes, traced t cross, divine light
Georgia, 914, Martyr Michael (Gobron), Kvelistsikhe Fortress, war hero, offered earthly glory, C executed before h eyes, traced the cross, divine light; Kvelistsikhe Fortress; Martyr Michael (Gobron) of Georgia, Commemorated November 17 ; the year 914 a certain prince by the name of Michael-Gobron distinguished himself in a battle against the Arab Muslim invaders. After they had captured the fortress of Kvelistsikhe in southern Georgia, the Muslims took captive those who remained alive, and Prince Gobron was among them. Deeply impressed by the Georgian soldier’s valor, the emir Abu al-Qasim ordered his army to treat him with respect. Adarnerse sent Abu al-Qasim a large sum of money as a ransom for his people, and some were released. Gobron, however, was not among them. Georgian prince recognized clearly what the future would bring, and he prepared to be martyred for Christ’s sake. The Saracens escorted Gobron and 133 Georgian soldiers to their execution. al-Qasim tempted the faithful prince by offering him earthly glory and honor in exchange for his renunciation of the Christian Faith. But Saint Gobron firmly declined all of his offers. Then the furious Abu al-Qasim ordered that he be taken into the yard and shown his fallen countrymen on one side and the promised wealth on the other. the emir cunningly asked which one he would choose, Gobron answered, “I told you from the very start that I will not retreat from Christ my Lord!” the emir devised a new, more cruel trial: “He knows not the grief of death. Lead him outside and execute every living Christian before his eyes!” he commanded. led the saint out in the midst of his brothers and proceeded to slaughter every one of them. The blood of the dead flew around Gobron in every direction, and the martyrs’ limp bodies collapsed at his feet, but none of these horrors could break his will. they compelled him to bow his head and brandished their swords above him two times. Prince Gobron traced a cross on his brow with blood and said, “I thank Thee, Lord Jesus Christ, that Thou hast accounted me, the most contemptible and chief among sinners, worthy to lay down my life for Thy sake!” they brought Saint Gobron before the emir. For the last time Abu al-Qasim tried to entice him to apostatize, but the saint, dripping with blood, declared, “Do as you wish. I am a Christian and will never retreat from the name of my Christ!” lost all patience, Abu al-Qasim ordered that Saint Gobron’s head be chopped off and thrown in with the other mutilated bodies. Then they dug three large holes, tossed in the relics of the martyrs, refilled the holes with earth, and forbade all Christians to approach that place. At night the graves shone with a divine light visible to believers and unbelievers alike. laying down their lives for Christ, the valorous prince Michael-Gobron and the 133 martyrs were numbered among the saints by the Georgian Apostolic Church. The day of their commemoration was designated as November 17, the day of their martyrdom.

Georgia, 914, Arab Sajid invasion of Georgia, Kvelistsikhe Fortress
Arab Sajid invasion of Georgia 914 Kvelistsikhe Fortress; St Gregory of Chandzoe in Georgia, Commemorated on October 5; Martyr Michael (Gobron) of Georgia, Commemorated November 17 ;

Georgia, 914-1122, Arab Rule in Georgia
Georgia, 914-1122, Arab Rule in Georgia; Arab Sajid invasion of Georgia 914 Kvelistsikhe Fortress; St Gregory of Chandzoe in Georgia, Commemorated on October 5; Martyr Michael (Gobron) of Georgia, Commemorated November 17 ;

Georgia, 940-1003, Saint, Athanasius the Athonite
Greece, Macedonia, Mt. Athos, 940-1003, Saint, Athanasius the Athonite; St. Euthymius the New, Founder of the Iveron Monastery and His Fellow Georgian Saints of Mt. Athos, Commemorated on May 13; St. Euthymius of Athos the translator, Commemorated on May 13;

Georgia, 950 10th Century, Holy Queen Dinar, Hereti Kingdom of Kakheti, she saved eastern transcaucasus from Monophysite heracy
Georgia, 950 10th Century, Holy Queen Dinar, Hereti Kingdom of Kakheti Region, she saved eastern transcaucasus from Monophysite heracy, to Orthodox faith; Hereti Kingdom of Kakheti Region; Holy Queen Dinar, Commemorated on June 30; Russian Church has preserved chronicles of the life of Queen Dinar, a woman who achieved much on behalf of the Christian Faith. years scholars have disputed about the historical figure discussed in great depth in the Russian Church. Many believed that the sources described Holy Queen Tamar, but the period of Tamar’s rule does not match that of the figure described in the chronicles. Georgian chronicle Life of Kartli, however, has preserved information about a certain Dinar, Queen of Hereti (southeastern Georgia), along with her son Ishkhanik, converted Hereti to the Orthodox Faith and delivered its people from the Monophysite heresy in the 10th century. Dinar’s story resembles that recounted in the Russian Chronicles more closely than any other. to the Armenian historian Moses of Kalankaytuk, tribes that carried out incursions in the southernmost Caucasus often journeyed through the Transcaucasus, and it was with these tribes that the story of Queen Dinar made its way to Russia. Georgian Church renders great honor to Holy Queen Dinar. As a result of her zealous labors and achievements, a large part of the eastern Transcaucasus was saved from the Monophysite heresy that dominated the region. on the north wall of the Throne Hall in the Moscow Kremlin, there hangs an image of Holy Queen Dinar mounted on a white horse, victorious over the enemy.

Georgia, 950-985, Tornike Eristavi, General and Saint, Founder of Iveron Monastery
Iviron monastery ; Venerable John the Georgian, of Mt. Athos, Commemorated on July 12 ; Venerable George of Mt. Athos, the Builder, Commemorated on July 28; St George (John) of Georgia, Commemorated September 8 ; St Euthymius the New, Founder of the Iveron Monastery and His Fellow Georgian Saints of Mt. Athos, Commemorated on May 13;

Georgia, 955-1002, Saint, John the Iberian, John of Georgia
Georgia, Iberian Saint, 955-1002, John the Iberian, John of Georgia; St John of Georgia, Commemorated on November 4;

Georgia, 960-1000, Sabiana, Abbess of Samtskhe, the tree is known by its fruit, Georgian nuns, Thekla, her b George the Lesser
Georgia, 960-1000, Sabiana, Abbess of Sapara (Samtskhe) Monastery, the tree is known by its fruit, nuns of the Georgian Monasteries, Thekla, her b George the Lesser; Sapara (Samtskhe) Monastery; Venerable Sabiana, Abbess of the Samtskhe Monastery, Commemorated on December 31; nuns of Georgian monasteries have historically been outstanding in their diligence. God entrusted them with the special duties of ceaseless prayer, fasting, needlework, and the raising of orphans. Nuns have been regarded as vessels of sanctity and wisdom, and even royalty would kneel before them. Georgian noblemen would send their children to nuns to be brought up in the Christian Faith. According to the great church figure George the Lesser, when the parents of Saint George of the Holy Mountain decided to have their first-born daughter, Thekla, raised by nuns, they sent her to the “worthy and holy” Sabiana, who at that time was abbess of the Samtskhe Tadzrisi Monastery in southern Georgia. Sabiana welcomed Thekla and raised her as though she were her own natural daughter. long Thekla’s brother, the seven-year-old George, was also brought to the monastery, and Saint Sabiana spent three years educating and instructing him in the spiritual life. information on the life and labors of Saint Sabiana has sadly not been preserved. But as the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew attests, the tree is known by his fruit (Matt. 12:33). The high level of monastic life during Saint Sabiana’s abbacy and the pious lives of her spiritual children attest to the great spiritual heights she attained. Venerable George of Mount Athos, Commemorated on June 27; George reached the age of seven, the God-fearing and wise Abbess Sabiana of Tadzrisi Monastery in Samtskhe took him under her care. George spent three years at Tadzrisi, and when he was ten his father sent him to Khakhuli Monastery, to his own brothers Saints George the Scribe and Saba. George’s family had its roots in the region of Samtskhe in southern Georgia. George was born in Trialeti to the pious Jacob and Mariam. George reached the age of seven, the God-fearing and wise Abbess Sabiana of Tadzrisi Monastery in Samtskhe took him under her care. George spent three years at Tadzrisi, and when he was ten his father sent him to Khakhuli Monastery, to his own brothers Saints George the Scribe and Saba. after, Prince Peris Jojikisdze of Trialeti invited George’s uncle, George the Scribe, to stay with him, and George’s uncle took his young nephew with him. the Byzantine emperor Basil II subsequently summoned Peris and his family to Constantinople, accused him of conspiring against the throne, and had him beheaded. (At that time Trialeti was under the jurisdiction of Byzantium.) Peris’ faithful wife remained in Constantinople for twelve years and sent the young George to study with the finest philosophers and rhetoricians of that time. Emperor Basil was moved with compassion for the prince’s family and permitted them to return to Georgia. The twenty-five-year-old George returned to Khakhuli Monastery and “bowed his neck to the sweet yoke of monastic life.” George secretly left the monastery and, clad in beggars’ rags, journeyed to Jerusalem. After enduring many deprivations and overcoming a great number of obstacles, he reached the Black Mountains near Antioch and, after venerating the holy places and visiting several elders, began to search for a spiritual father and guide. He found the great Georgian elder Saint George the Recluse (the God-bearer) in an isolated cave and remained there with him for three years. Saint George the Recluse tonsured his disciple, “who had reached perfection of age, wisdom and understanding,” into the great schema and sent him to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage. to his teacher’s counsel, George then moved from Jerusalem to the Ivḗron Monastery on Mt. Athos to continue the work of Saint Ekvtime—the translation of theological texts from the Greek to the Georgian language. considered himself unworthy and unqualified to continue Saint Ekvtime’s great work, but Saint George the Recluse was insistent, so he set off for the Holy Mountain in humble obedience. monks of the Ivḗron Monastery received Saint George with great joy. But instead of translating the patristic texts as his spiritual father had advised him, George soon grew slothful and for seven years performed only the work of a novice. When Saint George the Recluse heard this, he sent his disciple Tevdore to Mt. Athos to rebuke him and remind him of the reason he had been sent there. Finally George of the Holy Mountain obeyed the will of his teacher, and soon he was enthroned as abbot of the monastery. that time on Saint George of the Holy Mountain pursued his work with great earnestness. He gathered information on Saints Ekvtime and John, compiled their Lives, translated their holy relics to ornate burial vaults covered in precious jewels, and enhanced the life of the monastery in many other ways. a visit to the Byzantine emperor Constantine Monomachus, the Georgian king Bagrat IV Kuropalates offered George the opportunity to return to Georgia to be consecrated bishop of Chqondidi and serve as his own spiritual adviser. But George declined, having already been drawn far from the vanity of the world. of the monastery was demanding, and George was forced to choose between his literary work and the life of the monastery. resigned as abbot and returned to Saint George the Recluse for counsel. But his teacher blessed him to return to the Ivḗron Monastery, so George set off again for Mt. Athos. God-fearing king Bagrat IV Kuropalates continued to ask Saint George to return to Georgia, and he finally consented to the will of the king and the catholicos. In accordance with their request, the pious father instituted general guidelines for the qualifications and conduct of the clergy and wisely administered the affairs of the Church. Five years later Saint George returned to the Ivḗron Monastery. Before he departed, King Bagrat bestowed upon him much of his own wealth and saw him off with great respect. for Mt. Athos, Blessed George took with him eighty orphans. En route he stopped in Constantinople, and sensing that the day of his repose was near, he arranged for the orphans to be received in the emperor’s court. He personally requested that the emperor make provision for the orphaned children. George of the Holy Mountain reposed peacefully the next day, the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. His Athonite brothers buried him on the monastery grounds with great reverence.

Georgia, 963, Lavra of St Athanasius, First Larva of Mt Athos, Georgian
Macedonia, 963, Lavra of St Athanasius, First Larva of Mt Athos; Venerable John (Koukouzelis) the Hymnographer of Mt. Athos, Albania, Commemorated on October 1 ; St Gregory Palamas the Archbishop of Thessalonica, Commemorated on November 14 ; Venerable Gregory the Byzantine, Commemorated on April 6; Venerable Acacius the Younger of Mt Athos, Commemorated on April 12; Venerable Acacius the Younger of Mt Athos, Commemorated on April 12; Venerable Simeon of Philotheou, Commemorated on April 19; St Euthymius of Athos the translator, Commemorated on May 13; St Michael the Confessor the Bishop of Synnada, Commemorated on May 23; St (John) Tornike of Mt Athos, Commemorated on June 12; Venerable Niphon of Mt Athos, Commemorated on June 14; Venerable Athanasius the Founder of the Great Lavra and Coenobitic Monasticism on Mt. Athos, Commemorated on July 5; 6 Venerable Disciples of St Athanasius On Mt Athos, Commemorated on July 5; Icon of the Mother of God œEconomissaÂ, Commemorated on July 5; Venerable Athanasius the Founder of the Great Lavra and Coenobitic Monasticism on Mt. Athos, Commemorated on July 5 ;

Georgia, 966-1000, K, Davit Kuropalates, T Great, of Tao, unification, w Bardas Phocas, lost to Basil II
Georgia, Iberian King, 966-1000, Davit Kuropalates, The Great; III Kuropalates (Georgian: áƒ“áƒáƒ•áƒ˜áƒ— III áƒ™áƒ£áƒ áƒáƒžáƒáƒšáƒáƒ¢áƒ˜, Davit’ III Kuropalati) or David III the Great (áƒ“áƒáƒ•áƒ˜áƒ— III áƒ“áƒ˜áƒ“áƒ˜, Davit’ III Didi), also known as David II, (c. 930s – 1000/1001) was a Georgian prince of the Bagratid family of Tao, a historic region in the Georgian–Armenian marchlands, from 966 until his murder in 1000 or 1001. Kuropalates was a Byzantine courtier title bestowed upon him in 978 and again in 990. David is best known for his crucial assistance to the Byzantine Macedonian dynasty in the 976–9 civil war and his unique role in the political unification of various Georgian polities as well as his patronage of Christian culture and learning. Between 987 and 989, David joined his friend Bardas Phocas in a revolt against the Byzantine emperor Basil II, but was defeated and agreed to cede his lands to the empire on his death. Yet he was able to secure for his heir, Bagrat III, an opportunity to become the first ruler of a unified Georgian kingdom. Venerable John the Georgian, of Mt. Athos, Commemorated on July 12 ; St Arsenius the Bishop of Ninotsminda, Commemorated on July 31; Venerable Macarius the Faster, Abbot of the Khakhuli Monastery, Commemorated on December 21; Martyr Luke of Jerusalem, the Georgian, Commemorated on February 12; St Prochorus of Georgia, Commemorated on February 12; St John (Chrysostom) IV, the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on March 3; St John of Khakhuli the Oqropiri, also called Chrysostom, Commemorated on March 10; St Euthymius of Athos the translator, Commemorated on May 13 ; St (John) Tornike of Mt Athos, Commemorated on June 12;

Georgia, 975, Dochiariou Monastery founded by Euthymius, Georgian
Macedonia, 975-1024, Iberian Saint, Euthymius the Athonite, The Illuminator ; Son of Georgia, Iberian Saint, 955-1002, John the Iberian, John of Georgia; Venerable Euthymius, founder of Dochiariou Monastery (Mount Athos 10th c.), and Venerable Neophytus, Co-founder of the Monastery, Commemorated on November 9; St John of Georgia, Commemorated on November 4;

Georgia, 975-1014, Georgia King, Bagrat III, Bedia Cathedral, first King of Georgia
Georgia, 975-1014, Georgia King, Bagrat III, Bedia Cathedral ; III (Georgian: áƒ‘áƒáƒ’áƒ áƒáƒ¢ III) (c. 960 – 7 May 1014), of the Georgian Bagrationi dynasty, was King of Abkhazia from 978 on (as Bagrat II) and King of Georgia from 1008 on. He united these two titles by dynastic inheritance and, through conquest and diplomacy, added more lands to his realm, effectively becoming the first king of the Kingdom of Georgia. Before Bagrat was crowned as king, he had also reigned in Kartli as co-ruler with his father Gurgen from 976 to 978. Bedia Cathedral; St Hilarion of Tvali, Commemorated on July 24; St Melchizedek I, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; Venerable George the Scribe, of Khakhuli, Commemorated on December 19; Venerable Macarius the Faster, Abbot of the Khakhuli Monastery, Commemorated on December 21; Venerable Sabiana, Abbess of the Samtskhe Monastery, Commemorated on December 31; Martyr Luke of Jerusalem, the Georgian, Commemorated on February 12; St Prochorus of Georgia, Commemorated on February 12; St John (Chrysostom) IV, the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on March 3; St John of Khakhuli the Oqropiri, also called Chrysostom, Commemorated on March 10; St Basil of Georgia, the son of King Bagrat III, Commemorated on May 27 ;

Georgia, 975-1024, Euthymius the Athonite, The Illuminator, Georgian
Macedonia, 975-1024, Iberian Saint, Euthymius the Athonite, The Illuminator ; Son of Georgia, Iberian Saint, 955-1002, John the Iberian, John of Georgia; St John of Georgia, Commemorated on November 4;

Georgia, 975-1024, Iberian Saint, Euthymius the Athonite, The Illuminator
Georgia, Iberian Saint, 975-1024, Euthymius the Athonite, The Illuminator; Son of Georgia, Iberian Saint, 955-1002, John the Iberian, John of Georgia; St John of Georgia, Commemorated on November 4; St. Euthymius of Athos the translator, Commemorated on May 13;

Georgia, 980-983, Caucasian Iberia (Iveron Monestary, Mt Athos)
Caucasian Iberia; Caucasian Iberia (Iveron Monestary, Mt Athos, Macedonia); Martyr Romulus and with him many others, Commemorated September 6 ; New Martyr George of Iberia, Commemorated on January 2 ; New Martyr Theologia, Commemorated on January 2; GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR, APOSTLE TO ARMENIA (23 March 332); St Basil Ratishvili of Georgia, Commemorated on April 18 ; Martyred Fathers and Mothers of Atchara, Commemorated on May 29; St George the God-Bearer, Commemorated on July 3;

Georgia, 980-983, Iveron Monestary, Mt Athos, (Georgia, Caucasian Iberia )
Caucasian Iberia; Caucasian Iberia (Iveron Monestary, Mt Athos, Macedonia); Martyr Romulus and with him many others, Commemorated September 6 ; New Martyr George of Iberia, Commemorated on January 2 ; New Martyr Theologia, Commemorated on January 2; GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR, APOSTLE TO ARMENIA (23 March 332); Martyred Fathers and Mothers of Atchara, Commemorated on May 29; St George the God-Bearer, Commemorated on July 3;

Georgia, 980-1002, Saint, John the Iberian, John of Georgia
Georgia, Iberian Saint, 980-1002, John the Iberian, John of Georgia; Venerable George of Mt. Athos, the Builder, Commemorated on July 28; St John of Georgia, Commemorated on November 4;

Georgia, 1000, 11th Century Folder, King David IV, The Restorer, The Builder

Georgia, 1001-1040, Saint Basil of Khakhuli, man of letters
Georgia, 1000-1040, Saint Basil of Khakhuli; son of Bagrat was an 11th-century Georgian monk and man of letters in the Kingdom of Georgia, frequently identified as a son of King Bagrat III. He was active at the Khakhuli Monastery. He is a saint of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Venerable Macarius the Faster, Abbot of the Khakhuli Monastery, Commemorated on December 21 ;

Georgia, 1001-1065, George of Mt Athos, sent to Iveron to finish Ekvtime's work translating into Georgian, received Bagrat 1V's wealth
Georgia, 101-1065, George of Mt Athos, w Sabiana 7-10, 10-25 Khakhuli and Constantinople w philosophers and rhetoricians, back to Khakhuli, then to Jerusalem, black mts n Antioch, found spiritual father guide George the Recluse for 3 yrs, great schema, sent him to Iveron to continue translation into Georgian, failed to continue Ekvtime's work, rebuked by Tevdore, became abbot of I, resigned to translate, returned to Recluse, to I, finally to King Bagrat 1V and Georgia, returned to I after 5 yrs with Bagrat's wealth and 80 orphans, stopped in C and died, E took care of orphans; Georgia, 960-1000, Sabiana, Abbess of Sapara (Samtskhe) Monastery, the tree is known by its fruit, nuns of the Georgian Monasteries, Thekla, her b George the Lesser; Sapara (Samtskhe) Monastery; Venerable George of Mount Athos, Commemorated on June 27; George’s family had its roots in the region of Samtskhe in southern Georgia. George was born in Trialeti to the pious Jacob and Mariam. George reached the age of seven, the God-fearing and wise Abbess Sabiana of Tadzrisi Monastery in Samtskhe took him under her care. George spent three years at Tadzrisi, and when he was ten his father sent him to Khakhuli Monastery, to his own brothers Saints George the Scribe and Saba. after, Prince Peris Jojikisdze of Trialeti invited George’s uncle, George the Scribe, to stay with him, and George’s uncle took his young nephew with him. the Byzantine emperor Basil II subsequently summoned Peris and his family to Constantinople, accused him of conspiring against the throne, and had him beheaded. (At that time Trialeti was under the jurisdiction of Byzantium.) Peris’ faithful wife remained in Constantinople for twelve years and sent the young George to study with the finest philosophers and rhetoricians of that time. Emperor Basil was moved with compassion for the prince’s family and permitted them to return to Georgia. The twenty-five-year-old George returned to Khakhuli Monastery and “bowed his neck to the sweet yoke of monastic life.” George secretly left the monastery and, clad in beggars’ rags, journeyed to Jerusalem. After enduring many deprivations and overcoming a great number of obstacles, he reached the Black Mountains near Antioch and, after venerating the holy places and visiting several elders, began to search for a spiritual father and guide. He found the great Georgian elder Saint George the Recluse (the God-bearer) in an isolated cave and remained there with him for three years. Saint George the Recluse tonsured his disciple, “who had reached perfection of age, wisdom and understanding,” into the great schema and sent him to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage. to his teacher’s counsel, George then moved from Jerusalem to the Ivḗron Monastery on Mt. Athos to continue the work of Saint Ekvtime—the translation of theological texts from the Greek to the Georgian language. considered himself unworthy and unqualified to continue Saint Ekvtime’s great work, but Saint George the Recluse was insistent, so he set off for the Holy Mountain in humble obedience. monks of the Ivḗron Monastery received Saint George with great joy. But instead of translating the patristic texts as his spiritual father had advised him, George soon grew slothful and for seven years performed only the work of a novice. When Saint George the Recluse heard this, he sent his disciple Tevdore to Mt. Athos to rebuke him and remind him of the reason he had been sent there. Finally George of the Holy Mountain obeyed the will of his teacher, and soon he was enthroned as abbot of the monastery. that time on Saint George of the Holy Mountain pursued his work with great earnestness. He gathered information on Saints Ekvtime and John, compiled their Lives, translated their holy relics to ornate burial vaults covered in precious jewels, and enhanced the life of the monastery in many other ways. a visit to the Byzantine emperor Constantine Monomachus, the Georgian king Bagrat IV Kuropalates offered George the opportunity to return to Georgia to be consecrated bishop of Chqondidi and serve as his own spiritual adviser. But George declined, having already been drawn far from the vanity of the world. of the monastery was demanding, and George was forced to choose between his literary work and the life of the monastery. resigned as abbot and returned to Saint George the Recluse for counsel. But his teacher blessed him to return to the Ivḗron Monastery, so George set off again for Mt. Athos. God-fearing king Bagrat IV Kuropalates continued to ask Saint George to return to Georgia, and he finally consented to the will of the king and the catholicos. accordance with their request, the pious father instituted general guidelines for the qualifications and conduct of the clergy and wisely administered the affairs of the Church. Five years later Saint George returned to the Ivḗron Monastery. Before he departed, King Bagrat bestowed upon him much of his own wealth and saw him off with great respect. for Mt. Athos, Blessed George took with him eighty orphans. En route he stopped in Constantinople, and sensing that the day of his repose was near, he arranged for the orphans to be received in the emperor’s court. He personally requested that the emperor make provision for the orphaned children. George of the Holy Mountain reposed peacefully the next day, the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. His Athonite brothers buried him on the monastery grounds with great reverence. Venerable Sabiana, Abbess of the Samtskhe Monastery, Commemorated on December 31; George reached the age of seven, the God-fearing and wise Abbess Sabiana of Tadzrisi Monastery in Samtskhe took him under her care. George spent three years at Tadzrisi, and when he was ten his father sent him to Khakhuli Monastery, to his own brothers Saints George the Scribe and Saba. nuns of Georgian monasteries have historically been outstanding in their diligence. God entrusted them with the special duties of ceaseless prayer, fasting, needlework, and the raising of orphans. Nuns have been regarded as vessels of sanctity and wisdom, and even royalty would kneel before them. Georgian noblemen would send their children to nuns to be brought up in the Christian Faith. According to the great church figure George the Lesser, when the parents of Saint George of the Holy Mountain decided to have their first-born daughter, Thekla, raised by nuns, they sent her to the “worthy and holy” Sabiana, who at that time was abbess of the Samtskhe Tadzrisi Monastery in southern Georgia. Sabiana welcomed Thekla and raised her as though she were her own natural daughter. long Thekla’s brother, the seven-year-old George, was also brought to the monastery, and Saint Sabiana spent three years educating and instructing him in the spiritual life. information on the life and labors of Saint Sabiana has sadly not been preserved. But as the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew attests, the tree is known by his fruit (Matt. 12:33). The high level of monastic life during Saint Sabiana’s abbacy and the pious lives of her spiritual children attest to the great spiritual heights she attained.

Georgia, 1010-1033, Catholicos Patriarch, Melchizedek I of Georgia
Georgia Catholicos Patriarch, 1010-1033, Melchizedek I of Georgia; St Melchizedek I, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on October 1;

Georgia, 1010-1811, Catholicos-Patriarchy of All Georgia
Georgia, 1010-1811, Catholicos-Patriarchy of All Georgia; Georgia Catholicos Patriarch, 1010-1033, Melchizedek I of Georgia; St Melchizedek I, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on October 1;

Georgia, 1014-1027, King, George I of Georgia, united Georgia, territorial wars with Byz
Georgia King, 1014-1027, George I of Georgia ; I (998 or 1002 – 16 August 1027), of the House of Bagrationi, was the king of Georgia from 1014 until his death in 1027. He was 2nd king of United Georgia after his Father Bagrat III. He spent most of his thirteen-year-long reign waging a bloody and fruitless territorial war with the Byzantine Empire. St Melchizedek I, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; St Hilarion of Tvali, Commemorated on July 24; Venerable Macarius the Faster, Abbot of the Khakhuli Monastery, Commemorated on December 21; St Prochorus of Georgia, Commemorated on February 12; St Basil of Georgia, the son of King Bagrat III, Commemorated on May 27 ;

Georgia, 1027-1072, King, Bagrat IV of Georgia, long eventful reign, Georgian sovereignty, Byz and Seljug, d powerful vassals
Georgia King, 1027-1072, Bagrat IV of Georgia; IV (1018 – 24 November 1072), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was the King of Georgia from 1027 to 1072.[1] his long and eventful reign, Bagrat sought to repress the great nobility and to secure Georgia's sovereignty from the Byzantine and Seljuq Empires. a series of intermingled conflicts, Bagrat succeeded in defeating his most powerful vassals and rivals of the Liparitid family, bringing several feudal enclaves under his control, and reducing the kings of Lorri and Kakheti, as well as the emir of Tbilisi to vassalage. many medieval Caucasian rulers, he bore several Byzantine titles, particularly those of nobelissimos, curopalates, and sebastos.[2] reign[edit] of Bagrat IV, struck between 1060 and 1072. was the son of the king George I (r. 1014–1027) by his first wife Mariam of Vaspurakan. At the age of three, Bagrat was surrendered by his father as a hostage to the Byzantine emperor Basil II (r. 976–1025) as a price for George's defeat in the 1022 war with the Byzantines. The young child Bagrat spent the next three years in the imperial capital of Constantinople and was released in 1025. He was still in Byzantine territory when Basil died and was succeeded by his brother Constantine VIII (r. 1025–1028). Constantine ordered the retrieval of the young prince, but the imperial courier was unable to overtake Bagrat – he was already in the Georgian kingdom.[3] George I died in 1027, Bagrat, aged eight, succeeded to the throne. Queen Dowager Mariam then returned to prominence and became a regent for her underage son. She shared the regency with the grandees, particularly Liparit IV, Duke of Trialeti, and Ivane, Duke of Kartli.[citation needed] the time Bagrat became king, the Bagratids’ drive to complete the unification of all Georgian lands had gained irreversible momentum. The kings of Georgia sat at Kutaisi in western Georgia from which they ran all of what had been the Kingdom of Abkhazia and a greater portion of Iberia/Kartli; Tao/Tayk had been lost to the Byzantines while a Muslim emir remained in Tbilisi and the kings of Kakheti obstinately defended their autonomy in easternmost Georgia. Furthermore, the loyalty of great nobles to the Georgian crown was far from stable. During Bagrat's minority, the regency had advanced the positions of the high nobility whose influence he subsequently tried to limit when he assumed full ruling powers. the Georgian crown was confronted with two formidable external foes: the Byzantine Empire and the rising Seljuq Turks. Although the Byzantine Empire and Georgia had centuries-long cultural and religious ties, and the Seljuqs posed a substantial threat to the empire itself, Constantinople's aggressiveness on the Caucasian political scene contributed to an atmosphere of distrust and recrimination, and prevented the two Christian nations from effective cooperation against the common threat. With assertion of the Georgian Bagratid hegemony in the Caucasus being the cornerstone of Bagrat's reign, his policy can be understood as the attempt to play the Seljuqs and Byzantines off against one another.[3] wars[edit] IV's charter, 1060–1065 after Bagrat's ascension to the throne, Constantine VIII sent in an army to take over the key city-fortress of Artanuji (modern Ardanuç, Turkey) on behalf of the Georgian Bagratid prince Demetre, son of Gurgen of Klarjeti, who had been dispossessed by Bagrat IV's grandfather, Bagrat III, of his patrimonial fief at Artanuji early in the 1010s. Several Georgians nobles defected to the Byzantines, but Bagrat's loyal subjects put up a stubborn fight.[4] death in 1028 rendered the Byzantine invasion abortive, and, in 1030, Queen Mariam paid a visit to the new emperor Romanos III (r. 1028–1034). She negotiated a peace treaty, and returned with the high Byzantine title of curopalates for her son in 1032. Mariam also brought him the Byzantine princess Helena Argyre as wife. Helena was a daughter of Basil Argyros, brother of Emperor Romanos, and the marriage was a diplomatic effort to establish a strategic association. However, Helena's death shortly afterwards at Kutaisi presented the Georgian court with the opportunity to pursue yet another diplomatic initiative through Bagrat's marriage with Borena, daughter of the king of Alania, a Christian country in the North Caucasus.[3] 1033, the royal court faced another dynastic trouble, this time with Bagrat's half-brother Demetre, a son of George I of his second marriage with Alda of Alania. Demetre and Alda lived in Anacopia, a fortress in Abkhazia, which had been bequeathed to them by the late king George I. Although an attempt by some great nobles to exploit Demetre's possible aspirations to the throne in their opposition to Bagrat's rule failed, the Georgian court's efforts to win his loyalty also went in vain. Threatened by Bagrat, the dowager queen Alda defected to the Byzantines and surrendered Anacopia to the emperor Romanos III who honored her son Demetre with the rank of magistros.[5] 1039, Demetre returned to Georgia with Byzantine troops. This time, he was supported by Liparit IV, of the Liparitid clan, the most powerful noble in Georgia.[6] as duke of the district of Trialeti and later as a commander-in-chief of the royal armies, had appeared as the defender of a boy-king Bagrat early in the 1030s. Liparit's military prowess had been demonstrated once again in 1034 when, at the head of a combined Georgian-Armenian army, he defeated a Shaddadid troops in Arran. 1038, Liparit was on the verge of capturing the ancient Georgian capital of Tbilisi, which had been a Muslim stronghold since the 8th century. Fearing his growing power, the Georgian nobles persuaded Bagrat to withdraw Liparit's army and thus thwarted the plan. As a result, Liparit became a sworn enemy of the king and began actively cooperating with the Byzantines for vengeance on Bagrat and his nobles.[6] behalf of the pretender Demetre, Liparit enjoyed a series of successes against Bagrat. In spite of Demetre's death in 1042, Liparit continued his struggle in alliance with the Byzantines and David I of Lorri. the defeat at Sasireti, Bagrat was left with the western provinces only. the Seljuk campaigns in Anatolia in 1048, Liparit, who had been fighting on the Byzantine side, was captured at the Battle of Kapetrou. Bagrat took advantage of this, and returned to his eastern possessions. king's fortunes were quickly reversed, however, upon Liparit's return from captivity. The rebellious duke forced Bagrat to flee to Constantinople where he was kept, as a result of Liparit's intrigues, for three years. the absence of Bagrat (1050–1053), Liparit was an effective ruler of Georgia; he even installed Bagrat's son George as king and declared himself a regent. After Bagrat's return, Liparit again warred against him. Eventually in 1060 his followers conspired and surrendered the duke to King Bagrat, who forced him into a monastery. Bagrat gained a momentum to restrict the power of dynastic princes, reduced the kings of Lorri and Kakheti to impotence, and briefly held Tbilisi.[6][7] attacks[edit] the 1060s, Bagrat faced with an even greater problem: the Seljuks under Alp Arslan started to penetrate the frontier regions of Georgia. Bagrat had to buy peace through marrying his niece to Alp Arslan sometime after 1064.[8] She later married the Seljuk vizier Nizam al-Mulk.[9] Seljuk threat prompted the Georgian and Byzantine governments to seek a closer cooperation. To secure the alliance, Bagrat's daughter Mart’a (Maria) married, at some point between 1066 and 1071, the Byzantine co-emperor Michael VII Ducas. The choice of a Georgian princess was unprecedented, and it was seen in Georgia as a diplomatic success on Bagrat's side.[10] 10 December 1068, Alp Arslan accompanied by the kings of Lorri and Kakheti as well as the emir of Tbilisi again marched against Bagrat. The provinces of Kartli and Argveti were occupied and pillaged. Bagrat's long-time rivals, the Shaddadids of Arran, were given compensation: the fortresses of Tbilisi and Rustavi. After Alp Arslan left Georgia, Bagrat recovered Kartli in July 1068. Al-Fadl I b. Muhammad, of the Shaddadids, encamped at Isani (a suburb of Tbilisi on the left bank of the Mtkvari) and with 33,000 men ravaged the countryside. Bagrat defeated him, however, and forced the Shaddadid troops to flight. On the road through Kakheti, Fadl was taken prisoner by the local ruler Aghsartan. At the price of conceding several fortresses on the Iori River, Bagrat ransomed Fadl and received from him the surrender of Tbilisi where he reinstated a local emir on the terms of vassalage.[11] last years of Bagrat's reign coincided with what Professor David Marshall Lang described as "the final debacle of eastern Christendom" — the Battle of Manzikert — in which Alp Arslan dealt a crushing defeat to the Byzantine army, capturing the emperor Romanos IV, who soon died in misery. IV died the following year, on 24 November 1072, and was buried at the Chkondidi Monastery. The suzerainty over the troubled kingdom of Georgia passed to his son George II.[12] St Hilarion of Tvali, Commemorated on July 24; St Melchizedek I, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; Venerable Macarius the Faster, Abbot of the Khakhuli Monastery, Commemorated on December 21; St Ephraim the Lesser, Commemorated on January 18; St Arsenius of Iqalto in Georgia, Commemorated on February 6; St Prochorus of Georgia, Commemorated on February 12; St Basil of Georgia, the son of King Bagrat III, Commemorated on May 27 ; Venerable George of Mt. Athos, Georgian, Commemorated on June 27;

Georgia, 1029-1065, George of Mt Athos, Georgian, the Hagiorite, Iveron, Athos, translator, arbitrator, Byz and Geo
Georgia, 1029-1065, Saint, George of Mt Athos, Georgian, George the Hagiorite; the Hagiorite[a] (1009 – June 27, 1065)[1] was a Georgian monk, calligrapher, religious writer, Theologian and translator, who spearheaded the activities of Georgian monastic communities in the Byzantine Empire. His epithets Mt'ats'mindeli and At'oneli, meaning "of the Holy Mountain" (Hagiorite) and "of Athos" (Athonite) respectively, are a reference to his association with the Iviron monastery on Mount Athos, where he served as hegumen. of the most influential Christian churchmen of medieval Georgia, George acted as an arbitrator and facilitator of cross-cultural engagement between his native country and the Byzantine Empire. He extensively translated the Fathers of the Church, the Psalms, works of exegesis and synaxaria from Greek – some things which had not previously existed in Georgian, revised some others, and improved the translations of one of his predecessors, Euthymius of Athos, to whom (and also to John of Athos) George dedicated his most important original work "The Vitae of John and Euthymius". Active also in Georgia, he helped regulate local canon law, and brought his young compatriots to be educated at Athos. His defense of the autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox church when it was questioned by the Patriarch of Antioch made him one of the most venerated saints in Georgia. He featured prominently during the Great Schism between the Eastern and Western Christendom, being one of the few Eastern churchmen who defended the separated Western brethren. Georgia King, 1027-1072, Bagrat IV of Georgia; St Hilarion of Tvali, Commemorated on July 24; St Melchizedek I, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; Venerable Macarius the Faster, Abbot of the Khakhuli Monastery, Commemorated on December 21; St Ephraim the Lesser, Commemorated on January 18; St Arsenius of Iqalto in Georgia, Commemorated on February 6; St Prochorus of Georgia, Commemorated on February 12; St Basil of Georgia, the son of King Bagrat III, Commemorated on May 27 ; Venerable George of Mount Athos, Commemorated on June 27; George’s family had its roots in the region of Samtskhe in southern Georgia. George was born in Trialeti to the pious Jacob and Mariam. George reached the age of seven, the God-fearing and wise Abbess Sabiana of Tadzrisi Monastery in Samtskhe took him under her care. George spent three years at Tadzrisi, and when he was ten his father sent him to Khakhuli Monastery, to his own brothers Saints George the Scribe and Saba. after, Prince Peris Jojikisdze of Trialeti invited George’s uncle, George the Scribe, to stay with him, and George’s uncle took his young nephew with him. the Byzantine emperor Basil II subsequently summoned Peris and his family to Constantinople, accused him of conspiring against the throne, and had him beheaded. (At that time Trialeti was under the jurisdiction of Byzantium.) Peris’ faithful wife remained in Constantinople for twelve years and sent the young George to study with the finest philosophers and rhetoricians of that time. Emperor Basil was moved with compassion for the prince’s family and permitted them to return to Georgia. The twenty-five-year-old George returned to Khakhuli Monastery and “bowed his neck to the sweet yoke of monastic life.” George secretly left the monastery and, clad in beggars’ rags, journeyed to Jerusalem. After enduring many deprivations and overcoming a great number of obstacles, he reached the Black Mountains near Antioch and, after venerating the holy places and visiting several elders, began to search for a spiritual father and guide. He found the great Georgian elder Saint George the Recluse (the God-bearer) in an isolated cave and remained there with him for three years. Saint George the Recluse tonsured his disciple, “who had reached perfection of age, wisdom and understanding,” into the great schema and sent him to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage. to his teacher’s counsel, George then moved from Jerusalem to the Ivḗron Monastery on Mt. Athos to continue the work of Saint Ekvtime—the translation of theological texts from the Greek to the Georgian language. considered himself unworthy and unqualified to continue Saint Ekvtime’s great work, but Saint George the Recluse was insistent, so he set off for the Holy Mountain in humble obedience. monks of the Ivḗron Monastery received Saint George with great joy. But instead of translating the patristic texts as his spiritual father had advised him, George soon grew slothful and for seven years performed only the work of a novice. When Saint George the Recluse heard this, he sent his disciple Tevdore to Mt. Athos to rebuke him and remind him of the reason he had been sent there. Finally George of the Holy Mountain obeyed the will of his teacher, and soon he was enthroned as abbot of the monastery. that time on Saint George of the Holy Mountain pursued his work with great earnestness. He gathered information on Saints Ekvtime and John, compiled their Lives, translated their holy relics to ornate burial vaults covered in precious jewels, and enhanced the life of the monastery in many other ways. a visit to the Byzantine emperor Constantine Monomachus, the Georgian king Bagrat IV Kuropalates offered George the opportunity to return to Georgia to be consecrated bishop of Chqondidi and serve as his own spiritual adviser. But George declined, having already been drawn far from the vanity of the world. of the monastery was demanding, and George was forced to choose between his literary work and the life of the monastery. resigned as abbot and returned to Saint George the Recluse for counsel. But his teacher blessed him to return to the Ivḗron Monastery, so George set off again for Mt. Athos. God-fearing king Bagrat IV Kuropalates continued to ask Saint George to return to Georgia, and he finally consented to the will of the king and the catholicos. accordance with their request, the pious father instituted general guidelines for the qualifications and conduct of the clergy and wisely administered the affairs of the Church. Five years later Saint George returned to the Ivḗron Monastery. Before he departed, King Bagrat bestowed upon him much of his own wealth and saw him off with great respect. for Mt. Athos, Blessed George took with him eighty orphans. En route he stopped in Constantinople, and sensing that the day of his repose was near, he arranged for the orphans to be received in the emperor’s court. He personally requested that the emperor make provision for the orphaned children. George of the Holy Mountain reposed peacefully the next day, the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. His Athonite brothers buried him on the monastery grounds with great reverence.

Georgia, 1072-1089, King, George II of Georgia, overwhelmed, abdicated in favor of his son David IV
Georgia King, 1072-1089, George II of Georgia; II (c. 1054 - 1112), of the Bagrationi Dynasty, was a king of Georgia from 1072 to 1089. He was a son and successor of Bagrat IV and his wife Borena of Alania. to deal effectively with the constant Seljuk Turkish attacks and overwhelmed by internal problems in his kingdom, George was forced to abdicate in favor of his energetic son David IV, to whom he remained a nominal co-ruler until his death in 1112. He also held the high Byzantine titles of curopalates (c. 1060) and caesar (c. 1081). St Ephraim the Lesser, Commemorated on January 18; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26; St Arsenius of Iqalto in Georgia, Commemorated on February 6; St Hilarion of Tvali, Commemorated on July 24; St Basil of Georgia, the son of King Bagrat III, Commemorated on May 27 ;

Georgia, 1083-1140, Philosopher, Ioane Petritsi aka John or Ioane Chimchimeli
Georgia, 1083-1140, Philosopher, Ioane Petritsi aka John or Ioane Chimchimeli ; St. John Chimchimeli the Philosopher, Commemorated on February 10;

Georgia, 1089-1125, King, David IV of Georgia, The Restorer, The Builder
Georgia, 1089-1125, King, David IV of Georgia, The Restorer, The Builder, 16 yr old King, welfare of the Church responsibility, Church over feudal lords, vital role of Faith, repatriation, began in Kakheti, traitorous feudal lords, David's army God's hands, David himself fought, Turks eliminated, Mehmed I 100,000, 1,500 G to Trialeti, same time 1115 advisor Giorgi recaptured Rustavi Ravine, David's son Demetre, permanent standing army 45,000, Kipchaks recruited, his wife's father Atrak, Mahmud II coalition Muslim countries 600,000, Soldier's of Christ we will defeat Devil himself, greatest weapon covenant w God to die for his love, block retreat w branches, tactics and miracles terrified the enemy at Didgori, recaptured Tiblisi 1122 after 400 yrs, Gelati Monastery 1106; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated on January 26; the end of the 11th century the Georgian Church underwent a trial of physically and spiritually catastrophic proportions. Seljuk sultan, Jalal al-Dawlah Malik Shah (1073-1092), captured the village of Samshvilde, imprisoned its leader, Ioane Orbeliani, son of Liparit, ravaged Kvemo (Lower) Kartli, and finally captured all of Georgia, despite the isolated victories of King Giorgi II (1072-1089). The fearful Georgians fled their homes to hide in the mountains and forests. and deeply distressed by the difficult times, the nation that had once vowed its unconditional love for Christ began to fall into sin and corruption. People of all ages and temperaments sinned against God and turned to the path of perdition. God manifested His wrath toward the Georgian people by sending a terrible earthquake that devastated their Paschal celebrations. the year 1089, during this period of devastation and despair, King Giorgi II abdicated, designating his sixteen-year-old only son, David (later known as “the Restorer”), heir to the throne. It is written that the Heavenly Father said: I have found David My servant, with My holy oil have I annointed him (Ps. 88:19). newly crowned King David took upon himself enormous responsibility for the welfare of the Church. He supported the efforts of the Council of Ruisi-Urbnisi to restore and reinforce the authority of the Georgian Church and suppress the conceited feudal lords and unworthy clergymen. During King David’s reign, the government’s most significant activities were carried out for the benefit of the Church. At the same time, the Council of Ruisi-Urbnisi reasserted the vital role of the Orthodox Faith in rescuing the Georgian people from the godless mire into which they had sunk. among King David’s goals at the beginning of his reign was the repatriation of those who had fled Georgia during the Turkish rule. The king summoned his noblemen and began to reunify the nation. The king’s efforts to reunify Georgia began in the eastern region of Kakheti-Hereti, but the Turks and traitorous feudal lords were unwilling to surrender the power they had gained in the area. Nevertheless, King David’s army was in God’s hands, and the Georgians fought valiantly against the massive Turkish army. King David himself fought like any other soldier: three of his horses were killed, but he mounted a fourth to finish the fight with a fantastic victory. The Turkish presence was eliminated from his country. however, the uncompromising Seljuk sultan Mehmed (Muhammad) I of Baghdad (1105-1118) ordered an army of one hundred thousand soldiers to march on Georgia. When King David heard of the enemy’s approach, he immediately assembled a force of fifteen hundred men and led them towards Trialeti. A battle began in the early morning, and with God’s help the enemy was defeated. the king’s adviser, Giorgi of Chqondidi, recaptured the town of Rustavi in 1115, as the Georgian army recovered the ravine of the Mtkvari River. of Chqondidi was King David’s teacher and closest adviser. He held the post of chancellor-procurator. At the council of Ruisi-Urbnisi, King David introduced a new law, combining the office of chancellor-procurator with the archbishopric of Chqondidi, the most influential episcopate in Georgia.) year later, the Turks, who had been encamped between the towns of Karnipori and Basiani, were banished from the country. The “Great Wars” continued, and the holy king was crowned with new victories. ’s son Demetre (later the venerable Damiane), a young man distinguished in “wisdom, holiness, appearance and courage,” was a great asset to his father. The prince led a war on Shirvan, captured Kaladzori, and returned to his father with slaves and great riches, the spoils of war in those days. One year later, the villages of Lore and Agarani were rejoined to Georgia. spite of his victories, King David knew that it would be difficult for his meager army to protect the recovered cities and fortresses, while continuing to serve as a permanent military force. Thus it became necessary to establish a separate, permanent standing army. The wise king planned to draft men from among the Qipchaks, a northern Caucasian tribe, to form this army. He was well acquainted with the character of these people, and confident that they were brave and seasoned in war. Furthermore, David’s wife, Queen Gurandukhti, was a daughter of Atrak, the Qipchaks’ ruler. Atrak joyfully agreed to the request of his son-in-law, the king. a true diplomat seeking to maintain peaceful relations with the Qipchaks, King David took his adviser, Giorgi of Chqondidi, and traveled to the region of Ossetia in the northern Caucasus. There Giorgi of Chqondidi, an “adviser to his master and participant in his great works and victories,” reposed in the Lord. Following this, the dispirited King David declared that his kingdom would grieve for forty days. But he accomplished what he had set out to do, and selected forty thousand Qipchaks to add to the five thousand Georgian soldiers he had already enlisted. From that point on King David had a standing army of forty-five thousand men. king’s enormous army finally uprooted the Turkish presence in and around Georgia permanently. The defeated Turks returned in shame to their sultan in Baghdad, draped in black as a sign of grief and defeat. Nevertheless, the unyielding sultan Mahmud II (1118-1131) rallied a coalition of Muslim countries to attack Georgia. The sultan summoned the Arab leader Durbays bin Sadaka, commanded his own son Malik (1152-1153) to serve him, gathered an army of six hundred thousand men, and marched once more towards Georgia. was August of 1121. Before heading off to battle, King David inspired his army with these words: “Soldiers of Christ! If we fight bravely for our Faith, we will defeat not only the devil’s servants, but the devil himself. will gain the greatest weapon of spiritual warfare when we make a covenant with the Almighty God and vow that we would rather die for His love than escape from the enemy. And if any one of us should wish to retreat, let us take branches and block the entrance to the gorge to prevent this. When the enemy approaches, let us attack fiercely!” of the soldiers thought of retreating. The king’s stunning battle tactics and the miracles of God terrified the enemy. As it is written, “The hand of God empowered him, and the Great-martyr George visibly led him in battle. The king annihilated the godless enemy with his powerful right hand.” battle at Didgori enfeebled the enemy for many years. The following year, in 1122, King David recaptured the capital city of Tbilisi, which had borne the yoke of slavery for four hundred years. The king returned the city to its mother country. In 1123 King David declared the village of Dmanisi a Georgian possession, and thus, at last, unification of the country was complete. victory followed another, as the Lord defended the king who glorified his Creator. 1106 King David had begun construction of Gelati Monastery in western Georgia, and throughout his life this sacred complex was the focus of his efforts on behalf of the revival of the Georgian Church. Gelati Monastery was the most glorious of all the existing temples to God. To beautify the building, King David offered many of the great treasures he had acquired as spoils of war. Then he gathered all the wise, upright, generous, and pious people from among his kinsmen and from abroad and established the Gelati Theological Academy. King David helped many people in Georgian churches both inside and outside his kingdom. The benevolent king constructed a primitive ambulance for the sick and provided everything necessary for their recovery. He visited the infirm, encouraging them and caring for them like a father. The king always took with him a small pouch in which he carried alms for the poor. intelligent and well-lettered king spent his free time reading the Holy Scriptures and studying the sciences. He even carried his books with him to war, soliciting the help of donkeys and camels to transport his library. When he tired of reading, King David had others read to him, while he listened attentively. One of the king’s biographers recalls, “Each time David finished reading the Epistles, he put a mark on the last page. At the end of one year, we counted that he had read them twenty-four times.” David was also an exemplary writer. His “Hymns of Repentance” are equal in merit to the works of the greatest writers of the Church. most valiant, powerful, and righteous Georgian king left his heirs with a brilliant confession when he died. It recalled all the sins he had committed with profound lamentation and beseeched the Almighty God for forgiveness. David completed his will in 1125, and in the same year he abdicated and designated his son Demetre to be his successor. He entrusted his son with a sword, blessed his future, and wished him many years in good health and service to the Lord. The king reposed peacefully at the age of fifty-three. David the Restorer was buried at the entrance to Gelati Monastery. His final wish was carved in the stone of his grave: This is My rest for ever and ever; here I will dwell, for I have chosen her (Ps. 131:15). St Arsenius of Iqalto in Georgia, Commemorated on February 6; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23;

Georgia, 1089-1118, Tutor, George of Chqondidi, might be Ibadi Vachnadze
Georgian Tutor, 1089-1118, George of Chqondidi; of Chqondidi (Georgian: გიორგი ჭყონდიდელი, Giorgi Chqondideli) (died c. 1118) was a Georgian churchman and court minister best known as a tutor and the closest adviser of King David IV of Georgia (r. 1089–1125). served as an archbishop of Chqondidi (Chqondideli) in west Georgia possibly played a role in a palace coup in which George II was forced to cede power to his young and energetic son David IV, while himself was reduced to the status of a co-king. was the tutor and spiritual father of David and was appointed by the new king as the Grand Chancellor of Georgia following the ecclesiastic Council of Ruisi-Urbnisi of 1103. this office, for a time the greatest at the Georgian court, was usually held by the incumbent archbishops of Chqondidi. appeared as David’s key ally in his reforms of the church and state machinery.[1] He personally supervised successful efforts at recapturing the strongholds of Samshvilde (1110) and Rustavi (1115) from the Seljuk Turks. 1118, he accompanied the king in his travel to the Kipchak lands to negotiate a recruitment of these nomad tribesmen in the royal army of Georgia. He was never to return to Georgia though, as he died in Alania around that year.[2] According to the Georgian Chronicles, George "was mourned as a father, and even more deeply, by the whole kingdom, and by the king himself, who wore black for forty days". And he was buried at the Gelati cathedral. The art historian Guram Abramishvili identifies George with the figure depicted on a fresco from the Ateni Sioni Church as leading a row of royal donors, otherwise thought to represent George II after his retirement to monastery.[3] June 27, 2005, George of Chqondidi was canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church which marks his feast day annually on September 12.[4] St Hilarion of Tvali, Commemorated on July 24; St Ephraim the Lesser, Commemorated on January 18; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated on January 26; St Arsenius of Iqalto in Georgia, Commemorated on February 6; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23;

Georgia, 1089-1127, Arsenius of Iqalto, Writer, Philosopher, Theologian, Hymnographer, Tutor
Georgia, 1089-1127, Saint, Arsenius of Iqalto, Writer, Philosopher, Theologian, Hymnographer; St Arsenius of Iqalto in Georgia, Commemorated February 6; Arsen of Iqalto was a translator, researcher, compiler of manuscripts, hymnographer, philosopher, and a great defender of the Georgian Christian Faith. father was Ibadi Vachnadze, a wise, learned man and a fluent speaker of the Greek language. He directed the academy at Iqalto Monastery and was an instructor of Holy King Davit the Restorer. details about the life of Saint Arsen have been preserved, but we know that he lived in the 11th and 12th centuries and was a younger contemporary of Saint Eprem the Lesser. received both his primary and higher education in Byzantium, at Mangana Monastery, which had been founded by the Byzantine emperor Constantine IX Monomachus (1042-1055). At the academy he completed one of his most important projects: a translation of the Byzantine historian George Hamartolus’ Chronicle. Hamartolus’ work is a nine-volume account of history from Adam to the year A.D. 842. Also at Mangana, Arsen translated a volume of dogmatic-polemical writings into Georgian and called his work Dogmatikon. In the years that followed, works translated by other authors were added to the book. completing his studies at Mangana Monastery, Arsen moved to the Black Mountains near Antioch to continue his labors under the guidance of Saint Eprem the Lesser. Following Saint Eprem’s repose, he returned to Mangana Monastery to continue his translations. In 1114 King Davit the Restorer summoned Arsen back to Georgia, to the Gelati Academy in the west. It was there that he translated The Nomocanon (a Byzantine collection of ecclesiastical law) from the original Greek into Georgian. Arsen later returned to Kakheti in eastern Georgia, where he founded an academy at Iqalto Monastery. He also participated in the Council of Ruisi-Urbnisi, which had been convened by King Davit the Restorer. One of King Davit’s biographers writes that he invited “Arsen of Iqalto, translator and interpreter of the Greek and Georgian languages and enlightener of many churches.” was present at the repose of King Davit the Restorer, and it is believed that he composed the king’s epitaph: I fed seven kings with my wealth, Drove the Turks, Persians, and Arabs from our borders, Moved the fish from one river to another, And, having accomplished all these things, Lay my hands upon my heart to die. “theologian, philosopher, physicist, anatomist, writer of allegories and verses, epic poet, and compiler of Church typika” Arsen was buried in Iqalto next to Saint Zenon, the founder of Iqalto Monastery

Georgia, 1089-1127, Arsen of Iqalto, Kakheti, translator, hymnographer, great defender of the faith
Georgia, 1089-1127, Arsen of Iqalto, Kakheti, Northeastern Georgia (Alazani River Valley), translator, researcher, manuscript compiler, hymnographer, philosopher, great defender of the faith; Iqalto; St Arsenius of Iqalto in Georgia, Commemorated February 6; Arsen of Iqalto was a translator, researcher, compiler of manuscripts, hymnographer, philosopher, and a great defender of the Georgian Christian Faith. father was Ibadi Vachnadze, a wise, learned man and a fluent speaker of the Greek language. He directed the academy at Iqalto Monastery and was an instructor of Holy King Davit the Restorer. details about the life of Saint Arsen have been preserved, but we know that he lived in the 11th and 12th centuries and was a younger contemporary of Saint Eprem the Lesser. received both his primary and higher education in Byzantium, at Mangana Monastery, which had been founded by the Byzantine emperor Constantine IX Monomachus (1042-1055). At the academy he completed one of his most important projects: a translation of the Byzantine historian George Hamartolus’ Chronicle. Hamartolus’ work is a nine-volume account of history from Adam to the year A.D. 842. Also at Mangana, Arsen translated a volume of dogmatic-polemical writings into Georgian and called his work Dogmatikon. In the years that followed, works translated by other authors were added to the book. completing his studies at Mangana Monastery, Arsen moved to the Black Mountains near Antioch to continue his labors under the guidance of Saint Eprem the Lesser. Following Saint Eprem’s repose, he returned to Mangana Monastery to continue his translations. In 1114 King Davit the Restorer summoned Arsen back to Georgia, to the Gelati Academy in the west. It was there that he translated The Nomocanon (a Byzantine collection of ecclesiastical law) from the original Greek into Georgian. Arsen later returned to Kakheti in eastern Georgia, where he founded an academy at Iqalto Monastery. He also participated in the Council of Ruisi-Urbnisi, which had been convened by King Davit the Restorer. One of King Davit’s biographers writes that he invited “Arsen of Iqalto, translator and interpreter of the Greek and Georgian languages and enlightener of many churches.” was present at the repose of King Davit the Restorer, and it is believed that he composed the king’s epitaph: I fed seven kings with my wealth, Drove the Turks, Persians, and Arabs from our borders, Moved the fish from one river to another, And, having accomplished all these things, Lay my hands upon my heart to die. “theologian, philosopher, physicist, anatomist, writer of allegories and verses, epic poet, and compiler of Church typika” Arsen was buried in Iqalto next to Saint Zenon, the founder of Iqalto Monastery

Georgia, 1100-1260, History Folder, Golden Age

Georgia, 1100, 12th Century Folder, St Queen Tamar, Golden Age

Georgia, 1101-1299, 12th-13th Centuries, Cuman-Kipchaks in Georgia, 40,000 mercenaries, Georgian standing army
Qipchaks, Cuman-Kipchaks in Georgia; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated on January 26;

Georgia, 1103, Council of Ruisi - Urbnisi (Ruisi Cathedral in Urbnisi) Royal Authority curbed Church Power, unified
Georgia, 1103, Council of Ruisi - Urbnisi (Ruisi Cathedral in Urbnisi) Ruisi - Urbnisi (Ruisi Cathedral in Urbnisi); Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26 ; Saint Arsenius of Iqalto, Georgia, Commemorated on February 6;

Georgia, 1121, Battle at Mt Didgori, Georgia over Seljuk Armies
Georgia, 1121, Battle at Mt Didgori battle at Didgori; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26; St Arsenius of Iqalto in Georgia, Commemorated on February 6;

Georgia, 1125-1157, Demetrius I, King, Poet, Monk, fought deftly f DavidtRestorer, repopulated, intrigues bSon&nobles
Georgia, 1125-1157, King, Demetrius I of Georgia, Poet, helped his father David IV tRestorer, 1117 Shirvan fight deftness, Seized Kaladzori Castle, spoiles, protected borders-Hereti, Somkhiti, Tashiri, Javakheti, Artaani, Tao repopulated, not shaken bIntrigues against him, nobles revolt fStep-bro Vakhtang, son David rebelled, so he left for Davit-Gareji, great hymns there, son reposed 6mos, returned throne, son George co-ruler, b Gelati M; Georgian King, 1125-1156, Demetrius I of Georgia ; I (c. 1093 -1156), from the Bagrationi dynasty, was King of Georgia from 1125 to 1156. He is also known as a poet. was the eldest son of King David the Builder by his first wife Rusudan. was brought up in Kutaisi. a commander, he took part in his father's battles against Seljuks, particularly at Didgori (1121) and Shirvan (1123). 1117, he was sent by David at the head of a Georgian army into Shirvan, where Demetrius reduced the fortress of Kaladzor (later Alberd, now Agdas[1]) and put to flight the men of Sukman, commander of all the forces of Persia" ” as a Georgian chronicler suggests. This Sukman was probably a Shah-Armen prince, and subsequently, ruler in his own right, Sokmen II, whom the Shirvanshah Afridun I must have applied for help.[2] succeeded on his father's death on January 24, 1125. soon as, he ascended to the throne, the neighbouring Muslim rulers began attacking Georgia from all sides. Seljuqid sultans fought to restore the rule of the Shirvanshahs. large Muslim population rose against Georgia. probably happened in 1129 or 1130, when Demetrius restored the Shirvanshahs to power in Shirvan, installing on the throne Manuchihr II, the husband of his daughter Rusudan. had to provide the Georgian king with troops whenever the latter demanded it. 1130, Georgia was attacked by the Sultan of Ahlat, Shah-Armen Sökmen II (c. 1128 -“1183). war was started by the passage of Ani into the hands of the Georgians; Demetrius I had to compromise and give up Ani to Fadl ibn Mahmud on terms of vassalage and inviolability of the Christian churches. 1139, Demetrius raided the city of Ganja in Arran. He brought the iron gate of the defeated city to Georgia and donated it to Gelati Monastery at Kutaisi. this brilliant victory, Demetrius could hold Ganja only for a few years.[3][4] In reply to this, the sultan of Eldiguzids attacked Ganja several times, and in 1143 the town again fell to the sultan. According to Mkhitar Gosh, Demetrius ultimately gained possession of Ganja, but, when he gave his daughter in marriage to the sultan, he presented the latter with the town as dowry, and the sultain appointed his own emir to rule it. 1130, Demetrius revealed a plot of nobles, probably involving the king's half-brother Vakhtang. King arrested the conspirators and executed one of their leaders, Ioanne Abuletisdze, in 1138 (or 1145). successor, Fakr al-Din Shaddad, a Shaddadid emir of Ani asked for Saltuk's daughter's hand, however Saltuk refused him. caused a deep hatred in Shaddad towards Saltuk. 1154 he planned a plot and formed a secret alliance with the Demetrius I. While a Georgian army waited in ambush, he offered tribute to Saltukids, ruler of Erzerum and asked the latter to accept him as a vassal. 1153-“1154, Emir Saltuk II marched on Ani, but Shaddad informed his suzerain, the King of Georgia, of this. marched to Ani, defeated and captured the emir. At the request of neighbouring Muslim rulers and released him for a ransom of 100,000 dinars, paid by Saltuk's sons in law and Saltuk swore not to fight against the Georgians he returned home.[5] 1154, David V, Demetrius's elder son forced his father to abdicate and become a monk, receiving the monastic name Damian (Damianus). David died six months later and King Demetrius was restored to the throne. David was survived by his son Demna who was regarded by the aristocratic opposition as a lawful pretender. Demetrius was not as successful as his father David the Builder, Georgia remained a strong feudal power with a well-organized military and political system and a developed cultural and economical life. died in 1156 and was buried at Gelati Monastery. is regarded as a saint in the Orthodox Church and his feast day is celebrated on May 23 on the Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar.[6] St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23; Damiane (in the world King Demetre I) was the son of Holy King Davit the Restorer. Davit proclaimed his son co-ruler of Georgia and crowned him with his own hands. declared that his son Demetre, through his wisdom, chastity, bravery, and handsome appearance, would rule Georgia better than he himself had. acquired great glory while his father was still alive. In 1117 Davit sent him to Shirvan to fight, and the young commander astonished the people with his deftness in battle. Demetre seized Kaladzori Castle and returned home with many captives and much wealth. Demetre I struggled tirelessly to protect the inheritance he had received from his father: he guarded Georgia’s borders and fought to enlarge its frontiers. Many regions, including Hereti, Somkhiti, Tashiri, Javakheti, Artaani and the Tao border, were repopulated during King Demetre’s rule. These regions had been largely deserted after King Davit joined Tbilisi to the region of Heret-Kakheti. Demetre was never shaken by the evil intrigues plotted against him. First his noblemen revolted, demanding that his stepbrother, Vakhtang (Tsuata), replace him as king. (Ioane of Abuleti was the leader of this conspiracy.) Then Demetre’s own son Davit rebelled against him. Deeply disturbed by the behavior of his first-born son, the pious king could no longer bear the vanity of the world—he was tonsured a monk in the Davit-Gareji Wilderness and given the new name Damiane. He abdicated to his son, but Davit ruled just six months before he reposed. laboring at Davit-Gareji Monastery, Damiane composed many great hymns for the Church. His hymn to the Theotokos, “Thou Art the Vineyard,” is outstanding among these works. order to protect the interests of the Georgian kingdom after his son’s death, Damiane was obliged to leave the monastery. He returned to the throne and intervened in the affairs of the government. At the same time he named another of his sons, George, co-ruler. Damiane-Demetre completed construction of Gelati Monastery, which had been started by his father, Holy King Davit the Restorer. Damiane reposed in 1157; he was buried at Gelati Monastery. A 12th-century image of Saint Damiane-Demetre was among the frescoes at the Davit-Gareji Monastery. In the 19th century the Russian traveler Andrew Muraviev reported seeing the fresco intact, but today only a narrow upper band of the image remains. A fresco of the pious king and monk Demetre has been preserved in the church at Matskhvarishi (now Latali) in the Svaneti region.

Georgia, 1125-1157, Vineyard Icon, inspired bDamiane's (Demetre I's) poem, incurable disease healing miracles, Myrrh flowing
Georgia, 1125-1157, Vineyard Icon, inspired by Damiane's (in the world King Demetre I's) poem, healed unbelieviing man of incurable disease, believed, Myrrh flowed later, multitude of healing miracles; Icon of the Mother of God “You are a Vineyard” (Georgian: Shen khar venakhi), Commemorated on May 23; name of this Icon is derived from a poem to the Mother of God which was composed by Saint Damiane (King Demetre I before his monastic tonsure): "You are a vineyard newly-blossomed...." imagery may be found in other liturgical texts, such as the Theotokion of the Third Hour: (Tone 6) "You are the true vine who has blossomed forth the fruit of life. We beseech you, intercede, O Lady, together with the Apostles, and all the Saints, that mercy may be shown to our souls." and The Akathist to the Kursk Root Icon of the Theotokos (November 27), Ikos 4: "Hail, fruitful vine which quenches the thirst of all with the wine of compunction." Virgin is depicted holding the Divine Child on her left arm, with her left hand on His head. In her right hand, she holds a cluster of grapes. Both Saint Damiane and the Icon are commemorated today. Icon is also commemorated on January 1, the Feast of Saint Basil the Great, on that day, through her Icon, the Most Holy Theotokos healed an unbelieving man of an incurable disease. After he was healed, he began to believe. Later, the Icon flowed with myrrh, and a multitude of healing miracles occurred.

Georgia, 1155-1184, King, George III, Golden Age, famous daughters, Tamar and Rusudan
Georgian King, 1155-1184, George III, Golden Age of Georgia ; III (Georgian: áƒ’áƒ˜áƒáƒ áƒ’áƒ˜ III) (died 27 March 1184), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was the King of Georgia from 1156 to 1184. His reign was part of what would be called the Georgian Golden Age – a historical period in the High Middle Ages, during which the Kingdom of Georgia reached the peak of its military power and development. George was the father of Queen Tamar the Great. 1 Life 2 Marriage and children 3 See also 4 External links succeeded on his father Demetrius I's death in 1156. He changed his father's defensive policy into a more aggressive one and resumed offensive against the neighboring Seljuqid rulers in Armenia. The same year he ascended to the throne, George launched a successful campaign against the Shah-Armens. It may be said that the Shah-Armen took part in almost all the campaigns undertaken against Georgia between 1130s to 1160s. Moreover, Shah-Armens enlisted the assistance of Georgian feudals disaffected with the Georgian monarchs and gave them asylum. 1156 the Ani's Christian population rose against the emir Fakr al-Din Shaddad, a vassal of George III, and turned the town over to his brother Fadl ibn Mahmud. But Fadl, too, apparently could not satisfy the people of Ani, and this time the town was offered to the George III, who took advantage of this offer and subjugated Ani, appointing his general Ivane Orbeli as its ruler in 1161. A coalition consisting of the ruler of Ahlat, Shah-Armen Sökmen II, the ruler of Diyarbekir, Kotb ad-Din il-Ghazi, Al-Malik of Erzerum, and others was formed as soon as the Georgians seized the town, but the latter defeated the allies. He then marched against one of the members of the coalition, the king of Erzerum, and in the same year, 1161, defeated and made him prisoner, but then released him for a large ransom. The capture of Ani and the defeat of the Saltukid-forces enabled the Georgian king to march on Dvin. The following year in August/September 1162, Dvin was temporarily occupied and sacked, the non-Christian population was pillaged and the Georgian troops returned home loaded with booty. The king appointed Ananiya, a member of the local feudal nobility to govern the town. coalition of Muslim rulers led by Shams al-Din Eldiguz, ruler of Adarbadagan and some other regions, embarked upon a campaign against Georgia in early 1163. He was joined by the Shah-Armen Sökmen II, Ak-Sunkur, ruler of Maragha, and others. With an army of 50,000 troops they marched on Georgia. The Georgian army was defeated. The enemy took the fortress of Gagi, laid waste as far as the region of Gagi and Gegharkunik, seized prisoners and booty, and then moved to Ani. The Muslim rulers were jubilant, and they prepared for a new campaign. However, this time they were forestalled by George III, who marched into Arran at the beginning of 1166, occupied a region extending to Ganja, devastated the land and turn back with prisoners and booty. In 1167, George III marched to defend his vassal Shah Aghsartan of Shirvan against the Khazar and Kipchak assaults and strengthened the Georgian dominance in the area. seemed to be no end to the war between George III and atabeg Eldiguz. But the belligerents were exhausted to such an extent that Eldiguz proposed an armistice. George had no choice but to make peace. He restored Ani to its former rulers, the Shaddadids, who became his vassals. The Shaddadids, ruled the town for about 10 years, but in 1174 King George took the Shahanshah ibn Mahmud as a prisoner and occupied Ani once again. Ivane Orbeli, was appointed governor of the town. Throughout this period, the Georgian army was swelling with Armenian volunteers, enthusiastically participating in the Iiberation of their country. 1177, the nobles of the realm rose against the king and declared Prince Demna (Demetrius) a "true and lawful King of Georgia". Being a son of George III's late elder brother David V, Demna was considered by many as a legitimate pretender to the Georgian throne. Approximately 30,000 rebel forces under Demna's father-in-law Ivane Orbeli strengthened their positions at the citadel of Lore. Ivane decided to request aid from neighbouring kingdoms. In particular, they requested aid from Shah-Armens and Eldiguzids, but no assistance was forthcoming. George III was able to crush the revolt and embarked on a crackdown campaign on the defiant aristocratic clans; Demna was blinded and castrated and most of his in-laws murdered. Ivane Orbeli was put to death and the surviving members of his family were driven out of Georgia. Sargis I Mkhargrdzeli was appointed as a governor of Ani. 1178, George III appointed his daughter and heiress Tamar as heir apparent and co-ruler to forestall any dispute after his death. However, he remained co-regent until his death in 1184. He was buried at Gelati Monastery, western Georgia. and children[edit] ca. 1155, George married Burdukhan (Gurandukht), daughter of Khuddan, King of Alania. They had two daughters: who succeeded him as ruler. married Manuel Komnenos (born 1145), the eldest son of Andronikos I who was briefly Byzantine emperor. Rusudan and Manuel were the parents of Alexios and David, founders of the Empire of Trebizond. Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8;

Georgia, 1170-1826, Andronikashvili Royal Family, Kakheti
Georgian Andronikashvili Royal Family, 1170-1826; Venerable Dodo of the St David-Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on May 17;

Georgia, 1172-1188, George the Russian, Yury Bogolyubsky, Yuri D's gson, Novgorod Prince, m Tamar
Russia, Vladimir, 1172-1188, George the Russian, Yury Bogolyubsky; Vladimir Great Prince, 1157-1174, Andrey Bogolyubsky; Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1;

Georgia, 1184-1213, Georgian King (Queen), Tamar, victorius, then sewing
Georgian King (Queen), 1184-1213, Tamar, Golden Age of Georgia , First of the 13th Century Georgian Leaders, to discover who were those weak Georgian Leader of the 13th century; the Great (c. 1160 - 18 January 1213) reigned as the Queen of Georgia from 1184 to 1213, presiding over the apex of the Georgian Golden Age.[2] A member of the Bagrationi dynasty, her position as the first woman to rule Georgia in her own right was emphasized by the title mepe ("king"), afforded to Tamar in the medieval Georgian sources.[3] was proclaimed heir and co-ruler by her reigning father George III in 1178, but she faced significant opposition from the aristocracy upon her ascension to full ruling powers after George's death. Tamar was successful in neutralizing this opposition and embarked on an energetic foreign policy aided by the decline of the hostile Seljuq Turks. Relying on a powerful military élite, Tamar was able to build on the successes of her predecessors to consolidate an empire which dominated the Caucasus until its collapse under the Mongol attacks within two decades after Tamar's death.[4] was married twice, her first union being, from 1185 to 1187, to the Rus' prince Yuri, whom she divorced and expelled from the country, defeating his subsequent coup attempts. For her second husband Tamar chose, in 1191, the Alan prince David Soslan, by whom she had two children, George and Rusudan, the two successive monarchs on the throne of Georgia.[5][6] reign is associated with a period of marked political and military successes and cultural achievements. This, combined with her role as a female ruler, has contributed to her status as an idealized and romanticized figure in Georgian arts and historical memory. She remains an important symbol in Georgian popular culture. St Pimen of Salosi the Enlightener of Dagestan and the North Caucasus People, Commemorated on March 16 ; St Eulogius of Salosi, the Prophet and Fool-for-Christ, Commemorated on April 1; St John Shavteli of Salosi, Bishop of Gaenati, Georgia, Commemorated on April 1; Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1; St Eulogius of Salosi, the Prophet and Fool-for-Christ, Commemorated on April 1; St John Shavteli of Salosi, Bishop of Gaenati, Georgia, Commemorated on April 1; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8; exhausted from her prayers and needlework, Tamar dozed off and saw a vision. Entering a luxuriously furnished home, she saw a gold throne studded with jewels, and she turned to approach it, but was suddenly stopped by an old man crowned with a halo. “Who is more worthy than I to receive such a glorious throne?â€ Queen Tamar asked him. answered her, saying, “This throne is intended for your maidservant, who sewed vestments for twelve priests with her own hands. You are already the possessor of great treasure in this world.â€ And he pointed her in a different direction. awakened, Holy Queen Tamar immediately took to her work and with her own hands sewed vestments for twelve priests. has preserved another poignant episode from Queen Tamar’s life: Once she was preparing to attend a festal Liturgy in Gelati, and she fastened precious rubies to the belt around her waist. Soon after she was told that a beggar outside the monastery tower was asking for alms, and she ordered her entourage to wait. Having finished dressing, she went out to the tower but found no one there. Terribly distressed, she reproached herself for having denied the poor and thus denying Christ Himself. Immediately she removed her belt, the cause of her temptation, and presented it as an offering to the Gelati Icon of the Theotokos. St John of Shavtel-Gaenati, Commemorated on June 9; St Shalva of Akhaltsikhe, Commemorated on June 17;

Georgia, 1187-1207, David Soslan Bagrationi, King Consort to Tamar, m commander, d Yuri's nobles
Georgia, 1187-1207, David Soslan Bagrationi, King Consort to Tamar; Soslan (Georgian: áƒ“áƒáƒ•áƒ˜áƒ— áƒ¡áƒáƒ¡áƒšáƒáƒœáƒ˜, romanized: davit soslani) (died 1207) was a prince from Alania and second husband of Queen Tamar, whom he married in c. 1189. He is chiefly known for his military exploits during Georgia's wars against its Muslim neighbors. Soslan's genealogy suggested by Prince Vakhushti.[1] Soslan was a member of the royal house which ruled Alania (Ovseti or Oseti in the Georgian sources; hence, the modern designation of Ossetia),[2] an Orthodox Christian kingdom in the North Caucasus, and frequently intermarried with the Bagrationi dynasty of Georgia. anonymous chronicler, writing during the reign of George IV Lasha (son of Tamar and David Soslan; 1212–1223), ascribes to Soslan a Bagratid ancestry.[3] A version of his Bagratid origin found further development in the works of the 18th-century Georgian scholar Prince Vakhushti Bagrationi: He considered Soslan to be a descendant of George I of Georgia (1014–1027) and his Alan wife Alde who were the parents of Demetrius (Demetre), an unfortunate pretender to the Georgian crown whose son, David, was forced by Bagrat IV of Georgia to flee to Alania. to Vakhushti, David and his descendants - Aton and Jadaron - married into the Alan ruling family and became "kings of the Osi" [i.e., Alans]. This Jadaron is said to have been Soslan's father.[1] While this account is considered credible by the modern scholars such as Mariam Lordkipanidze[4] and Cyril Toumanoff[5] the issue of Soslan's origin still remains uncertain. passage from the 13th-century anonymous Georgian Histories and Eulogies of Sovereigns relates that David was under the patronage of Tamar's paternal aunt Rusudan and came of "the descendants of Ephraïm, which are Osi, handsome and strong in battle." The Georgian scholar Korneli Kekelidze suggested that David Soslan's family – the "Ephraïmids" – might have claimed descent from the biblical Ephraim, and compared this family legend to that of the Bagratids who considered themselves descendants of David, the second king of the Israelites.[6] 1946, the North Ossetian archaeologist Evgeniya Pchelina announced that, during the digs at the Nuzal chapel in the Ardon Gorge, North Ossetian ASSR, she discovered the tomb allegedly belonging to David Soslan whom she identified with the certain Soslan mentioned in the Georgian asomtavruli inscription in the chapel, and suggested that David Soslan might have been a member of the Tsarazon family, a heroic clan from Nuzal known to the Ossetic oral folk tradition.[7] The hypothesis has not been accepted by most Georgian scholars, but enjoys much currency among the Ossetian historians.[8] coin issued in the name of Tamar and David in 1200 married David Soslan at the Didube Palace near Tbilisi between 1187 and 1189 after she divorced her first husband, the Rus' prince Yuri Bogolyubsky. As the Armenian chronicler Mkhitar Gosh reports in his Ishatarakan ("Memorabilia"), Tamar "married a man from the Alan kingdom, her relative on the mother’s side, whose name was Soslan, named David upon his ascension to the [Georgian] throne".[9] contrast to Yuri who was a candidate of the powerful nobles party, David was Tamar's personal choice.[citation needed] a capable military commander, became Tamar's major supporter and was instrumental in defeating the rebellious nobles rallied behind Yuri. and David had two children. In 1191, the queen gave birth to a son, George – the future king George IV (Lasha) – an event widely celebrated in the kingdom. The daughter, Rusudan, was born c. 1193 and would succeed her brother as sovereign of Georgia. Soslan's status as Tamar's husband, as well as his presence in art, on charters and on coins, was strictly dictated by the necessity of male aspects of kingship, but he remained a subordinate ruler who shared the throne with Tamar but had no independent authority, his power being derived from his reigning spouse.[10] energetically supported Tamar's expansionist policy and was responsible for Georgia's military successes in a series of conflicts of those years.[11] Medieval Georgian sources praise his handsomeness, military talents, valor, and devotion to Tamar. the 1190s, David Soslan led the Georgian raids against Barda, Erzurum, Geghark'unik', Beylaqan and Ganja. His victories over the Ildegizids of Azerbaijan at Shamkor (1195) and the Seljuqids of Rüm at Basian (1202) secured the Georgian positions in the eastern and western Caucasian marches, respectively. He died shortly thereafter, c. 1207.[12] Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8;

Georgia, 1187-1204, Tevdore of Kartli, Theodore II, Catholicos of All Georgia, Prayed with Tamar
Tevdore of Kartli, Theodore II, Catholicos of All Georgia, Prayed with Tamar; II (Tevdore) was Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, from 1187 to 1204. During a revolt of treasurer Qutlu Arslan and Tamar's disgraced husband, Yuri, around 1191, Theodore remained loyal to the Queen. He, along with Anton Kutateli, the Archbishop of Kutaisi was sent to make peace with the rebels, but was unsuccessful. chronicler of Tamar describes how Tamar and Catholicos-Patriarch accompanied Georgian army, as far as the cave-monastery at Vardzia, and stayed there to pray for their victory before an icon of the Holy Theotokos as the army marched toward Basiani. tenure is marked by enlargement of several monasteries, such as Shio-Mgvie and Gelati. Saint John of Shavta-Gelati, Commemorated on June 9; the Georgian army under the command of Queen Tamar’s husband, Davit Soslan, entered into battle [The Battle of Basiani (ca. 1203)] with the sultan Rukn al-Din, Queen Tamar journeyed to Odzrkhe Monastery to pray for help. Catholicos Tevdore of Kartli and many hierarchs and monastics accompanied her there. Among them, Saint John of Shavta stood out as a wise theologian and philosopher and a brilliant hymnographer. the Liturgy at Odzrkhe Monastery a miracle occurred: endowed by God with the gift of prophecy, Saint Eulogius the Fool for-Christ fell to his knees, lifted his hands to the heavens and cried out: “Glory to God! Almighty Christ!...Do not fear the Persians, but rather depart in peace, for the mercy of God has descended upon the house of Tamar!â€ ’s words were clearly a divine revelation. Saint John of Shavta turned to Queen Tamar, rejoicing, “Your Highness! The Almighty has made known to us our victory in the war from the lips of a fool-for-Christ!â€ Eulogius confided his secret to Saint John: disguised as a fool, he had been concealing his God-given gift. But now it seemed that the gift would become apparent to all, so Eulogius quickly disappeared out of sight to escape the people’s attention. John of Shavta composed his “Hymns to the Theotokos of Vardziaâ€ in thanksgiving for Georgia’s victory in the Battle of Basiani. He is also recognized as the composer of “Abdul-Messiah,â€ (Abdul-Messiah: servant of Christ) a famous ode to the holy queen Tamar. Holy Father John of Shavta lived to an advanced age and was canonized soon after his repose.

Georgia, 1195, battle near Shamkori, Georgia over Azerbaijan Persia
Georgia, 1195, battle near Shamkori, Azerbaijan, Georgia over Persia; St Eulogius of Salosi, the Prophet and Fool-for-Christ, Commemorated on April 1; St John Shavteli of Salosi, Bishop of Gaenati, Georgia, Commemorated on April 1; Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8; St Shalva of Akhaltsikhe, Commemorated on June 17;

Georgia, 1195, Persian Azerbaijan invasion of Georgia
Shamkir, Azerbaijan; St Eulogius of Salosi, the Prophet and Fool-for-Christ, Commemorated on April 1; St John Shavteli of Salosi, Bishop of Gaenati, Georgia, Commemorated on April 1; Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8; St Shalva of Akhaltsikhe, Commemorated on June 17;

Georgia, 1200, 1260-1810, History Folder, Imeretian Kingdom

Georgia, 1201, 13th Century Folder, Battle of Bassian, Home Grown Moslem Terrorists, Multiple M. Invasions

Georgia, 1203, Battle of Bassian, 60 K NE Erzurum, Georgia over Persian Turks
Georgia, 1202, Battle of Bassian, 60 K NE Erzurum; St. Eulogius of Salosi, the Prophet and Fool-for-Christ, Commemorated on April 1; Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1;

Georgia, 1223-1245, Rusudan, King, Tamar's d, unable, beautiful, pleasure, d first by Khwarezmians 1228 then Mongols 1240
Georgian King (Queen), 1223-1245, Rusudan of Georgia ; (c. 1194-1245), a member of the Bagrationi dynasty, ruled as queen of Georgia in 1223–1245. of Queen Tamar of Georgia by David Soslan, she succeeded her brother George IV on January 18, 1223.[1] George’s untimely death marked the beginning of the end of the Georgian Golden Age. Rusudan was unable to preserve whatever was gained by her mother and brother. She was known as a beautiful woman devoted to pleasure, whose hand was sought by her Muslim neighbors. In Muslim sources, such as Ata-Malik Juvayni, Rusudan was known as Qiz-Malik, from the Turkish qiz, "maiden", and the Arabic malik, "king".[2] the autumn of 1225, Georgia was attacked by the Khwarazmshah Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu, pursued by the Mongols. The Georgians suffered bitter defeat at the Battle of Garni, and the royal court with Queen Rusudan moved to Kutaisi, when the Georgian capital Tbilisi was besieged by the Khwarezmians. A year later Jelal ad-Din took Tbilisi on 9 March 1226. The citizens fought courageously and over 100,000 lost their lives when the city fell to the Khwarezmians. The defeated Georgians were ordered to change religion and become Muslims, but refused and almost the whole population of Tbilisi was massacred. February 1227, the Georgians took advantage of Jelal ad-Din’s failures in Armenia, and retook Tbilisi, but soon were forced to abandon the city – which they themselves had set alight in their battle with the occupation forces. made an alliance with the neighbouring Seljuk rulers of Rüm and Ahlat, but the Georgians were routed by the Khwarezmians at Battle of Bolnisi, before the allies could arrive (1228). Khwarezmians were superseded by the Mongols. They advanced into Georgia in 1235. Devastated and plundered by Jelal ad-Din’s incursions, Georgia surrendered without any serious resistance. 1240 all the country was under the Mongol yoke. Forced to accept the sovereignty of the Mongol Khan in 1242, Rusudan had to pay an annual tribute of 50,000 gold pieces and support the Mongols with a Georgian army. that her nephew David would aspire to the throne, Rusudan held him prisoner at the court of her son-in-law, the sultan Kaykhusraw II, and sent her son David to the Mongol court to get his official recognition as heir apparent. She died in 1245, still waiting for her son to return. and children[edit] married in 1224 to the Seljuk prince Ghias ad-Din, a grandson of Kilij Arslan II who converted to Christianity on his marriage. They were the parents of David VI of Georgia and a daughter named Tamar, who married her cousin, the sultan Kaykhusraw II, and following his death in 1246, the Pervane Mu'in al-Din Suleyman as one of the preconditions of the peace settlement. St Tsotne Dadiani the Confessor, Commemorated on July 30 ; St Shalva of Akhaltsikhe, Commemorated on June 17; St Eulogius of Salosi, the Prophet and Fool-for-Christ, Commemorated on April 1;

Georgia, 1227, Home Grown Moslem Terrorists helped Invading Moslems attack Georgia
Khwarezmid Empire; Sultan Jalal al-Din ; In 1227 Sultan Jalal al-Din of Khwarazm and his army of Turkmen attacked Georgia; 100,000 Martyrs of Tbilisi by the Mongols, Commemorated on October 31 ;

Georgia, 1227, 100K Martyrs, Tbilisi, Jalal al-Din, Khwarazm, repelled but inside m traitors opened gates at night
Georgia, 1227, Tbilisi, Kartli, Georgia Capital (Tiblisi River Mouth, Kura River 9), Jalal al-Din of Khwarazm, Turkmenistan attacked, Georgia repelled but inside moslem traitors opened the gates at night; Tbilisi; 100,000 Martyrs of Tbilisi by the Mongols, Commemorated on October 31 ; 1227 Sultan Jalal al-Din of Khwarazm and his army of Turkmen attacked Georgia. the first day of the battle the Georgian army valorously warded off the invaders as they were approaching Tbilisi. night, however, a group of Persians who were living in Tbilisi secretly opened the gates and summoned the enemy army into the city. to one manuscript in which this most terrible day in Georgian history was described: “Words are powerless to convey the destruction that the enemy wrought: tearing infants from their mothers’ breasts, they beat their heads against the bridge, watching as their eyes dropped from their skulls....” river of blood flowed through the city. The Turkmen castrated young children, raped women, and stabbed mothers to death over their children’s lifeless bodies. The whole city shuddered at the sound of wailing and lamentation. The river and streets of the city were filled with death. sultan ordered that the cupola of Sioni Cathedral be taken down and replaced by his vile throne. And at his command the icons of the Theotokos and our Savior were carried out of Sioni Cathedral and placed at the center of the bridge across the Mtkvari River. invaders goaded the people to the bridge, ordering them to cross it and spit on the holy icons. Those who betrayed the Christian Faith and mocked the icons were spared their lives, while the Orthodox confessors were beheaded. hundred thousand Georgians sacrificed their lives to venerate the holy icons. One hundred thousand severed heads and headless bodies were carried by the bloody current down the Mtkvari River.

Georgia, 1247-1270, Georgian King, David VII of Georgia, mongol overlordship
Georgian King, 1247-1270, David VII of Georgia ; VII, also known as David Ulu (1215-1270), from the Bagrationi dynasty, was king of Georgia from 1247 to 1270, jointly with his namesake cousin, David VI, from 1247 to 1259, when David VI, revolting from the Mongol hegemony, seceded in the western moiety of the kingdom, while David VII was relegated to the rule of eastern Georgia. During his reign, Georgia went into further decline under the Mongol overlordship. St Tbeli Abuseridze, Commemorated on August 17; St Demetrius the Devoted, King of Georgia, Commemorated on March 16; St Pimen of Salosi the Enlightener of Dagestan and the North Caucasus People, Commemorated on March 16;

Georgia, 1247-1270, Mongol Hegemony, Mongol Invasions of Georgia throughout 13th Century
Georgia, 1247-1270, Mongol Hegemony, Mongol Invasions of Georgia throughout 13th Century; St. Tsotne Dadiani the Confessor, Commemorated on July 30;

Georgia, 1260-1810, Imeretian Kingdom
Georgia, Imeretian Kingdom; St Hilarion the Georgian, the New;

Georgia, 1270-1289, Georgian King, Demetrius II, The Devoted, 3 wives at once, went to Khan to be killed
Georgian King, 1270-1289, Demetrius II, The Devoted ; II the Self-Sacrificer or the Devoted (1259-12 March 1289) of the Bagrationi dynasty, was king of Georgia in 1270–1289. 1 Life 2 Marriages and children 3 References 4 External links II goes to the Khan", by Henryk Hryniewski. of King David VII and his wife Gvantsa, Demetrius was only 2 years old when his mother was killed by the Mongols in 1261. He succeeded on his father's death in 1270, when he was 11 years old. He ruled under the regency of Sadun Mankaberdeli for some time. In 1277–1281, he took part in Abaqa Khan's campaigns against Egypt and in particularly distinguished himself at the Second Battle of Homs, (29 October 1281). Although he continued to be titled "king of Georgians and Abkhazians, etc", Demetrius's rule extended only over the eastern part of the kingdom. Western Georgia was under the rule of the Imeretian branch of the Bagrationi dynasty. Demetrius was considered quite a controversial person. Devoted to Christianity, he was criticized for his polygamy.[citation needed] In 1288, on the order of Arghun Khan, he subdued the rebel province of Derbend at the Caspian Sea. The same year, Arghun revealed a plot organized by his powerful minister Buqa, whose son was married to Demetrius's daughter. Bugha and his family were massacred, and the Georgian king, suspected to be involved in a plot, was ordered to the Mongol capital, or Arghun threatened to invade Georgia. Despite much advice from nobles, Demetrius headed for the Khan's residence to face apparent death, and was imprisoned there. He was beheaded at Movakan on 12 March 1289. He was buried at Mtskheta, Georgia, and canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church. was succeeded by his cousin Vakhtang II. St Tbeli Abuseridze, Commemorated on August 17; Venerable Nicholas, Radiant Star of the Georgians, Commemorated on November 3; St. John Chimchimeli the Philosopher, Commemorated on February 10 St Demetrius the Devoted, King of Georgia, Commemorated on March 16; St Pimen of Salosi the Enlightener of Dagestan and the North Caucasus People, Commemorated on March 16; St Basil Ratishvili of Georgia, Commemorated on April 18 ;

Georgia, 1277, Luke, Holy Cross Georgian Monastery, Jerusalem, L followed mother to Jerusalem, severed head thanked God
Jerusalem, 1277, Luke & Fathers of Holy Cross Georgian Monastery near Jerusalem, 3 trees of the Cross, Luke followed his mother to Jerusalem, became monk there, became abbot, monks ousted, Luke confronted, beheaded, then severed head turned East and thanked God ; Holy Cross Georgian Monastery near Jerusalem; Fathers & Luke Martyrs of the Georgian Monasteries in Jerusalem, Commemorated February 12 ; holy martyr Luka of Jerusalem lived in the 13th century. He was born to an honorable, pious Georgian family by the name of Mukhaisdze. After the repose of Luka’s father, his mother left her children and went to labor at a monastery in Jerusalem. Luka reached the age of twenty, he traveled to Jerusalem to visit his mother and venerate the holy places. After spending some time there he decided to remain and be tonsured a monk. was later ordained a deacon and became fluent in Arabic. Soon the brothers of the monastery recognized his wisdom and asked him to guide them as abbot. For three years Luka directed the monastery in an exemplary manner. the devil was envious of the holy father and provoked a certain Shekh-Khidar, an influential Persian at the court of Sultan Penducht, (Probably Sultan Zakhir-Rukedin-Baibars-Bundukdar of Egypt (1260-1277)) to take up arms against Saint Luka. Penducht then transferred possession of theHoly CrossMonastery to Shekh-Khidar, who “treated the Georgian monks in a beastly manner and finally ousted them from the monastery altogether.” his God-given duty, the blessed Luka insisted on personally confronting Shekh-Khidar in defense of his brotherhood. ’s Christian brothers and sisters warned him, saying, “Shekh-Khidar is threatening you.... Flee and hide fromhim!” But Luka paid no heed to their admonitions, certain that it was more fitting to die for Christ than to live for the world. As he had insisted, he himself approached and asked for the release of the imprisoned fathers. told him that he was prepared to accept any demands. The wicked Persian leader demanded nothing from Luka except that he convert to Islam, promising to make him emir if he consented. When he refused, the furious Shekh-Khidar ordered Saint Luka’s beheading. the terrible deed had been performed, Saint Luka’s severed head turned toward the east and gave thanks to God with an expression of pure peace. Soon after, his precious body was set on fire at the command of the bewildered Shekh-Khidar. This occurred in 1277. Martyr Luke of Jerusalem, the Georgian, Commemorated on February 12 ; story as above

Georgia, 1289-1292, King, Vakhtang II of Georgia
Georgian King, 1289-1292, Vakhtang II of Georgia; Venerable Nicholas, Radiant Star of the Georgians, Commemorated on November 3;

Georgia, 1292-1311, King, David VIII of Georgia
Georgian King, 1292-1311, David VIII of Georgia; Venerable Nicholas, Radiant Star of the Georgians, Commemorated on November 3;

Georgia, 1300, 14th Century Folder, Tamerlane Invasions, Black Plague

Georgia, 1302-1308, Georgian King, Vakhtang III of Georgia
Georgian King, 1302-1308, Vakhtang III of Georgia ; Venerable Nicholas, Radiant Star of the Georgians, Commemorated on November 3;

Georgia, 1314-1346, King George V of Georgia, The Brilliant
Georgian King, 1314-1346, George V of Georgia, The Brilliant; St. Demetrius the Devoted, King of Georgia, Commemorated on March 16;

Georgia, 1314, Martyr Nicholas Dvali, Klarjeti W, H Cross M, Forerunner, Spiritual f, MOG, Damascus, h f 500 L, head 7 times
Jerusalem, 1314, Martyr Nicholas Dvali; Holy Cross Georgian Monastery near Jerusalem; Martyr Nicholas Dvali, Commemorated October 19 ; Fathers and Martyrs of the Georgian Monasteries in Jerusalem, Commemorated February 12 ; Nikoloz Dvali the Martyr was born at the end of the 13th century to a God-fearing couple who directed his path toward the spiritual life. the age of twelve Nikoloz traveled to the Klarjeti Wilderness and was tonsured a monk. From there he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and remained in the holy city, settling at the Holy Cross Monastery. Burning with desire for the apostolic life, Monk Nikoloz was determined to die a martyr’s death. Jerusalem a group of godless men arrested and tormented Saint Nikoloz for publicly confessing the Christian Faith, but a group of Christians succeeded in rescuing him from prison. in accordance with his abbot’s counsel, Saint Nikoloz relocated to a Georgian monastery on Cyprus. There the pious monk beseeched the Lord to make him worthy of the crown of martyrdom. One day, while he was praying before the icon of Saint John the Baptist, he heard a voice saying, “Nikoloz! Arise and go to Jerusalem. There you will find a Georgian monk who will teach you the way of righteousness and encourage you on the path of martyrdom. He has been appointed to guide you.” Saint Nikoloz returned to Jerusalem, met the monk whom God had appointed, and informed him of what had been revealed. Most Holy Theotokos and Saint John the Baptist appeared to Saint Nikoloz’s spiritual father, who had been praying intensely for guidance, and told him that it was the Lord’s will for Nikoloz to journey to Damascus. in Damascus, the holy father entered a mosque and openly confessed Christ to be the Savior, reproving those present for their folly. The angry Muslims seized Saint Nikoloz, beat him, and cast him into prison. a great struggle, the metropolitan and local Christians succeeded in recovering him from captivity, but he immediately returned to the Muslims and began again to denounce their ungodly ways. Again they beat him mercilessly, lashed him five hundred times, and cast him in prison for a second time. the holy martyr’s wounds were healed through the miraculous intercession of Saint John the Baptist, and after two months he was released from prison. chance the emir of the city caught a glimpse of Saint Nikoloz as he was preparing to return to Jerusalem. The emir recognized him and sent him to Dengiz, the emir of emirs. Dengiz flattered him and offered to convert him to Islam, but Saint Nikoloz bravely defended his faith in Christ. In response, Dengiz ordered his execution. the hour appointed by Dengiz, the blessed martyr turned to the east, joyfully bowed his neck to the sword, and prayed, “Glory to Thee, O Christ God, Who hast accounted me worthy to die for Thy name’s sake.” The sword pierced his neck, but the severed head glorified God seven times, crying out, “Glory to Thee, O Christ our God!” Persians burned the saint’s body, and for three days a pillar of light shone at the place where it lay. Saint Nikoloz’s spiritual father heard about his martyrdom, he prayed to God to reveal to him whether Nikoloz would be numbered among the saints. Then one day while he was reading, he saw a vision of a host of saints standing atop a mountain, illumined and surrounded by a cloud of incense. Among them the Great-martyr George shone especially brightly, and he called Saint Nikoloz, saying, “Nikoloz! Come and see the monk, your spiritual father. He has shed many tears for you.” greeted his spiritual father, saying, “Behold me and the place where I am, and from this day cease your sorrowing for me.” Nikoloz Dvali was tortured to death on Tuesday, October 19, in the year 1314. The Georgian Church continues to commemorate him on that date. Martyr Luke of Jerusalem, the Georgian, Commemorated on February 12 ; Martyr Nicholas Dvali, Commemorated February 12 ;

Georgia, 1360-1394, Georgian King, Bagrat V
Georgian King, 1360-1394, Bagrat V ; Mothers of the Kvabtakhevi Monastery in Georgia, Commemorated on April 10;

Georgia, 1360-1394, Timur (Tamerlane) invaded Georgia seven times (1360-1394)
Georgia,Timur (Tamerlane) invaded Georgia seven times (1360-1394) ; Timur (Tamerlane) ; Mothers of the Kvabtakhevi Monastery in Georgia, Commemorated on April 10;

Georgia, 1366, Black Plague in Georgia
Georgia, 1366, Black Plague in Georgia; St. Euthymius the Elder of the St. John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated on August 8;

Georgia, 1400, 15th Century Folder, Chavchavadze family, end United Georgia, Kartli Kingdom

Georgia, 1412-1907, Chavchavadze Family, of Alazani, Kakheti
Georgia, Alazani, Kakheti, 1412-1907, Chavchavadze Family; Martyr Ilia Chavchavadze of Georgia, Commemorated on July 20; Ilia, called the “Uncrowned King of Georgia,” the “Father of the Nation” and “the Righteous,” belonged to the noble family Chavchavadze. was born on October 27, 1837, in the village of Qvareli in Kakheti. He received his primary education at home: his mother instructed him in reading and writing, prayer and the law of God. When he was eight years old, Ilia was sent to study with Archdeacon Nikoloz Sepashvili of Qvareli. The years he spent there left an indelible impression on this holy man’s life. continued his education at a Tbilisi boarding school, and later at the court gymnasium (high school). His parents died at a young age, and the orphaned children were entrusted to the care of their aunt Macrina. 1857 Ilia enrolled in the law school at Saint Petersburg University. There he read a great deal and struggled to improve himself as an individual. He was fascinated by Georgian history and spent much of his time in the Saint Petersburg archives in search of old Georgian texts. His academic achievements were outstanding, but he was uninterested in receiving an official diploma from the school of law. In his fourth year he dropped out of the program and returned to Georgia. was certain that a nation that forgets its own history “is like a beggar who knows neither his past nor where he is going.” For this reason he sought to inspire his fellow countrymen with the past glories of their nation and the loyalty of their forefathers to the Christian Faith and the Georgian nation. restoration of national independence and the autocephaly of the Georgian Church were the chief objectives toward which Saint Ilia strove in every aspect of his life. As a means by which to achieve these goals, Ilia took up the work of a historian: he conducted intensive research and exposed those who had falsified history and dishonored the Georgian nation. great philosopher, writer, and historian often repeated the statement “A nation whose language is corrupted can no longer exist as a nation.” He cared deeply about the Georgian language and fought to ensure that it remained the primary language taught in schools. inspired many with his patriotic zeal, and he founded the Society for the Propagation of Literacy among the Georgians. He established a depository of Georgian manuscripts and antiquities. In addition he initiated a movement to document oral folk traditions and helped to found the Georgian Agrarian Bank. the Righteous was often heard declaring, “We, the Georgian people, have inherited three divine gifts from our ancestors: our motherland, our language and our faith. If we fail to protect these gifts, what merit will we have as men?” Ilia’s righteous deeds were an affront and threat to those who adhered to the new atheist ideology, so they plotted to kill him. On August 30, 1907, Ilia Chavchavadze and his wife, Olga (Guramishvili), had just set off from Tbilisi for Saguramo when their carriage stopped abruptly outside of Mtskheta, near Tsitsamuri Forest. were awaited by a band of militant social democrats who attacked them and shot Ilia to death. Military Court of the Caucasus sentenced Ilia Chavchavadze’s murderers to death by hanging. But Ilia’s wife Olga requested that the governor-general pardon her husband’s murderers. She asserted that, if Ilia had survived, he would have done the same, since the killers were simply his “unlucky brothers gone astray.” Ilia had forgiven his murderers’ offense long before, in his prophetic poem “Prayer”: Our Father Who art in Heaven! With tenderness I stand before Thee on my knees; I ask for neither wealth nor glory; I won’t debase my holy prayer with earthly matters. I would wish for my soul to rest in heaven, My heart to be radiant with love heralded by Thee, I would wish to be able to ask forgiveness of mine enemies, Even if they pierce me in the heart: Forgive them, Lord, for they know not what they do! 1987 the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church considered the deeds of Ilia Chavchavadze before God and his country and decreed him worthy to be numbered among the saints. He was joyously canonized as Saint Ilia “the Righteous.”

Georgia, 1442-1446, Georgian King, Vakhtang IV of Georgia, nobles rivalry, Turkoman attack, Okonsk icon
Georgian King, 1442-1446, Vakhtang IV of Georgia; IV (c. 1413 – December 1446), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was King of Georgia from 1442 until his death. was the eldest son of Alexander I of Georgia by his first wife Dulandukht. He was raised to the co-kingship by his father in 1433. Alexander I abdicated in 1442, Vakhtang succeeded him to the throne of Georgia, leaving his brothers – Demetrius and George as co-kings. ’s rule was threatened by the rivalry among the nobles and general instability in the kingdom.[1] According to the 18th-century Georgian scholar Vakhushti, also faced an attack by the Turkoman prince Jahan Shah of the Kara Koyunlu. Vakhtang met him at Akhaltsikhe in southern Georgia, but a fierce fight did not reveal a victor. In the night, Jahan Shah left the battlefield and returned to Tabriz. IV married Sitikhatun, daughter of Prince Zaza I Panaskerteli in 1442, outlived her by two years and died without issue in 1446, being buried, together with Sitikhatun, at the Bana cathedral in Tao (now in Turkey).[1] was followed by his rivaling brothers Demetrius and George. This marked the beginning of a fierce and extended struggle for hegemony in Georgia, which eventually ended with the partition of the Georgian kingdom.[2] Icon of the Mother of God of Okonsk, Commemorated July 30 ; Okonsk Icon of the Mother of God, by tradition, was received by the Georgian emperor Vakhtang IV from Jerusalem and initially it was at the Gaenat monastery in Georgia. Georgian emperor’s son George Alexandrovich transferred the holy icon to the cathedral church of the village of Lyskov, Nizhegorod diocese. St Jotham Zedgenidze, Commemorated on October 30; Hierarch Peter, First Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30;

Georgia, 1446-1466, George VIII, end United Georgia, 1453 turning point, Georgian isolation, Western nobles revolts, Bagrat
Georgian King, 1446-1466, George VIII ; VIII (1417–1476) was the last king of the united Georgia, though his kingdom was already splintered and embroiled in a civil war, from 1446 to 1465. by his rivals, he was left with an eastern province Kakheti alone, where he reigned as George I from 1465 until his death, founding a local branch of the Bagrationi royal house. was the third son of Alexander I of Georgia by his second wife Tamar. Though Demetre, Alexander’s second son, seems to have been a rightful successor to his elder brother Vakhtang IV, George actually held power after Vakhtang’s death in December 1446. The process of the disintegration of the Georgian kingdom had already begun and was close to reach its climax. The most troublesome were revolts by the western Georgian nobles and the atabegs of Samtskhe. The latter even attempted to create a separate church for his princedom, but the efforts of the Georgian Catholicos Patriarch David IV prevented the Georgian Orthodox Church from being split into two. ’s reign coincided with a major turning point in Near East history: in 1453 the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople and put an end to the Byzantine Empire, with the emperor Constantine XI, to whom George’s daughter was betrothed, dying in battle. The Georgian politicians, preoccupied in their own power struggle, seem to have underestimated the event which would leave Georgia isolated from Christian Europe for almost the three subsequent centuries. Georgia was considered as a possible participant of a large anti-Ottoman crusade planned by the Pope Pius II and Western European powers. For this purpose, Ludovico da Bologna was sent to hold talks in Georgia and George VIII agreed a truce with his internal opponents. hoped to mobilise in total 120,000 soldiers to fight sultan Mehmed the Conqueror and proposed even to continue the Crusade on Jerusalem. The coalition was never formed, however, and the fratricidal struggles within Georgia were soon resumed. 1462, George took Samokalako (Kutaisi and the surrounding area) from its owner, a royal kinsman, Bagrat for his support to the rebel prince Qvarqvare II Jaqeli, a powerful atabeg of Samtskhe. 1463, Bagrat allied himself with other oppositionist royal subjects, dukes (eristavi) of Mingrelia, Guria, Svaneti and Abkhazia. The rebels met and defeated the king at the Battle of Chikhori. the king lost all western provinces and Bagrat was crowned king of Imereti. 1465, George attempted to subdue Qvarqvare II of Samtskhe, only to be attacked and taken prisoner at Lake Paravani. situation was immediately exploited by Bagrat of Imereti, who seized control of Tbilisi and declared himself king of Georgia. Qvarqvare, who now considered Bagrat as his major rival, freed George. latter, unsuccessful in his attempt to recover his crown, was only able to establish himself as a separate king in the easternmost province of Kakheti. he substantially reorganised the administration, subdividing the kingdom into much smaller and easily controllable samouravo (counties) instead of autonomous saeristavo (duchies). to other Georgian polities, he put ecclesiastic lords (bishops of Bodbe, Alaverdi, Rustavi, and Nekresi), generally more loyal to the crown than secular nobles, in charge of special military districts, sadrosho. died in 1476 to be succeeded by Alexander I as king of Kakheti. and children[edit] VIII's royal charters make mention of two names of his consort, Tamar (fl. 1453) and Nestan-Darejan (fl. 1458–1463). Two explanations exist to account for this. One of them, suggested by Cyril Toumanoff, has it that both names were borne by the same woman, a daughter of Bagrat, son of Constantine I of Georgia, and, thus a first cousin of George VIII, whom she married in 1445. Such polyonymy was not infrequent in Georgia, Toumanoff explains, reflecting the twofold cultural background of the country, "Hellenistic-Christian on the one hand, and Caucasio-Iranoid, on the other." She is last mentioned in 1510.[1] alternative view, enjoying a more general currency in Georgia, holds it that George VIII was married twice, first to Tamar, sometimes thought to have been daughter of Kvarkvare II Jaqeli, Atabag of Samtskhe, whom he wed c. 1445 and, secondly to Nestan-Darejan, of unknown origin, whom the king took as his wife sometime before 1456. According to this version, Alexander had a son, Vakhtang, and two daughters; and a son, Aleksandre, and a daughter, Mariam, by Nestan-Darejan.[2] Nestan-Darejan was known as the "builder of churches" for his patronage of religious construction, notably, the Alaverdi Monastery. VIII's children were: Prince Vakhtang (c. 1445 – before 1510), a "provincial king", he was married to the certain Gulkan; Princess Elene, married to Spiridon Beenashvili, a nobleman from Meskheti; Princess Keteon (Kristine), married to Vakhushti Shalikahsvili, a nobleman from Samtskhe; Prince Aleksandre (1445 or c. 1456 – 1511), King of Kakheti (1476–1511); Princess Mariam (fl. 1465), married to Prince Giorgi Shaburidze, son of Vamek, Duke of Argavi. She is identified by C. Toumanoff with the anonymous daughter of George VIII betrothed in 1451 to Constantine XI, the last Byzantine emperor, who was killed in the fall of Constantinople two years later, before the marriage could be consummated. Icon of the Mother of God of Okonsk, Commemorated July 30 ; Okonsk Icon of the Mother of God, by tradition, was received by the Georgian emperor Vakhtang IV from Jerusalem and initially it was at the Gaenat monastery in Georgia. Georgian emperor’s son George Alexandrovich transferred the holy icon to the cathedral church of the village of Lyskov, Nizhegorod diocese. St Jotham Zedgenidze, Commemorated on October 30; St Zosimas II of Kumurdo, Commemorated on May 1;

Georgia, 1466-1762, Kingdom of Kartli, tripartite division of Georgia, vassal of Persia mostly
Georgia, 1466-1762, Kingdom of Kartli; Kingdom of Kartli was a late medieval/early modern monarchy in eastern Georgia, centred on the province of Kartli, with its capital at Tbilisi. emerged in the process of a tripartite division of the Kingdom of Georgia in 1478 and existed, with several brief intervals, until 1762 when Kartli and the neighbouring Georgian kingdom of Kakheti were merged through dynastic succession under the Kakhetian branch of the Bagrationi dynasty. much of this period, the kingdom was a vassal of the successive dynasties of Iran, but enjoyed intermittent periods of greater independence, especially after 1747.

Georgia, 1500, 16th Century Folder, Luther's 95 Theses, Queen Ketevan

Georgia, 1512-1801, House of Makhran-Batoni, a branch of Bagrationi, still in power
Georgia, House of Makhran-Batoni, 1512-1801 ; House of Mukhrani is a Georgian family, a branch of the former royal dynasty of Bagrationi from which it sprang early in the 16th century, and received in appanage the domain of Mukhrani located in Kartli, central Georgia. family has since been known as Mukhran-Batoni, that is, "Princes (batoni) of Mukhrani". elder branch of the house of Mukhrani, now extinct, furnished five royal sovereigns of Kartli between 1658 and 1724. Its descendants bore the Imperial Russian titles of Prince Gruzinsky and Princes Bagration. branch, presiding in Mukhrani as tavadi and received among the princely nobility of Russia under the name of Bagration of Mukhrani, still flourishes and has, since 1957, claimed to be the Royal House of Georgia by virtue of being the genealogically eldest surviving line of the Bagrationi dynasty.[1] David Bagration of Mukhrani has been the head of this house since January 16, 2008.[2][3] Greatmartyr Ketevan the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on September 13;

Georgia, 1517, Ninety Five Theses, Martin Luther, Protestant
Germany, 1517, Ninety Five Theses, Martin Luther, Protestant; Germany, 1503-1546, Martin Luther, Protestant ; Wittenberg, Germany ; Lutherhaus; MARTIN LUTHER, EDUCATOR, TRANSLATOR (18 FEB 1546); JAN HUS, PRIEST and MARTYR, 6 July 1415;

Georgia, 1539-1561, Ashotan I, Prince of Mukhrani, Ketevan's father, defended M in 1554 and 1561 invasion, where he died
Georgian Prince, 1539-1561, Ashotan I, Prince of Mukhrani ; I (died 1561) was a Georgian tavadi ("prince") of the House of Mukhrani, a collateral branch of the royal Bagrationi dynasty, and a co-prince (batoni) of Mukhrani from 1539 to 1561. was a son of Bagrat I, son of Constantine II of Georgia, by his wife Elene. the resignation of Bagrat in 1539, Ashotan acceded as co-prince with his elder brother Vakhtang I.[1] the same time, he was commander of the Banner of Shida Kartli, one of the key provinces of the Kingdom of Kartli, a successor of the Kingdom of Georgia ruled by his royal cousins.[2] followed the tradition of the Georgian royals of patronizing the Iviron monastery on Mount Athos.[3] refectory at the Iviron commissioned by Ashotan housed the tomb of Catholicos Nicholas V of Georgia. the Safavid invasion of Georgia in 1554, Ashotan joined his brothers, Vakhtang and Archil, in their refuge at the court of their sister, Dedisimedi, in Samtskhe. to his demesne, Ashotan successfully defended Mukhrani against the attack by the highlanders of Pkhovi in 1561, but he himself died in the battle.[2] identity of Ashotan's wife is not known, but he had a daughter, Ketevan (c. 1560 – 13 September 1624), who was married to King David I of Kakheti. She was tortured to death at the order of Shah Abbas I of Persia for having refused to convert to Islam and was subsequently canonized as a saint by the Georgian Orthodox Church.[4] Greatmartyr Ketevan the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on September 13;

Georgia, 1520-1574, Georgian King, Levan 1 of Kakheti, prosperous and peaceful reign, St Nicholas' father
Georgia, 1520-1574, Georgian King, Levan 1 of Kakheti; also known as Leon (1503–1574), was a Georgian monarch of the Bagrationi Dynasty, who reigned as king of Kakheti in eastern Georgia from 1518/1520 to 1574. presided over the most prosperous and peaceful period in the history of the Kakhetian realm. presumed tomb was discovered in the south-western corner of the Gremi church in 2021.[1] Georgian King, 1574-1605, Alexander II of Kakheti ; Greatmartyr Ketevan the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on September 13; St Nicholas the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on February 18;

Georgia, 1549-1591, Nicholas V , Saint, Catholicos, king's son, Iveron Monastery, love between faith countries
Georgian Saint, 1549-1591, Nicholas V of Georgia, Catholicos Patriarch; Nicholas V, also known as Nicholas VIII (Georgian: ნიკოლოზ V/VIII, Nikoloz; c. 1529 – 1591) was the Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia from 28 February 1584 to 1591. He was born into the Bagrationi dynasty of Kakheti, a son of King Levan (r. 1520–1574). He was canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church as the Holy Father Nicholas the Catholicos of Georgia, his feast day marked on 18 February (N.S.: 2 March).[1] St Nicholas the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on February 18; Batonishvili was the son of Levan I, King of Kakheti (1520-1574). lived during the grievous period of the Persian invasion of eastern Georgia. The young prince chose the path of monastic life and bravely helped his elder brother, King Alexandre II (1574-1605). his royal blood, he preferred the monk’s habit and the sweet, light yoke of Christ to the glamour and opulence of his inheritance. to God’s will, Nicholas was enthroned as Catholicos of All Georgia. The Georgian chronicle Life of Kartli relates the date of his enthronement as Saturday, February 28, 1584. with the highest hierarchical rank, royal blood, and personal integrity, Catholicos Nicholas was an exemplary leader for the Georgian nation. He struggled to plant the seeds of Christian love between countries of like faith. corresponded with Patriarch Job of Russia (1586-1590) and even sent him a horse. He also donated a leather-bound illuminated manuscript of the Gospels, copied in 1049, to the Metekhi Church of the Theotokos. his book Pilgrimage, the renowned eighteenth-century historian Archbishop Timote reports that there is an icon of Holy Catholicos Nicholas hanging in the refectory at the Ivḗron Monastery on Mt. Athos. Bishop Timote also describes another refectory, built by Ashotan Mukhran-Batoni, and notes, “There, I believe, Catholicos Nicholas Batonishvili reposed.”

Georgia, 1574-1605, Georgian King, Alexander II of Kakheti, econ stability, coup by son and Iran
Georgian King, 1574-1605, Alexander II of Kakheti ; II (1527 – March 12, 1605) of the Bagrationi Dynasty, was a king of Kakheti in eastern Georgia from 1574 to 1605. spite of a precarious international situation, he managed to retain relative economic stability in his kingdom and tried to establish contacts with the Tsardom of Russia. Alexander fell victim to the Iran-sponsored coup led by his own son, Constantine I. Greatmartyr Ketevan the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on September 13; St Nicholas the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on February 18;

Georgia, 1580-1624, Ketevan the Martyr, Queen of Kakheti, clever and pious, inspired others not to convert, Teimuraz m,
Georgia, 1580-1624, Ketevan the Martyr, Queen of Kakheti; Greatmartyr Ketevan, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on September 13; holy Queen Ketevan was the daughter of Ashotan Mukhran-Batoni, a prominent ruler from the Bagrationi royal family. clever and pious Ketevan was married to Prince David, heir to the throne of Kakheti. David’s father, King Alexander II (1574-1605), had two other sons, George and Constantine, but according to the law the throne belonged to David. Constantine was converted to Islam and raised in the court of the Persian shah Abbas I. years after David and Ketevan were married, King Alexander stepped down from the throne and was tonsured a monk at Alaverdi. But after four months, in the year 1602, the young king David died suddenly. He was survived by his wife, Ketevan, and two children—a son, Teimuraz, and a daughter, Elene—and his father ascended the throne once more. hearing of David’s death and Alexander’s return to the royal throne, Shah Abbas commanded Alexander’s youngest son, Constantine-Mirza, to travel to Kakheti, murder his father and the middle brother, George, and seize the throne of Kakheti. As instructed, Constantine-Mirza beheaded his father and brother, then sent their heads, like a precious gift, to Shah Abbas. headless bodies he sent to Alaverdi. (Since the beginning of the 11th century, Alaverdi had been the resting place of the Kakhetian kings.) The widowed Queen Ketevan was left to bury her father-in-law and brother-in-law. Constantine-Mirza was still unsatisfied, and he proposed to take Queen Ketevan as his wife. at his proposition, the nobles of Kakheti rose up and killed the young man who had committed patricide and profaned his Faith and the throne. Having buried the wicked Constantine-Mirza with the honor befitting his royal ancestry, Ketevan sent generous gifts to Shah Abbas and requested that he proclaim her son, Teimuraz, the rightful heir to the throne. While she was awaiting his reply, Ketevan assumed personal responsibility for the rule of Kakheti. Concerned that, if he denied this request, Kakheti would forcibly separate from him and unite with Kartli, Shah Abbas hastily sent Prince Teimuraz to Georgia, laden with great wealth. 1614 Shah Abbas informed King Teimuraz that his son would be taken hostage, and Teimuraz was forced to send his young son Alexander and his mother Ketevan to Persia. a final attempt to divide the royal family of Kakheti, Shah Abbas demanded that the eldest prince, Levan, be brought before him, and he finally summoned King Teimuraz himself. shah’s intentions were clear: to hold all of the royal family in Persia and send his own viceroys to rule in Kakheti. He sought to eliminate King Luarsab II of Kartli as well, but Teimuraz and Luarsab agreed to attack the Persian army with joint forces and drive the enemy out of Georgia. Abbas sent his hostages, Queen Ketevan and her grandsons, deep into Persia, while he himself launched an attack on Kakheti. fire and the sword the godless ruler plundered all of Georgia. The royal palace was razed, churches and monasteries were destroyed, and entire villages were abandoned. By order of the shah, more than three hundred thousand Georgians were exiled to Persia, and their homes were occupied by Turkic tribes from Central Asia. Hunger and violence reigned over Georgia. defeated Georgian kings Teimuraz and Luarsab sought refuge with King George III of Imereti. they had spent five years exiled in Shiraz (Persia), the princes Alexander and Levan were separated from Ketevan and castrated in Isfahan. Alexander could not endure the suffering and died, while Levan went mad. Ketevan, meanwhile, remained a prisoner of the ruler of southeastern Persia, the ethnic Georgian imam Quli-Khan Undiladze, who regarded the widowed Queen of Kakheti with great respect. According to his command, Ketevan was not to discover the fate of her grandsons. Ketevan spent ten years in prison, praying for her motherland and loved ones with all her might and adhering to a strict ascetic regime. Constant fasting, prayer and a stone bed exhausted her previously pampered body, but in spirit she was courageous and full of vitality. She looked after those assigned to her care and instructed them in the spiritual life. some time Abbas resolved to convert Ketevan to Islam, and he announced his intention to marry her. He asked that his proposal be conveyed to her the same day she was informed of the fate of her grandsons. As a condition of their marriage, Abbas insisted that Ketevan renounce the Christian Faith and convert to Islam. In the case of her acquiescence, Imam Quli-Khan was to respect and honor her as a queen, and in the case of her refusal, to subject her to public torture. alarmed imam begged the queen to submit to the shah’s will and save herself, but the queen firmly refused and began to prepare for her martyrdom. (According to one foreign observer, her steadfastness delayed the Islamization of the Georgians in Persia: “In the course of a conversation at the court of Shah Abbas, where a young and recently converted Georgian was present, the question arose as to why it was that, while all young Georgians were forced to embrace Islam, their mothers were not. The explanation given by one of those present was that since the Queen would not change her faith Georgian mothers likewise refused.” (Z. Avalishvili, “Teimuraz I and His Poem ‘The Martyrdom of Queen Ketevan,’” Georgica [vol I, no. 4/5, 1937] pp. 22.) Ketevan was robed in festive attire and led out to a crowded square. Her persecutors subjected her to indescribable torment: they placed a red-hot copper cauldron on her head, tore at her chest with heated tongs, pierced her body with glowing spears, tore off her fingernails, nailed a board to her spine, and finally split her forehead with a red-hot spade. Ketevan’s soul departed from her body, and the executioners cast her mutilated body to the beasts. But the Lord God sent a miracle: her holy relics were illumined with a radiant light. group of French Augustinian missionary fathers, who had witnessed the inhuman tortures, wrapped Queen Ketevan’s body in linens scented with myrrh and incense and buried it in a Catholic monastery. time later the holy relics of Great-martyr Ketevan were delivered to her son, Teimuraz, King of Kakheti. wept bitterly for his mother and sons and buried the relics with great honor in the Alaverdi Cathedral of Saint George. St. Zosimas II of Kumurdo, Commemorated on May 1 (Not the same Ketevan ?);

Georgia, 1599-1606, King, George X of Kartli, first king to seek help from Russia, sided w persia a Ottomans
Georgian King, 1599-1606, George X of Kartli ; X (c. 1561 - September 7, 1606), of the Bagrationi royal dynasty, was a king of the eastern Georgian kingdom of Kartli from 1599 until his death. was the eldest son of Simon I of Kartli and his wife, Nestan-Darejan of Kakheti. George fought alongside his father against the Ottoman occupation forces since 1598. held power after Simon was taken captive by the Turks at the Battle of Nakhiduri in 1599. George attempted several times, though vainly, to ransom his father (who would die as a prisoner in 1612) from captivity and even offered to the Sublime Porte his son as hostage. He soon returned to his struggle against the Ottomans and recovered Lorri in 1601. In 1602, when the Safavid shah of Persia Abbas I resumed a war against the Ottomans, George sided with the Persians and led the Georgian auxiliary troops which took part in the conquest of Erivan in 1603/1604. As a reward, Abbas I granted Giorgi X a minor possession in Iran. In exchange, the shah asked for an area in the Debed River valley in the strategic Lorri district. Abbas I populated this territory with members of the Turkmen tribe Borchali. Finally, the Shah permitted Giorgi X to return to Kartli. was the first king of Kartli who attempted to establish diplomatic ties with the northern co-religionist power of Muscovy. George decided even to give his daughter Elene to the Czar Boris Godunov in marriage. However, unstable political situation in both countries terminated these contacts. to Georgian chronicles, George X died suddenly, from a sting on his tongue, after biting into a cake with a bee in it, at Mejvriskhevi, 1606. There have also been some speculations that the king was poisoned on the orders of the shah Abbas I.[1] He was buried at Mtskheta. Martyrs of Lazeti, Commemorated on April 29; Martyr Luarsab II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21;

Georgia, 1600, 17th Century Folder, Persian Resettlement, Catolicos Evdemoz, Queen Ketevan

Georgia, 1601-1602, King, David I of Kakheti, forced f to abdicate, loyalty to Rus Tsar, forced other to Tsar
Georgian King, 1601-1602, David I of Kakheti; I (1569 – October 21, 1602), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was a king of Kakheti in eastern Georgia from October 1601 until his death in October 1602. was a son of Alexander II of Kakheti by his wife Tinatin Amilakhvari. In mid-1601, he capitalized on the illness of his father and gained an effective control of the government, sidelining his younger brother George. When Alexander recovered, David refused to relinquish his powers and forced his father into abdication in October 1601. David was crowned king of Kakheti, but his brother, George, masterminded a plot which quickly collapsed and led to repressions. David had George imprisoned while seventeen of his supporters were executed. ’s foreign policy was a continuation of his father’s line. In 1602, he received a Russian embassy and reaffirmed his loyalty to the tsar. He then marched against Nugzar, the defiant lord of the Aragvi and forced him into submission. suddenly died on October 21, 1602, and Alexander II recovered the crown. David is also remembered as a translator of a portion of the Tales of Kalila and Dimna from Persian. David married, c. 1581, Ketevan, daughter of Ashotan I, Prince of Mukhrani. They were the parents of: Teimuraz I of Kakheti, King of Kakheti Prince Vakhtang (died 1604) Princess Helene, given in marriage to Abbas I of Persia.[1][2] Princess Marta, married Abbas I of Persia Georgian Queen, 1601-1602, Ketevan the Martyr; Greatmartyr Ketevan the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on September 13; Martyrs of Lazeti, Commemorated on April 29;

Georgia, 1601-1602, Ketevan the Martyr, Queen, Teimuraz' m, regent, sent to P with gs Alex, T attacks P, Gs exiled to P
Georgian Queen, 1601-1602, Ketevan the Martyr; the Martyr (c. 1560 - September 13, 1624) was a queen of Kakheti, a kingdom in eastern Georgia. She was regent of Kakheti during the minority of her son Teimuraz I of Kakheti from 1605 to 1614. She was killed at Shiraz, Iran, after prolonged tortures by the Safavid suzerains of Kakheti for refusing to give up the Christian faith and convert to Islam. She has been canonized as a saint by the Georgian Orthodox Church. Greatmartyr Ketevan the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on September 13; holy Queen Ketevan was the daughter of Ashotan Mukhran-Batoni, a prominent ruler from the Bagrationi royal family. The clever and pious Ketevan was married to Prince David, heir to the throne of Kakheti. David’s father, King Alexander II (1574-1605), had two other sons, George and Constantine, but according to the law the throne belonged to David. Constantine was converted to Islam and raised in the court of the Persian shah Abbas I. years after David and Ketevan were married, King Alexander stepped down from the throne and was tonsured a monk at Alaverdi. But after four months, in the year 1602, the young king David died suddenly. He was survived by his wife, Ketevan, and two children—a son, Teimuraz, and a daughter, Elene—and his father ascended the throne once more. hearing of David’s death and Alexander’s return to the royal throne, Shah Abbas commanded Alexander’s youngest son, Constantine-Mirza, to travel to Kakheti, murder his father and the middle brother, George, and seize the throne of Kakheti. As instructed, Constantine-Mirza beheaded his father and brother, then sent their heads, like a precious gift, to Shah Abbas. headless bodies he sent to Alaverdi. (Since the beginning of the 11th century, Alaverdi had been the resting place of the Kakhetian kings.) The widowed Queen Ketevan was left to bury her father-in-law and brother-in-law. Constantine-Mirza was still unsatisfied, and he proposed to take Queen Ketevan as his wife. at his proposition, the nobles of Kakheti rose up and killed the young man who had committed patricide and profaned his Faith and the throne. Having buried the wicked Constantine-Mirza with the honor befitting his royal ancestry, Ketevan sent generous gifts to Shah Abbas and requested that he proclaim her son, Teimuraz, the rightful heir to the throne. she was awaiting his reply, Ketevan assumed personal responsibility for the rule of Kakheti. Concerned that, if he denied this request, Kakheti would forcibly separate from him and unite with Kartli, Shah Abbas hastily sent Prince Teimuraz to Georgia, laden with great wealth. 1614 Shah Abbas informed King Teimuraz that his son would be taken hostage, and Teimuraz was forced to send his young son Alexander and his mother Ketevan to Persia. As a final attempt to divide the royal family of Kakheti, Shah Abbas demanded that the eldest prince, Levan, be brought before him, and he finally summoned King Teimuraz himself. shah’s intentions were clear: to hold all of the royal family in Persia and send his own viceroys to rule in Kakheti. He sought to eliminate King Luarsab II of Kartli as well, but Teimuraz and Luarsab agreed to attack the Persian army with joint forces and drive the enemy out of Georgia. Abbas sent his hostages, Queen Ketevan and her grandsons, deep into Persia, while he himself launched an attack on Kakheti. fire and the sword the godless ruler plundered all of Georgia. The royal palace was razed, churches and monasteries were destroyed, and entire villages were abandoned. By order of the shah, more than three hundred thousand Georgians were exiled to Persia, and their homes were occupied by Turkic tribes from Central Asia. Hunger and violence reigned over Georgia. defeated Georgian kings Teimuraz and Luarsab sought refuge with King George III of Imereti. they had spent five years exiled in Shiraz (Persia), the princes Alexander and Levan were separated from Ketevan and castrated in Isfahan. Alexander could not endure the suffering and died, while Levan went mad. Ketevan, meanwhile, remained a prisoner of the ruler of southeastern Persia, the ethnic Georgian imam Quli-Khan Undiladze, who regarded the widowed Queen of Kakheti with great respect. According to his command, Ketevan was not to discover the fate of her grandsons. Ketevan spent ten years in prison, praying for her motherland and loved ones with all her might and adhering to a strict ascetic regime. Constant fasting, prayer and a stone bed exhausted her previously pampered body, but in spirit she was courageous and full of vitality. She looked after those assigned to her care and instructed them in the spiritual life. some time Abbas resolved to convert Ketevan to Islam, and he announced his intention to marry her. He asked that his proposal be conveyed to her the same day she was informed of the fate of her grandsons. As a condition of their marriage, Abbas insisted that Ketevan renounce the Christian Faith and convert to Islam. In the case of her acquiescence, Imam Quli-Khan was to respect and honor her as a queen, and in the case of her refusal, to subject her to public torture. alarmed imam begged the queen to submit to the shah’s will and save herself, but the queen firmly refused and began to prepare for her martyrdom. (According to one foreign observer, her steadfastness delayed the Islamization of the Georgians in Persia: “In the course of a conversation at the court of Shah Abbas, where a young and recently converted Georgian was present, the question arose as to why it was that, while all young Georgians were forced to embrace Islam, their mothers were not. The explanation given by one of those present was that since the Queen would not change her faith Georgian mothers likewise refused.” (Z. Avalishvili, “Teimuraz I and His Poem ‘The Martyrdom of Queen Ketevan,’” Georgica [vol I, no. 4/5, 1937] pp. 22.) Ketevan was robed in festive attire and led out to a crowded square. Her persecutors subjected her to indescribable torment: they placed a red-hot copper cauldron on her head, tore at her chest with heated tongs, pierced her body with glowing spears, tore off her fingernails, nailed a board to her spine, and finally split her forehead with a red-hot spade. Ketevan’s soul departed from her body, and the executioners cast her mutilated body to the beasts. But the Lord God sent a miracle: her holy relics were illumined with a radiant light. group of French Augustinian missionary fathers, who had witnessed the inhuman tortures, wrapped Queen Ketevan’s body in linens scented with myrrh and incense and buried it in a Catholic monastery. time later the holy relics of Great-martyr Ketevan were delivered to her son, Teimuraz, King of Kakheti. wept bitterly for his mother and sons and buried the relics with great honor in the Alaverdi Cathedral of Saint George.

Georgia, 1605, George of Kakheti, revolted against b David, pacified, coup plot, released by f, regent, Russian allegiance
Georgian Prince, 1605, Prince George of Kakheti (died 1605); (ca. 1570 - 12 March 1605), of the Bagrationi Dynasty, was a crown prince (batonishvili) of Kakheti, a kingdom in eastern Georgia. was a son of Alexander II, king of Kakheti (1574-1605), who was temporarily dispossessed of the crown by his oldest son David I in 1601. revolted against David, who managed to pacify his defiant brother through awarding him a large estate. Nevertheless, George conspired with some of the oppositionist nobles, in 1602, to murder David, but the plot collapsed and the prince fled to the neighboring Georgian ruler, George X of Kartli, who, however, surrendered him to David. George was cast in prison and released when his father, Alexander II, was able to resume his reign upon David's death. functioned as a regent during his father’s absence at the Safavid Iranian court from early 1604 to March 1605. In August 1604, he received Russian ambassadors and in October employed their armed entourage of 40 musketeers in defeating the expedition of the governors of Ganja and Shemakha against the frontier town of Zagem. January 1, 1605, George pledged his allegiance to the Tsar of Russia. was murdered, together with Alexander II, by his Islamized brother Constantin Khan on 12 March 1605.[1] He was survived by two sons, Iese (died 1625) and Konstantine (fl. 1593), and a daughter, Elene, who was married to Prince Parsadan Tsitsishvili (fl. 1609–1640). Greatmartyr Ketevan the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on September 13; Martyrs of Lazeti, Commemorated on April 29;

Georgia, 1605, King, Constantine I of Kakheti, Shia, beheaded his father and brother, proposed to Ketevan, killed by nobles
Georgian Queen, 1601-1602, Ketevan the Martyr; Greatmartyr Ketevan the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on September 13; hearing of David’s death and Alexander’s return to the royal throne, Shah Abbas commanded Alexander’s youngest son, Constantine-Mirza, to travel to Kakheti, murder his father and the middle brother, George, and seize the throne of Kakheti. As instructed, Constantine-Mirza beheaded his father and brother, then sent their heads, like a precious gift, to Shah Abbas. headless bodies he sent to Alaverdi. (Since the beginning of the 11th century, Alaverdi had been the resting place of the Kakhetian kings.) The widowed Queen Ketevan was left to bury her father-in-law and brother-in-law. Constantine-Mirza was still unsatisfied, and he proposed to take Queen Ketevan as his wife. at his proposition, the nobles of Kakheti rose up and killed the young man who had committed patricide and profaned his Faith and the throne. Having buried the wicked Constantine-Mirza with the honor befitting his royal ancestry, Ketevan sent generous gifts to Shah Abbas and requested that he proclaim her son, Teimuraz, the rightful heir to the throne. holy Queen Ketevan was the daughter of Ashotan Mukhran-Batoni, a prominent ruler from the Bagrationi royal family. The clever and pious Ketevan was married to Prince David, heir to the throne of Kakheti. David’s father, King Alexander II (1574-1605), had two other sons, George and Constantine, but according to the law the throne belonged to David. Constantine was converted to Islam and raised in the court of the Persian shah Abbas I. years after David and Ketevan were married, King Alexander stepped down from the throne and was tonsured a monk at Alaverdi. But after four months, in the year 1602, the young king David died suddenly. He was survived by his wife, Ketevan, and two children—a son, Teimuraz, and a daughter, Elene—and his father ascended the throne once more. hearing of David’s death and Alexander’s return to the royal throne, Shah Abbas commanded Alexander’s youngest son, Constantine-Mirza, to travel to Kakheti, murder his father and the middle brother, George, and seize the throne of Kakheti. As instructed, Constantine-Mirza beheaded his father and brother, then sent their heads, like a precious gift, to Shah Abbas. headless bodies he sent to Alaverdi. (Since the beginning of the 11th century, Alaverdi had been the resting place of the Kakhetian kings.) The widowed Queen Ketevan was left to bury her father-in-law and brother-in-law. Constantine-Mirza was still unsatisfied, and he proposed to take Queen Ketevan as his wife. at his proposition, the nobles of Kakheti rose up and killed the young man who had committed patricide and profaned his Faith and the throne. Having buried the wicked Constantine-Mirza with the honor befitting his royal ancestry, Ketevan sent generous gifts to Shah Abbas and requested that he proclaim her son, Teimuraz, the rightful heir to the throne. she was awaiting his reply, Ketevan assumed personal responsibility for the rule of Kakheti. Concerned that, if he denied this request, Kakheti would forcibly separate from him and unite with Kartli, Shah Abbas hastily sent Prince Teimuraz to Georgia, laden with great wealth. 1614 Shah Abbas informed King Teimuraz that his son would be taken hostage, and Teimuraz was forced to send his young son Alexander and his mother Ketevan to Persia. As a final attempt to divide the royal family of Kakheti, Shah Abbas demanded that the eldest prince, Levan, be brought before him, and he finally summoned King Teimuraz himself. shah’s intentions were clear: to hold all of the royal family in Persia and send his own viceroys to rule in Kakheti. He sought to eliminate King Luarsab II of Kartli as well, but Teimuraz and Luarsab agreed to attack the Persian army with joint forces and drive the enemy out of Georgia. Abbas sent his hostages, Queen Ketevan and her grandsons, deep into Persia, while he himself launched an attack on Kakheti. fire and the sword the godless ruler plundered all of Georgia. The royal palace was razed, churches and monasteries were destroyed, and entire villages were abandoned. By order of the shah, more than three hundred thousand Georgians were exiled to Persia, and their homes were occupied by Turkic tribes from Central Asia. Hunger and violence reigned over Georgia. defeated Georgian kings Teimuraz and Luarsab sought refuge with King George III of Imereti. they had spent five years exiled in Shiraz (Persia), the princes Alexander and Levan were separated from Ketevan and castrated in Isfahan. Alexander could not endure the suffering and died, while Levan went mad. Ketevan, meanwhile, remained a prisoner of the ruler of southeastern Persia, the ethnic Georgian imam Quli-Khan Undiladze, who regarded the widowed Queen of Kakheti with great respect. According to his command, Ketevan was not to discover the fate of her grandsons. Ketevan spent ten years in prison, praying for her motherland and loved ones with all her might and adhering to a strict ascetic regime. Constant fasting, prayer and a stone bed exhausted her previously pampered body, but in spirit she was courageous and full of vitality. She looked after those assigned to her care and instructed them in the spiritual life. some time Abbas resolved to convert Ketevan to Islam, and he announced his intention to marry her. He asked that his proposal be conveyed to her the same day she was informed of the fate of her grandsons. As a condition of their marriage, Abbas insisted that Ketevan renounce the Christian Faith and convert to Islam. In the case of her acquiescence, Imam Quli-Khan was to respect and honor her as a queen, and in the case of her refusal, to subject her to public torture. alarmed imam begged the queen to submit to the shah’s will and save herself, but the queen firmly refused and began to prepare for her martyrdom. (According to one foreign observer, her steadfastness delayed the Islamization of the Georgians in Persia: “In the course of a conversation at the court of Shah Abbas, where a young and recently converted Georgian was present, the question arose as to why it was that, while all young Georgians were forced to embrace Islam, their mothers were not. The explanation given by one of those present was that since the Queen would not change her faith Georgian mothers likewise refused.” (Z. Avalishvili, “Teimuraz I and His Poem ‘The Martyrdom of Queen Ketevan,’” Georgica [vol I, no. 4/5, 1937] pp. 22.) Ketevan was robed in festive attire and led out to a crowded square. Her persecutors subjected her to indescribable torment: they placed a red-hot copper cauldron on her head, tore at her chest with heated tongs, pierced her body with glowing spears, tore off her fingernails, nailed a board to her spine, and finally split her forehead with a red-hot spade. Ketevan’s soul departed from her body, and the executioners cast her mutilated body to the beasts. But the Lord God sent a miracle: her holy relics were illumined with a radiant light. group of French Augustinian missionary fathers, who had witnessed the inhuman tortures, wrapped Queen Ketevan’s body in linens scented with myrrh and incense and buried it in a Catholic monastery. time later the holy relics of Great-martyr Ketevan were delivered to her son, Teimuraz, King of Kakheti. wept bitterly for his mother and sons and buried the relics with great honor in the Alaverdi Cathedral of Saint George. Martyrs of Lazeti, Commemorated on April 29;

Georgia, 1605-1648, King, Teimuraz I of Kakheti, raised in Persia, 50 yr struggle against Persia, Ketevan's son
Georgian King, 1605-1648, Teimuraz I of Kakheti ; I (1589-1661), of the Bagrationi Dynasty, was a Georgian monarch who ruled, with intermissions, as King of Kakheti from 1605 to 1648 and also of Kartli from 1625 to 1633. The eldest son of David I and Ketevan, Teimuraz spent most of his childhood at the court of Shah of Iran, where he came to be known as Tahmuras Khan. He was made king of Kakheti following a revolt against his reigning uncle, Constantine I, in 1605. 1614 on, he waged a five-decade long struggle against the Safavid Iranian domination of Georgia in the course of which he lost several members of his family and ended up his life as the shah's prisoner at Astarabad at the age of 74. versatile poet and admirer of Persian poetry, Teimuraz translated into Georgian several Persian love-stories and transformed the personal experiences of his long and difficult reign into a series of original poems influenced by the contemporary Persian tradition.[2] 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers with their Mother and Sister and Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda, Commemorated on August 3; Greatmartyr Ketevan the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on September 13; 6,000 Martyrs of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on April 26; Martyrs of Lazeti, Commemorated on April 29; Martyr Luarsab II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21;

Georgia, 1605-1639, King George III of Imereti, allied with Teimuraz I of Kakheti
Georgia, 1605-1639, King George III of Imereti; III (died 1639), of the Bagrationi Dynasty, was a king of Imereti from 1605 to 1639. was a natural half-brother of Rostom of Imereti on whose death he succeeded in 1605, but his authority was seriously challenged by the energetic prince of Mingrelia, Levan II Dadiani, whose increasing influence over the western Georgian polities George tried to restrict without any success. In 1623, Levan, with a combined Mingrelian-Abkhaziann army, inflicted a heavy defeat upon the royal troops. his quest for allies, George established close ties with the influential eastern Georgian noble Giorgi Saakadze who employed an Imeretian force in his struggle against King Teimuraz I of Kakheti. Saakadze's defeat in 1626, George made an alliance with Teimuraz and arranged a marriage between his son, Alexander (III), and Teimuraz's daughter Darejan (1629). This, however, failed to bring the feudal anarchy in Imereti to an end and the unrest continued. in his reign, George III once again campaigned against Levan Dadiani, but was defeated and taken captive. He was ransomed by his son Alexander, but George did not live long and died in 1639. III of Imereti was married to the certain Tamar (died 1639). He had four sons and one daughter: Alexander III (1609–1 March 1660), King of Imereti; Rostom (fl. 1619–1639); Mamuka (died 1654), military commander; Beri, Archbishop of Gelati as Svimeon Genateli (fl. 1639); Khvaramze (fl. 1619–1626), married to Avtandil Saakadze (died 1629), son of Giorgi Saakadze. Greatmartyr Ketevan the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on September 13; 6,000 Martyrs of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on April 26; Martyrs of Lazeti, Commemorated on April 29; Martyr Luarsab II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21;

Georgia, 1606-1616, King, Luarsab II of Kartli, w Teimuraz I of Kakheti and George III of Imereti, martyred by Abbas I
Georgian King, 1606-1616, Luarsab II of Kartli ; II the Holy Martyr (1592 - 21 June (O.S.), 1 July (N.S.), 1622), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was a king of Kartli (eastern Georgia) from 1606 to 1615. is known for his martyr’s death at the hands of the Persian shah Abbas I. The Georgian Orthodox Church regards him as saint and marks his memory on the day of his death, July 1. ascended the Kartlian throne at the age of 14 after his father, Giorgi X, suddenly died in 1606. During his minority, the government was actually run by a royal tutor Shadiman Baratashvili. ---------------------------------------------It was when Abbas I succeeded in driving the Ottoman armies out of eastern Georgia, leaving a Persian force in Tbilisi, and confirming Luarsab as king of Kartli. The Ottomans attempted to remove Luarsab, sending in Georgia a large army, only to be destroyed by the Georgian general Giorgi Saakadze at the Battle of Tashiskari, 1609. this victory, Luarsab was granted again the control of the citadel of Tbilisi and the shah married his sister Tinatin, 1610. Late in 1611, Luarsab himself married Makrine, a sister of a lower-class noble Saakadze. The great nobles of the realm led by Shadiman Baratashvili convinced the king that Saakadze was a Persian agent seeking a royal crown. They induced Luarsab to divorce Makrine and forced Saakadze into exile to Persia. Abbas indeed demanded more loyalty and obedience from the Georgians and encouraged a khan of Kazakh Mohammad to trouble the Kartlian lands.[citation needed] 1612, Luarsab had Mohammad Khan assassinated[1] and allied with another Georgian monarch, Teimuraz I of Kakheti to counter an anticipated Persian aggression. in 1614, a large Persian army invaded Kakheti, destroying several settlements on its way, and moved into Kartli. Luarsab and Teimuraz fled to a western Georgian Kingdom of Imereti. III of Imereti refused to surrender the refugees. Abbas threatened Kartli with ruin, promising that if Luarsab submitted, he would conclude a peace. In October 1615, Luarsab surrendered to save his kingdom from being wiped out, and, refusing to convert to Islam, was incarcerated first in Astarabad and then somewhere near Shiraz. Georgians attempted to free their king through the mediation of Tsar Mikhail I of Russia. However, the negotiations yielded no results and, in 1622, Luarsab was executed (strangled with a bow string) on the orders of the shah at the fortress of Qal‘eh-ye GolÄb in southwest Iran.[2] Greatmartyr Ketevan the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on September 13; 6,000 Martyrs of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on April 26; Martyrs of Lazeti, Commemorated on April 29; Martyr Luarsab II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21; Hieromartyr Theodore (Tevdore) of Kvelta, Commemorated on June 8; Tevdore was a simple priest who labored in the 16th century in the village of Kvelta. At that time the Ottoman Empire and Persia were locked in a bitter feud over control of the Near East. At the beginning of 1609 the Ottomans conquered first the city of Baghdadi, then part of Samtskhe in southern Georgia. In June of that year they launched an attack on eastern Georgia. that time the Georgian ruler was the young King Luarsab II. When the Ottomans penetrated Kartli, the king was absent, abiding in his summer residence, Tskhireti Castle. But the Ottomans knew the location of his castle, and they also knew that his troops were small in number. They plotted to lay siege to the castle, capture the king, and ultimately annex all of Georgia. Ottomans quickly crossed the Trialeti mountain range and advanced into Manglisi, pillaging the lands and laying waste to the people as they went. Miraculously, the Manglisi Church of the Most Holy Mother of God remained unharmed. One chronicler wrote: “A dense fog surrounded the church and village, concealing it from the enemy.â€ Luarsab had received no warning of the attack, and the enemy was just minutes from his castle. the village of Kvelta, not far from Manglisi, the Turks captured the priest Tevdore, a man sincere before God and devoted to his king and motherland. Fr. Tevdore was unable to escape to the woods with the other villagers, so he locked the doors to the church and concealed its sacred treasures. When the Ottoman Turks found Fr. Tevdore, they commanded him to lead them to Tskhireti Castle and threatened to kill him if he refused. to deceive them, Tevdore led the Ottomans along a narrow, rocky mountain path away from Tskhireti Castle. Many horses and soldiers fell from the path to their deaths. after some time the Ottomans realized that the priest had led them in the wrong direction. Embittered and hungry for revenge, they beheaded Fr. Tevdore. a result of Saint Tevdore’s great sacrifice, Saint Luarsab had time to strengthen his fortifications, assemble his armies, and finally annihilate the enemy.

Georgia, 1609, Turkish Invasion, Kvenadkotsi, Georgia (between Gori and Surami) 60k Persians to flight
In 1609 Georgia suffered invasion by a Turkish army under the leadership of Deli-Mamad-khan. The young emperor gave decisive battle to the Turks near the village of Kvenadkotsi (between Gori and Surami). On the eve of battle the 14,000 Georgians spent all night in prayer. In the morning after Divine Liturgy and having received the Holy Mysteries, the Georgian forces put 60,000 enemy soldiers to flight in a heroic battle. Martyr Luarsab II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21;

Georgia, 1615-1619, King, Bagrat VII of Kartli, moslem, khan for Persian Abbas I, disgusted by Kartlians
Georgian King, 1615-1619, Bagrat VII of Kartli; VII (1569–1619), also known as Bagrat Khan, was King of Kartli, eastern Georgia, effectively serving as a khan for the Persian shah Abbas I from 1615/1616 to 1619. 1 Life 2 Family 3 References 4 Sources 5 External links son of David XI of Kartli, he took refuge in Persia after his father was dislodged by the Ottoman invasion in 1578. He was raised at the shah’s court in Isfahan, brought up Muslim and adopted Persian customs.[1] Later, for his efforts, he was given a fiefdom in mainland Iran.[2] Around the mid 1590s, he assisted Farhad Khan Qaramanlu in arranging a match for Abbas I with a daughter of the Amilakhori noble family.[2] 1615/1616, he was installed by Abbas I as a puppet king/khan in Kartli on the deposition of his cousin, King Luarsab II the Martyr. exercised only a limited power confined to Lower Kartli and largely relied on Persian forces. Considered as a renegade, he was disgusted by most of the kingdom’s population and, in spite of the Persian presence, he was unable to control even seemingly loyal nobility. short reign was spent mostly in the town of Bolnisi, where he died in 1619, to be succeeded by his son, Simon II (Semayun Khan). His half-brother Khosrow was given his land in Iran.[2] 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers with their Mother and Sister and Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda, Commemorated on August 3 ; 6,000 Martyrs of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on April 26; Martyrs of Lazeti, Commemorated on April 29;

Georgia, 1616, Abbas I of Persia war with Georgia
Abbas I of Persia attack on Georgia (1616) ; returned to eastern Georgia in 1615, taking advantage of a resurgence in Ottoman-Safavid hostilities, and there he defeated a Safavid force. However, when the Ottoman army postponed its invasion of the Safavids, Abbas was able to briefly send an army back to defeat Teimuraz, and redoubled his invasion after brokering a truce with the Ottomans.[77] Now Iranian rule was fully restored over eastern Georgia.[78] Subsequently, the Shah marched on Kutaisi, the capital of Imereti, and punished its peoples for harbouring the defectors.[citation needed] In a punitive expedition to Kakhetia, his army then killed perhaps 60–70,000[39][40][41][79] or 100,000[77] Georgians, with twice as many more being deported to Iran, removing about two-thirds of the Kakhetian population.[80][77] More refugees were rounded up in 1617.[77] In 1619 Abbas appointed the loyal Simon II (or Semayun Khan) as a puppet ruler of Kakheti, while placing a series of his own governors to rule over districts where the rebellious inhabitants were mostly located.[49] the Georgian uprisings[edit] Teimuraz I of Kakheti (also known as Tahmuras Khan). See also: Abbas I's Kakhetian and Kartlian campaigns Rostom (also known as Rustam Khan), viceroy of Kartli, eastern Georgia, from 1633–1658. 1614 and 1616, during the Ottoman-Safavid War, Abbas suppressed a rebellion led by his formerly loyal Georgian subjects Luarsab II and Teimuraz I in the Kingdom of Kakheti. 1606, Abbas had appointed these Georgians onto the thrones of Safavid vassals Kartli and Kakheti, at the behest of Kartlian nobles and Teimuraz's mother Ketevan; both seemed like malleable youths.[77] tensions soon arose between the Shah and the Georgian kings. In 1613, when the Shah summoned them to join him on a hunting expedition in Mazandaran, they did not appear as they feared that they would be either imprisoned or killed.[49] this point war broke out, Iranian armies invaded the two territories in March 1614, and the two allied kings subsequently sought refuge in the Ottoman vassal Imeretia.[77] Abbas, as reported by the Safavid court historian Iskander Beg Munshi, was infuriated by what was perceived as the defection of two of his most trusted subjects and gholams.[49] deported 30,000 Kakhetian peasants to Iran, and appointed a grandson of Alexander II of Imereti to the throne of Kartli, Jesse of Kakheti.[49][77] Raised up at the court in Isfahan and a Muslim, he was perceived as fully loyal to the Shah. threatened Imeretia with devastation if they did not give up the fugitive kings; the Imeretian, Mingrelian and Gurian rulers jointly refused his demand. however, surrendered voluntarily to the Shah; Abbas initially treated him well but when he learned that Luarsab and Teimuraz had offered an alliance with the Ottomans he demanded that Luarsab accept Islam. When Luarsab refused, he was thrown in prison.[77] returned to eastern Georgia in 1615, taking advantage of a resurgence in Ottoman-Safavid hostilities, and there he defeated a Safavid force. However, when the Ottoman army postponed its invasion of the Safavids, Abbas was able to briefly send an army back to defeat Teimuraz, and redoubled his invasion after brokering a truce with the Ottomans.[77] Now Iranian rule was fully restored over eastern Georgia.[78] Subsequently, the Shah marched on Kutaisi, the capital of Imereti, and punished its peoples for harbouring the defectors.[citation needed] In a punitive expedition to Kakhetia, his army then killed perhaps 60–70,000[39][40][41][79] or 100,000[77] Georgians, with twice as many more being deported to Iran, removing about two-thirds of the Kakhetian population.[80][77] More refugees were rounded up in 1617.[77] In 1619 Abbas appointed the loyal Simon II (or Semayun Khan) as a puppet ruler of Kakheti, while placing a series of his own governors to rule over districts where the rebellious inhabitants were mostly located.[49] momentarily secured the region, Abbas took further acts of revenge for the recalcitrance of Teimuraz and Luarsab. He castrated Teimuraz's sons, who both died shortly afterwards.[77] He executed Luarsab in 1622, and in 1624 he had Ketevan, who had been sent to the Shah as a negotiator, tortured to death when she refused to renounce Christianity.[81][82][77] Teimuraz, meanwhile, sought aid from the Ottomans and Russia.[77] was then warned of another imminent Kakhetian uprising, so he returned to Georgia in early 1625. He lured Kakhetian soldiers on a false pretext and then began executing them. He also had plans to execute all armed Kartlians, including his own general Giorgi Saakadze; however Saakadze intercepted a courier and uncovered the plot. Saakadze then defected to the Georgians, and led a new rebellion which succeeded in throwing the Persians out of Kartli and Kakheti while crowning Teimuraz as king of both territories. Abbas counterattacked in June, won the subsequent war and dethroned Teimuraz, but lost half his army at the hands of the Georgians and was forced to accept Kartli and Kakheti only as vassal states while abandoning his plans to eliminate Christians from the area.[77] then, Saakadze and Teimuraz launched another rebellion in 1626, and were effective in clearing Iranian forces from most of the region.[77] Thus, the Georgian territories continued to resist Safavid encroachments until Abbas' death.[78] 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers with their Mother and Sister and Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda, Commemorated on August 3; Icon of the Mother of God of Georgia, Commemorated August 22 ; 6,000 Martyrs of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on April 26;

Georgia, 1616, 6,000 Martyrs of David Gareja, Georgia, angel gave them choice, die and be or flee, myrrh to this day
Georgia, 1616, 6,000 Martyrs of David Gareja monastery complex, Kakheti, Georgia (Iori River 4), while, Celebrating Resurrection with lights, angel gave them choice, die and be or flee, only 2 fled, rose bush in dry soil, bones stream myrrh to this day; David Gareja monastery complex (Georgia) ; 6,000 Martyrs of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on April 26; 1616 the Persian shah Abbas I led his enormous army in an attack on Georgia. quenched his thirst for the blood of the Christians, he arranged a hunt in the valley of Gare (Outer) Kakheti. He encamped with his escorts in the mountains of Gareji and spent the night in that place. midnight the shah’s attention was drawn to a flaming column of lights advancing up the mountain. At first he took it to be an apparition. He was soon informed, however, that a famous monastery was situated in that place and on that night the monks were circling their church three times with lighted candles in celebration of Christ’s Holy Resurrection. Immediately the shah commanded his army to march to the monastery and destroy all those found celebrating. same night an angel of the Lord appeared to Abbot Arsenius of David-Gareji and told him, “Our Lord Jesus Christ is calling the brothers to His Heavenly Kingdom. On this night great suffering awaits you—you will be killed by the sword. He who desires to prolong his earthly life, let him flee, but he who thirsts to purify his soul for eternity, let him perish by the sword, and the Lord God will adorn him with the crown of immortality. Tell this to all who dwell in the monastery, and let each man choose for himself!” abbot informed the monks about his vision, and they began to prepare for their imminent sufferings. Only two young monks feared death and fled to a mountain not far from the monastery. the chanting of the Lord’s Prayer near the end of the Paschal Liturgy, the monastery was completely surrounded by Persian warriors. Abbot Arsenius stepped out of the church and approached their leader to request that the monks be given a bit more time to finish the service and for all the brothers to receive Holy Communion. Persians consulted among themselves and agreed to honor this request. The fathers partook of the Holy Gifts, encouraged one another, and presented themselves clad in festive garments before the unbelievers. the Persians beheaded Abbot Arsenius; then they massacred his brothers in Christ without mercy. the Persians finished killing the monks, they were organized into several regiments and made their way towards the other monasteries of the Gareji Wilderness. Halfway between the Chichkhituri and Saint John the Baptist Monasteries the Muslims captured the two young monks who had earlier fled and demanded that they convert to Islam. monks refused to abandon the Christian Faith and for this they were killed. A rose bush grew up in the place where they were killed and continued to fragrantly blossom through the 19th century, despite the dry and rocky soil. the end of the 17th century, King Archil gathered the bones of the martyrs with great reverence and buried them in a large stone reliquary to the left of the altar in the Transfiguration Church of David-Gareji Monastery. Their holy relics continue to stream myrrh to this day. brothers of the Monasteries of Saint David of Gareji and Saint John the Baptist received a blessing from Catholicos Anton I to compose a commemorative service for the martyrs and to designate their feast day as Bright Tuesday, or the third day of Holy Pascha.

Georgia, 1616, Persian Capture of Tbilisi and Gokce war, Shah Abbas 1, Resettlement
Shah Abbas 1; Persian Capture of Tbilisi and Gokce war 1616 Shah Abbas 1; Icon of the Mother of God of Georgia, Commemorated August 22 ; St Nicholas the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated February 18 ;

Georgia, 1617-1642, Eudemus I, labors of the Catholicos and Queen Mariam, the Christian Georgian soul not extinguished
Georgia, 1617-1642, Saint, Eudemus I, Catholicos of Georgia; Bodbe Monastery; Martyr Evdemoz the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on October 4; Evdemoz led the Georgian Orthodox Church in the mid-17th century during the reign of King Rostom-Khan (1632-1658), a Georgian who had converted to Islam. murdered King Luarsab II of Kartli and chased out King Teimuraz I of Kakheti, the Persian shah Abbas I had declared Rostom-Khan ruler of a unified Kartli-Kakheti kingdom. tried to be accommodating in his policies and protect the beliefs and traditions of both the Persian shah and the Georgian people: he set a standard salary for the Georgian clergy and even built churches, but society deteriorated rapidly nevertheless. Human vices became commonplace, and sins like those of Sodom and Gomorrah were multiplied. The nation was so overtaken by sin that even the clergy ceased to conduct themselves in a manner befitting their God-given role. the chief shepherd of the Georgian nation would not yield to the moral decline of his flock, and he confronted this crisis with conviction and fearlessness. Several times he led his most valiant military leaders in revolt against Persia. Following the example of Catholicos Evdemoz, several Georgian princes rebelled against the pro-Persian policies of Rostom-Khan and cast out the Islamic influence from their territories. Evdemoz resisted the Islamic custom of raising the king’s heirs in the shah’s court from a young age. He was never too intimidated by the king to expose his wrongdoing and tell him at every convenient opportunity: “You are the natural father of the Muslims, but the stepfather of the Christians!” was the spiritual father of Rostom-Khan’s wife, the faithful Queen Mariam, the daughter of Manuchar Dadiani, Prince of Samegrelo. a result of the holy labors of Catholicos Evdemoz and Queen Mariam, the Christian soul of the Georgian people was not entirely extinguished. The Georgians built churches, wrote spiritual literature, and gradually regained their national consciousness. Catholicos Evdemoz preached throughout the country and developed and implemented a plan to bring King Teimuraz, who had been driven out by Shah Abbas, back to the throne. Rostom-Khan felt threatened by the strong influence Catholicos Evdemoz had on the people. In 1642 he arrested the chief shepherd of the Georgian people and tried to win him over, but neither his feigned tenderness nor his threats could break the firm will of the man who loved Christ and his motherland above all else. After his arrest, Saint Evdemoz criticized the king even more harshly and called on the people to rise up against him. Finally Rostom-Khan ordered that Catholicos Evdemoz be strangled to death in his prison cell, and as a further insult, his body was cast off Nariqala Fortress (in Tbilisi) in the direction of the Turkish baths. night, a group of Christians stole the body of the holy hieromartyr Catholicos-Patriarch Evdemoz and buried it in the northwest corner of Anchiskhati Church in Tbilisi. St Nino (Nina), Equal of the Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated January 14 ;

Georgia, 1621-1682, Mariam, labors of t Queen and Evdemoz, t Christian Georgian soul not extinguished, 3 marriages
Mingrelia (Samegrelo); Georgia, 1621-1682, Queen Mariam Dadiani; Dadiani (born between 1599 and 1609;[1] died 1682) was a daughter of Manuchar I Dadiani, Prince of Mingrelia, by his second wife, Tamar Jaqeli. married, successively to Simon I Gurieli, Prince of Guria, in 1621, King Rostom of Kartli in 1638, and the latter's adopted son and successor, King Vakhtang V in 1658. dynastic marriages were part of complex political relations in the successor states of the former Kingdom of Georgia. Her first marriage was disrupted by her half-brother Levan II Dadiani, Prince of Mingrelia, in response to Simon Gurieli's patricidal coup. The second marriage, that with Rostom of Kartli, turned Mariam into an important figure in the contemporaneous Georgian politics. The wedding entourage was a thousands-strong army, which had to fight their way to Kartli against the forces of the principal opponent of the union, King George III of Imereti, an ally of Rostom's major foe, King Teimuraz I of Kakheti, being a factor of rapprochement between Mingrelia and Kartli, Mariam, a devout Christian, acted as a protector of Georgian Christianity in lieu of her Muslim and religiously tolerant husband and helped relax religious tension in the country. At her request, the couple's wedding ceremony was held in a Christian rite. The queen had several churches repaired and restored and the medieval Georgian chronicles copied and compiled. only child, born of her first marriage to Prince Gurieli, died young. The childless Rostom, anxious to secure the dynastic survival of the Bagrationi family under the protection of the Safavid empire of Iran, adopted the prince of Mukhrani, also of Bagrationi descent, who succeeded on his death as Vakhtang V and married the queen dowager Mariam as her third husband. She outlived Vakhtang and died aged over 70. She was buried with royal honors at the Cathedral of the Living Pillar at Mtskheta. Martyr Evdemoz the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on October 4; Evdemoz led the Georgian Orthodox Church in the mid-17th century during the reign of King Rostom-Khan (1632-1658), a Georgian who had converted to Islam. murdered King Luarsab II of Kartli and chased out King Teimuraz I of Kakheti, the Persian shah Abbas I had declared Rostom-Khan ruler of a unified Kartli-Kakheti kingdom. tried to be accommodating in his policies and protect the beliefs and traditions of both the Persian shah and the Georgian people: he set a standard salary for the Georgian clergy and even built churches, but society deteriorated rapidly nevertheless. Human vices became commonplace, and sins like those of Sodom and Gomorrah were multiplied. The nation was so overtaken by sin that even the clergy ceased to conduct themselves in a manner befitting their God-given role. the chief shepherd of the Georgian nation would not yield to the moral decline of his flock, and he confronted this crisis with conviction and fearlessness. Several times he led his most valiant military leaders in revolt against Persia. Following the example of Catholicos Evdemoz, several Georgian princes rebelled against the pro-Persian policies of Rostom-Khan and cast out the Islamic influence from their territories. Evdemoz resisted the Islamic custom of raising the king’s heirs in the shah’s court from a young age. He was never too intimidated by the king to expose his wrongdoing and tell him at every convenient opportunity: “You are the natural father of the Muslims, but the stepfather of the Christians!” was the spiritual father of Rostom-Khan’s wife, the faithful Queen Mariam, the daughter of Manuchar Dadiani, Prince of Samegrelo. a result of the holy labors of Catholicos Evdemoz and Queen Mariam, the Christian soul of the Georgian people was not entirely extinguished. The Georgians built churches, wrote spiritual literature, and gradually regained their national consciousness. Catholicos Evdemoz preached throughout the country and developed and implemented a plan to bring King Teimuraz, who had been driven out by Shah Abbas, back to the throne. Rostom-Khan felt threatened by the strong influence Catholicos Evdemoz had on the people. In 1642 he arrested the chief shepherd of the Georgian people and tried to win him over, but neither his feigned tenderness nor his threats could break the firm will of the man who loved Christ and his motherland above all else. After his arrest, Saint Evdemoz criticized the king even more harshly and called on the people to rise up against him. Finally Rostom-Khan ordered that Catholicos Evdemoz be strangled to death in his prison cell, and as a further insult, his body was cast off Nariqala Fortress (in Tbilisi) in the direction of the Turkish baths. night, a group of Christians stole the body of the holy hieromartyr Catholicos-Patriarch Evdemoz and buried it in the northwest corner of Anchiskhati Church in Tbilisi.

Georgia, 1622, Georgia Icon to Archangelsk from Persia, via MOG
Russia, Vologda, 1622, Georgia Icon to Archangelsk from Persia, via MOG; 1622, the Persian Shah Abbas I, after the devastating invasion of Orthodox Georgia, took part of the Robe of the Lord, and some especially revered icons. Three years later, when the Russian clerk Stephen Lazarev, who was in Persia to do some trading, a certain person from the Shah's retinue offered to let him purchase one of the stolen Georgian icons: an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. At the same time, at Yaroslavl, the merchant Gregory Lytkin, by whom Stephen was employed, had a revelation of his clerk's imminent arrival with the precious acquisition. had been instructed by a voice from above to take the Icon from Yaroslavl to Arkhangelsk, near the Pinega River. Here, 16 versts from Kholmogorsk, was the Black Mountain monastery (which took its name from the mountain, on which a church was built in 1603.) Later, it was called Krasnogorsk (Beautiful Mountain). the merchant delivered the Georgian Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos in 1629, during the reign of Tsar Michael. On August 22, with a large contingent of the faithful, the Icon was reverently placed in the monastery. At the same time, the miraculous healing of the blind and deaf monk Pitirim took place. The subsequent manifestations of the Icon's miraculous power prompted Metropolitan Nikon of Novgorod (later the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia) to investigate. Afterward, from 1650, the annual celebration of this Icon took place on August 22, the day of its arrival at Krasnogorsk Monastery. that time, the Georgian Icon of the Mother of God was brought to Arkhangelsk each year with honors. The revered Icon was left for a certain time in the main cathedral of the city, for the sanctification of the city and of the Christ-loving people. During the reign of Tsar Alexei (1645-1676), the miraculous Icon was taken to Vologda, Great Ustyug, Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, and Siberia. Archangelsk; Icon of the Mother of God of Georgia, Commemorated on August 22; 1622, the Persian Shah Abbas I, after the devastating invasion of Orthodox Georgia, took part of the Robe of the Lord, and some especially revered icons. Three years later, when the Russian clerk Stephen Lazarev, who was in Persia to do some trading, a certain person from the Shah's retinue offered to let him purchase one of the stolen Georgian icons: an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. At the same time, at Yaroslavl, the merchant Gregory Lytkin, by whom Stephen was employed, had a revelation of his clerk's imminent arrival with the precious acquisition. had been instructed by a voice from above to take the Icon from Yaroslavl to Arkhangelsk, near the Pinega River. Here, 16 versts from Kholmogorsk, was the Black Mountain monastery (which took its name from the mountain, on which a church was built in 1603.) Later, it was called Krasnogorsk (Beautiful Mountain). the merchant delivered the Georgian Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos in 1629, during the reign of Tsar Michael. On August 22, with a large contingent of the faithful, the Icon was reverently placed in the monastery. At the same time, the miraculous healing of the blind and deaf monk Pitirim took place. The subsequent manifestations of the Icon's miraculous power prompted Metropolitan Nikon of Novgorod (later the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia) to investigate. Afterward, from 1650, the annual celebration of this Icon took place on August 22, the day of its arrival at Krasnogorsk Monastery. that time, the Georgian Icon of the Mother of God was brought to Arkhangelsk each year with honors. The revered Icon was left for a certain time in the main cathedral of the city, for the sanctification of the city and of the Christ-loving people. During the reign of Tsar Alexei (1645-1676), the miraculous Icon was taken to Vologda, Great Ustyug, Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, and Siberia. 1654, Hieromonk Makarios of Krasnogorsk Monastery brought the Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos (which had been brought from Persia) to Moscow for restoration, and to be covered with a new riza. It was placed in the newly-built church, dedicated to the Life-giving Trinity, at Nikitnikov Lane near the Saint Barbara Gate, where the Kremlin masters carried on their iconographic work. Gregory Nikitnikov had built the church on his property at his own expense (1628-1651). In the church was a chapel dedicated to Saint Nikḗtas (September 15). Members of the Nikitnikov family were also entombed there. that time, a plague or pestilence was raging in Moscow. At the request of the master silversmith Gabriel Evdokimov, whose son was near death, a Moleben was served in his house before the Georgian Icon of the Mother of God from Krasnogorsk Monastery. The patient soon recovered. In gratitude for this miraculous healing, a copy of Georgian Icon was made and placed in Holy Trinity church. From that time, the church was also called Georgian. gracious help of the Most Holy Theotokos continued to be conferred by the aforementioned copy of her Icon. During the plague epidemic of 1654, the Moscow merchant Stephanov prayed continuously to the Queen of Heaven. The Most Holy Virgin appeared to him three times in a dream saying: "Pray to the Georgian Theotokos, on the Glinishchi at the mills, and you will be spared." The Holy Trinity church at Nikitniki was also called the church of the Great Martyr Nikḗtas (one of the chapels) on Glinishchi, near the mills. The merchant did not take his family from Moscow as he intended, but began to pray fervently in the Holy Trinity church. The epidemic did not touch him or his family. Churchwide celebration of the Georgian Icon of the Mother of God was established with the blessing of Patriarch Nikon in 1654. In 1698, the caretaker of the Moscow printing house Theodore Polikarpov compiled a second edition of the Service. the liberation of Moscow from Napoleon's troops, on December 1, 1812 the wonderworking Georgian Icon of the Mother of God, along with other miraculous Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos (Vladimir, Iveron, and Assuage my Sorrows) were carried in solemn procession around the Kremlin. 1904, a chapel was built in Holy Trinity church in honor of the Georgian Icon of the Mother of God. Now this Icon is in the church of the Holy Trinity in Nikitnikov (Razin Street). healings were granted by the Most Holy Theotokos through her wonderworking Icon, which were documented and verified at the end of the XIX century. For example, on June 17, 1887, Lydia Tserkovnitskaya, the wife of a priest in the village of Shuysk, Vologda Province, was critically ill. She recovered after praying before the wonderworking Georgian Icon. There is historical evidence of four more Georgian icons of the Most Holy Theotokos. the Georgian Icon of the Mother of God, which was in Moscow's Alekseevsky Convent, church evidence reports that it is not a copy of the Icons from Krasnogorsk Monastery nor from Holy Trinity church at Nikitnikov, which were brought from Georgia. In the same deadly plague epidemic of 1654, one of the nuns at the Alekseev Convent fell ill. While she addressed long prayers to the Heavenly Healer, the sick woman suddenly remembered the miraculous recovery she had heard about from the Icon of the Mother of God, which is in the church of the Life-giving Trinity by Saint Barbara's Gate. However, there was no one to send there. After some time, an unknown monk came to the Convent. Turning to the sick nun, he said: "Do not be sad that the Georgian Icon of the Mother of God cannot be brought here. You have here exactly the same Icon as the one brought from Georgia. You will find it in the cave, and you shall behold God's mercy." allegorical meaning of these words became clear afterward in the monastery sacristy, which was laid out like caves, when a hitherto unknown Icon of the Mother of God was discovered. After a Moleben, the miraculous Icon was carried to the cells of the nuns who were suffering from the pestilence. All of them were healed. From that time, the epidemic in Moscow began to abate. the prayerful intercession of the Georgian Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos at the Alekseev Convent, the blind Princess Martha Prozorovskaya received miraculous healing in 1662. She gained her sight by the prayers of her parents, after seven years of serious illness. the northwest of Kazan, 18 versts from the city of Sviyazhsk, in the middle of the XVII century was the Raithu communal Hermitage of the Theotokos, which got its name from one of its churches, which was dedicated to the Venerable Fathers slain at Sinai and Raithu (January 14). Tradition states that during the construction of the monastery, Metropolitan Laurence of Kazan, by a revelation from above, sent the best local iconographers to Pinega, to the Krasnogorsk Monastery, which was very far from Kazan, in order to make a faithful copy of the wonderworking Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, which was brought from Persia. 1661, a skillfully executed copy of the Georgian Icon of the Mother of God was delivered from Arkhangelsk. It became highly revered by the local population. Subsequently, this Icon was placed in the cathedral church in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos. the XVIII century, the pious peasants of the village of Klyucharev, Korchev county, Tver Province, presented the caretaker of the Moscow Archangel Cathedral with a copy of the Georgian Icon of the Mother of God, which became highly regarded by the locals, when the rye crop was threatened with destruction in the late 1860s. Vast fields of newly-sprouted crops were being eaten by an unknown worm, and nothing they did was of any use. Then the peasants prayed for help to the Most Holy Theotokos, whose Georgian Icon they revered. After a Cross Procession around the fields with the Icon, a sudden, unprecedented torrential rain fell. Streams of water washed the worms out of the ground, which were eaten by a large flock of birds. See also other revered copies of the Georgian Icon of the Mother of God in the Protection church at Vorontsov Field, and in the Holy Cross Church in the city of Tula. Icon disappeared after the closure of the monastery (1920-1922), and later it was returned to the monastery. In his 1946 report to the Moscow Patriarchate, Bishop Leonty (Smirnov) of Arkhangelsk states that the Georgian Icon was carried in a procession, which took place at Arkhangelsk in 1946. The further fate of the Georgian Icon is unknown. St Spyridon the Patriarch, Commemorated on August 30; Venerable Tryphon the Abbot of Vyatka, Commemorated on October 8; Hieromartyr Hilarion, Archbishop of Vereiya, Commemorated December 15 ; Repose of St John of Kronstadt, Commemorated December 20 ; Glorification of St John of Kronstadt, Commemorated on June 8 ; Venerable Elisha of Suma, Solovki, Commemorated on June 14; Venerable Nikon of Optina, Commemorated on June 25 ;

Georgia, 1625, Battle of Martkopi, Georgia defeats Persia
Martkopi, Georgia; 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers with their Mother and Sister and Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda, Commemorated August 3 ; the Feast of the Annunciation in the year 1625, the Georgians annihilated the army of the Persian shah Abbas I in the Battle of Martqopi. The victory unified Georgia’s eastern provinces of Kartli and Kakheti. It also instilled hope in other enslaved peoples of the Transcaucasus, and rebellions began to break out everywhere. the enraged Shah Abbas marched his finest and largest army toward Georgia under the leadership of Isa-Khan Qurchibash. A Georgian army of some twenty thousand men encamped near Kojori-Tabakhmela in preparation for the attack, while the enemy’s army, which numbered in excess of fifty thousand men, encamped at Marabda. According to tradition, the Georgian soldiers received Holy Communion at dawn before the battle. Domenti (Avalishvili) of Ruisi prepared to serve the Holy Gifts to the soldiers but they cried out with a single voice: “If you will join us and take up your sword and fight, then do so. We can receive Holy Communion from another!” by these words, the bishop joined in, proclaiming, “Today we will fight a battle for faith and for Christ; therefore my blood must be spilled before yours!” With his vestments as armor, the bishop blessed the soldiers and took his place in the front line. banner of the Georgian army was entrusted to the nine Kherkheulidze brothers. Persians panicked upon coming face-to-face with the courage and fortitude of the Georgian soldiers, but the experienced commander Isa-Khan Qurchibash would not yield in battle. Help arrived from Beglerbeg Shaybani-Khan, and with the extra forces the Persians soon gained the advantage over the Georgian army. The Georgian colonel Teimuraz Mukhranbatoni was fatally wounded, and rumors of his death threw the soldiers into a frenzy, since they erroneously believed that the dead man was King Teimuraz I of Kakheti, the commander of their army. that their leader had fallen, the Georgian soldiers became anxious and their army was enfeebled. Before long they recognized their mistake, but it was too late—the fate of the battle had already been decided. military leaders Davit Jandieri, Aghatang Kherkheulidze and Baadur Tsitsishvili and the bishops of Rustavi and Kharchasho all fell in the battle at Marabda. The nine banner-bearing Kherkheulidze brothers were also killed. When the banner that had led their army through the battles at Didgori and Basiani fell from the hands of the youngest brother, their sister grabbed hold of it immediately, and when she also fell, the banner and symbol of Georgian invincibility was raised up again by their mother. Teimuraz fought until sunset, when every sword he had held in his hands had been broken. Even his rings were broken in the combat. The uniform of the brilliant military leader Giorgi Saakadze was stained with blood from top to bottom. Atabeg Manuchar of Samtskhe and his sons also fought bravely in this battle. exhausted and debilitated by the heat, the Georgians fought heroically to the last moment. But the battle that had begun at dawn finally ended late that night with the defeat of the Georgian army. Nine thousand Georgians gave their lives for Christ and their motherland on the battlefield at Marabda. St Anthony the Founder of Monasticism in Georgia, Commemorated on January 19 ; St Macarius the Stylite of Martkobsk, Georgia, Commemorated on January 19 ;

Georgia, 1625, 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers of Marabda Battle, 9K gave lives for Christ, K brothers, sister, mother banner bearing
Georgia, 1625, 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers of Marabda Battle, Kartli (Khrami River 2), 9K gave lives for Christ, K brothers, sister, mother banner bearing; Marabda; 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers with their Mother and Sister and Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda, Commemorated August 3 ; the Feast of the Annunciation in the year 1625, the Georgians annihilated the army of the Persian shah Abbas I in the Battle of Martqopi. victory unified Georgia’s eastern provinces of Kartli and Kakheti. also instilled hope in other enslaved peoples of the Transcaucasus, and rebellions began to break out everywhere. the enraged Shah Abbas marched his finest and largest army toward Georgia under the leadership of Isa-Khan Qurchibash. Georgian army of some twenty thousand men encamped near Kojori-Tabakhmela in preparation for the attack, while the enemy’s army, which numbered in excess of fifty thousand men, encamped at Marabda. to tradition, the Georgian soldiers received Holy Communion at dawn before the battle. Domenti (Avalishvili) of Ruisi prepared to serve the Holy Gifts to the soldiers they cried out with a single voice: “If you will join us and take up your sword and fight, then do so. We can receive Holy Communion from another!” by these words, the bishop joined in, proclaiming, “Today we will fight a battle for faith and for Christ; therefore my blood must be spilled before yours!” With his vestments as armor, the bishop blessed the soldiers and took his place in the front line. banner of the Georgian army was entrusted to the nine Kherkheulidze brothers. Persians panicked upon coming face-to-face with the courage and fortitude of the Georgian soldiers, but the experienced commander Isa-Khan Qurchibash would not yield in battle. arrived from Beglerbeg Shaybani-Khan, and with the extra forces the Persians soon gained the advantage over the Georgian army. Georgian colonel Teimuraz Mukhranbatoni was fatally wounded, and rumors of his death threw the soldiers into a frenzy, since they erroneously believed that the dead man was King Teimuraz I of Kakheti, the commander of their army. that their leader had fallen, the Georgian soldiers became anxious and their army was enfeebled. Before long they recognized their mistake, but it was too late—the fate of the battle had already been decided. military leaders Davit Jandieri, Aghatang Kherkheulidze and Baadur Tsitsishvili and the bishops of Rustavi and Kharchasho all fell in the battle at Marabda. nine banner-bearing Kherkheulidze brothers were also killed. When the banner that had led their army through the battles at Didgori and Basiani fell from the hands of the youngest brother, their sister grabbed hold of it immediately, and when she also fell, the banner and symbol of Georgian invincibility was raised up again by their mother. Teimuraz fought until sunset, when every sword he had held in his hands had been broken. Even his rings were broken in the combat. uniform of the brilliant military leader Giorgi Saakadze was stained with blood from top to bottom. Manuchar of Samtskhe and his sons also fought bravely in this battle. exhausted and debilitated by the heat, the Georgians fought heroically to the last moment. But the battle that had begun at dawn finally ended late that night with the defeat of the Georgian army. Nine thousand Georgians gave their lives for Christ and their motherland on the battlefield at Marabda.

Georgia, 1625, Battle of Marabda, Persia defeats Georgia
Georgia, 1625, Battle of Marabda, Persia defeats Georgia Marabda; 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers with their Mother and Sister and Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda, Commemorated August 3 ; the Feast of the Annunciation in the year 1625, the Georgians annihilated the army of the Persian shah Abbas I in the Battle of Martqopi. The victory unified Georgia’s eastern provinces of Kartli and Kakheti. It also instilled hope in other enslaved peoples of the Transcaucasus, and rebellions began to break out everywhere. the enraged Shah Abbas marched his finest and largest army toward Georgia under the leadership of Isa-Khan Qurchibash. A Georgian army of some twenty thousand men encamped near Kojori-Tabakhmela in preparation for the attack, while the enemy’s army, which numbered in excess of fifty thousand men, encamped at Marabda. According to tradition, the Georgian soldiers received Holy Communion at dawn before the battle. Domenti (Avalishvili) of Ruisi prepared to serve the Holy Gifts to the soldiers but they cried out with a single voice: “If you will join us and take up your sword and fight, then do so. We can receive Holy Communion from another!” by these words, the bishop joined in, proclaiming, “Today we will fight a battle for faith and for Christ; therefore my blood must be spilled before yours!” With his vestments as armor, the bishop blessed the soldiers and took his place in the front line. banner of the Georgian army was entrusted to the nine Kherkheulidze brothers. Persians panicked upon coming face-to-face with the courage and fortitude of the Georgian soldiers, but the experienced commander Isa-Khan Qurchibash would not yield in battle. Help arrived from Beglerbeg Shaybani-Khan, and with the extra forces the Persians soon gained the advantage over the Georgian army. The Georgian colonel Teimuraz Mukhranbatoni was fatally wounded, and rumors of his death threw the soldiers into a frenzy, since they erroneously believed that the dead man was King Teimuraz I of Kakheti, the commander of their army. that their leader had fallen, the Georgian soldiers became anxious and their army was enfeebled. Before long they recognized their mistake, but it was too late—the fate of the battle had already been decided. military leaders Davit Jandieri, Aghatang Kherkheulidze and Baadur Tsitsishvili and the bishops of Rustavi and Kharchasho all fell in the battle at Marabda. The nine banner-bearing Kherkheulidze brothers were also killed. When the banner that had led their army through the battles at Didgori and Basiani fell from the hands of the youngest brother, their sister grabbed hold of it immediately, and when she also fell, the banner and symbol of Georgian invincibility was raised up again by their mother. Teimuraz fought until sunset, when every sword he had held in his hands had been broken. Even his rings were broken in the combat. The uniform of the brilliant military leader Giorgi Saakadze was stained with blood from top to bottom. Atabeg Manuchar of Samtskhe and his sons also fought bravely in this battle. exhausted and debilitated by the heat, the Georgians fought heroically to the last moment. But the battle that had begun at dawn finally ended late that night with the defeat of the Georgian army. Nine thousand Georgians gave their lives for Christ and their motherland on the battlefield at Marabda.

Georgia, 1630, Dagestani Raid on David Gareja Monastery
Dagestani Raid on David Gareja Monastery 1630 Abbas I of Persia attack on Georgia (1616) ; Hieromartyr Kozman, Commemorated on July 18; 6,000 Martyrs of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on April 26;

Georgia, 1632-1642, Catholicos, Evdemoz or Eudemus I of Georgia
Georgian Catholicos, 1632-1642, Evdemoz or Eudemus I of Georgia ; Martyr Evdemoz the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on October 4;

Georgia, 1632-1658, King, Rostom-Khan or Rostom of Kartli, Shia Muslim
Georgian King, 1632-1658, Rostom-Khan or Rostom of Kartli, Shia Muslim; Martyr Evdemoz the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on October 4;

Georgia, 1645-1762, Kingdom of Kakheti, Eastern Georgia
Kingdom of Kakheti; Martyr Ilia Chavchavadze of Georgia, Commemorated on July 20; Venerable Salome of Ujarma, Commemorated January 15 ; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23;

Georgia, 1650-1660, Saint, Bidzina Cholokashvili, Bakhtroni Uprising 1659,
Georgia, 1650-1660, Saint, Bidzina Cholokashvili; Cholokashvili (died c. 1660) is a Christian martyr canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church. His feast is celebrated on October 1. He was one of the leaders of Bakhtrioni Uprising (1659). During the 1630s he was a "sakhltukhutsesi" of Kingdom of Kakheti. In the battle between Teimuraz and Rostom he supported the former. In 1648 by order of Teimuraz he invaded Ertso in order to make Ertso-Tianeti subordinate to the King. After the uprising Shah summoned Bidzina as well as Shalva and Elizbar Eristavi, who later were forced to converse their religion, but none of them accepted. As a result, they were given to tribes whose members were slaughtered during the uprising. Bidzina was tortured and killed. Greatmartyr and Prince Bidzina of Georgia, Commemorated on September 18;

Georgia, 1658-1675, King, King Vakhtang V of Kartli, Shia Muslim
Georgian King, 1658-1675, King Vakhtang V of Kartli, Shia Muslim ; Greatmartyr and Prince Bidzina of Georgia, Commemorated on September 18; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28;

Georgia, 1661-1675, King, Archil II of Imereti, unsuccessful, retired to Russia, poet
Georgian King, 1661-1675, Archil II of Imereti ; (1647 - April 16, 1713), of Bagrationi dynasty, king of Imereti in western Georgia (1661-1663, 1678-1679, 1690-1691, 1695–1696, and 1698) and of Kakheti in eastern Georgia (1664 - 75). After a series of unsuccessful attempts to establish himself on the throne of Imereti, Archil retired to Russia where he spearheaded the cultural life of a local Georgian community. He was also a lyric poet. Repose of St. Anthimus, Bishop of Georgia, Commemorated on September 14; Martyr Archil II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21 ; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28;

Georgia, 1675-1703, King, Heraclius I of Kakheti, then Kartli, Shia Muslim
Georgian King, 1675-1703, Heraclius I of Kakheti; I or Nazar AlÄ« Khan (1642-1709), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was a Georgian monarch who ruled the kingdoms of Kakheti (1675-1676, 1703-1709) and Kartli (1688-1703) under the protection of the Safavid dynasty of Iran. Fathers martyred by the Dagestanians, Commemorated on June 1; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28;

Georgia, 1690, Fathers martyred by the Dagestanians, David Gareja monastery, Kakheti, dagestani robbers killed & destroyed icons
Georgia, 1690, Fathers martyred by the Dagestanians, David Gareja monastery complex, Kakheti, Georgia (Iori River 4), Shio's brother killed b, became monk, in charge, dagestani robbers killed and destroyed icons; David Gareja monastery complex (Georgia) ; Fathers martyred by the Dagestanians, Commemorated on June 1; holy monk-martyrs Shio the New, David, Gabriel and Paul labored in the David-Gareji Wilderness at the end of the 17th century. Shio was from the village of Vedzisi in the Kartli region. His parents, Papuna and Tamar, were wealthy and highly influential people. They had eight children: five sons and three daughters. After their parents died, Shio’s brothers quarreled so intensely over their inheritance that the eldest brother finally killed the youngest. disturbed by this tragedy, blessed Shio sought to withdraw from the vanity of the world—a world in which brother can murder brother and a son can murder his father. Shio confessed his desire to his spiritual father, and he was advised to journey to the David-Gareji Monastery and be tonsured a monk. In fact, the abbot, Fr. Onopre (Machutadze), had invited Shio to the monastery several times before, saying, “Come, brother Shio, and let us finish our lives here.” great joy Onopre received Shio, who was already revered by many for his faith and chastity. He directed him to a cell and clothed him as a novice. Shio’s tireless labors, humility, and manifest love for his brothers inspired many to seek his counsel. The abbot himself often trusted Shio to administer the affairs of the monastery in his absence. Fr. Onopre departed to attend to some matters outside the monastery, leaving Shio in charge. After Vespers and a meal, the exhausted brothers were settling down to rest when a band of Dagestani robbers suddenly stormed the monastery grounds. They ransacked the monastery and captured Hieromonk Shio and the monks David, Gabriel and Paul and killed them. Some of the brothers who remained tried to flee, but they were caught and brutally slain. cells of the David-Gareji Monastery were soaked with blood. Then the Dagestanis, yet unsatisfied, seized and destroyed nearly all the monastery’s property. They stole some of the clerical vestments, and the rest they cut in pieces and tossed in a well. Then they hacked the holy icons to pieces with their axes. the blessing of the catholicos and by order of the king, the mutilated relics of the holy martyrs were buried in the courtyard south of the grave of Saint David of Gareji. Martyrs Shio, David, Gabriel, and Paul of Akhalkalaki in Georgia, Commemorated on June 1; holy monk-martyrs Shio the New, David, Gabriel and Paul labored in the David-Gareji Wilderness at the end of the 17th century. Shio was from the village of Vedzisi in the Kartli region. His parents, Papuna and Tamar, were wealthy and highly influential people. They had eight children: five sons and three daughters. After their parents died, Shio’s brothers quarreled so intensely over their inheritance that the eldest brother finally killed the youngest. disturbed by this tragedy, blessed Shio sought to withdraw from the vanity of the world—a world in which brother can murder brother and a son can murder his father. Shio confessed his desire to his spiritual father, and he was advised to journey to the David-Gareji Monastery and be tonsured a monk. In fact, the abbot, Fr. Onopre (Machutadze), had invited Shio to the monastery several times before, saying, “Come, brother Shio, and let us finish our lives here.” great joy Onopre received Shio, who was already revered by many for his faith and chastity. He directed him to a cell and clothed him as a novice. Shio’s tireless labors, humility, and manifest love for his brothers inspired many to seek his counsel. The abbot himself often trusted Shio to administer the affairs of the monastery in his absence. Fr. Onopre departed to attend to some matters outside the monastery, leaving Shio in charge. After Vespers and a meal, the exhausted brothers were settling down to rest when a band of Dagestani robbers suddenly stormed the monastery grounds. They ransacked the monastery and captured Hieromonk Shio and the monks David, Gabriel and Paul and killed them. Some of the brothers who remained tried to flee, but they were caught and brutally slain. cells of the David-Gareji Monastery were soaked with blood. Then the Dagestanis, yet unsatisfied, seized and destroyed nearly all the monastery’s property. They stole some of the clerical vestments, and the rest they cut in pieces and tossed in a well. Then they hacked the holy icons to pieces with their axes. the blessing of the catholicos and by order of the king, the mutilated relics of the holy martyrs were buried in the courtyard south of the grave of Saint David of Gareji.

Georgia, 1700, 18th and 19th Century, Georgia under Russian Control

Georgia, 1703-1724, Georgian King, Vakhtang VI, of Kartli, Persian Vassal, statesman, failed getting rus help
Georgian King, 1703-1724, Vakhtang VI, of Kartli; VI, also known as Vakhtang the Scholar, Vakhtang the Lawgiver and Ḥosaynqolī Khan (September 15, 1675 - March 26, 1737), was a Georgian monarch of the royal Bagrationi dynasty. ruled the East Georgian Kingdom of Kartli as a vassal of Safavid Persia from 1716 to 1724. of the most important and extraordinary statesman of early 18th-century Georgia, he is known as a notable legislator, scholar, critic, translator and poet. reign was eventually terminated by the Ottoman invasion following the disintegration of Safavid Persia, which forced Vakhtang into exile in the Russian Empire. was unable to get the tsar's support for his kingdom and instead had to permanently stay with his northern neighbors for his own safety. his way to a diplomatic mission sanctioned by Empress Anna, he fell ill and died in southern Russia in 1737, never reaching Georgia. Venerable Serapion, Abbot and Wonderworker of the St. John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated August 24 ; Venerable Simeon the Wonderworker, Commemorated September 4 ; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28;

Georgia, 1710-1770, George of Caucasian Iberia, Kartli, young slave, forced Islam, at 70 announced christian, martyred
Georgia, 1710-1770, George of Iberia, Caucasian Iberia, Kartli, Central Georgia, young, into slavery, forced to Islam, Mytilene shop owner, at 70 announced Orthodox christian, beaten, endured, hanged; Caucasian Iberia; New Martyr George of Iberia, Commemorated on January 2 ; George (Zorzes) was from Georgia, and was sold into slavery when he was young. His master, a Muslim from the Greek island of Mytilene, forced him to embrace Islam and renamed him Sali. After his master died, George remained on the island and opened a small shop. In 1770, when he was seventy years old, he appeared before the authorities and announced that he was an Orthodox Christian. The kadi thought that George had lost his mind, since his declaration would lead to his death. next day George was questioned again, and then he was beaten. He endured his torments with silence, but would not be turned from his confession of faith. After more torture, the holy martyr was hanged on January 2, 1770, receiving a crown of glory from the Savior Christ.

Georgia, 1716-1757, Vakhushti of Kartli, Vakhushti Bagrationi, historian and prince
Georgia, 1716-1757, Vakhushti of Kartli, Vakhushti Bagration; Saint Basil of Georgia, son of King Bagrat III, Commemorated on May 27;

Georgia, 1724-1727, Jesse of Kartli, King, Muslim, Persian and Ottoman viceroy
Georgian King, 1724-1727, Jesse of Kartli; also known by his Muslim names Ali-Quli Khan and Mustafa Pasha, (1680 or 1681-1727), of the Mukhranian Bagrationi dynasty, was a king of Kartli (Georgia), acting actually as a Safavid Persian and later Ottoman viceroy (wali) from 1714 to 1716 and from 1724 until his death, respectively. Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28;

Georgia, 1727-1762, King, Teimuraz II of Kakheti, Power after Turks and G rebel against Persians, s rus help, poet
Georgian King, 1727-1744, Teimuraz II of Kakheti; II (1680/1700-1762) of the Bagrationi dynasty, was a king of Kakheti, eastern Georgia, from 1732 to 1744, then of Kartli from 1744 until his death. Teimuraz was also a lyric poet. 1 Life 2 Reburial 3 Family 4 References 5 Sources was a son of Erekle I and his wife Anna. Together with his mother, Teimuraz ruled as regent for his absent brother David II (Imam Quli-Khan) from 1709 to 1715. In 1732, the Turks killed the next king and Teimuraz’s other brother, Constantine, and took control of his kingdom. His successor, Teimuraz, fled to the mountains of Pshavi and fought the occupants from there. July 1735, the resurgent Persian ruler Nader Shah Afshar invaded Kakheti and forced the Turks out of most of eastern Georgia. Nader summoned Teimuraz to his headquarters at Erivan and, upon his refusal to convert to Islam, had him detained. was placed under the nominal government of Teimuraz's Muslim nephew Ali Mirza. In October 1735, Teimuraz escaped to the mountains of Kakheti and fomented unrest against the Persian rule, but he was captured by the close of 1736. these years, part of Georgian nobles staged a powerful rebellion against the Persian regime. 1738, the shah had to release Teimuraz to counter the Georgian opposition, and made him governor of Kakheti, while his son Erekle II campaigned with Nader in India.[1][2] uprising now turned into a brutal civil war between pro- and anti-Persian factions. Teimuraz, aided by his son Erekle II, was able to crush the rebels led by Givi Amilakhvari. a reward, the shah abolished, in 1742, a heavy tribute laid upon Kakheti, and helped Teimuraz to subdue autonomous duchies of the Aragvi and the Ksani in 1743 and 1744 respectively. For his service against the Ottomans and an anti-Persian revolt, in 1744, Teimuraz was confirmed by the shah as king of Kartli, and his son Erekle was given a Kakhetian crown, thus laying the ground for the eventual reunification of these Georgian kingdoms. importantly, they were recognised as Christian kings for the first time since 1632. Both monarchs were crowned at the Cathedral of the Living Pillar (Svetitskhoveli) at Mtskheta on October 1, 1745. their power growing increasingly stronger, Teimuraz and Erekle soon repudiated their allegiance to the Persian suzerain. Shah ordered 30,000 Persian troops to move into Georgia and entrusted a Georgian convert (and a former anti-Persian leader) Amilakhvari with the punitive operation. The shah was, however, murdered in 1747, and his empire became engulf into complete chaos. rulers of Kartli and Kakheti took advantage of the situation and expelled all Persian garrisons from their kingdoms. 1749 to 1750, they checked several attempts of Persian pretenders to create their powerbase in the eastern Transcaucasia, and made the neighbouring khanates of Yerevan, Ganja, and Nakhichevan their tributaries. fought then against the Dagestani clansmen who frequently raided the Georgian marchlands, but without complete success. several previous Georgian rulers, he hoped that the expanding Russian empire would be the only protector for the Christians of Caucasus against the Ottoman and Persian aggressions. sent an embassy to St Petersburg in 1752, but nothing came of this mission. In 1760, he visited the Russian court himself to gain a support for his project of a Georgian expedition to Persia to put a Russian candidate on the shah’s throne. The Russians were too preoccupied with the Seven Years' War to seriously consider Teimuraz’s idea. died suddenly in the Russian capital on January 8, 1762 (just a fortnight after Elizabeth of Russia incidentally), and was buried next to his father-in-law Vakhtang VI in the Cathedral of the Assumption, Astrakhan. his death, Erekle succeeded as king of Kartli, bringing both eastern Georgian kingdoms into a single state (Kingdom of Kartli and Kakheti) he was constantly at war or on guard, Teimuraz found some time to translate from Persian and compose, virtually on horseback, his own poems and lyrics. Venerable Shio Mgvime, Commemorated on March 3; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17 ; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28;

Georgia, 1732-1778, Rousseau, modern thought, Facist, Nazi, Marxist, progressive
Switzerland, 1732-1778, Rousseau, enlightenment, modern political, social thought, Facism, Naziism, Communism, democracy, progressive; Rousseau; 28 June 1712 - 2 July 1778) was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Enlightenment throughout Europe, as well as aspects of the French Revolution and the development of modern political, economic and educational thought.[1] Discourse on Inequality and The Social Contract are cornerstones in modern political and social thought. Rousseau's sentimental novel Julie, or the New Heloise (1761) was important to the development of preromanticism and romanticism in fiction.[2][3] His Emile, or On Education (1762) is an educational treatise on the place of the individual in society. Rousseau's autobiographical writings—the posthumously published Confessions (composed in 1769), which initiated the modern autobiography, and the unfinished Reveries of the Solitary Walker (composed 1776–1778)—exemplified the late-18th-century "Age of Sensibility", and featured an increased focus on subjectivity and introspection that later characterized modern writing. befriended fellow philosopher Denis Diderot in 1742, and would later write about Diderot's romantic troubles in his Confessions. During the period of the French Revolution, Rousseau was the most popular of the philosophers among members of the Jacobin Club. He was interred as a national hero in the Panthéon in Paris, in 1794, 16 years after his death. Absolved From Being Good-Mannered: The Romantic Totalitarianism of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, May 20, 2021 ;

Georgia, 1736, Nadir, Persian Afsharid Shah, Sunni, Invaded Georgia, destroyed Shio's relics
Persia, 1736-1747, Persian Afsharid Shah, Nadir, Sunni ; Hieromartyr Dositheus of Tbilisi, Commemorated September 12 ; Venerable Shio Mgvime (relics story), Commemorated on March 3;

Georgia, 1744-1761, Teimuraz II, Kakheti and Kartli, sought Russian help
Georgian King, 1744-1761, Teimuraz II, of Kakheti and Kartli; II (1680/1700-1762) of the Bagrationi dynasty, was a king of Kakheti, eastern Georgia, from 1732 to 1744, then of Kartli from 1744 until his death. Teimuraz was also a lyric poet. 1 Life 2 Reburial 3 Family 4 References 5 Sources was a son of Erekle I and his wife Anna. Together with his mother, Teimuraz ruled as regent for his absent brother David II (Imam Quli-Khan) from 1709 to 1715. In 1732, the Turks killed the next king and Teimuraz’s other brother, Constantine, and took control of his kingdom. His successor, Teimuraz, fled to the mountains of Pshavi and fought the occupants from there. July 1735, the resurgent Persian ruler Nader Shah Afshar invaded Kakheti and forced the Turks out of most of eastern Georgia. Nader summoned Teimuraz to his headquarters at Erivan and, upon his refusal to convert to Islam, had him detained. was placed under the nominal government of Teimuraz's Muslim nephew Ali Mirza. In October 1735, Teimuraz escaped to the mountains of Kakheti and fomented unrest against the Persian rule, but he was captured by the close of 1736. these years, part of Georgian nobles staged a powerful rebellion against the Persian regime. 1738, the shah had to release Teimuraz to counter the Georgian opposition, and made him governor of Kakheti, while his son Erekle II campaigned with Nader in India.[1][2] uprising now turned into a brutal civil war between pro- and anti-Persian factions. Teimuraz, aided by his son Erekle II, was able to crush the rebels led by Givi Amilakhvari. a reward, the shah abolished, in 1742, a heavy tribute laid upon Kakheti, and helped Teimuraz to subdue autonomous duchies of the Aragvi and the Ksani in 1743 and 1744 respectively. For his service against the Ottomans and an anti-Persian revolt, in 1744, Teimuraz was confirmed by the shah as king of Kartli, and his son Erekle was given a Kakhetian crown, thus laying the ground for the eventual reunification of these Georgian kingdoms. importantly, they were recognised as Christian kings for the first time since 1632. Both monarchs were crowned at the Cathedral of the Living Pillar (Svetitskhoveli) at Mtskheta on October 1, 1745. their power growing increasingly stronger, Teimuraz and Erekle soon repudiated their allegiance to the Persian suzerain. Shah ordered 30,000 Persian troops to move into Georgia and entrusted a Georgian convert (and a former anti-Persian leader) Amilakhvari with the punitive operation. The shah was, however, murdered in 1747, and his empire became engulf into complete chaos. rulers of Kartli and Kakheti took advantage of the situation and expelled all Persian garrisons from their kingdoms. 1749 to 1750, they checked several attempts of Persian pretenders to create their powerbase in the eastern Transcaucasia, and made the neighbouring khanates of Yerevan, Ganja, and Nakhichevan their tributaries. fought then against the Dagestani clansmen who frequently raided the Georgian marchlands, but without complete success. several previous Georgian rulers, he hoped that the expanding Russian empire would be the only protector for the Christians of Caucasus against the Ottoman and Persian aggressions. sent an embassy to St Petersburg in 1752, but nothing came of this mission. In 1760, he visited the Russian court himself to gain a support for his project of a Georgian expedition to Persia to put a Russian candidate on the shah’s throne. The Russians were too preoccupied with the Seven Years' War to seriously consider Teimuraz’s idea. died suddenly in the Russian capital on January 8, 1762 (just a fortnight after Elizabeth of Russia incidentally), and was buried next to his father-in-law Vakhtang VI in the Cathedral of the Assumption, Astrakhan. his death, Erekle succeeded as king of Kartli, bringing both eastern Georgian kingdoms into a single state (Kingdom of Kartli and Kakheti) he was constantly at war or on guard, Teimuraz found some time to translate from Persian and compose, virtually on horseback, his own poems and lyrics. St Euthymius the Elder of the St John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated on August 8; Venerable Serapion, Abbot and Wonderworker of the St. John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated August 24 ; Venerable Simeon the Wonderworker, Commemorated September 4 ; St Joseph the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on October 17; New Martyr George of Iberia, Commemorated on January 2; Venerable Shio Mgvime, Commemorated on March 3; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17 ; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28;

Georgia, 1750-1802, Gabriel the Lesser, Tbilisi, a major figure, writer, historian, k by Dagestanis
Georgia, 1750-1802, Gabriel the Lesser, Tbilisi, Kartli, Georgia Capital (Tiblisi River Mouth, Kura River 9), Gabriel the Lesser was a major figure in the eighteenth-century Georgian Church, well educated, tailor but monastic life, left for monastic life, writer, historian, killed by Moslem Dagestanis; Tbilisi; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17; Gabriel the Lesser was a major figure in the eighteenth-century Georgian Church. Few details of his life are known, but it is evident that the education he received was quite good for the period. Striving toward the monastic life but still living in the world, Gabriel tried in every way to close himself off from the vanity of the world. He kept a small sewing shop in Tbilisi and distributed most of his profits to the poor. day Saint Gabriel abandoned his business and set off for the Davit-Gareji Wilderness, where he was tonsured a monk. Gabriel occupied much of his time with writing, and his works left a significant mark on the spiritual literature of Georgia. He compiled several collections of patristic writings, and he also wrote original works of a theological nature. His original writings include An Explanation of the Hierarchical Liturgy, which describes in detail the meaning of every part of the service, Spiritual Stories of the Pious, The Life and Labors of Venerable Schemamonk Onisphore, A Short Story of Porphyry, and writings on the Nomocanon of the Sixth Ecumenical Council. the brothers at his monastery, Saint Gabriel was distinguished by a remarkable capacity for love and a fervent desire to help others: he helped all, cared for all, and encouraged all. During the Great Fast in 1802, a certain archdeacon came from Tbilisi to Davit-Gareji Monastery, desiring to draw closer to the ascetic way of life. After some time, however, he became anxious to see his family and decided to return home. Saint Gabriel accompanied him on his way, but the two men were suddenly assailed by Dagestanis, and the holy father was killed. The brothers carried his relics back to the monastery and buried them there with great honor.

Georgia, 1752-1782, King, Solomon I of Imereti, The Great, defeated Ottomana invasions, unified Georgia, reforms
Georgia, 1752-1782, King, Solomon I of Imereti, The Great ; I, "the Great", (1735 - April 23, 1784), of the Bagrationi Dynasty, was King of Imereti (western Georgia) from 1752 to 1765 and again from 1767 until his death in 1784. was a son of Alexander V of Imereti by his second wife Tamar née Abashidze and succeeded upon his father's death in 1752. immediately launched a series of stringent measures against the renegade nobles and slave trade from which they profited in conjunction with the Ottoman authorities. In 1752, the aristocratic opposition staged a coup, but Solomon quickly regained the crown and began a program of reforms aimed at stabilizing the kingdom torn apart by chronic civil wars. The Ottomans, which saw Imereti as the sphere of their influence, sent in an army, but Solomon succeeded in mobilizing his nobles around him and defeated the invaders at the Battle of Khresili in 1757. The same year, he forged an alliance with his kinsman, Heraclius II, who ruled in eastern Georgia. He defeated two more Ottoman invasions (20,000 strong and 13,000 strong). The Ottoman instigated invasion of North Caucasus tribes, one of which succeeded, while second one was thwarted. Briefly, Ottomans took Kutaisi in 1765 and placed his cousin, Teimuraz on the throne. In 1767, Solomon managed to stage a comeback, and freed Imereti of Turks again. Next year, another Russo-Turkish broke out, and in May 1769, Solomon traveled to Tbilisi to meet with Heraclius II. The two kings decided to request five Russian regiments and join the war with the Ottoman Empire in exchange of the guarantee that Georgian interests would be protected in the final Russo-Turkish peace deal. The Russians sent a small force under General Gottlieb Heinrich Totleben, but the general's rudeness and condescension alienated the Georgians; Totleben was quickly recalled from Georgia. After the war was over, Solomon was able to force his autonomist vassals, princes of Mingrelia and Guria, into submission, and continued antagonizing the Ottoman hegemony in the region. Ottomans had no choice but to sign a treaty with Imereti, by which Imeterti was no longer Ottoman vassal, slave trade was not even mentioned, with symbolic tribute of 60 women annually (did not stipulate them to be Georgians, and Solomon never honored this clause anyway). He crushed the Ottoman-sponsored insurrection in Abkhazia in 1779, and made a series of forays into the Turkish-controlled southwestern historic Georgian lands. He died in March 1784 and was buried at the Gelati Monastery. He was canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church on 22 December 2016, his feast day set for 23 April (NS 10 April).[1] I was married three times; first, to Princess Tinatin Shervashidze, second to Princess Mariam, daughter of Otia Dadiani (died 1778), Prince of Mingrelia, and third, Princess Gulkan Tsulukidze (1730–1800). He had five children, three sons and two daughters: Prince David, born of Solomon's first marriage to Tinatin Shervashidze. Prince Alexander (1760–1780), born by Mariam Dadiani. He led a revolt against Solomon in 1778. Princess Darejan (ka) (1756–1827), born by Mariam Dadiani. She married, in 1768, Prince Kaikhosro Abashidze. Their son, Ivane Abashidze, was a pretender to the throne of Imereti in 1820. Princess Mariam (1769–1845), born by Mariam Dadiani. She married Prince Elizbar Eristavi of Ksani (1738–1813). Prince Bagrat, an extramarital son. St. Jacob the Elder, and disciple of St. Anthony of Chqondidi, Commemorated on October 13;

Georgia, 1762-1798, Heraclius II, Erekle II, he placed his kingdom under Russian protection in 1783
Georgian King, 1762-1798, Heraclius II (Erekle II) of Georgia and Kartli; II, also known as Erekle II and The Little Kakhetian[1] (7 November 1720 or 7 October 1721 [according to C. Toumanoff[2]] - 11 January 1798), was a Georgian monarch of the Bagrationi dynasty, reigning as the king of Kakheti from 1744 to 1762, and of Kartli and Kakheti from 1762 until 1798. the contemporary Persian sources he is referred to as Erekli Khan, while Russians knew him as Irakly. His name is frequently transliterated in a Latinized form Heraclius because both names Erekle and Irakli are Georgian versions of this Greek name.[3] being granted the kingship of Kakheti by his overlord Nader Shah in 1744 as a reward for his loyalty,[4] to becoming the penultimate king of the united kingdoms of Kakheti and Kartli in eastern Georgia, his reign is regarded as the swan song of the Georgian monarchy.[5] by his personal abilities and the unrest in the Persian Empire, Heraclius established himself as a de facto autonomous ruler, unified eastern Georgia politically for the first time in three centuries,[6] and attempted to modernize the government, economics, and military. by the internal and external menaces to Georgia's precarious independence and its temporary hegemony in eastern Transcaucasia, he placed his kingdom under the formal Russian protection in 1783, but the move did not prevent Georgia from being devastated by the Persian invasion in 1795. Heraclius died in 1798, leaving the throne to his moribund heir, George XII. St Euthymius the Elder of the St John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated on August 8; Venerable Serapion, Abbot and Wonderworker of the St. John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated August 24 ; Venerable Simeon the Wonderworker, Commemorated September 4 ; Hieromartyr Dositheus of Tbilisi, Commemorated September 12 ; Venerable Joseph the Elder and Wonderworker of Khevi, Georgia, Commemorated October 7 ; St Jacob the Elder, and disciple of St Anthony of Chqondidi, Commemorated on October 13; St Joseph the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on October 17; New Martyr George of Iberia, Commemorated on January 2; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17 ;

Georgia, 1762-1800, Georgian Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti, Tbilisi, Georgia
Georgian Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti, 1762-1800, Tbilisi, Georgia; St Euthymius the Elder of the St John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated on August 8; Martyr Constantine the King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 10 ; St Hilarion the Georgian, the New, Commemorated February 14 ; New Martyr George of Iberia, Commemorated on January 2;

Georgia, 1768-1774, Russo-Turkish War (1768-“74), Turks in Georgia
Moscow, 1768-1774, Russo-Turkish War (1768-“74) ; Venerable Paisius Velichkovsky, Commemorated on November 15; Repose of the Venerable Seraphim the Wonderworker of Sarov, Commemorated on January 2;

Georgia, 1783-1917, Georgia in the Russian Empire, by Choice
Georgia, 1783-1917, Georgia in the Russian Empire; Saint Hilarion the New of Georgia, Commemorated on February 14; the Russian annexation of Kartli-Kakheti, the imperial court of the tsar increased diplomatic correspondence with the court of King Solomon II. king was urged likewise to unite the Imeretian Kingdom to Russia. Solomon summoned a council of noblemen, and it was decided that Imereti would remain independent, while maintaining friendly relations with Russia until the king’s death. However, it was agreed that since King Solomon had no heir, after his repose the court of the imperial tsar would acquire jurisdiction over the region. the political climate in Georgia became increasingly tense, and the ability of the Imeretian court to govern was severely undermined. court was suddenly besieged with cases of envy and treason, and it became necessary for the king to flee to Turkey. Protopresbyter Ise Qanchaveli accompanied King Solomon II to his place of exile and remained with him to the end of the king’s life. the king’s death in 1815, Fr. Ise received an amnesty from Tsar Alexander I (1801-1825) on behalf of the king and his court. Ise himself planned to go into reclusion in the village where he was born, King Solomon’s widow, Queen Mariam, summoned him to Moscow where she was being held in “honorable captivity.â€ Fr. Ise brought to her a piece of the Life-giving Cross of our Lord, which had belonged to King Solomon, and the queen preserved her husband’s treasure in the court church. life at the imperial court was tiresome for the God-fearing Fr. Ise, so he exchanged his clothing for beggars’ rags and set off for Mt. Athos in the year 1819.

Georgia, 1788-1830, Prince Ioane of Georgia, John Bagrationi, historian and prince
Georgia, 1788-1830, Prince Ioane of Georgia, John Bagrationi; Saint Basil of Georgia, son of King Bagrat III, Commemorated on May 27;

Georgia, 1789-1815, Georgian King, Solomon II of Imereti, final King of G
Georgian King, 1789-1815,Solomon II of Imereti; II (1772 – February 7, 1815), of the Bagrationi Dynasty, was the last King of Imereti (western Georgia) from 1789 to 1790 and from 1792 until his deposition by the Imperial Russian government in 1810. was born as David to Prince Archil of Imereti, brother of King Solomon I of Imereti, by his wife Helene, daughter of King Heraclius II of Georgia. Solomon I, who died in 1784 without a male heir, named his nephew David as his successor. However, Solomon's cousin David II prevented him, and another rival prince, from being crowned as king and occupied the throne, leading to a civil war. II interfered on behalf of his grandson and sent in an army, defeating David II at the Battle of Matkhoji on June 11, 1789. David, son of Archil, was crowned as King of Imereti under the name of Solomon II, but David II continued his efforts to resume the throne until his final defeat in 1792. He ruled under the protection of his maternal grandfather, Heraclius II, and continued Solomon I's policy of restricting the powers of feudal aristocracy. In 1795, he and Heraclius fought with a small Imeretian force at the Battle of Krtsanisi against the Persians, only to be completely defeated by the latter. Heraclius' death in 1798, and the annexation of the eastern Georgian kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti (east of Imereti) by Russia in 1800, the situation in Imereti became precarious. refractory vassals, princes of Mingrelia and Guria (west of Imereti), assumed the Russian protection and put forward territorial claims to the royal domains. Solomon attempted to enlist Ottoman and Persian support against the anticipated Russian encroachment. However, the Russian commander in Georgia, Prince Pavel Tsitsianov, moved his army into Imereti and forced Solomon to succumb to Russian vassalage in the convention of Elaznauri of April 25, 1804. Yet, Solomon's relations with Russia continued to be strained. February 20, 1810, the Russian administration removed Solomon from the throne and sent in troops to take control of the kingdom. Solomon retaliated by rallying people against Russia and tried to enlist Turkey, Persia and Napoleonic France in his cause. Outnumbered and defeated, Solomon fled to the Ottoman possessions in Trebizond where he died in 1815 and was buried at the Saint Gregory of Nyssa Church.[1] The body of Solomon II, the last reigning Georgian king, was moved from Trebizond to Gelati Monastery, Georgia, in 1990.[2] was married to Mariam (1783–1841), daughter of Katsia Dadiani, Prince of Mingrelia, with no children. St Hilarion the Georgian, the New, Commemorated on February 14; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17 ;

Georgia, 1790, Acharistsqali Bridge, Turks chopped heads of elderly, sent tongue ends to pasha
Acharistsqali (Adjara's Water); Martyred Fathers and Mothers of Atchara, Commemorated on May 29; his work The Islamization of Georgia, or the Spread of Islam in Western Georgia in the 17th-18th Centuries, the renowned early twentieth-century scholar Zakaria Chichinadze retold a story he had heard from one elderly Atcharan man: “In Atchara the implanting of Islam faced a powerful opposition. Many of the elderly men and the majority of women stood firmly by the Christian Faith, and even challenged and debated the Turkish mullahs.... The number of these aged men in Atchara was considerably high. In the end an order was issued: to arrest all dissidents, forcibly convert them to Islam, and execute those who resisted. Before long all the elderly Christians of Atchara were arrested and cast in prison. Then they were led to the River Atcharistsqali, to a 12th-century bridge known as the ‘Bridge of Queen Tamar.’ On that bridge the Ottomans erected a guillotine. “They chopped off the heads of the elderly people, sent the ends of their tongues to the pasha, and threw their bodies into the river. This happened one hundred years ago, in the year 1790.â€ and a guillotine were erected in the villages of Atcharistsqali, Keda, Chakvi, Khulo, Machakhela, and Gonio. The documents preserved in the manuscript collection at Akhaltsikhe Museum describe in even more horrific detail the martyrdom of the Atcharan Christians: “The human tongue is powerless to describe the tortures that the Georgians suffered in those years for confessing Christianity. While they were still alive their flesh was stripped and their bodies quartered; they were slashed to pieces with swords, their bellies ripped open; they were roasted over campfires. They were pierced with flaming rods, thrown into cauldrons of boiling water; molten lead was poured down their throats; they were tossed into pools of hot lime....â€

Georgia, 1790, Acharistsqali Bridge, Turks controlled all of Western Georgia and Samtskhe
Acharistsqali (Adjara's Water); Martyred Fathers and Mothers of Atchara, Commemorated on May 29; his work The Islamization of Georgia, or the Spread of Islam in Western Georgia in the 17th-18th Centuries, the renowned early twentieth-century scholar Zakaria Chichinadze retold a story he had heard from one elderly Atcharan man: “In Atchara the implanting of Islam faced a powerful opposition. Many of the elderly men and the majority of women stood firmly by the Christian Faith, and even challenged and debated the Turkish mullahs.... The number of these aged men in Atchara was considerably high. In the end an order was issued: to arrest all dissidents, forcibly convert them to Islam, and execute those who resisted. Before long all the elderly Christians of Atchara were arrested and cast in prison. Then they were led to the River Atcharistsqali, to a 12th-century bridge known as the ‘Bridge of Queen Tamar.’ On that bridge the Ottomans erected a guillotine. “They chopped off the heads of the elderly people, sent the ends of their tongues to the pasha, and threw their bodies into the river. This happened one hundred years ago, in the year 1790.â€ and a guillotine were erected in the villages of Atcharistsqali, Keda, Chakvi, Khulo, Machakhela, and Gonio. The documents preserved in the manuscript collection at Akhaltsikhe Museum describe in even more horrific detail the martyrdom of the Atcharan Christians: “The human tongue is powerless to describe the tortures that the Georgians suffered in those years for confessing Christianity. While they were still alive their flesh was stripped and their bodies quartered; they were slashed to pieces with swords, their bellies ripped open; they were roasted over campfires. They were pierced with flaming rods, thrown into cauldrons of boiling water; molten lead was poured down their throats; they were tossed into pools of hot lime....â€

Georgia, 1795, Battle of Krtsanisi, Tiblisi, Persian V, Muslim Traitors, T in flames, murdered people and clergy
Georgia, Battle of Krtsanisi, Tiblisi, 1795, Muslim Traitors inside the gates ; Battle of Krtsanisi was fought between the Qajar Iran (Persia) and the Georgian armies of the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti and Kingdom of Imereti at the place of Krtsanisi[10] near Tbilisi, Georgia, from September 8 to September 11, 1795, part of Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar's war in response to King Heraclius II of Georgia’s alliance with the Russian Empire.[11] battle resulted in the decisive defeat of the Georgians, capture, and complete destruction of their capital Tbilisi,[8] as well as the temporary absorption of eastern parts of Georgia into the Iranian Empire.[3][4][12][13] the Qajars were victorious and Agha Mohammad Khan kept his promise to Heraclius (Erekle) that if he would not drop the alliance with Russia and voluntarily reaccept Iranian suzerainty they would invade his kingdom, also showed that Russia's own ambitions and agenda were set as the most important reason for Russia not to intervene at Krtsanisi, even though the latter had officially declared in the Treaty of Georgievsk of 1783 that it would protect Erekle's kingdom against any new Iranian ambitions to re-subjugate Georgia. in order to restore Russian prestige, Catherine would launch a punitive campaign against Iran the next year, but it was shortly recalled after her death. following years remained turbulent and were known as a time of muddle and confusion. Reestablishment of Iranian rule over Georgia did not last long, for the shah was assassinated in 1797 in Shusha, and the Georgian king had died the year after. Georgia laying in ruins and the central rule in Iran being concerned with the next heir to the throne, it opened the way for Georgia's annexation by Russia several years later by Tsar Paul. Iran could not permit or allow the cession of Transcaucasia and Dagestan, which were integral parts of Iran for centuries, the consequences of the Krtsanisi battle directly led to the bitter Russo-Persian War (1804-1813) and Russo-Persian War (1826-1828), in which Fath Ali Shah, Agha Mohammad Khan's successor, attempted to reverse Russian military advances and restore Iranian authority north of the Aras and Kura rivers.[14] After these wars, Iran ceded Transcaucasia and Dagestan to imperial Russia per the Treaty of Gulistan (1813) and the Treaty of Turkmenchay (1828).[14] Georgia, composed of the kingdoms of Kartli and Kakheti, had been in the early modern era under Iranian suzerainty since the 1510s.[15] 1744, Nader Shah had granted the kingship of Kartli and Kakheti to Teimuraz II and his son Erekle II (Heraclius II) respectively, as a reward for their loyalty.[16] Nader Shah died in 1747, they capitalized on the chaos that had erupted in mainland Iran, and declared de facto independence. After Teimuraz II died in 1762, Erekle II assumed control over Kartli, and united the two kingdoms in a personal union as the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti, becoming the first Georgian ruler to preside over a politically unified eastern Georgia in three centuries.[17] about the same time, Karim Khan Zand had ascended the Iranian throne; Erekle II quickly tendered his de jure submission to the new Iranian ruler, however, de facto, he remained autonomous.[18][19] 1783, Heraclius placed his kingdom under the protection of the Russian Empire in the Treaty of Georgievsk. In the last few decades of the 18th century, Georgia had become a more important element in Russo-Iranian relations than some provinces in northern mainland Persia, such as Mazandaran or even Gilan.[20] Peter I, Catherine, the then ruling monarch of Russia, viewed Georgia as a pivot for her Caucasian policy, as Russia's new aspirations were to use it as a base of operations against both Iran and the Ottoman Empire,[21] both immediate bordering geo-political rivals of Russia. top of that, having another port on the Georgian coast of the Black Sea would be ideal.[20] A limited Russian contingent of two infantry battalions with four artillery pieces arrived in Tbilisi in 1784,[18] but was withdrawn, despite the frantic protests of the Georgians, in 1787 as a new war against Ottoman Turkey had started on a different front.[18] the next several years, Russia would be too occupied with Turkey (due to the 1768-74 war), Poland, and the European consequences of the French Revolution to give Georgia much attention. the consolidation of the Qajar dynasty under Agha Mohammad Khan, who had become the new owners to the Iranian throne and therefore the new heirs to the geo-politically rivalling empire that had been bordering Russia for centuries, did not divert Catherine from preoccupations in the west.[18] 1791, when Agha Mohammad Khan was in Tabriz, Erekle asked General Gudovich, commander of the Russian Caucasian Line, for renewed military aid, but the government in St.Petersburg did not judge it expedient to send troops again to Georgia.[18] 1792, Gudovich told Erekle that he would receive only diplomatic support in the advent of any Iranian onslaught.[5] Despite being left to his own devices, Heraclius still cherished a dream of establishing, with Russian protection, a strong and united monarchy, into which the western Georgian Kingdom of Imereti and the lost provinces under Ottoman rule would all eventually be drawn.[8] consequences of these events came a few years later, when a new dynasty, the Qajars, emerged victorious in the protracted power struggle in Persia. head, Agha Mohammad Khan, as his first objective,[22] resolved to bring the Caucasus again fully under the Persian orbit. For Agha Mohammah Khan, the resubjugation and reintegration of Georgia into the Iranian Empire was part of the same process that had brought Shiraz, Isfahan, and Tabriz under his rule.[18] He viewed, like the Safavids and Nader Shah before him, the territories no different than the territories in mainland Iran. was a province of Iran the same way Khorasan was.[18] As the Cambridge History of Iran states, its permanent secession was inconceivable and had to be resisted in the same way as one would resist an attempt at the separation of Fars or Gilan.[18] was therefore natural for Agha Mohammad Khan to perform whatever necessary means in the Caucasus in order to subdue and reincorporate the recently lost regions following Nader Shah's death and the demise of the Zands, including putting down what in Iranian eyes was seen as treason on the part of the wali of Georgia.[18] an interval of peace amid their own quarrels and with northern, western, and central Persia secure, the Persians demanded Heraclius II to renounce the treaty with Russia and to reaccept Persian suzerainty,[22] in return for peace and the security of his kingdom. Ottomans, Iran's neighboring rival, recognized Iran's rights over Kartli and Kakheti for the first time in four centuries.[5] Heraclius appealed then to his theoretical protector, Empress Catherine II of Russia, pleading for at least 3,000 Russian troops,[5] but he was not listened to, leaving Georgia to fend off the Persian threat alone.[8] Nevertheless, Heraclius II still rejected the Khan's ultimatum.[23] invasion[edit] capture of Tbilisi by Agha Muhammad Khan. A Qajar-era Persian miniature from the British Library. August 1795, Agha Mohammad Khan crossed the Aras river with a 70,000-strong army.[5] This force was divided in three: the left wing was sent in the direction of Erivan, the right one parallel to the Caspian Sea into the Mughan across the lower Aras towards Dagestan and Shirvan, while the Shah headed the centre force himself, advancing towards the fortress of Shusha in the Karabakh Khanate, which he besieged between 8 July and 9 August 1795.[7] His right and left wing forced the Khans of Ganja and Erivan into alliance respectively.[24] Having abandoned the siege of Shusha due to stiff resistance,[25] which was further aided by Georgian crown prince Aleksandre,[5] the Khan of Karabakh, Ibrahim Khan, eventually surrendered to Mohammad Khan after discussions, including the paying of regular tribute and to surrender hostages, though the Qajar forces were still denied entrance to Shusha.[25] Since the main objective was Georgia, Mohammad Khan was willing to have Karabakh secured by this agreement for now, for he and his army subsequently moved further.[25] While at Ganja, having secured Shirvan, he was joined by Javad Khan Qajar and the rest of his right wing contingent.[24] At Ganja, Mohammad Khan sent Erekle his last ultimatum, who received it in September 1795: Highness knows that for the past 100 generations you have been subject to Iran; now we deign to say with amazement that you have attached yourself to the Russians, who have no other business than to trade with Iran... Last year you forced me to destroy a number of Georgians, although we had no desire at all for our subjects to perish by our own hand...It is now our great will that you, an intelligent man, abandon such things... and break relations with the Russians. If you do not carry out this order, then we shall shortly carry out a campaign against Georgia, we will shed both Georgian and Russian blood and out of it will create rivers as big as the Kura....[5] According to the author of the Fārsnāma-ye Nāṣeri, Ḥasan-e Fasāʼi, a contemporary Qajar era historian, Agha Mohammad Khan had declared in the letter: Ismail I Safavi ruled over the province of Georgia. When in the days of the deceased king we were engaged in conquering the provinces of Persia, we did not proceeed to this region. As most of the provinces of Persia have come into our possession now, you must, according to ancient law, consider Georgia (Gurjistan) part of the empire, and appear before our majesty. You have to conform your obedience; then you may remain in the possession of your governorship (wali) of Georgia. If you do not do this, you will be treated as the others".[26] advisors divided, Erekle ignored the ultimatum, but, sent couriers to St.Petersburg. Gudovich, who sat in Georgievsk at the time, instructed Erekle to avoid "expense and fuss",[5] while Erekle, together with Solomon II and some Imeretians headed southwards of Tbilisi to fend off the Iranians.[5] Mohammad Khan at the same time marched directly on Tbilisi, with half of the army he crossed the Aras river with, though other estimations mention 40,000[7] instead of 35,000,[5][6] and attacked the heavily fortified Georgian positions of Erekle and Solomon on the southwestern limits of the city. Abandoned by several of his nobles, Heraclius II managed to mobilize around 5,000 troops, including some 2,000 auxiliaries from neighbouring Imereti under its King Solomon II, a member of the Georgian Bagrationi Dynasty and thus distantly related to Heraclius II. The Georgians offered a desperate resistance and succeeded in rolling back a series of Persian attacks on September 9 and 10. After that, it is said that some traitors informed the Persians that the Georgians had no more strength to fight and the Qajars army cancelled their plan of going back to Persia, which they previously had. Early on September 11, Agha Mohammad Khan personally led an all-out offensive against the Georgians. Amid an artillery duel and a fierce cavalry charge, the Persians managed to cross the Kura River and outflanked the decimated Georgian army. Heraclius II attempted to mount a counterattack, but he had to retreat to the last available positions in the outskirts of Tbilisi. By nightfall, the Georgian forces had been exhausted and almost completely destroyed. The last surviving Georgian artillery briefly held the advancing Persians to allow Heraclius II and his retinue of some 150 men to escape through the city to the mountains. The fighting continued in the streets of Tbilisi and at the fortress of Narikala. In a few hours, Agha Mohammad Khan was in full control of the Georgian capital which was completely sacked and its population massacred. Among those killed in the city was the archbishop of Tbilisi, Doistheus.[27] The Persian army marched back laden with spoil and carrying off some 15,000 captives.[8][9] The Georgians had lost 4,000 men in the battle, the Iranians 13,000; a third of their total force.[5] eye-witness, having entered the city several days after the bulk of the Iranian troops had withdrawn, described what he saw: therefore pursued my way, paved as it were, with carcases, and entered Tiflis by the gate of Tapitag: but what was my consternation on finding here the bodies of women and children slaughtered by the sword of the enemy; to say nothing about the men, of whom I saw more than a thousand, as I should suppose, lying dead in one little tower! (...) The city was almost entirely consumed, and still continued to smoke in different places; and the stench from the putrefying, together with the heat which prevailed, was intolerable, and certainly infectious.[7] Entrance of the Russian troops in Tiflis, 26 November 1799, by Franz Roubaud, 1886 his return, after the conquest of Tbilisi and being in effective control of eastern Georgia,[4][12][28] Agha Mohammad was formally crowned Shah in 1796 in the Mughan plain, just like his predecessor Nader Shah was about sixty years earlier.[4] As The Cambridge History of Iran notes; "Russia's client, Georgia, had been punished, and Russia's prestige, damaged." Heraclius II returned to Tbilisi to rebuild the city, but the destruction of his capital was a death blow to his hopes and projects. Upon learning of the fall of Tbilisi General Gudovich put the blame on the Georgians themselves.[29] To restore Russian prestige, Catherine II declared war on Persia, upon the proposal of Gudovich,[29] and sent an army under Valerian Zubov to the Qajar possessions on April of that year, but the new Tsar Paul I, who succeeded Catherine in November, shortly recalled it. Mohammad Shah was later assassinated while preparing a second expedition against Georgia in 1797 in Shusha[29] and the seasoned king Heraclius died early in 1798. Reassessment of Iranian hegemony over Georgia did not last long; in 1799 the Russians marched into Tbilisi.[30] The next two years were a time of muddle and confusion, and the weakened and devastated Georgian kingdom, with its capital half in ruins, was easily absorbed by Russia in 1801.[8][23] As Iran could not permit or allow the cession of Transcaucasia and Dagestan[14] the consequences of the Krtsanisi battle would also directly lead up to two wars between the nations. The Russo-Persian War (1804-1813) and Russo-Persian War (1826-1828) would eventually forced the cession of the aforementioned regions to Imperial Russia per the Gulistan and Turkmenchay of 1813 and 1828 respectively. Persian Qajar Shah, 1789-1797, Aga Mohammad Khan Qajar ; Hieromartyr Dositheus of Tbilisi, Commemorated on September 12 ; thousand Persian soldiers marched toward Georgia in the year 1795. The Georgian king Erekle II (1762-1798) and his two thousand soldiers declared war on the invaders as they were approaching Tbilisi. Georgians won the first skirmish, but many perished in the fighting. The enemy was shaken and was preparing to flee the battleground, when several traitors reported to Aqa Muhammed Khan that King Erekle had lost nearly his entire army. betrayal decided the fate of the battle: the one hundred fifty soldiers who remained in the Georgian army barely succeeded in saving the life of King Erekle, who had willed to perish on the battlefield with his soldiers. of Tbilisi was engulfed in flames. The plunderers murdered the people, set fire to the libraries, destroyed the print shop, and vandalized the churches and the king’s palace. They slaughtered the clergy in an especially cruel manner. history has not preserved the names of all those martyrs who perished in this tragedy, but we do know that a certain Metropolitan Dositheus of Tbilisi was killed because he would not abandon his flock. While the invaders simply killed most of the clergymen, from Saint Dositheus they demanded a renunciation of the Christian Faith. They commanded him to defile the True and Life-giving Cross of our Lord. But the holy hieromartyr Dositheus endured the greatest torments without yielding to the enemy, and he joyfully accepted death for Christ’s sake. The invaders slaughtered Christ’s devoted servant with their swords. Dositheus was martyred on September 12 in the year 1795.

Georgia, 1797, Black Plague in Georgia
Georgia, 1366, Black Plague in Georgia; St. Euthymius the Elder of the St. John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated on August 8;

Georgia, 1798-1800, King, George XII of Georgia, invited Russian protection, bad health, political instability
Georgian King, 1798-1800, George XII of Georgia; XII, sometimes known as George XIII (November 10, 1746 - December 28, 1800), of the House of Bagrationi, was the second and last King of the Kingdom of Kartli and Kakheti (eastern Georgia) from 1798 until his death in 1800. brief reign in the closing years of the 18th century was marked by significant political instability, which implied the near certainty of a civil strife and a Persian invasion. by poor health and overwhelmed by problems in his realm, George renewed a request of protection from Tsar Paul I of Russia. his death, Imperial Russia took advantage of the moment and moved to annex the Georgian kingdoms, while sending the remnants of the Georgian royal family into forced exile in Russia. St Euthymius the Elder of the St John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated on August 8; St Jacob the Elder, and disciple of St Anthony of Chqondidi, Commemorated on October 13; St Hilarion the Georgian, the New, Commemorated on February 14; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17 ; Gabriel the Lesser was a major figure in the eighteenth-century Georgian Church. Few details of his life are known, but it is evident that the education he received was quite good for the period. toward the monastic life but still living in the world, Gabriel tried in every way to close himself off from the vanity of the world. He kept a small sewing shop in Tbilisi and distributed most of his profits to the poor. day Saint Gabriel abandoned his business and set off for the Davit-Gareji Wilderness, where he was tonsured a monk. Gabriel occupied much of his time with writing, and his works left a significant mark on the spiritual literature of Georgia. He compiled several collections of patristic writings, and he also wrote original works of a theological nature. His original writings include An Explanation of the Hierarchical Liturgy, which describes in detail the meaning of every part of the service, Spiritual Stories of the Pious, The Life and Labors of Venerable Schemamonk Onisphore, A Short Story of Porphyry, and writings on the Nomocanon of the Sixth Ecumenical Council. the brothers at his monastery, Saint Gabriel was distinguished by a remarkable capacity for love and a fervent desire to help others: he helped all, cared for all, and encouraged all. the Great Fast in 1802, a certain archdeacon came from Tbilisi to Davit-Gareji Monastery, desiring to draw closer to the ascetic way of life. After some time, however, he became anxious to see his family and decided to return home. Saint Gabriel accompanied him on his way, but the two men were suddenly assailed by Dagestanis, and the holy father was killed. The brothers carried his relics back to the monastery and buried them there with great honor.

Georgia, 1800, 19th Century, History Folder, Dagestani Muslim Invasions

Georgia, 1802, Great Fast of 1802 (Lent) Saint Gabriel murdered by Dagestanis
The Great Fast ; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17 ; Gabriel the Lesser was a major figure in the eighteenth-century Georgian Church. Few details of his life are known, but it is evident that the education he received was quite good for the period. toward the monastic life but still living in the world, Gabriel tried in every way to close himself off from the vanity of the world. He kept a small sewing shop in Tbilisi and distributed most of his profits to the poor. day Saint Gabriel abandoned his business and set off for the Davit-Gareji Wilderness, where he was tonsured a monk. Gabriel occupied much of his time with writing, and his works left a significant mark on the spiritual literature of Georgia. He compiled several collections of patristic writings, and he also wrote original works of a theological nature. His original writings include An Explanation of the Hierarchical Liturgy, which describes in detail the meaning of every part of the service, Spiritual Stories of the Pious, The Life and Labors of Venerable Schemamonk Onisphore, A Short Story of Porphyry, and writings on the Nomocanon of the Sixth Ecumenical Council. the brothers at his monastery, Saint Gabriel was distinguished by a remarkable capacity for love and a fervent desire to help others: he helped all, cared for all, and encouraged all. the Great Fast in 1802, a certain archdeacon came from Tbilisi to Davit-Gareji Monastery, desiring to draw closer to the ascetic way of life. After some time, however, he became anxious to see his family and decided to return home. Saint Gabriel accompanied him on his way, but the two men were suddenly assailed by Dagestanis, and the holy father was killed. The brothers carried his relics back to the monastery and buried them there with great honor.

Georgia, 1841-1889, Deliverer Icon, Locusts, deliverance, Elder Martinian MOG intercession, dead boy to monk
Greece, 1841-1889, Deliverer Icon, Mavrovouni, Laconia, Peloponnesos, Greece, Deliverer Icon, Locusts, deliverance and many miracles, terrible disaster in Mavrovone, locusts, fr Alexis Moleben w Cross failed, Elder Martinian MOG intercession w Icon & intense prayers & cross procession, suddenly birds appeared, later boy already dead, touched w icon 3 times, later monastic on athos, people worshiped Fr M so he hid, voice told him to not hide the icon, possessed woman Elena shouted only icon could heal her, healed and more like storm casting fish ashore.; Mavrovouni, Laconia, Peloponnesos, Greece; (Greek: Μαυροβούνι, "the black mountain") is a village (population approximately 500) in the Mani Peninsula, Greece, south of Gytheio town. is a village about 2 km south of the town of Gytheio, in Laconia, Greece. It is located on a steep hill of dark rock[1] between the hill of Kumaros[2] above Gytheio and the alluvial plain of the Vardhounia river lies a belt of low sandy hills. district is rich in wines, olives and oranges.[3] The village's economy is based on olive oil production, fishing and tourism. Deliverer Icon of the Mother of God, Commemorated on October 17; the beginning of the XIX century the remarkable ascetic Constantine Theodoulos was loving as a monk on Mount Athos. Elder had a wonderworking Icon of the Theotokos, which had been painted about 150 years before. this ascetic's repose, the Icon was passed on to Constantine's disciple, Schema-monk Martinian, who arrived on Mount Athos from Greece in 1821. in 1841 Father Martinian left the Holy Mountain and went to the town of Mavrovone in the diocese of Sparta, where many miracles were about to take place. residents of that place were afflicted by a terrible disaster: their fields, forests and almost all the vegetation was devastated by locusts. Moving forward in a solid mass, they destroyed everything in their path. Their flight took them right to the city of Marathon. The local authorities drove the residents out of their homes into the fields, forcing them to collect the destructive insects, dump them into pits, and then burn them, but all these measures were ineffective. It seemed that the more locusts they killed, the more their numbers increased. lost all hope for human assistance, so they chanted a Moleben, but the disaster did not end. Terrified, the villagers turned to Father Alexis, a man of God, who lived in a monastery near that unfortunate district. Taking some holy relics, this God-pleaser advised them to have a Moleben with a Cross Procession to their fields. The locusts, as if irritated by such actions, focused their attention on the worshippers. Countless insects attacked people, especially in their eyes. Both the residents and priests fled to their homes in horror. Martinian also learned about this disaster. After serving a Moleben, he spoke to the villagers: "Is our faith so weak that we cannot ask the Lord to help us? Let us intensify our prayers; at least let us gather the old men, and we will resort to the powerful intercession of the Queen of Heaven and Earth. Let us take her holy Icon and pray together, trusting in the Lord. He will not reject our humble prayer to Him, and, through the intercessions of His Mother, He will save this district from a great calamity." inhabitants followed the pious Elder's suggestion, with confidence in the merciful intercession of the Mother of God, they gathered not only old men, but also husbands, wives and even children. There were also four priests. The Cross Procession followed the Elder, who carried the holy Icon, and went into the field. There Father Martinian placed the Icon on the ground, and all the villagers bowed before it in supplication. The Sovereign Lady did not reject the prayers of the faithful servants of her Son and our God. She drove the locusts away. Suddenly, a great flock of birds appeared, rushing swiftly at the insects. The locusts rose from the fields and flew in such a thick mass that they obscured the sunlight. in the village of Mavrovone there was a boy who was very sick, and his illness was getting worse. His parents asked the priest to bring him Communion. For some reason, however, the visiting priest did not hurry, and he did not arrive for a long time. He took the Holy Gifts and went to the boy's house. He had invited Elder Martinian to come with him. When they arrived at the house, they were shocked by the news that boy was already dead. priest was filled with deep remorse, since his procrastination had deprived the child of his final spiritual consolation. The only hope left to them was to trust in God's mercy. priest asked Father Martinian to bring his Icon so they could pray to the Queen of Heaven for the boy. The Elder, seeing the deep faith of the priest and the devastated parents, took out the holy Icon which he always kept with him and placed it over the child's bed. Confident that nothing is impossible for the Sovereign Lady, the Elder, the priest, and parents bowed before the Icon, begging her to restore the child to life. After praying for a time, the Elder touched the dying boy three times with the Icon, and suddenly the child opened his eyes. Father Martinian's request, the boy was given Holy Communion, and then got up perfectly well. The next day he went to school, where he had been sent shortly before this for his primary education. the boy who returned to life was tonsured in a foreign country with the name Alexis, and for a long time he lived an ascetical life on Mount Athos. of this glorious miracle spread far through the neighborhood. Many people who suffered from physical and spiritual infirmities flocked to the Icon of the Mother of God with faith. The Elder's tiny home was always crowded with people and he decided to hide from them, but they found him again. Martinian would not have minded visiting the sick with the Icon if their reverence for the Mother of God had not been mixed with a desire to glorify the Elder as well. thought he should retire to a place where no one would find him. Therefore, he went by the sea shore and soon, above the ocean, he found a sheer rock with a cave, which was quite suitable for his ascetical struggles. Martinian thought he was completely secluded there. However, the good will of the Most Pure Virgin had arranged things otherwise. night the ascetic was praying in the cave. Suddenly, he heard a voice ordering him not to hide the Icon, but to minister to the needs of others. He tried to protest his unworthiness, and his infirmity, but the voice told him even more insistently to be obedient, saying that all this was for the glory of the Mother of God. When the Elder had finished his prayer, he decided to rest for a short time. at that moment, the cave was illumined with an extraordinary light. Surprised, the Elder came out onto the rock, desiring to know the source of such extraordinary radiance. The ascetic beheld a wondrous sight. He saw a pillar of light stretching from the sky to the ground, and in doing so, he heard again the same voice commanding him to leave his solitude and to go serve his neighbors. the ascetic opened his door to the residents of that vicinity. was a possessed woman named Elena, who used to shout all the time that she knew where the Elder was hiding. At the same time, she declared that only his Icon could heal her. demon who possessed the woman was very fierce. He exposed the secret sins of all those who came to see Elena. One devout priest decided to read the prayers of exorcism over her no matter what happened. For that reason he went to Elena's house. Immediately, the woman attacked the priest and began to vilify the one who served at the altar, saying: "Aha! So you want to expel me? Are you thinking of casting me out? No, you cannot expel me, you will never drive me out. Look to yourself!" all the demon's words the priest continued to read the prayers, and asked the demon possessing the woman to reveal who could banish him. his will, the impure spirit spoke of a solitary Elder with an Icon, calling the ascetic a ragamuffin, an evil monk, and so on. the priest asked the demon where he might find this Elder. Then the demon, forced by the priest's prayers and by the power of God, revealed where Father Martinian was hiding. morning after the vision the Elder heard the sound of a large crowd of people gathered before the rock and begging him to come down to them to help the suffering. God's will in all this, the Elder obeyed and went to the homes of the villagers. of all, he went to see Elena. As he approached her dwelling, she fell down unconscious and began to scream. When the Elder entered the house, he put down the Icon of the Mother of God and bowed before the Icon. once, the demon came out of the woman with great moaning. She returned to her senses and fervently thanked the Theotokos. After this she felt quite well. Many other demoniacs were also healed by praying before her Icon. of all the miracles taking place before the Icon, people were always in Father Martinian's home. Elder finally decided to return to his monastery. When the people learned of his departure, they followed him for some distance. With a great cry they parted from the Elder as he walked away from them, carrying the Icon of the Mother of God, who had poured forth so much grace on their district. 1884, soon after he arrived on the Holy Mountain and entered the monastery of the Great Martyr Panteleimon, Father Martinian went to the Lord. the holy Icon of the Mother of God became the monastery's precious heritage. The revered Icon remained there until July 20, 1889, when Archimandrite Makarios, the Superior of Saint Panteleimon's Monastery, gave the Deliverer Icon as a blessing to the newly-built New Athos Monastery of Saint Simon the Canaanite in the Caucasus Icon has been there from 1889 until the present day. first celebration of the transfer of the Icon to New Athos Monastery took place on October 17, 1889. That is why the Feast Day in honor of this Icon was established on this day. that time a storm cast more than a ton of fish ashore at the monastery. this Icon the Most Holy Theotokos holds the Divine Child on her right arm, and He blesses with His right hand. Deliverer Icon of the Mother of God is commemorated on October 17, and on April 4.

Georgia, 1844-1907, Alexander, broadining Theological network, improving T schools, G language, forced Russification
Georgia, 1844-1907, Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated on October 27; holy hierarch Alexander (Alexi Okropiridze in the world) was born in 1824, in the village of Disevi in the Gori district, to the family of the village priest. Growing up around the church, he received his primary education at Gori Theological School and later continued his education at Tbilisi Seminary. completed his course of study at the seminary in 1845, he was tonsured a monk at the Tbilisi Monastery of the Transfiguration and given the new name Alexander. From Tbilisi the young monk Alexander traveled to the theological academy in Kazan to continue his studies. He graduated with honors and returned to his homeland. Hieromonk Alexander taught the Holy Scriptures, Latin, moral theology, and archaeology at Tbilisi Seminary until July 27, 1851. at the order of the Holy Synod, he was appointed dean of the theological school in Abkhazeti on September 21, 1851. He was also entrusted with overseeing monastic life in the Abkhazeti diocese and with supervising the instruction at Kutaisi Theological School. considered a broadening of the network of theological institutions most essential to the strengthening of the Christian Faith in his country. From the very beginning of his labors in Abkhazeti, he exerted an enormous amount of effort to improve the Ilori Theological School in Ochamchire. At first Alexander was active as a pedagogue, then from February 29, 1856, as an archimandrite, and from March 4, 1862, as a bishop. He was as beloved throughout all of Georgian society as he was by the local population, and many called him the “Second Apostle to Abkhazeti.” ’s pastoral activity coincided with a difficult period in Georgian history. The divine services were no longer being celebrated in the Georgian language, and as a result many of the people began to drift away from the Church. Many Georgian churches and monasteries, considered cultural and academic centers from ancient times, were deserted. (By this time Georgia had been incorporated into the Russian Empire, and the tsarist government had initiated a policy of forced Russification.) The Georgian language was no longer being taught in schools, and the poorest families could not afford to educate their children. learned and erudite Bishop Alexander considered the revival of spiritual life and learning, firmly rooted in the national consciousness, the principal means by which to reinvigorate the national spirit and encourage cultural advance. ’s efforts on behalf of the revival of the churches and monasteries in Abkhazeti are, among his many labors, most worthy of note. Through his efforts alone two churches were restored in Sokhumi. Outside of Abkhazeti, Alexander renewed the magnificent monasteries of Shio-Mgvime, Zedazeni, Davit-Gareji, and Shemokmedi. He restored Jvari Church, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, Disevi Church, and many other churches in Guria-Samegrelo, Atchara, and Imereti. He devoted special attention to the Shio-Mgvime Monastery and the surrounding area, which had been devastated by that time. to Saint Alexander’s generous financial contributions, a diocesan school for women was founded in Tbilisi in 1878. his initiative and personal contributions, a great number of spiritual and historical books, textbooks and collections of sacred hymns were published. Not a single God-pleasing project was undertaken without Alexander’s support. Alexander spent the remainder of his days at the Shio-Mgvime Monastery, which he himself had restored. Only once—on September 9, 1907, the day his spiritual son Saint Ilia the Righteous was buried— did he step outside the monastery walls. The eighty-three year-old Alexander outlived the great son of Georgia by two months and fell asleep in the Lord on October 27 of the same year. Saint Alexander is buried at Shio-Mgvime Monastery.

Georgia, 1844-1907, Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, broadened Theological institutions
Georgia, 1844-1907, Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo; Abkhazeti Region, A disputed territory on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus ; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated on October 27 ; holy hierarch Alexander (Alexi Okropiridze in the world) was born in 1824, in the village of Disevi in the Gori district, to the family of the village priest. Growing up around the church, he received his primary education at Gori Theological School and later continued his education at Tbilisi Seminary. completed his course of study at the seminary in 1845, he was tonsured a monk at the Tbilisi Monastery of the Transfiguration and given the new name Alexander. From Tbilisi the young monk Alexander traveled to the theological academy in Kazan to continue his studies. He graduated with honors and returned to his homeland. Hieromonk Alexander taught the Holy Scriptures, Latin, moral theology, and archaeology at Tbilisi Seminary until July 27, 1851. at the order of the Holy Synod, he was appointed dean of the theological school in Abkhazeti on September 21, 1851. He was also entrusted with overseeing monastic life in the Abkhazeti diocese and with supervising the instruction at Kutaisi Theological School. considered a broadening of the network of theological institutions most essential to the strengthening of the Christian Faith in his country. From the very beginning of his labors in Abkhazeti, he exerted an enormous amount of effort to improve the Ilori Theological School in Ochamchire. At first Alexander was active as a pedagogue, then from February 29, 1856, as an archimandrite, and from March 4, 1862, as a bishop. He was as beloved throughout all of Georgian society as he was by the local population, and many called him the “Second Apostle to Abkhazeti.” ’s pastoral activity coincided with a difficult period in Georgian history. The divine services were no longer being celebrated in the Georgian language, and as a result many of the people began to drift away from the Church. Many Georgian churches and monasteries, considered cultural and academic centers from ancient times, were deserted. this time Georgia had been incorporated into the Russian Empire, and the tsarist government had initiated a policy of forced Russification.) The Georgian language was no longer being taught in schools, and the poorest families could not afford to educate their children. learned and erudite Bishop Alexander considered the revival of spiritual life and learning, firmly rooted in the national consciousness, the principal means by which to reinvigorate the national spirit and encourage cultural advance. ’s efforts on behalf of the revival of the churches and monasteries in Abkhazeti are, among his many labors, most worthy of note. Through his efforts alone two churches were restored in Sokhumi. Outside of Abkhazeti, Alexander renewed the magnificent monasteries of Shio-Mgvime, Zedazeni, Davit-Gareji, and Shemokmedi. He restored Jvari Church, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, Disevi Church, and many other churches in Guria-Samegrelo, Atchara, and Imereti. He devoted special attention to the Shio-Mgvime Monastery and the surrounding area, which had been devastated by that time. to Saint Alexander’s generous financial contributions, a diocesan school for women was founded in Tbilisi in 1878. his initiative and personal contributions, a great number of spiritual and historical books, textbooks and collections of sacred hymns were published. Not a single God-pleasing project was undertaken without Alexander’s support. Alexander spent the remainder of his days at the Shio-Mgvime Monastery, which he himself had restored. Only once—on September 9, 1907, the day his spiritual son Saint Ilia the Righteous was buried— did he step outside the monastery walls. The eighty-three year-old Alexander outlived the great son of Georgia by two months and fell asleep in the Lord on October 27 of the same year. Saint Alexander is buried at Shio-Mgvime Monastery.

Georgia, 1844-1907, Hierarch Alexander, led revival, russification problem, churches monasteries cathedrals restored
Georgia, 1844-1907, Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Guria Province (left side Rioni River 5 and 6, Western Inland Georgia), led revival, dean theological school, oversaw monastery, broadening T institutions, russification problem, churches monasteries cathedrals restored, funded school for women, spiritual historical books published ; Guria; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated on October 27; holy hierarch Alexander (Alexi Okropiridze in the world) was born in 1824, in the village of Disevi in the Gori district, to the family of the village priest. up around the church, he received his primary education at Gori Theological School and later continued his education at Tbilisi Seminary. completed his course of study at the seminary in 1845, he was tonsured a monk at the Tbilisi Monastery of the Transfiguration and given the new name Alexander. Tbilisi the young monk Alexander traveled to the theological academy in Kazan to continue his studies. graduated with honors and returned to his homeland. Alexander taught the Holy Scriptures, Latin, moral theology, and archaeology at Tbilisi Seminary until July 27, 1851. at the order of the Holy Synod, he was appointed dean of the theological school in Abkhazeti on September 21, 1851. was also entrusted with overseeing monastic life in the Abkhazeti diocese and with supervising the instruction at Kutaisi Theological School. considered a broadening of the network of theological institutions most essential to the strengthening of the Christian Faith in his country. the very beginning of his labors in Abkhazeti, he exerted an enormous amount of effort to improve the Ilori Theological School in Ochamchire. first Alexander was active as a pedagogue, then from February 29, 1856, as an archimandrite, and from March 4, 1862, as a bishop. was as beloved throughout all of Georgian society as he was by the local population, and many called him the “Second Apostle to Abkhazeti.” ’s pastoral activity coincided with a difficult period in Georgian history. divine services were no longer being celebrated in the Georgian language, as a result many of the people began to drift away from the Church. Georgian churches and monasteries, considered cultural and academic centers from ancient times, were deserted. this time Georgia had been incorporated into the Russian Empire, and the tsarist government had initiated a policy of forced Russification.) Georgian language was no longer being taught in schools, and the poorest families could not afford to educate their children. learned and erudite Bishop Alexander considered the revival of spiritual life and learning, firmly rooted in the national consciousness, the principal means by which to reinvigorate the national spirit and encourage cultural advance. ’s efforts on behalf of the revival of the churches and monasteries in Abkhazeti are, among his many labors, most worthy of note. his efforts alone two churches were restored in Sokhumi. Outside of Abkhazeti, Alexander renewed the magnificent monasteries of Shio-Mgvime, Zedazeni, Davit-Gareji, and Shemokmedi. He restored Jvari Church, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, Disevi Church, and many other churches in Guria-Samegrelo, Atchara, and Imereti. He devoted special attention to the Shio-Mgvime Monastery and the surrounding area, which had been devastated by that time. to Saint Alexander’s generous financial contributions, a diocesan school for women was founded in Tbilisi in 1878. his initiative and personal contributions, a great number of spiritual and historical books, textbooks and collections of sacred hymns were published. Not a single God-pleasing project was undertaken without Alexander’s support. Alexander spent the remainder of his days at the Shio-Mgvime Monastery, which he himself had restored. once—on September 9, 1907, the day his spiritual son Saint Ilia the Righteous was buried— did he step outside the monastery walls. eighty-three year-old Alexander outlived the great son of Georgia by two months and fell asleep in the Lord on October 27 of the same year. Saint Alexander is buried at Shio-Mgvime Monastery.

Georgia, 1851, Dagestani Invasions of David Gareja Monastery 1851
Georgia, Dagestani Invasion 1851; Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; the 18th and 19th centuries the Dagestanis were continually raiding and pillaging the Davit-Gareji Wilderness. They destroyed churches and monasteries, stole sacred objects, and tortured and killed many of the monks who labored there. Dagestani army invaded the Davit-Gareji Wilderness in the summer of 1851. They looted the Davit-Gareji Lavra and carried off many of the monastery’s sacred treasures and books. Then they took many of the monks captive and tortured a few of the most pious. they stabbed Hierodeacon Otar to death, then they beheaded Hieromonk Gerontius. The unbelievers battered Hieromonk Serapion to death with their swords. Monk Herman was stabbed in the stomach, then beheaded. Monk Besarion was also beheaded. The eighteen-year-old Simeon tried to flee on foot but was shot at with bows and arrows, then caught and beheaded. Monk Michael, the most outstanding among the brothers in humility and silence, was subjected to the harshest tortures. their martyrdom the bodies of these holy men were illumined with a divine light. martyrdom of the holy fathers of the Davit-Gareji Monastery was described in 1853 by Hieromonk Isaac of Gaenati, who witnessed the tragedy. Hieromonk Isaac himself was captured and led away to Dagestan by the merciless bandits. He was later freed through the mediation of Tsar Nicholas I (1825-1855). Martyr Otar of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated on October 27; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17 ; Fathers martyred by the Dagestanians, Commemorated on June 1;

Georgia, 1857-1907, Ilia the Righteous, Politician, Ilia Chavchavadze, historian, for Georgian Nationalism
Georgia, 1857-1907, Ilia Chavchavadze, Ilia the Righteous; Georgian Politician, 1857-1907, Ilia Chavchavadze; Martyr Ilia Chavchavadze of Georgia, Commemorated on July 20; Ilia, called the “Uncrowned King of Georgia,” the “Father of the Nation” and “the Righteous,” belonged to the noble family Chavchavadze. He was born on October 27, 1837, in the village of Qvareli in Kakheti. He received his primary education at home: his mother instructed him in reading and writing, prayer and the law of God. When he was eight years old, Ilia was sent to study with Archdeacon Nikoloz Sepashvili of Qvareli. The years he spent there left an indelible impression on this holy man’s life. continued his education at a Tbilisi boarding school, and later at the court gymnasium (high school). His parents died at a young age, and the orphaned children were entrusted to the care of their aunt Macrina. 1857 Ilia enrolled in the law school at Saint Petersburg University. There he read a great deal and struggled to improve himself as an individual. He was fascinated by Georgian history and spent much of his time in the Saint Petersburg archives in search of old Georgian texts. His academic achievements were outstanding, but he was uninterested in receiving an official diploma from the school of law. In his fourth year he dropped out of the program and returned to Georgia. was certain that a nation that forgets its own history “is like a beggar who knows neither his past nor where he is going.” For this reason he sought to inspire his fellow countrymen with the past glories of their nation and the loyalty of their forefathers to the Christian Faith and the Georgian nation. restoration of national independence and the autocephaly of the Georgian Church were the chief objectives toward which Saint Ilia strove in every aspect of his life. As a means by which to achieve these goals, Ilia took up the work of a historian: he conducted intensive research and exposed those who had falsified history and dishonored the Georgian nation. great philosopher, writer, and historian often repeated the statement “A nation whose language is corrupted can no longer exist as a nation.” He cared deeply about the Georgian language and fought to ensure that it remained the primary language taught in schools. inspired many with his patriotic zeal, and he founded the Society for the Propagation of Literacy among the Georgians. He established a depository of Georgian manuscripts and antiquities. In addition he initiated a movement to document oral folk traditions and helped to found the Georgian Agrarian Bank. the Righteous was often heard declaring, “We, the Georgian people, have inherited three divine gifts from our ancestors: our motherland, our language and our faith. If we fail to protect these gifts, what merit will we have as men?” Ilia’s righteous deeds were an affront and threat to those who adhered to the new atheist ideology, so they plotted to kill him. On August 30, 1907, Ilia Chavchavadze and his wife, Olga (Guramishvili), had just set off from Tbilisi for Saguramo when their carriage stopped abruptly outside of Mtskheta, near Tsitsamuri Forest. were awaited by a band of militant social democrats who attacked them and shot Ilia to death. Military Court of the Caucasus sentenced Ilia Chavchavadze’s murderers to death by hanging. But Ilia’s wife Olga requested that the governor-general pardon her husband’s murderers. She asserted that, if Ilia had survived, he would have done the same, since the killers were simply his “unlucky brothers gone astray.” Ilia had forgiven his murderers’ offense long before, in his prophetic poem “Prayer”: Our Father Who art in Heaven! With tenderness I stand before Thee on my knees; I ask for neither wealth nor glory; I won’t debase my holy prayer with earthly matters. I would wish for my soul to rest in heaven, My heart to be radiant with love heralded by Thee, I would wish to be able to ask forgiveness of mine enemies, Even if they pierce me in the heart: Forgive them, Lord, for they know not what they do! 1987 the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church considered the deeds of Ilia Chavchavadze before God and his country and decreed him worthy to be numbered among the saints. He was joyously canonized as Saint Ilia “the Righteous.” St Euthymius (Takaishvili), Commemorated on January 3; St. Euthymius the Confessor, Commemorated on January 20 ; St John, Commemorated on January 23; St Ambrose the Confessor, Commemorated on March 16;

Georgia, 1857-1907 , Righteous Georgians, John, Stephen and Isaiah, Sepulchre guardians, Ottoman Period
Holy Sepulchre of the Lord; St John of Georgia, Commemorated on November 4 ; the multitude of saints we remember those Christians who dedicated their earthly lives to glorifying God and serving others. In a single lifetime they performed all the spiritual feats of the venerable and devout fathers, confessors, and martyrs. the saints canonized by the Georgian Church, only four have been called “Righteous.” They are Saint Ilia Chavchavadze, well known as the “father” and “uncrowned king” of the Georgian nation, and Saints John, Steven, and Isaiah the Georgians. is believed that Holy John, Steven, and Isaiah lived in Jerusalem and guarded the Tomb of our Lord. It is probable that the Georgian Orthodox Church proclaimed them deserving of exceptional honor in recognition of their dedicated service at the Tomb of the Savior. several centuries the Georgian Church has glorified the Righteous John, Steven, and Isaiah and asked for their intercessions before the Lord.

Georgia, 1874-1931, Historian, Zakaria Chichinadze
Georgian Historian, 1874-1931, Zakaria Chichinadze ; Founding of the Church of St George, Commemorated on November 10; Martyred Fathers and Mothers of Atchara, Commemorated on May 29;

Georgia, 1875-1918, Saint, Kyrion II of Georgia, writer, historian, Georgian Church Autocephaly
Georgia, 1875-1918, Saint, Kyrion II of Georgia; Kyrion II (November 10, 1855 - 26 June 1918) was a Georgian religious figure and historian who served as the first Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia after the restoration of independence (autocephaly) of the Georgian Orthodox Church from the Russian Orthodox Church in 1917 until his assassination in 1918. He was canonized by the Georgian Holy Synod in 2002. Nikozi (Inner Kartli); Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on June 27;

Georgia, 1875-1918, Hieromartyr Kirion II, Archbishop, historian, writer for Gegogian Autocephaly
Georgia, 1875-1918, Hieromartyr Kirion II, from Nikozi in the Gori district, Ananuri P School, Gori T School, Tiblisi Seminary, 1880 Kiev T Academy, A Dean Odesssa T Seminary, 1883-1886 education Gori, Telavi, Kutaisi, Tiblisi, 1886 supervisor Georgian Monasteries & Society for Renewal of Christianity, directed the parochial schools, established libraries and rare book collections within them, and published articles on the history of the Georgian Church, folklore and literature under the pseudonyms Iverieli, Sadzagelov, and Liakhveli, 1886 Monk&Abbot of Kvabtakhevi, collected manuscripts, 1898 Bishop of Alaverdi, fought Armenian Monophysites church confiscation, 1901 Bishop of Gori, contested abolition G Autocephaly so Govt. frequently reassigned him to different parts Russian Empire, 1903 Cherson, 1904 Orel, 1905 Ilia helped w autocephaly commission b rejected, 1906 Sokhumi, restored churches monasteries, 1907 Ilia killed, repression increased, 1908 accused, arrested, no longer Bishop, worldwide response, 1915 restored Bishop, Archbishop of Polotsk &Vitebsk WRussia, 1917 returned to Georgia w honor, Catholicos-Patriarch All Georgia, 1918 Autocephaly, and murdered Nikozi in the Gori district; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on March 12; holy Hieromartyr Kirion II (known in the world as George Sadzaglishvili) was born in 1855 in the village of Nikozi in the Gori district. His father was a priest. enrolled at the parochial school in Ananuri, then at the theological school in Gori, and finally at Tbilisi Seminary. 1880 he graduated from the Kiev Theological Academy and was appointed assistant dean of the Odessa Theological Seminary. 1883 to 1886 Saint Kirion was active in the educational life of Gori, Telavi, Kutaisi, and Tbilisi. 1886 he was appointed supervisor of the Georgian monasteries and dean of the schools of the Society for the Renewal of Christianity in the Caucasus. directed the parochial schools, established libraries and rare book collections within them, and published articles on the history of the Georgian Church, folklore and literature under the pseudonyms Iverieli, Sadzagelov, and Liakhveli (the Liakhvi River flows through his native region of Shida [Inner] Kartli, the central part of eastern Georgia). 1886 God’s chosen, George, was tonsured a monk with the name Kirion, and he was enthroned as abbot of Kvabtakhevi Monastery. Kirion continued his scholarly pursuits and intensified his spiritual labors. collected folklore and ethnographic materials and studied artifacts from ancient Georgian churches. generously donated the reliquaries and rare manuscripts he found to the antiquities collections at the Church Museum of Tbilisi and the Society for the Propagation of Literacy among the Georgians. 1898 Kirion published a description of the historical monuments of Liakhvi Gorge. His publication is an important resource for scholars and historians, since most of the monuments he describes were toppled by Georgia’s ideological and national enemies in subsequent years. (Kirion would later join the Moscow Archaeological Society.) August of 1898 Archimandrite Kirion was consecrated bishop of Alaverdi. Kirion began at once to rebuild Alaverdi Church, and he offered his own resources for this momentous task. the same time, he began to study the ancient artifacts of Kakheti and Hereti in eastern Georgia. the manuscripts he turned over to the Church Museum of Tbilisi was a Holy Gospel from the year 1098, unknown to scholars until that time. Kirion was a tireless researcher, with a broad range of scholarly interests. his pen belong more than forty monographs on various themes relating to the history of the Georgian Church and Christian culture in Georgia. He compiled a short terminological dictionary of the ancient Georgian language and, with the linguist Grigol Qipshidze, a History of Georgian Philology. fought the appropriation of Georgian churches by the Armenian Monophysites. He sent a detailed memorandum to the Russian exarch in Georgia demanding that the confiscated Orthodox churches be returned. 1901 Kirion was installed as bishop of Gori. By that time it had become clear to the Georgian exarchate that the educated and progressive clergymen were endorsing the holy hierarch Kirion and contesting the abolition of the autocephaly of the Georgian Church. But the government found a way out of this “dangerous situation” by frequently reassigning Saint Kirion to serve in different parts of the Russian Empire: in 1903 he was reassigned to Cherson, in 1904 to Orel, and in 1906 to Sokhumi. Sokhumi Saint Kirion exerted every effort to restore and revive the historical Georgian churches and monasteries, though he would soon be reassigned to the Kovno diocese. 1905, at the demand of Georgia’s intelligentsia (under the leadership of Saint Ilia the Righteous), the regime formed an extraordinary commission to formally consider the question of the autocephaly of the Georgian Church. Kirion delivered two lectures to the commission: one on the reasons behind Georgia’s struggle for the restoration of an autocephalous Church, and the other on the role of nationality in the life of the Church. commission rejected the Georgian claims to autocephaly and subjected the leaders of the movement to harsh repression. 1907 Saint Ilia the Righteous was killed, and the government forbade Saint Kirion to travel to Georgia to pay his last respects. Kirion managed only to send a letter of condolence to Saint Ilia’s loved ones. the months that followed, the regime tightened down even more severely on Saint Kirion. 1908 he was accused of conspiring in the murder of Exarch Nikon, deprived of the rank of bishop, and arrested. treacherous deed roused the indignation not only of the Georgian people but of the faithful of Russia as well. the democratic forces in Europe founded a society for the protection of the rights of Bishop Kirion and gathered signatures to demand his release from prison. bishop himself humbly carried the cross of his persecution and consoled his sympathizers with the words of the great Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli: “‘Not a single rose is plucked from this world without thorns.’ We must bear our suffering with love, since suffering is the fruit of love and in suffering we will find our strength!” the year 1915 the regime had ceased to persecute Saint Kirion. They restored him to the bishopric and elevated him as archbishop of Polotsk and Vitebsk in western Russia. He was not, however, permitted to return to his motherland. March of 1917 the Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church declared its autocephaly restored. At the incessant demands of the Georgian people, Saint Kirion finally returned to his motherland. One hundred and twenty cavalrymen met him in Aragvi Gorge (along the Georgian Military Highway) and reverently escorted him to the capital. In Tbilisi Saint Kirion was met with great honor. September of 1917 the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church enthroned Bishop Kirion as Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia. the enthronement ceremony at Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, Saint Kirion addressed the faithful: “My beloved motherland, the nation protected by the Most Holy Theotokos, purified in the furnace by tribulations and suffering, washed in its own tears: I turn to you, having been separated from you, having sought after you, having grieved over you, having sought for you and now having returned not as a prodigal son, but as your confidant and the conscience of your Church. “I know that in your minds you are all inquiring, ‘What has he brought back with him? With what ointment will he heal his wounds? How will he comfort himself in his sadness?’ my words: He came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28). likewise, have come not as a hired servant, but as a faithful and obedient son!” after he was enthroned, Saint Kirion sent an appeal to all the Orthodox patriarchs of the world in which he described in detail the history of the Georgian Church and requested an official recognition of her autocephaly. May 26, 1918, Georgia declared its independence. next day Catholicos-Patriarch Kirion II presided during a service of thanksgiving. The chief shepherd and his flock rejoiced at the restoration of the autocephaly of the Georgian Church and the independence of the Georgian state, though from the beginning they perceived the imminence of the Bolshevik danger. The socialist revolution, now showing its true face, posed an enormous threat to the young republic and her Church. June 27, 1918, Catholicos-Patriarch Kirion II was found murdered in the patriarchal residence at Martqopi Monastery. The investigation was a mere formality and the guilty were never found. were even spread that Saint Kirion had shot himself. When the Holy Synod of the Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church convened on October 17, 2002, it canonized Holy Hieromartyr Kirion and numbered him among the saints.

Georgia, 1875-1889, Deliverer Icon, from Greece, for New Athos monaster, storm cast ton fish ashore there
Georgia, 1875-1889, Deliverer Icon, from Greece, for New Athos monaster, storm cast ton fish ashore there New Athos Simono-Kananitsk monastery in the Caucasus; Deliverer Icon of the Mother of God, Commemorated on October 17; the beginning of the XIX century the remarkable ascetic Constantine Theodoulos was loving as a monk on Mount Athos. This Elder had a wonderworking Icon of the Theotokos, which had been painted about 150 years before. After this ascetic's repose, the Icon was passed on to Constantine's disciple, Schema-monk Martinian, who arrived on Mount Athos from Greece in 1821. in 1841 Father Martinian left the Holy Mountain and went to the town of Mavrovonē in the diocese of Sparta, where many miracles were about to take place. residents of that place were afflicted by a terrible disaster: their fields, forests and almost all the vegetation was devastated by locusts. Moving forward in a solid mass, they destroyed everything in their path. Their flight took them right to the city of Marathon. The local authorities drove the residents out of their homes into the fields, forcing them to collect the destructive insects, dump them into pits, and then burn them, but all these measures were ineffective. It seemed that the more locusts they killed, the more their numbers increased. lost all hope for human assistance, so they chanted a Moleben, but the disaster did not end. Terrified, the villagers turned to Father Alexis, a man of God, who lived in a monastery near that unfortunate district. Taking some holy relics, this God-pleaser advised them to have a Moleben with a Cross Procession to their fields. The locusts, as if irritated by such actions, focused their attention on the worshippers. Countless insects attacked people, especially in their eyes. Both the residents and priests fled to their homes in horror. Martinian also learned about this disaster. After serving a Moleben, he spoke to the villagers: "Is our faith so weak that we cannot ask the Lord to help us? Let us intensify our prayers; at least let us gather the old men, and we will resort to the powerful intercession of the Queen of Heaven and Earth. Let us take her holy Icon and pray together, trusting in the Lord. He will not reject our humble prayer to Him, and, through the intercessions of His Mother, He will save this district from a great calamity." inhabitants followed the pious Elder's suggestion, with confidence in the merciful intercession of the Mother of God, they gathered not only old men, but also husbands, wives and even children. There were also four priests. The Cross Procession followed the Elder, who carried the holy Icon, and went into the field. There Father Martinian placed the Icon on the ground, and all the villagers bowed before it in supplication. The Sovereign Lady did not reject the prayers of the faithful servants of her Son and our God. She drove the locusts away. Suddenly, a great flock of birds appeared, rushing swiftly at the insects. The locusts rose from the fields and flew in such a thick mass that they obscured the sunlight. in the village of Mavrovonē there was a boy who was very sick, and his illness was getting worse. His parents asked the priest to bring him Communion. For some reason, however, the visiting priest did not hurry, and he did not arrive for a long time. He took the Holy Gifts and went to the boy's house. He had invited Elder Martinian to come with him. When they arrived at the house, they were shocked by the news that boy was already dead. The priest was filled with deep remorse, since his procrastination had deprived the child of his final spiritual consolation. The only hope left to them was to trust in God's mercy. priest asked Father Martinian to bring his Icon so they could pray to the Queen of Heaven for the boy. The Elder, seeing the deep faith of the priest and the devastated parents, took out the holy Icon which he always kept with him and placed it over the child's bed. Confident that nothing is impossible for the Sovereign Lady, the Elder, the priest, and parents bowed before the Icon, begging her to restore the child to life. After praying for a time, the Elder touched the dying boy three times with the Icon, and suddenly the child opened his eyes. At Father Martinian's request, the boy was given Holy Communion, and then got up perfectly well. The next day he went to school, where he had been sent shortly before this for his primary education. Later, the boy who returned to life was tonsured in a foreign country with the name Alexis, and for a long time he lived an ascetical life on Mount Athos. of this glorious miracle spread far through the neighborhood. Many people who suffered from physical and spiritual infirmities flocked to the Icon of the Mother of God with faith. The Elder's tiny home was always crowded with people and he decided to hide from them, but they found him again. Martinian would not have minded visiting the sick with the Icon if their reverence for the Mother of God had not been mixed with a desire to glorify the Elder as well. He thought he should retire to a place where no one would find him. Therefore, he went by the sea shore and soon, above the ocean, he found a sheer rock with a cave, which was quite suitable for his ascetical struggles. Father Martinian thought he was completely secluded there. However, the good will of the Most Pure Virgin had arranged things otherwise. night the ascetic was praying in the cave. Suddenly, he heard a voice ordering him not to hide the Icon, but to minister to the needs of others. He tried to protest his unworthiness, and his infirmity, but the voice told him even more insistently to be obedient, saying that all this was for the glory of the Mother of God. When the Elder had finished his prayer, he decided to rest for a short time. Suddenly, at that moment, the cave was illumined with an extraordinary light. Surprised, the Elder came out onto the rock, desiring to know the source of such extraordinary radiance. The ascetic beheld a wondrous sight. He saw a pillar of light stretching from the sky to the ground, and in doing so, he heard again the same voice commanding him to leave his solitude and to go serve his neighbors. Thus, the ascetic opened his door to the residents of that vicinity. was a possessed woman named Elena, who used to shout all the time that she knew where the Elder was hiding. At the same time, she declared that only his Icon could heal her. The demon who possessed the woman was very fierce. He exposed the secret sins of all those who came to see Elena. One devout priest decided to read the prayers of exorcism over her no matter what happened. For that reason he went to Elena's house. Immediately, the woman attacked the priest and began to vilify the one who served at the altar, saying: "Aha! So you want to expel me? Are you thinking of casting me out? No, you cannot expel me, you will never drive me out. Look to yourself!" all the demon's words the priest continued to read the prayers, and asked the demon possessing the woman to reveal who could banish him. Against his will, the impure spirit spoke of a solitary Elder with an Icon, calling the ascetic a ragamuffin, an evil monk, and so on. Then the priest asked the demon where he might find this Elder. Then the demon, forced by the priest's prayers and by the power of God, revealed where Father Martinian was hiding. morning after the vision the Elder heard the sound of a large crowd of people gathered before the rock and begging him to come down to them to help the suffering. Seeing God's will in all this, the Elder obeyed and went to the homes of the villagers. First of all, he went to see Elena. As he approached her dwelling, she fell down unconscious and began to scream. When the Elder entered the house, he put down the Icon of the Mother of God and bowed before the Icon. At once, the demon came out of the woman with great moaning. She returned to her senses and fervently thanked the Theotokos. After this she felt quite well. Many other demoniacs were also healed by praying before her Icon. of all the miracles taking place before the Icon, people were always in Father Martinian's home. The Elder finally decided to return to his monastery. When the people learned of his departure, they followed him for some distance. With a great cry they parted from the Elder as he walked away from them, carrying the Icon of the Mother of God, who had poured forth so much grace on their district. 1884, soon after he arrived on the Holy Mountain and entered the monastery of the Great Martyr Panteleimon, Father Martinian went to the Lord. Then the holy Icon of the Mother of God became the monastery's precious heritage. The revered Icon remained there until July 20, 1889, when Archimandrite Makarios, the Superior of Saint Panteleimon's Monastery, gave the Deliverer Icon as a blessing to the newly-built New Athos Monastery of Saint Simon the Canaanite in the Caucasus The Icon has been there from 1889 until the present day. first celebration of the transfer of the Icon to New Athos Monastery took place on October 17, 1889. That is why the Feast Day in honor of this Icon was established on this day. About that time a storm cast more than a ton of fish ashore at the monastery. this Icon the Most Holy Theotokos holds the Divine Child on her right arm, and He blesses with His right hand. Deliverer Icon of the Mother of God is commemorated on October 17, and on April 4.

Georgia, 1891, Founding Church of Great Martyr George, Zakatalsk region, G enlightened Georgia, namesake, Bogomils came
Georgia, 1891, Founding of the Church of the Great Martyr George, Zakatalsk region (Talsk River of Alazani), new church in place of old, George enlightened Georgia, namesake, Nino established this feastday, Bogomils came; Zakatalsk region; Founding of the Church of St George, Commemorated November 10 ; Founding of the Church of the Great Martyr George in Georgia: was enlightened with the Christian faith by the holy Equal of the Apostles Nino (January 14), a kinswoman of the holy Great Martyr George the Victory-Bearer (April 23). Georgia has special veneration for Saint George as its patron saint. name Georgia is derived from George (this name is preserved now in many languages of the world). Nino established a feastday in his honor. It is celebrated in Georgia on November 10, in remembrance of the sufferings of Saint George. 1891, near the village of Kakha in the Zakatalsk region of the Caucasus, a new church in place of the old was built in honor of the holy Great Martyr George the Victory-Bearer, many of the heterodox Bogomils came in droves to it. heterodox Bogomils was a Christian neo-Gnostic or dualist sect founded in the First Bulgarian Empire by the priest Bogomil during the reign of Tsar Peter I in the 10th century.[1][2][3] It most probably arose in what is today the region of Macedonia.[4][5] Bogomils called for a return to what they considered to be early spiritual teaching, rejecting the ecclesiastical hierarchy. primary political tendencies were resistance to the state and church authorities. This helped the movement spread quickly in the Balkans, gradually expanding throughout the Byzantine Empire and later reaching Kievan Rus', Bosnia (Bosnian Church), Dalmatia, Serbia, Italy, and France (Cathars). Bogomils were dualists or Gnostics in that they believed in a world within the body and a world outside the body. did not use the Christian cross, nor build churches, as they revered their gifted form and considered their body to be the temple. gave rise to many forms of practice to cleanse oneself through purging,[clarification needed] fasting, celebrating and dancing.

Georgia, 1892-1924, Nazarius, new martyr, Bolsheviks, Georgian Nationalists, buried treasures, Chekists, Troika
Kutaisi; Kutaisi-Gaenati; New Martyr Nazarius, Metropolitan of Kutaisi-Gaenati, and his companions of Georgia, Commemorated August 14 ; Nazarius of Kutaisi-Gaenati was born in 1872 in the village of Didi Jikhaishi in Imereti. His forefathers belonged to a long lineage of clergy, and the future metropolitan was nurtured in the Church from the earliest years of his youth. (known in the world as Joseph) received his education at Kutaisi Theological School. In 1892 he graduated with honors from Tbilisi Seminary and began to serve in the Church, first as a deacon and later (from February 9, 1893) as a priest. In 1904, after a series of personal tragedies (first his wife died, then his two daughters), Nazarius was tonsured a monk. On November 4, 1918, he was enthroned as Metropolitan of Kutaisi. years 1922 to 1923 marked a difficult period in the history of the Georgian Church. The Bolsheviks razed twelve hundred churches, destroyed much of the Church’s wealth, burnt many rare manuscripts, and persecuted spiritual leaders—particularly Georgian nationalists. February 10, 1921, following the Red Army’s invasion of Georgia, the treasures of the Sioni and Svetitskhoveli Cathedrals were carried away to Kutaisi for safekeeping. Patriarch Leonid gave his blessing for four boxes of holy objects to be buried under the porch at Metropolitan Nazarius’s residence, which was located on the grounds of the Bagrati Cathedral. the Bolsheviks secured their occupation of Georgia, they discovered where the treasures had been buried and arrested Metropolitan Nazarius. They accused him of agitating against the government and concealing the possessions of the Church. During the court proceedings the metropolitan was asked for whom he had hidden the treasure, and he answered, “For the Church and the Georgian people!” court sentenced Nazarius to the most severe punishment—execution by a firing squad—but the sentence was subsequently rescinded. In the end, the Bolsheviks imprisoned the hierarch and confiscated his personal belongings. April of 1924 Metropolitan Nazarius received amnesty and was released after two years in prison. He returned to his diocese, which was undergoing many trials. He was not permitted to return to his own residence, but was obliged to live with his brother, while his former home was transformed into a storage facility. August 14, 1924, a delegation from the village of Simoneti came to the metropolitan to request that he consecrate their local church. At the appointed time, the metropolitan arrived in Simoneti with his retinue and consecrated the church. That night, a group of Chekists (Soviet security agents) broke into the house where Metropolitan Nazarius and his entourage were staying, bound and beat them, and then dragged them to the village council. Without an investigation, the Troika (a Soviet extraordinary council of three judges) sentenced to death Metropolitan Nazarius and four other clergymen—Priest Herman Jajanidze, Priest Hierotheos Nikoladze, Priest Simon Mchedlidze, and Archdeacon Besarion Kukhianidze. A layman, Axalmotsameni, was also sentenced to death. They were shot to death in the Sapichkhia Forest. 1994, with the blessing of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II, the full Ecclesiastical Council of the Georgian Church resolved with one accord to canonize Metropolitan Nazarius and the clergymen who were martyred with him. At the same time, the council canonized all the Orthodox Christians who, for their Faith and the independence of their homeland, became victims of the totalitarian regime. They were proclaimed the “New Martyrs of the Georgian Church.” Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated October 27 ; St Euthymius (Takaishvili), Commemorated Janaury 3; St Euthymius the Confessor, Commemorated on January 20 ; St Gabriel, Bishop of Imereti, Commemorated January 25 ; St Hilarion the Georgian, the New, Commemorated February 14 ; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on June 27;

Georgia, 1897-1960, St George (John) of Georgia, prophet, healing, clairvoyant
Skhvava (Village near Racha); St George (John) of Georgia ; George (Mkheidze) was born in the village of Skhvava in the Racha region around 1877. received a military education—a highly esteemed commodity among the Georgian aristocracy—but instead of pursuing a military career in defense of the Russian empire, he dedicated himself to Georgia’s national liberation movement. one point the pious and learned George worked for Saint Ilia the Righteous as his personal secretary. often met Saint Ilia’s spiritual father, the holy hierarch Alexandre (Okropiridze), and the holy hieromartyr Nazar (Lezhava), and he was acquainted with other important spiritual leaders of the time as well. to sacrifice his life to God, George was tonsured into monasticism by the holy hieromartyr Nazar. His rare character combined a nobleman’s deportment with a monk’s humble asceticism. Fr. George was ordained a priest and soon after elevated to the rank of archimandrite. with divine love and patriotic sentiment, the holy father willingly endured the heavy burdens and spiritual tribulations afflicting his country at that time. 1924, while Fr. George was laboring at Khirsa Monastery in Kakheti in eastern Georgia, an armed Chekist mob broke into the monastery. The perpetrators beat him, cut off his hair, shaved his beard, and threatened to take his life. He sought refuge with his family, but to no avail—his brothers, who were atheists, shaved off his beard while he was sleeping. (One of Fr. George’s brothers later committed suicide, and the other, together with his wife, was shot to death by the Chekists.) In the same year, Fr. George visited Betania Monastery and was introduced to Fr. John (Maisuradze), with whom he would labor for the remainder of his life. George’s health was poor, and he was able to perform only the lightest of tasks around the monastery. He tended the vegetable garden and took responsibility for raising the bees. He was extremely generous. At times he would give all the monastery’s food to the needy, assuring Fr. John that God Himself would provide their daily bread. thin, and with an upright posture, Fr. George was strict in both appearance and demeanor. He spoke very little with other people, and children did not play with him as they did with Fr. John. Knowing his character, they tried to please him by reciting prayers and behaving themselves. Fr. George did not like to leave the monastery, but it was often necessary for him to travel to Tbilisi to visit his spiritual children— among whom were many secret Christians who worked for the government. George was endowed with the gifts of prophecy and healing, but he was careful to hide them. When constrained to reveal them, he would pass them off as though they were nothing extraordinary. Once a certain pilgrim arrived at the monastery and was surprised to discover that Fr. George knew him by name. Sensing his great amazement, Fr. George told the pilgrim that he had attended his baptism some thirty years earlier, thus concealing his God-given gift. Fr. George knew in advance when his nephew was bringing his sisters, whom he had not seen in forty-eight years, to visit him at the monastery during Great Lent. with this foreknowledge, Fr. George prepared fish and a festal meal in honor of the occasion. prayers of Fr. George and Fr. John healed the former’s nephew, who was afflicted by a deadly strain of meningitis. They restored hearing to a deaf child and healed many others of their bodily infirmities. 1957, when Fr. John reposed in the Lord, Fr. George was tonsured into the great schema. He was given the name John in honor of his newly departed spiritual brother. Fr. George-John now bore full responsibility for the affairs of the monastery. His health deteriorated further under the weight of this heavy yoke. His spiritual children began to come from the city to care for him. a twenty-year-old girl arrived at the monastery, complaining of incessant headaches. She had been told that the water from Betania Monastery would heal her. She remained there for one week and was miraculously healed. When she left to return home, Fr. George-John walked five miles to see her off, in spite of his physical frailty. Theotokos appeared to Fr. George-John in a vision and relieved his terrible physical pain. The protomartyr Thekla also appeared to him, presenting him with a bunch of grapes. Several days before his repose, the holy father was in the city when an angel appeared to him and announced his imminent repose. The angel told him to return to the monastery to prepare for his departure from this world. George-John (Mkheidze) reposed in 1960. He was buried at Betania Monastery, next to Fr. John (Maisuradze). These venerable fathers were canonized on September 18, 2003, at a council of the Holy Synod under the spiritual leadership of His Holiness Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia. Frs. John and George-John have been lovingly deemed “one soul in two bodies.”

Georgia, 1900, 20th Centory, History Folder, British Protection, Soviet Union, and Georgia

Georgia, 1918-1920, Georgia under British Protection
Georgia, 1918-1920, Georgia under British Protection;

Georgia, 1919-1942, Gregory of Georgia, Peradze, also professor in many countries, surfaced lost manuscripts, k by Nazis
Georgia, 1919-1942, Gregory of Georgia, Peradze, also professor in Germany, Belgium, England, France, Poland, Syria, Palestine, Greece, Bulgaria, Austria, Italy and Romania , surfaced long lost Georgian manuscripts, arrested by Gstapo for aiding Jews, lost manuscripts, Pawiak and Auschwitz, martyred for another Bakurtsikhe, Georgia; Hieromartyr Gregory (Peradze) of Georgia, Commemorated on November 23 ; Gregory (Peradze) was born August 31, 1899, in the village of Bakurtsikhe, in the Sighnaghi district of Kakheti. His father, Roman Peradze, was a priest. 1918, Gregory completed his studies at the theological school and seminary in Tbilisi and enrolled in the philosophy department at Tbilisi University. years later, in 1921, he began to teach at the university, but the Georgian Church soon sent him to Germany to study theology. 1922 to 1925, Gregory studied theology and eastern languages at the University of Berlin, and in 1925 he transferred to the philosophy department at the University of Bonn, where he received a doctoral degree in philosophy for his dissertation “The Monastic Life in Georgia from Its Origins to 1064.” continued to attend lectures in theology at the University of Louvain until 1927. 1927, Gregory moved to England to continue his career in academia, and there he became acquainted with the old patristic manuscripts that were preserved in the library collections of the British Museum and Oxford University. July of that year, Gregory was named an associate professor at the University of Bonn, and he returned there to lecture on the history of Georgian and Armenian literature. 1931, Gregory was tonsured a monk, ordained a priest, and appointed dean of the Georgian church in Paris. year later he was invited to Oxford to lecture on Georgian history. new period in Saint Gregory’s life began later in 1932, when the Metropolitan of all Poland, Dionysius Waledinsky, invited him to be a professor of Patrology and the chair of Orthodox Theology at Warsaw University. often delivered lectures at academic conferences and in academic centers throughout Europe. sought tirelessly for ancient Georgian manuscripts and historical documents on the Georgian Church. His searches took him to Syria, Palestine, Greece, Bulgaria, Austria, Romania, Italy and England. As a result of his labors, many long-lost Georgian manuscripts surfaced again. and industriousness characterized the Hieromartyr Gregory throughout his life. In difficult moments he often repeated the words of Saint John Chrysostom: “Glory be to God for all things!” the 1920s, as the Red Army was securing its occupation of Georgia, the nation’s treasures were carried away to France for safekeeping. in the 1940s, Georgian society was unaware that, due to Saint Gregory’s efforts alone, many treasures of Georgian national culture were spared confiscation by the Nazis in Paris. execution at the hands of a firing squad, Saint Gregory wrote in the official documentation presented to the Nazis that these items were of no particular value but were precious to the Georgians as part of their national consciousness. did most of Georgian society know that, in Paris, Archimandrite Gregory had founded a Georgian church in honor of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Nino and a parish journal called Jvari Vazisa, or “The Cross of Vines.” May of 1942, Saint Gregory was arrested by the Gestapo. The priceless Georgian manuscripts he had preserved and many sacred objects that had been crafted by ancient Georgian masters and collected by Saint Gregory during his travels (in hopes of returning them to Georgia) disappeared after his apartment was searched. Gregory was arrested for sheltering and aiding Jews and other victims of the fascist persecutions. He was incarcerated at Pawiak Prison in Warsaw, and deported to Auschwitz at the beginning of November. the camp an inmate killed a German officer. The guards drove everyone out of the barracks absolutely naked, forcing them to stay in the below-freezing temperatures until someone confessed. Saint Gregory decided to take the blame for the murder, thus saving innocent prisoners from freezing to death. The guards let loose the dogs on the martyr, poured gasoline over him, and lit him on fire. Then they said, “Poles, go warm yourselves around him, your intercessor.” to the official German documentation, Gregory Peradze died on December 6, 1942 [November 23, old style], at 4:45 in the afternoon. (According to another account, the martyr entered the gas chamber in place of a Jewish man with a large family. This was reported by a former prisoner, who, after being liberated, visited Metropolitan Dionysius and gave him Saint Gregory’s cross.) In the end, like Christ Himself, Archimandrite Gregory died for having taken upon himself the sin of another.

Georgia, 1919-1942, Gregory (Peradze), philosopher, theologian, saved Georgian manuscripts from Reds and Nazis, sheltered Jews
Georgia, 1919-1942, Gregory (Peradze) of Georgia, of Bakurtsikhe, Kakheti, Eastern Georgia, philosopher, theologian, Berlin, Bonn, Louvain, Oxford, Paris, Warsaw, found ancient Georgian manuscripts, Syria, Palestine, Greece, Bulgaria, Austria, Romania, Italy, England, 1920's taken to Paris for savekeeping from Red Army, 1940 from Nazis in Paris, arrested for sheltering Jews; Bakurtsikhe, Georgia; Hieromartyr Gregory (Peradze) of Georgia, Commemorated on November 23 ; Gregory (Peradze) was born August 31, 1899, in the village of Bakurtsikhe, in the Sighnaghi district of Kakheti. His father, Roman Peradze, was a priest. 1918, Gregory completed his studies at the theological school and seminary in Tbilisi and enrolled in the philosophy department at Tbilisi University. years later, in 1921, he began to teach at the university, but the Georgian Church soon sent him to Germany to study theology. 1922 to 1925, Gregory studied theology and eastern languages at the University of Berlin, and in 1925 he transferred to the philosophy department at the University of Bonn, he received a doctoral degree in philosophy for his dissertation “The Monastic Life in Georgia from Its Origins to 1064.” continued to attend lectures in theology at the University of Louvain until 1927. 1927, Gregory moved to England to continue his career in academia, and there he became acquainted with the old patristic manuscripts that were preserved in the library collections of the British Museum and Oxford University. July of that year, Gregory was named an associate professor at the University of Bonn, and he returned there to lecture on the history of Georgian and Armenian literature. 1931, Gregory was tonsured a monk, ordained a priest, and appointed dean of the Georgian church in Paris. year later he was invited to Oxford to lecture on Georgian history. new period in Saint Gregory’s life began later in 1932, when the Metropolitan of all Poland, Dionysius Waledinsky, invited him to be a professor of Patrology and the chair of Orthodox Theology at Warsaw University. often delivered lectures at academic conferences and in academic centers throughout Europe. sought tirelessly for ancient Georgian manuscripts and historical documents on the Georgian Church. His searches took him to Syria, Palestine, Greece, Bulgaria, Austria, Romania, Italy and England. As a result of his labors, many long-lost Georgian manuscripts surfaced again. and industriousness characterized the Hieromartyr Gregory throughout his life. In difficult moments he often repeated the words of Saint John Chrysostom: “Glory be to God for all things!” the 1920s, as the Red Army was securing its occupation of Georgia, the nation’s treasures were carried away to France for safekeeping. in the 1940s, Georgian society was unaware that, due to Saint Gregory’s efforts alone, many treasures of Georgian national culture were spared confiscation by the Nazis in Paris. execution at the hands of a firing squad, Saint Gregory wrote in the official documentation presented to the Nazis that these items were of no particular value but were precious to the Georgians as part of their national consciousness. did most of Georgian society know that, in Paris, Archimandrite Gregory had founded a Georgian church in honor of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Nino and a parish journal called Jvari Vazisa, or “The Cross of Vines.” May of 1942, Saint Gregory was arrested by the Gestapo. The priceless Georgian manuscripts he had preserved and many sacred objects that had been crafted by ancient Georgian masters and collected by Saint Gregory during his travels (in hopes of returning them to Georgia) disappeared after his apartment was searched. Gregory was arrested for sheltering and aiding Jews and other victims of the fascist persecutions. He was incarcerated at Pawiak Prison in Warsaw, and deported to Auschwitz at the beginning of November. the camp an inmate killed a German officer. The guards drove everyone out of the barracks absolutely naked, forcing them to stay in the below-freezing temperatures until someone confessed. Gregory decided to take the blame for the murder, thus saving innocent prisoners from freezing to death. The guards let loose the dogs on the martyr, poured gasoline over him, and lit him on fire. Then they said, “Poles, go warm yourselves around him, your intercessor.” to the official German documentation, Gregory Peradze died on December 6, 1942 [November 23, old style], at 4:45 in the afternoon. (According to another account, the martyr entered the gas chamber in place of a Jewish man with a large family. This was reported by a former prisoner, who, after being liberated, visited Metropolitan Dionysius and gave him Saint Gregory’s cross.) In the end, like Christ Himself, Archimandrite Gregory died for having taken upon himself the sin of another.

Georgia, 1920-1991, Georgia in the Soviet Union
Georgia, 1920-1991, Georgia in the Soviet Union;

Georgia, 1989, Arrival of Iveron Icon to Tbilisi, Georgia, for gratitude, copy of Protectress Iveron Icon arrives Tiblisi
Georgia, 1989, Tbilisi, Kartli, Georgia Capital (Tiblisi River Mouth, Kura River 9), for gratitude, copy of protectoris Iveron Icon arrives Tiblisi Georgia 1989; Tbilisi; Arrival of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God in Georgia, Commemorated on September 26; Iveron Icon of the Mother of God (which is preserved on Mt. Athos) was kept in the home of a certain pious widow, who lived near Nicea. the reign of the emperor Theophilus, the Iconoclasts came to the house of this Christian, and one of the soldiers struck the image of the Mother of God with a spear. Blood flowed from the place where it was struck. widow, fearing its destruction, promised the imperial soldiers money and implored them not to touch the icon until morning. the soldiers departed, the woman and her son (later an Athonite monk), sent the holy icon away upon the sea to preserve it. icon, standing upright upon the water, floated to Athos. several days, the Athonite monks had seen a fiery pillar on the sea rising up to the heavens. came down to the shore and found the holy image, standing upon the waters. a Molieben of thanksgiving, a pious monk of the Iveron Monastery, Gabriel (July 12), had a dream in which the Mother of God appeared to him and gave him instructions. he walked across the water, and taking up the holy icon, he placed it in the church. the following day, however, the icon was found not within the church, but on the gates of the monastery. was repeated several times, until the Most Holy Theotokos revealed to Saint Gabriel Her will, saying that She did not want the icon to be guarded by the monks, but rather She intended to be their Protectress. this, the icon was installed on the monastery gates. this icon came to be called “Portaitissa” or “Gate-Keeper” (October 13). comes from the Akathist to the Mother of God: “Rejoice, O Blessed Gate-Keeper who opens the gates of Paradise to the righteous.” is a tradition that the Mother of God promised Saint Gabriel that the grace and mercy of Her Son toward the monks would continue as long as the Icon remained at the monastery. is also believed that the disappearance of the Iveron Icon from Mt. Athos would be a sign of the end of the world. Iveron Icon is also commemorated on February 12, March 31, October 13 (Its arrival in Moscow in 1648), and Bright Tuesday (Commemorating the appearance of the Icon in a pillar of fire at Mt. Athos and its recovery by Saint Gabriel). September 26, 1989, a copy of this famous icon arrived in Tbilisi, Georgia from the Iveron Monastery on Mt. Athos. This copy had been painted by the monks on Mt. Athos as a symbol of love and gratitude to the Georgian people.

Georgia, Central Georgia, Kura River Folder, Samtskhe, Ossetia South, and Kartli

Kura (Mtkvari) River

Kura (Mtkvari) River Source (Lesser Caucasus)
Lesser Caucasus;

Kola, the village of Kola was located at the source of the Mtkvari River
Kola, the village of Kola was located at the source of the Mtkvari River; 9 Martyred brothers of Kola, Commemorated on February 22 ; centuries ago, the village of Kola was located at the source of the Mtkvari River.

Kola, Georgia (Kura (Mtkvari) River Source)
Kola; 9 Martyred brothers of Kola, Commemorated February 21 ;

Georgia, Central Georgia, Kura River 1,2,3,4,&5, Samtskhe Folder (Southern G, rivers f North

Kura (Mtkvari) River 1 (Artaani Region)

Samtskhe-Saatabago (Kura River Source)
Samtskhe; Samtskhe; St Serapion of Zarzma, Commemorated October 29 ; Venerable Sabiana, Abbess of the Samtskhe Monastery, Commemorated December 31;

Samtskhe region (Southern Georgia, aka Meskheti and Javakheti)
Samtskhe; Samtskhe; St Euthymius the Elder of the St John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated on August 8; Repose of St. Anthimus, Bishop of Georgia, Commemorated on September 14 ; St Serapion of Zarzma, Commemorated October 29; St Jotham Zedgenidze, Commemorated on October 30; Venerable Sabiana, Abbess of the Samtskhe Monastery, Commemorated on December 31; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29 ; St George Matskevereli of Georgia, Commemorated on April 2; Venerable Michael of Parekhi, Commemorated on May 27; Hieromartyr Theodore of Kvelta, Commemorated on June 8; St Anthimus, Bishop of Georgia, Commemorated on June 13; Venerable George of Mt. Athos, Georgian, Commemorated on June 27;

House of Chorchaneli, House of Jaqeli, George Chorchaneli
House of Chorchaneli, House of Jaqeli; St. Serapion of Zarzma, Commemorated on October 29; St. George Matskevereli of Georgia, Commemorated on April 2;

Meskheti (mountainous area of Southwestern Georgia, Samtskhe, Javakheti)
Meskheti; St Tsotne Dadiani the Confessor, Commemorated on July 30 ; St Euthymius the Elder of the St John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated on August 8; St Arsenius the Great, Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on September 25 ; St Gregory of Chandzoe in Georgia, Commemorated October 5 ; New Martyr George of Iberia, Commemorated on January 2 ; St Pimen of Salosi the Enlightener of Dagestan and the North Caucasus People, Commemorated on March 16 ; Venerable Michael of Parekhi, Commemorated on May 27;

Artaani or Erusheti Region, Southern Georgia along Upper Kura River
Artaani Region; Erusheti Region; Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23;

Kura (Mtkvari) River 2 (Artaani Region)

Kura (Mtkvari) River 3 (Artaani Region)

Erusheti, Javakheti, Samtskhe, Georgia (Early center of Georgian Christianity, Kura River 3)
Erusheti, Javakheti, Georgia (Early center of Georgian Christianity); Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated on October 1;

Erusheti Mountain Range (along current Turkey Georgia border)
Erusheti, Javakheti, Georgia (Early center of Georgian Christianity); Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated on October 1;

Kvelistsikhe Fortress, Southern Georgia (Kura River 3.5)
Kvelistsikhe Fortress; Erusheti, Javakheti, Georgia (Early center of Georgian Christianity); Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; Martyr Michael (Gobron) of Georgia, Commemorated November 17 ;

Kura (Mtkvari) River 4 (current border)

House of Jaqeli (Chorchaneli), Principality of Samtskhe
House of Jaqeli (Chorchaneli), Principality of Samtskhe; St. Serapion of Zarzma, Commemorated on October 29; St. George Matskevereli of Georgia, Commemorated on April 2;

Georgia, Central Georgia, Kura River 4, Kvabliani&Sairme Folder, Zarzma Mts, South flow from Meskheti

Kvabliani River

Tsiskvili (Zarzma)
Tsiskvili: the residents of Tsiskvili met them with hostility and tried to block their path. That very same night a miracle occurred: an earthquake split the rocks that were holding back Lake Satakhve and washed away the entire village of Tsiskvili. Only two brothers survived. To this day this place has been called ÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â¢ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â€ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚ÂœZarzmaÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â¢ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â€ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚ÂÂÂÂ [the word ÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â¢ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â€ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚ÂœzariÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â¢ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â€ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚ÂÂÂÂ is often used to denote a tragic occurrence]. Zarzma monastery St Serapion of Zarzma, Commemorated on October 29 ;

Zarzma monastery (Kvabliani River, Kura River 4, Samtskhe ) 840 approx. by Serapion
Zarzma monastery; St Serapion of Zarzma, Commemorated October 29 ; Venerable Michael of Parekhi, Commemorated on May 27;

Kvabliani River Source (Meskheti Range)

Kvabliani River Mouth (Kura River 5)

Sairme River

Meskheti Range
Meskheti Range near Abastumani Georgia;

Sairme, Sairme Monastery, 1788
Sairme; Sairme Monastery; St Jacob the Elder, and disciple of St Anthony of Chkondidi, Commemorated on October 13 ;

Odzrkhe Monastery, Sairme, Georgia, 1788
Odzrkhe; St Eulogius of Salosi, the Prophet and Fool-for-Christ, Commemorated on April 1; St John Shavteli of Salosi, Bishop of Gaenati, Georgia, Commemorated on April 1; St John of Shavtel-Gaenati, Commemorated on June 9;

Georgia, Central Georgia, Kura River 5, Javakheti River Folder, Southern Georgia, Atsquri Fortress

Kura (Mtkvari) River 5 (ravine begins)
Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated on January 26;

Javakheti Region (South Central Georgia)
Javakheti Region, Historically, Javakheti borders in the west to the Kura River (Mtkvari), and in the north, south and east with the Shavvasheti, Samsari and Nialiskuri mountains.; St Tsotne Dadiani the Confessor, Commemorated on July 30 ; St Arsenius the Bishop of Ninotsminda, Commemorated on July 31 ; St Euthymius the Elder of the St John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated on August 8; Hierarch Samuel, Second Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30 ; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29 ; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23;

Akhalkalaki, Javakheti Region (South Central Georgia)
Javakheti Region, Historically, Javakheti borders in the west to the Kura River (Mtkvari), and in the north, south and east with the Shavvasheti, Samsari and Nialiskuri mountains.; St Tsotne Dadiani the Confessor, Commemorated on July 30 ; St Arsenius the Bishop of Ninotsminda, Commemorated on July 31 ; St Euthymius the Elder of the St John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated on August 8; Hierarch Samuel, Second Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30 ; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29 ; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23;

Samtskhe-Javakheti
Samtskhe; Samtskhe; St Serapion of Zarzma; St Jotham Zedgenidze; Venerable Sabiana, Abbess of the Samtskhe Monastery

Javakheti Mountains, South Central Georgia
Javakheti Range runs north to souith; The Entrance of St Nino (Nina) the Enlightener into Georgia, Commemorated on May 19; Venerable Michael of Parekhi, Commemorated on May 27; St Anthimus, Bishop of Georgia, Commemorated on June 13;

Javakheti River (Southern Georgia)

Javakheti River Source (Javakheti Mountains)

Lake Paravani, South Central Georgia
Lake Paravani; St Jotham Zedgenidze, Commemorated October 30; St Nino (Nina), Equal of the Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated on January 14 ; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated January 29 ; The Entrance of St Nino (Nina) the Enlightener into Georgia, Commemorated on May 19;

Aspara, Lake Paravani, South Central, Georgia 41°27'12"N 43°46'49"E
Aspara, Georgia 41°27'12"N 43°46'49"E; Seven Martyred Brothers: Orentius, Pharnacius, Eros, Firmus, Firminus, Cyriacus, and Longinus, in Georgia, Commemorated on June 24;

Ninotsminda (Javakheti River, Meskheti Region, Souther Georgia)
Ninotsminda; St Arsenius the Bishop of Ninotsminda, Commemorated on July 31 ; St Euthymius the Elder of the St John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated on August 8; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; Venerable Dodo of the St David-Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on May 17;

Tsqarostavi Church
Erusheti or the Tsqarostavi Church in the Javakheti region. Hierarch Samuel, Second Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated November 30 ;

Vardzia Cave Monestary, southern Georgia (Erusheti Mountain, left bank of Javakheti River) 1180's
Vardzia Monestary; Vardzia Cave Monestary, southern Georgia (Javakheti River) 1180's; St Eulogius of Salosi, the Prophet and Fool-for-Christ, Commemorated on April 1; St John Shavteli of Salosi, Bishop of Gaenati, Georgia, Commemorated on April 1; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8; St John of Shavtel-Gaenati, Commemorated on June 9;

Kumurdo Cathedral, Southern Georgia, 964
Kumurdo Cathedral, Southern Georgia; St Zosimas II of Kumurdo, Commemorated on May 1;

Javakheti (Javakheti River)
Javakheti; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29 ;

Samtskhe Tadzrisi Monastery

Sapara (Samtskhe) Monastery
Sapara (Samtskhe) Monastery;

Akhaltsikhe, Georgia (Javakheti River Mouth, Kura River 5)
Akhaltsikhe; Martyred Fathers and Mothers of Atchara, Commemorated on May 29; St Shalva of Akhaltsikhe, Commemorated on June 17;

Atsquri Fortress, 850 or middle of the 9th Century
Atsquri Fortress; St. Arsenius the Great, Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on September 25; St. Ephraim the Great of Atsquri, Commemorated on April 15;

Tadzrisi, Samtskhe (Kura River 5 where ravine begins)
Tadzrisi, Samtskhe, Georgia (Kura River 5 where Ravine Begins); Venerable George of Mount Athos, Commemorated on June 27;

Dviri Monastery in Borjomi town (Kura River 5.6)
Dviri Fortress in Borjomi town (Kura River 5.6) Borjomi town in Borjomi Region; Saint Gregory of Chandzoe, Georgia, Commemorated on October 5;

Dviri Fortress in Borjomi town (Kura River 5.6)
Dviri Fortress in Borjomi town (Kura River 5.6) Borjomi town in Borjomi Region; Saint Gregory of Chandzoe, Georgia, Commemorated on October 5;

Borjomi town in Borjomi Region (Kura River 5.6)
Borjomi town in Borjomi Region; Saint Gregory of Chandzoe, Georgia, Commemorated on October 5;

Nedzvi [Akhaldaba] Monastery (Kura River 5.7)
Nedzvi [Akhaldaba] Monastery); Saint Gregory of Chandzoe, Georgia, Commemorated on October 5;

Georgia, Central Georgia, Kura River 6, 7, and 8, Rivers flow South, Ossetia South

Ossetia South, Central Georgia, now Shida Kartli, Kura River 6, 7, & 8
Ossetia; Ossetians; South Ossetia (now Shida Kartli); Ossetia (now Shida Kartli); St Theodore the Prince of Smolensk and Yaroslav, Commemorated September 19 ; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated November 30 ; St Ephraim the Lesser, Commemorated January 18 ; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated on January 26 Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28; Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8 ;

Khevi Area (Kazbegi District, Ossetia North, and Mtskheta Region, Ossetia South)
Khevi Area; Venerable Joseph the Elder and Wonderworker of Khevi, Georgia, Commemorated October 7 ;

Kura (Mtkvari) River 6 (ravine ends)
Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated on January 26;

Tsromi, Ossetia South, in central Georgia (Kura River 6, ravine ends), Tsromi Church, 7th Century
Tsromi in central Georgia, Tsromi Church, 7th Century; Martyr Razhden of Persia the Georgian, Commemorated on August 3;

Kvelta, Georgia (end of the ravine, Kura River 6)
Kvelta; Hieromartyr Theodore of Kvelta, Commemorated on June 8;

Surami, Georgia (Kura River 6)
Surami; Martyr Luarsab II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21;

Kura (Mtkvari) River 7 (Liakhvi River)

Georgia, Central Georgia, Kura River 7, Liakhvi River Folder, Kvabtakhevi M, Samachablo d

Liakhvi River

Liakhvi River Source 2

Liakhvi River Source 1 (along the border)

Liakhvi River Source 2 (along the border)

Liakhvi Gorge
Liakhvi Gorge; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on June 27 ;

Samachablo district, Georgia
Samachablo district; St John, Commemorated on September 21 ; St John, Commemorated on January 23 ;

Caucasus Region, Georgia
Caucasus Region, Georgia; Seven Martyred Brothers: Orentius, Pharnacius, Eros, Firmus, Firminus, Cyriacus, and Longinus, in Georgia, Commemorated on June 24 Martyr Orentius, one of the seven martyred brothers in Georgia, Commemorated on June 24 ; Holy Queen Dinar, Commemorated on June 30 ;

Transcaucasus 1
Transcaucasus; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8; Holy Queen Dinar, Commemorated on June 30 ;

Transcaucasus 2
Transcaucasus; Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1;

Liakhvi River 1 (Kvabtakhevi Monastery)

Tskhinvali, Georgia (capital of Ossetia South)
Tskhinvali; St George (John) of Georgia, Commemorated September 8 ; St Theodore the Prince of Smolensk and Yaroslav, Commemorated on September 19 ; Samachablo; St John, Commemorated on September 21 ; St John, Commemorated on January 23 ; St Onuphrius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated September 29 ; St George (John) of Georgia, Commemorated January 21 ;

Tbeti monastery (Kartli, Central Georgia, Liakhvi River 1)
Tbeti monastery; Kartli, Central-Eastern Georgia, includes Tiblisi; Venerable Fathers and Mothers of the Klarjeti Wilderness, Commemorated October 5 ;

Ikorta church, Inner Kartli (Liakhvi River 1)
Ikorta church; Greatmartyr and Prince Bidzina of Georgia, Commemorated September 18 ;

Shida [Inner] Kartli (Kura 7, Liakhvi River, Ossetia South)
Shida [Inner] Kartli; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on June 27;

Kvabtakhevi Monastery, Central Georgia (Liakhvi River 1) 1180's
Kvabtakhevi Monastery; Mothers of the Kvabtakhevi Monastery in Georgia, Commemorated on April 10; Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8;

Nikozi, Georgia (Ossetia South, Inner Kartli, Liakhvi River 1)
Nikozi (Inner Kartli); Martyr Razhden of Persia the Georgian, Commemorated on August 3; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30 ; Saint Hilarion the New of Georgia, Commemorated on February 14; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on March 12; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on June 27;

Nikozi in the Gori district, birthplace of Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia
Nikozi in the Gori district; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on March 12;

Liakhvi River Mouth (Gori, Kura River 7)

Lori and nearby Castle of Agarani,where Tamar suddenly became ill
Lori and nearby Castle of Agarani,where Tamar suddenly became ill; Gori, Georgia; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated on November 29 ; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo; St Gabriel, Bishop of Imereti, Commemorated January 25 ; Martyr Luarsab II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on June 27;

Gori (Lori), Georgia (Liakhvi River Mouth, Kura (Mtkvari) River7)
Gori, Georgia; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated on November 29 ; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo; St Gabriel, Bishop of Imereti, Commemorated January 25 ; Martyr Luarsab II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on June 27;

Kvenadkotsi, Georgia 1609 (between Gori and Surami)
In 1609 Georgia suffered invasion by a Turkish army under the leadership of Deli-Mamad-khan. The young emperor gave decisive battle to the Turks near the village of Kvenadkotsi (between Gori and Surami). On the eve of battle the 14,000 Georgians spent all night in prayer. In the morning after Divine Liturgy and having received the Holy Mysteries, the Georgian forces put 60,000 enemy soldiers to flight in a heroic battle. Martyr Luarsab II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21;

Shida (Inner) Kartli
Shida (Inner) Kartli; Martyr Neophytus of Urbin, Georgia,Commemorated on October 28 ;

Urbnisi, Central Georgia (Liakhvi River, Kura River 7)
Urbnisi; 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers with their Mother and Sister and Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda, Commemorated on August 3; Martyr Neophytus of Urbin, Georgia, Commemorated October 28 ; St Nino (Nina), Equal of the Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated January 14 ; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26 ; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7 ;

Ruisi - Urbnisi (Ruisi Cathedral in Urbnisi, Kura River 7, Liakhvi River Mouth) 780
Ruisi - Urbnisi (Ruisi Cathedral in Urbnisi); 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers with their Mother and Sister and Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda, Commemorated on August 3;

Georgia, Central Georgia, Kura River 7.5, Ksani River Folder

Ksani River

Ksani River Source (Greater Caucusus Mountain Range)

Ksani River 1
St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgia; Once, with the blessing of his teacher Saint John of Zedazeni, Saint Jesse performed a miracle to strengthen the people in their Faith. He descended to the bank of the Ksani River, followed by Saint John and a multitude of people. He made the sign of the Cross over the river, touched his staff to the water and commanded: â€œIn the name of our Lord and God Jesus Christ, I command you, river: follow me!â€ÂÂÂ Immediately the river reversed its current and began to flow backwards, following in Saint Jesseâ€™s footsteps right up to Tsilkani Church.

Ksani River 2

Ksani River Mouth (Kura River 7.5)

Ksani Fortress, Central Georgia (Ksani River Mouth)
Ksani Fortress; Greatmartyr and Prince Bidzina of Georgia, Commemorated September 18 ; St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgia, Commemorated on December 2 ;

Georgia, Central Georgia, Kura River 7.5, Ksani River Mouth, Narekvavi River Folder, Tsilikani

Narckvavi River

Narekvavi River Source

Narekvavi River 1 (Tsilkani, and Tsilikani Cathedral)

Tsilkani, Georgia (Narekvavi River 1)
Tsilkani, Georgia (Town near T. Cathedral, Narekvavi River 1); St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgia;

Tsilkani Church, (Probably near Tsilkani Cathedral, Narekvavi River 1)
Tsilkani Church, (Probably near Ksani Fortress, Ksani River 2); Icon of the Mother of God ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â€ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Âœthe HealerÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â€ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚ÂÂÂÂ, Commemorated on September 18 ; St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgia, Commemorated December 2; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7;

Tsilkani cathedral (Left Bank of the Narckvavi)
Tsilkani cathedral; The Healer Icon of the Mother of God, Commemorated on September 18;

Narekvavi River Mouth, Ksani River Mouth

Georgia, Central Georgia, Kura River 7.8, Kaspi River Folder

Kaspi River

Kaspi River Source

Kaspi River 1 (Armazi)

Armazi Monastery, Georgia (Kaspi River 1) 1150
Armazi Monestary; St George (John) of Georgia, Commemorated September 8 ; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30 ; St John, Commemorated on September 21 ; St George (John) of Georgia, Commemorated January 21 ;

Armazi Fortress, Ossetia South
Armazi Fortress; Vakhtang could run up here from down at Mtskheta. Vested in armor and fully armed, he could carry a war-horse on his shoulders and climb from Mtskheta to the Armazi Fortress in the mountains outside the city. On foot he could outrun a deer. St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated November 30 ;

Tsikhegoji (Armazi, Kaspi River 1)
Tsikhegoji; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia;

Kaspi River 2 (Samtavisi)

Samtavisi Monastery, Kaspi, Georgia
Samtavisi Monastery; Nevertheless, that night the priests and monks of Rekhi came, took the body of the holy martyr, and buried it with great honor at Samtavisi Monastery (located midway between Mtskheta and Gori). Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7;

Kaspi, Georgia (Kaspi River Mouth, Kura River 7.8)
Kaspi; Martyr Razhden of Persia the Georgian, Commemorated on August 3; St George (John) of Georgia, Commemorated September 8 ; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7;

Kura (Mtkvari) River 8 (Mtskheta, Aragvi River)

Georgia, Central Georgia, Kura River 8, Aragvi River Folder, Mtskheta

Aragvi River

Aragvi River Source (North of Gudari)

Aragvi River 1 (Pshavi)

Khevsureti (Aragvi River 1)
Khevsureti; Greatmartyr and Prince Bidzina of Georgia, Commemorated on September 18 ;

Pshavi (Aragvi River 1)
Pshavi; Greatmartyr and Prince Bidzina of Georgia, Commemorated on September 18 ;

Aragvi Gorge
Aragvi Gorge; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on June 27;

Ananuri, Castle, Argavi River 1, Georgia
Ananuri, Castle; (Georgian: ანანური) is a castle complex on the Aragvi River in Dusheti Municipality Georgia, about 45 miles (72 kilometres) from Tbilisi. was a castle and seat of the eristavis (Dukes) of Aragvi, a feudal dynasty which ruled the area from the 13th century. castle was the scene of numerous battles. 1739, Ananuri was attacked by forces from a rival duchy, commanded by Shanshe of Ksani and was set on fire. Aragvi clan was massacred. However, four years later, the local peasants revolted against rule by the Shanshe, killing the usurpers and inviting King Teimuraz II to rule directly over them. in 1746, King Teimuraz was forced to suppress another peasant uprising, with the help of King Erekle II of Kakheti. The fortress remained in use until the beginning of the 19th century. In 2007, the complex has been on the tentative list for inclusion into the UNESCO World Heritage Site program.[1] the castle was under siege, it was not defeated because a secret tunnel led to the water and thus provided a way to get food and water to the people who had taken refuge in the castle. The enemy finally captured a woman named Ana, who was from Nuri, and tortured her to reveal the location of the tunnel. But she chose to die rather than giving the secret away. Hence the castle was called Ananuri, and she became a legend. fortifications consist of two castles joined by a crenellated curtain wall. The upper fortification with a large square tower, known as Sheupovari, is well preserved and is the location of the last defense of the Aragvi against the Shanshe. The lower fortification, with a round tower, is mostly in ruins. the complex, amongst other buildings, are two churches. The older Church of the Virgin, which abuts a tall square tower, has the graves of some of the Dukes of Aragvi. It dates from the first half of the 17th century, and was built of brick. The interior is no longer decorated, but of interest is a stone baldaquin erected by the widow of the Duke Edishera, who died in 1674. larger Church of the Mother of God (Ghvtismshobeli), built in 1689 for the son of Duke Bardzim. It is a central dome style structure with richly decorated façades, including a carved north entrance and a carved grapevine cross on the south façade. It also contains the remains of a number of frescoes, most of which were destroyed by the fire in the 18th century.[2] Holy King Askiot of Georgia, Commemorated on January 27;

Ananuri Fortress, Argavi River Gorge, Georgia
Ananuri, Castle; (Georgian: ანანური) is a castle complex on the Aragvi River in Dusheti Municipality Georgia, about 45 miles (72 kilometres) from Tbilisi. was a castle and seat of the eristavis (Dukes) of Aragvi, a feudal dynasty which ruled the area from the 13th century. castle was the scene of numerous battles. 1739, Ananuri was attacked by forces from a rival duchy, commanded by Shanshe of Ksani and was set on fire. Aragvi clan was massacred. However, four years later, the local peasants revolted against rule by the Shanshe, killing the usurpers and inviting King Teimuraz II to rule directly over them. in 1746, King Teimuraz was forced to suppress another peasant uprising, with the help of King Erekle II of Kakheti. The fortress remained in use until the beginning of the 19th century. In 2007, the complex has been on the tentative list for inclusion into the UNESCO World Heritage Site program.[1] the castle was under siege, it was not defeated because a secret tunnel led to the water and thus provided a way to get food and water to the people who had taken refuge in the castle. The enemy finally captured a woman named Ana, who was from Nuri, and tortured her to reveal the location of the tunnel. But she chose to die rather than giving the secret away. Hence the castle was called Ananuri, and she became a legend. fortifications consist of two castles joined by a crenellated curtain wall. The upper fortification with a large square tower, known as Sheupovari, is well preserved and is the location of the last defense of the Aragvi against the Shanshe. The lower fortification, with a round tower, is mostly in ruins. the complex, amongst other buildings, are two churches. The older Church of the Virgin, which abuts a tall square tower, has the graves of some of the Dukes of Aragvi. It dates from the first half of the 17th century, and was built of brick. The interior is no longer decorated, but of interest is a stone baldaquin erected by the widow of the Duke Edishera, who died in 1674. larger Church of the Mother of God (Ghvtismshobeli), built in 1689 for the son of Duke Bardzim. It is a central dome style structure with richly decorated façades, including a carved north entrance and a carved grapevine cross on the south façade. It also contains the remains of a number of frescoes, most of which were destroyed by the fire in the 18th century.[2] Holy King Askiot of Georgia, Commemorated on January 27;

Aragvi River 2

Aragvi River Mouth (Samtavro aka Mtskheta, Kura River 8)
Aragvi Province; Greatmartyr and Prince Bidzina of Georgia;

Aragvi River Mouth, Mtsheta Folder, Zedezeni, Saguramo, Cave of Shio

Mtskheta, Georgia (Aragvi River Mouth (Kura River 8))
Mtskheta; The Placing of the Honorable Robe of the Lord at Moscow, Commemorated on July 10; Martyr Ilia Chavchavadze of Georgia, Commemorated on July 20; Martyr Eustathius of Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated July 29 ; Martyr Razhden of Persia the Georgian, Commemorated on August 3; St Sarmean, the Catholicos of Kartli, Georgia, Commemorated August 21 ; St George (John) of Georgia, Commemorated September 8 ; Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; St Melchizedek I, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; Martyr Neophytus of Urbin, Georgia, Commemorated on October 28 ; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated on November 29 ; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated November 30 ; Hierarch Peter, First Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30 ; Hierarch Samuel, Second Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated November 30 ; St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgia, Commemorated on December 2 ; St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgia; St Nino (Nina), Equal of the Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated January 14 ; St Euthymius the Confessor, Commemorated on January 20 ; St George (John) of Georgia, Commemorated January 21 ; St John, Commemorated on January 23 ; Venerable Shio Mgvime, Commemorated March 3 ; St Demetrius the Devoted, King of Georgia, Commemorated on March 16; St Ephraim the Great of Atsquri, Commemorated on April 15; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; Repose of the Venerable Shio the Anchorite of Georgia, Commemorated on May 9; Martyr Archil II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on June 27; The Placing of the Honorable Robe of the Lord at Moscow, Commemorated on July 10;

Karsani, Mtskheta, Georgia (Aragvi River Mouth (Kura River 8))
Mtskheta; The Placing of the Honorable Robe of the Lord at Moscow, Commemorated on July 10; Martyr Ilia Chavchavadze of Georgia, Commemorated on July 20; Martyr Eustathius of Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated July 29 ; Martyr Razhden of Persia the Georgian, Commemorated on August 3; St Sarmean, the Catholicos of Kartli, Georgia, Commemorated August 21 ; St George (John) of Georgia, Commemorated September 8 ; Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; St Melchizedek I, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; Martyr Neophytus of Urbin, Georgia, Commemorated on October 28 ; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated on November 29 ; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated November 30 ; Hierarch Peter, First Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30 ; Hierarch Samuel, Second Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated November 30 ; St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgia, Commemorated on December 2 ; St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgia; St Nino (Nina), Equal of the Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated January 14 ; St Euthymius the Confessor, Commemorated on January 20 ; St George (John) of Georgia, Commemorated January 21 ; St John, Commemorated on January 23 ; Venerable Shio Mgvime, Commemorated March 3 ; St Demetrius the Devoted, King of Georgia, Commemorated on March 16; St Ephraim the Great of Atsquri, Commemorated on April 15; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; Repose of the Venerable Shio the Anchorite of Georgia, Commemorated on May 9; Martyr Archil II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on June 27; The Placing of the Honorable Robe of the Lord at Moscow, Commemorated on July 10;

Tkhoti Mountain - One of the Three Crosses
Tkhoti Mountain is the mountain to the North West of Mtskheta. Jvari (Cross) Monestary is to the South East of Mtskheta. Ujarma village is to the North East of Mtskheta. Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; Jvari (Cross) Monastery is at the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari Rivers. The capital is Tiblizi.

Zedazeni Mountain, Saguramo Range, Mtskheta, Georgia
Zedazeni Mountain; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; Repose of the Venerable Shio the Anchorite of Georgia, Commemorated on May 9;

Saguramo (Zedazeni, Aragvi River 2)
Saguramo Range (including Zedazeni Mountain) located immediately to the north of Tiblisi and south of Saguramo and Zedazeni Monastery. ; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; Martyr Ilia Chavchavadze of Georgia, Commemorated on July 20 ;

Zedazeni Monastery, Mtskheta, Georgia (Aragvi River 2) 540's
Zedazeni Monastery. This location is only approximate. Zedazeni Monestary is located on the Zedazeni mountain the hills of Saguramo, northeast to Mtskheta and to the east side of the Aragvi River. ; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo; St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgia, Commemorated December 2 ; Martyr John, Abbot of the Zedazeni Monastery, Commemorated December 12 ; St Euthymius the Confessor, Commemorated on January 20 ; Venerable Shio Mgvime, Commemorated on March 3; St John (Chrysostom) IV, the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on March 3; St Mamai the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on May 3; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; Repose of the Venerable Shio the Anchorite of Georgia, Commemorated on May 9; St David Gareji, Commemorated on June 9;

Saguramo Range
Saguramo Range (including Zedazeni Mountain) located immediately to the north of Tiblisi and south of Saguramo and Zedazeni Monastery. ; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; Martyr Ilia Chavchavadze of Georgia, Commemorated on July 20 ;

Shio Mgvime monastery, Georgia (the cave of Shio, Kura River 8) 540's
Shio Mgvime (the cave of Shio); St Sarmean, the Catholicos of Kartli, Georgia, Commemorated August 21 ; Martyr Neophytus of Urbin, Georgia, Commemorated on October 28; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated October 27 ; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated on November 29 ; Holy Fathers of the Shio-Mgvime Monastery, Commemorated on January 4; St Evagrisi the disciple of St Shio, Commemorated February 4 ; Venerable Shio Mgvime, Commemorated March 3 ; St John (Chrysostom) IV, the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on March 3; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; Repose of the Venerable Shio the Anchorite of Georgia, Commemorated on May 9;

Tsikhedidi Village, across Kura River from Caves of Shio, Mgvime Monastery
Martyr Neophytus of Urbin, Georgia, Commemorated on October 28; Shio Mgvime (the cave of Shio); Saint Evagrisi, disciple of Saint Shio, Commemorated on February 4;

Mgvime, Shio Mgvime monastery, Georgia (the cave of Shio, Kura River 8) 540's
Shio Mgvime (the cave of Shio); St Sarmean, the Catholicos of Kartli, Georgia, Commemorated August 21 ; Martyr Neophytus of Urbin, Georgia, Commemorated on October 28; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated October 27 ; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated on November 29 ; St Evagrisi the disciple of St Shio, Commemorated February 4 ; Venerable Shio Mgvime, Commemorated March 3 ; St John (Chrysostom) IV, the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on March 3; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; Repose of the Venerable Shio the Anchorite of Georgia, Commemorated on May 9;

Sarkineti Mountains, Mtskheta, Georgia
At his instructor’s command, Saint Shio settled in the Sarkineti caves near Mtskheta; his instructor’s command, Saint Shio settled in the Sarkineti caves near Mtskheta and began to lead a strict ascetic life. There was no water there and many wild animals made their home in the caves, but the privations and tribulations he encountered did not shake Saint Shio’s great faith. Like the Prophet Elijah, Shio received his food from the mouths of birds that carried it to him. St Evagrisi the disciple of St Shio; St John (Chrysostom) IV, the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on March 3;

Sarkineti Caves, Mtskheta, Georgia
At his instructor’s command, Saint Shio settled in the Sarkineti caves near Mtskheta; his instructor’s command, Saint Shio settled in the Sarkineti caves near Mtskheta and began to lead a strict ascetic life. There was no water there and many wild animals made their home in the caves, but the privations and tribulations he encountered did not shake Saint Shio’s great faith. Like the Prophet Elijah, Shio received his food from the mouths of birds that carried it to him. St Evagrisi the disciple of St Shio; St John (Chrysostom) IV, the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on March 3;

Armazi Monastery, Georgia (near Mtskheta)
Armazi Monastery; St John, Commemorated on January 23 ;

Tsitsamuri Forest near Tsitsamuri
Tsitsamuri Forest near Tsitsamuri Martyr Ilia Chavchavadze of Georgia, Commemorated on July 20 ;

Ujarma Village, Mtskheta, Georgia, One of the Three Crosses
Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia; Tkhoti Mountain is the mountain to the North West of Mtskheta. Jvari (Cross) Monestary is to the South East of Mtskheta. Ujarma village is to the North East of Mtskheta. Jvari (Cross) Monastery is at the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari Rivers. The capital is Tiblizi. St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia;

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, Mtskheta, Georgia, 310 approx.
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral; The Placing of the Honorable Robe of the Lord at Moscow, Commemorated on July 10; Martyr Eustathius of Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated on July 29 ; Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; St Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; The Placing of the Honorable Robe of the Lord at Moscow; St Melchizedek I, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated October 27 ; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated on November 29 ; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated November 30 ; Hierarch Samuel, Second Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated November 30 ; Hierarch Peter, First Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30; St Euthymius the Confessor, Commemorated on January 20 ; St Demetrius the Devoted, King of Georgia, Commemorated on March 16; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on June 27;

Jvari (Cross) Monastery, Mtskheta, Georgia, One of the Three Crosses, 320 approx.
Jvari (monastery) Tkhoti Mountain is the mountain to the North West of Mtskheta. Jvari (Cross) Monestary is to the South East of Mtskheta. Ujarma village is to the North East of Mtskheta. Jvari (Cross) Monastery is at the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari Rivers. The capital is Tiblizi.; Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; St Melchizedek I, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated October 27 ; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7;

Holy Cross (Jvari) Monastery, Mtskheta, Georgia, 320 approx.
Jvari (monastery) Tkhoti Mountain is the mountain to the North West of Mtskheta. Jvari (Cross) Monestary is to the South East of Mtskheta. Ujarma village is to the North East of Mtskheta. Jvari (Cross) Monastery is at the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari Rivers. The capital is Tiblizi.; Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; St Melchizedek I, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated October 27 ; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7;

Samtavro Monastery, Mtskheta, Georgia, 350
Samtavro Monastery; Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; St Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated on November 29 ; St George (John) of Georgia, Commemorated January 21 ; St John, Commemorated on January 23 ; St George (John) of Georgia; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7;

Samtavro Convent, Mtskheta, Georgia, 350
Samtavro Convent; Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; St Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; St Euthymius the Confessor, Commemorated on January 20 ;

Samtavro Transfiguration Orthodox Church
Samtavro Transfiguration Orthodox Church; Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; St Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1;

Georgia, Central Georgia, Kura River 9 and 10, Kartli

Kartli, Central Georgia (Kura River 9 and 10)
Kartli (Region near the Kura River including Tiblisi); 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers with their Mother and Sister and Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda, Commemorated August 3 ; Royal Martyr Mirdati , King of Kartl; Martyr Salome the Georgian; St Tsotne Dadiani the Confessor; St Sarmean, the Catholicos of Kartli, Georgia, Commemorated on August 21; Greatmartyr and Prince Bidzina of Georgia, Commemorated September 18; Icon of the Mother of God "the Healer", Commemorated September 18; Hierarch Samuel, Second Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30 ; Hierarch Peter, First Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30 ; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated November 30 ; St Onuphrius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia; Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia; St Sidonia of Georgia; Martyr Kozman; Martyr Neophytus of Urbin, Georgia; Martyr Constantine the King of Georgia; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia; Hierarch Samuel, Second Catholicos of Georgia; St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgia; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated January 8 ; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26 ; St Eulogius of Salosi, the Prophet and Fool-for-Christ, Commemorated on April 1; Venerable Salome of Ujarma St Ephraim the Lesser; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji; Mothers of the Kvabtakhevi Monastery in Georgia, Commemorated on April 10; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; Hieromartyr Theodore of Kvelta, Commemorated on June 8; Martyr Luarsab II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on June 27;

Iberia, Caucasian Iberia, Kartli, Central Georgia
Caucasian Iberia; New Martyr George of Iberia, Commemorated on January 2 ; GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR, APOSTLE TO ARMENIA (23 March 332);

Kura (Mtkvari) River 9 (Tiblisi)

Georgia, Central Georgia, Kura River 9, Kartli, Tiblisi River Folder

Tbilisi River

Tiblisi River (Upper Source)

Tiblisi River Source (along the border)

Eastern David Gareja Mountains - Dodo's Range
St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7;

Trialeti, Kartli (Tiblisi River 1)
Trialeti mountainous area of the Trialeti Range; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia; Venerable George of Mt. Athos, Georgian, Commemorated on June 27;

Trialeti (range or mountain area)
Trialeti mountainous area, of the Trialeti Range; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26 ; Hieromartyr Theodore (Tevdore) of Kvelta, Commemorated on June 8; Venerable George of Mt. Athos, Georgian, Commemorated on June 27;

Tiblisi River 1 (Tiblisi Monastery)

Atrak, the Qipchaks ruler, David's Father in Law, Battle of Didgori
Qipchaks, Cuman-Kipchaks in Georgia; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated on January 26;

Didgori, Mount Didgori, Battle of Didgori
Mount Didgori battle at Didgori; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26;

Mount Didgori
Mount Didgori battle at Didgori; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26;

Kvabtakhevi Monastery (North Side of Mt. Didgori, 34 miles West of Tiblisi) 1200
Kvabtakhevi Monastery; Martyrs of the Kvabtakhevi Monastery in Georgia, Commemorated on April 10;

Manglisi Church (Tiblisi River 1) 320
Manglisi Church; Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe, of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia; Hieromartyr Theodore of Kvelta, Commemorated on June 8;

Betania Monastery, Georgia (Tiblisi River 1) 1180's
Betania Monastery; St George (John) of Georgia, Commerated September 8 ; St George (John) of Georgia, Commemorated January 21 ; St John, Commemorated on September 21 ; St John, Commemorated on January 23 ; Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8;

Manglisi, Kartli, Georgia (near Tiblisi River 1)
Manglisi; Manglisi Cathedral; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28; Hieromartyr Theodore of Kvelta, Commemorated on June 8;

Tiblisi River Mouth (Kura River 9)

Tiblisi River Mouth, Downtown Kartli Town aka Tiblisi

Tbilisi, Kartli, Georgia Capital (Tiblisi River Mouth, Kura River 9)
Tbilisi; Hieromartyr Kozman, Commemorated on July 18; Martyr Ilia Chavchavadze of Georgia, Commemorated on July 20; Martyr Eustathius of Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated on July 29 ; St Tsotne Dadiani the Confessor, Commemorated on July 30 ; 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers with their Mother and Sister and Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda, Commemorated August 3 ; St Euthymius the Elder of the St John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated on August 8; New Martyr Nazarius, Metropolitan of Kutaisi-Gaenati, and his companions of Georgia, Commemorated August 14 ; St Tbeli Abuseridze, Commemorated on August 17; St Sarmean, the Catholicos of Kartli, Georgia, Commemorated August 21 ; St Sarmean, the Catholicos of Kartli, Georgia; Martyr Susanna the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated August 28 ; Translation of the relics of St Alexander Nevsky, Commemorated on August 30; St George (John) of Georgia, Commemorated September 8 ; Hieromartyr Dositheus of Tbilisi, Commemorated September 12 ; Arrival of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God in Georgia, Commemorated on September 26; St Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; Martyr Constantine the King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 10 ; Arrival of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God in Georgia; St Onuphrius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated September 29 ; Martyr Kozman, Commemorated October 17 ; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated October 27 ; 100,000 Martyrs of Tbilisi by the Mongols, Commemorated on October 31 ; Hieromartyr Gregory (Peradze) of Georgia, Commemorated November 23 ; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30 ; Blessed Xenia of St Petersburg, Commemorated January 24; St Evagrisi the disciple of St Shio, Commemorated February 4 ; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated January 8 ; St Euthymius the Confessor, Commemorated on January 20 ; St Gabriel, Bishop of Imereti, Commemorated January 25 ; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26 ; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29 ; St Evagrisi the disciple of St Shio; St Ambrose the Confessor, Commemorated on March 16 ; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on June 27; St David Gareji, Commemorated on June 9; St George the God-Bearer, Commemorated on July 3; Royal Martyr Mirdat, King of Kartli, Commemorated on July 8 ;

Kartli (town, Tbilisi)
Kartli; St Sarmean, the Catholicos of Kartli, Georgia, Commemorated on August 21; Icon of the Mother of God œthe HealerÂ, Commemorated on September 18 ; Martyr Constantine the King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 10 ; Hierarch Peter, first Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30; Saint Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30; St Hilarion the Georgian, the New, Commemorated February 14 ; Fathers martyred by the Dagestanians, Commemorated on June 1; Hieromartyr Theodore of Kvelta, Commemorated on June 8; St David Gareji, Commemorated on June 9; Martyr Luarsab II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21; Holy Queen Dinar, Commemorated on June 30;

Kartli Region (Lowlands, Central Georgia, Tiblisi)
Kartli (Region near the Kura River including Tiblisi) Royal Martyr Mirdati , King of Kartl; Martyr Salome the Georgian, Commemorated on July 20 ; Martyr Eustathius of Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated on July 29; St Tsotne Dadiani the Confessor, Commemorated July 30 ; St Sarmean, the Catholicos of Kartli, Georgia, Commemorated August 21 ; Martyr Susanna the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated August 28 ; Greatmartyr and Prince Bidzina of Georgia, Commemorated September 18 ; Icon of the Mother of God œthe HealerÂ, Commemorated on September 18 ; St Onuphrius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia; Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; St Melchizedek I, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; Martyr Kozman, Commemorated October 17 ; Martyr Neophytus of Urbin, Georgia, Commemorated October 28 ; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated on November 29 ; St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgia, Commemorated on December 2 ; Martyr Constantine the King of Georgia; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia; Hierarch Samuel, Second Catholicos of Georgia; St Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkan in Georgia; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia; Venerable Salome of Ujarma, Commemorated January 15 ; St Ephraim the Lesser, Commemorated January 18 ; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29 ; Mothers of the Kvabtakhevi Monastery in Georgia, Commemorated on April 10; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; Fathers martyred by the Dagestanians, Commemorated on June 1; Martyr Luarsab II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21; Royal Martyr Mirdat, King of Kartli, Commemorated on July 8 ;

Metekhi, Tiblisi, Georgia (Mtkvari (Kura) River 9)
Metekhi, a neighborhood of Tiblisi; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated on January 8 ; St Nicholas the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated February 18 ; Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1;

Nariqala Fortress (in Tbilisi)
Nariqala Fortress (in Tbilisi) ; Martyr Evdemoz, Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on October 4;

Tabakhmela-Kojori
Tabakhmela Kojori-Tabakhmela;

Kojori-Tabakhmela, Kartli
Kojori-Tabakhmela; 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers with their Mother and Sister and Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda, Commemorated August 3 ;

Kojori (Agarani or Azeuli) Fortress, Georgia
Kojori (Agarani or Azeuli Fortress); Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26 ;

Tbilisi Sioni Cathedral, 575
Tbilisi Sioni Cathedral; Venerable Joseph the Elder and Wonderworker of Khevi, Georgia, Commemorated on October 7; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28;

Tiblisi Theological Seminary 1817
Tiblisi Theological Seminary 1817; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on March 12;

Sioni Cathedral, Tbilisi, 575
Tbilisi Sioni Cathedral; Venerable Joseph the Elder and Wonderworker of Khevi, Georgia, Commemorated on October 7; 100,000 Martyrs of Tbilisi by the Mongols, Commemorated on October 31; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28;

Tbilisi Monastery, 1350 or 14th Century
Tbilisi Monastery; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated on October 27 ;

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Tiblisi, Georgia, 1871
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Tiblisi, Georgia; Translation of the relics of Saint Alexander Nevsky, Commemorated on August 30;

Tbilisi Seminary, Tiblisi River Mouth, 1817-1919
Tbilisi Seminary; New Martyr Nazarius, Metropolitan of Kutaisi-Gaenati, and his companions, of Georgia, Commemorated on August 14; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated on October 27 ; Hieromartyr Gregory (Peradze) of Georgia, Commemorated November 23 ; Saint Hilarion the New of Georgia, Commemorated on February 14;

Tbilisi State University, Georgia, 1918
Tbilisi State University; Hieromartyr Gregory (Peradze) of Georgia, Commemorated November 23 ; St Euthymius (Takaishvili), Commemorated January 3 ; Georgian National Treasury;

Samgori District, Tiblisi, Isani-Samgori District
Samgori District, Tiblisi, Isani-Samgori District; Martyr Razhden of Persia the Georgian, Commemorated on August 3;

Salosi, Tiblisi (Ben Gabriel Salosi Ave)
Salosi, Tiblisi (Ben Gabriel Salosi Ave); Saint John Shavteli, ishop of Gaenati and Saint Eulogius, Prophet and Fool-for-Christ of Salosi, Commemorated on April 1;

Kura (Mtkvari) River 10 (Rustavi)

Georgia, Central Georgia, Kura River 10, Martkopi (Rutavi) River Folder

Martkopi River

Martkopi River Source (along the border)

Martkopi, Georgia (Martkop (Rutai)i River 1)
Martkopi, Georgia; 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers with their Mother and Sister and Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda, Commemorated August 3 ; the Feast of the Annunciation in the year 1625, the Georgians annihilated the army of the Persian shah Abbas I in the Battle of Martqopi. The victory unified Georgia’s eastern provinces of Kartli and Kakheti. It also instilled hope in other enslaved peoples of the Transcaucasus, and rebellions began to break out everywhere. the enraged Shah Abbas marched his finest and largest army toward Georgia under the leadership of Isa-Khan Qurchibash. A Georgian army of some twenty thousand men encamped near Kojori-Tabakhmela in preparation for the attack, while the enemy’s army, which numbered in excess of fifty thousand men, encamped at Marabda. According to tradition, the Georgian soldiers received Holy Communion at dawn before the battle. Domenti (Avalishvili) of Ruisi prepared to serve the Holy Gifts to the soldiers but they cried out with a single voice: “If you will join us and take up your sword and fight, then do so. We can receive Holy Communion from another!” by these words, the bishop joined in, proclaiming, “Today we will fight a battle for faith and for Christ; therefore my blood must be spilled before yours!” With his vestments as armor, the bishop blessed the soldiers and took his place in the front line. banner of the Georgian army was entrusted to the nine Kherkheulidze brothers. Persians panicked upon coming face-to-face with the courage and fortitude of the Georgian soldiers, but the experienced commander Isa-Khan Qurchibash would not yield in battle. Help arrived from Beglerbeg Shaybani-Khan, and with the extra forces the Persians soon gained the advantage over the Georgian army. The Georgian colonel Teimuraz Mukhranbatoni was fatally wounded, and rumors of his death threw the soldiers into a frenzy, since they erroneously believed that the dead man was King Teimuraz I of Kakheti, the commander of their army. that their leader had fallen, the Georgian soldiers became anxious and their army was enfeebled. Before long they recognized their mistake, but it was too late—the fate of the battle had already been decided. military leaders Davit Jandieri, Aghatang Kherkheulidze and Baadur Tsitsishvili and the bishops of Rustavi and Kharchasho all fell in the battle at Marabda. The nine banner-bearing Kherkheulidze brothers were also killed. When the banner that had led their army through the battles at Didgori and Basiani fell from the hands of the youngest brother, their sister grabbed hold of it immediately, and when she also fell, the banner and symbol of Georgian invincibility was raised up again by their mother. Teimuraz fought until sunset, when every sword he had held in his hands had been broken. Even his rings were broken in the combat. The uniform of the brilliant military leader Giorgi Saakadze was stained with blood from top to bottom. Atabeg Manuchar of Samtskhe and his sons also fought bravely in this battle. exhausted and debilitated by the heat, the Georgians fought heroically to the last moment. But the battle that had begun at dawn finally ended late that night with the defeat of the Georgian army. Nine thousand Georgians gave their lives for Christ and their motherland on the battlefield at Marabda. St Anthony the Founder of Monasticism in Georgia, Commemorated on January 19 ; St Macarius the Stylite of Martkobsk, Georgia, Commemorated on January 19 ;

Martkopi River Mouth (Kura River 10, Rutavi

Rustavi, Kartli, Georgia (Kura (Mtkvari) River 10)
Rustavi; St Joseph the Catholicos of Georgia; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated November 30 ; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26 ; Venerable Dodo of the St David-Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on May 17;

Georgia, Central Georgia, Kura River 10, Khrami River Folder, Somkhiti and Tashiri

Khrami River

Khrami River Source (along the border)

Pitareti Monastery, Georgia (Trialeti Range, Kartli) 1180's
Pitareti Monastery; Trialeti mountainous area, of the Trialeti Range; Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8;

Georgia, Kura River 10, Khrami River 1, Mashavera River Folder

Mashavera River

Mashavera River Source (along the border)

Kipchaks area in Georgia
Kartli lowlands: Kipchaks area in Georgia; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26 ;

Mashavera River Mouth (Khrami River 1)

Dmanisi, Georgia (Mashavera River Mouth, Khrami River 1)
Dmanisi village in Mashavera River Valley; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26 ;

Bolnisi, Georgia (Khama River 1.8)`
Bolnisi, Georgia (Kama River 1.8); Saint John of Khakhuli the Oqropiri, also called Chrysostom, Commemorated on March 10;

Khrami River 2 (Bolnia and Marneuli)

Kvemo Kartli (between Khrami and Tiblisi Rivers, Khrami River 2)
Kvemo Kartli; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji;

Tashiri Region North (between Khrami River 2 and Tiblisi River 1)
Tashiri Region; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23;

Marabda, Kartli (Khrami River 2)
Marabda; 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers with their Mother and Sister and Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda, Commemorated August 3 ; the Feast of the Annunciation in the year 1625, the Georgians annihilated the army of the Persian shah Abbas I in the Battle of Martqopi. The victory unified Georgia’s eastern provinces of Kartli and Kakheti. It also instilled hope in other enslaved peoples of the Transcaucasus, and rebellions began to break out everywhere. the enraged Shah Abbas marched his finest and largest army toward Georgia under the leadership of Isa-Khan Qurchibash. A Georgian army of some twenty thousand men encamped near Kojori-Tabakhmela in preparation for the attack, while the enemy’s army, which numbered in excess of fifty thousand men, encamped at Marabda. According to tradition, the Georgian soldiers received Holy Communion at dawn before the battle. Domenti (Avalishvili) of Ruisi prepared to serve the Holy Gifts to the soldiers but they cried out with a single voice: “If you will join us and take up your sword and fight, then do so. We can receive Holy Communion from another!” by these words, the bishop joined in, proclaiming, “Today we will fight a battle for faith and for Christ; therefore my blood must be spilled before yours!” With his vestments as armor, the bishop blessed the soldiers and took his place in the front line. banner of the Georgian army was entrusted to the nine Kherkheulidze brothers. Persians panicked upon coming face-to-face with the courage and fortitude of the Georgian soldiers, but the experienced commander Isa-Khan Qurchibash would not yield in battle. Help arrived from Beglerbeg Shaybani-Khan, and with the extra forces the Persians soon gained the advantage over the Georgian army. The Georgian colonel Teimuraz Mukhranbatoni was fatally wounded, and rumors of his death threw the soldiers into a frenzy, since they erroneously believed that the dead man was King Teimuraz I of Kakheti, the commander of their army. that their leader had fallen, the Georgian soldiers became anxious and their army was enfeebled. Before long they recognized their mistake, but it was too late—the fate of the battle had already been decided. military leaders Davit Jandieri, Aghatang Kherkheulidze and Baadur Tsitsishvili and the bishops of Rustavi and Kharchasho all fell in the battle at Marabda. The nine banner-bearing Kherkheulidze brothers were also killed. When the banner that had led their army through the battles at Didgori and Basiani fell from the hands of the youngest brother, their sister grabbed hold of it immediately, and when she also fell, the banner and symbol of Georgian invincibility was raised up again by their mother. Teimuraz fought until sunset, when every sword he had held in his hands had been broken. Even his rings were broken in the combat. The uniform of the brilliant military leader Giorgi Saakadze was stained with blood from top to bottom. Atabeg Manuchar of Samtskhe and his sons also fought bravely in this battle. exhausted and debilitated by the heat, the Georgians fought heroically to the last moment. But the battle that had begun at dawn finally ended late that night with the defeat of the Georgian army. Nine thousand Georgians gave their lives for Christ and their motherland on the battlefield at Marabda.

Marneuli, Kartli (Khrami River 2)
Martqopi; 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers with their Mother and Sister and Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda, Commemorated August 3 ; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on June 27;

Marneuli River (river thata goes by Marneuli)

Khrami River Mouth (Kura River 10)

Gardabani, Kartli (Khrami River, Kura River 10)
Gardabani if on a plateau above the Mtkvari River. Royal Martyr Mirdat, King of Kartli, Commemorated on July 8 ;

Georgia, Kura River 10, Khrami River Mouth, Debed River Folder

Debed River

Debed River Source (along the border in the Transcaucasus)

Debed River Mouth (Kura River 10)

Somkhiti Region (Khrami River 2, Debed River, Central Georgia)
Somkhiti Region; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23;

Georgia, Central Georgia, Kura River 10, Transcaucasus Folder

Transcaucasus (South Caucasus)
Transcaucasus or South Caucasus; 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers with their Mother and Sister and Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda, Commemorated August 3 ;

Alaverdi, Southern Georgia (high point, Transcaucasus) or Northern Armenia
Alaverdi; Greatmartyr Ketevan the Queen of Georgia; Venerable Joseph, Abbot of Alaverdi, Georgia, Commemorated September 15 ; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on June 27;

Akhiza Fortress (Transcaucus high point)
Akhiza Fortress; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia;

Tashiri Region South (South Caucasus, Transcaucas)
Tashiri Region; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23;

Tashiri Castle, Lori Berd Fortress (Tashir River)
Tashiri Castle, Lori Berd Fortress; Hieromartyr Theodore (Tevdore) of Kvelta, Commemorated on June 8;

Trialeti Mountain Range
Mountain Range; Hieromartyr Theodore (Tevdore) of Kvelta, Commemorated on June 8;

Tsurtavi (Gugark), Tashiri, Kartli, Georgia
Tsurtavi (Gugark), Tashiri, Georgia; Georgia, 470-482, Varsken, Viceroy of Gugark, Tashiri, Georgia; Martyr Susanna the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on August 28;

Tashir River

Dzoraget River

Dzoraget River Mouth (Debed River)

Lesser Caucasus Mountains
Lesser Caucasus;

Kura (Mtkvari) River 11 (Shamkori)

Kura (Mtkvari) River 12 (Azerbaijan)

Kura (Mtkvari) River 13 (Shirvan)

Kura (Mtkvari) River Mouth (Caspian Sea)

Georgia, Southwest Georgia, Chorokhi River Folder , Tao-Klarjeti and Atchara

Chorokhi River

Chorokhi River Source (Kesis Dagi)

Chorokhi River 1

Chorokhi River 2 (near Kordila)

Chorokhi River 3 (Khakhuli Monastery)

Khakhuli Church
Khakhuli Church ; Venerable Macarius the Faster, Abbot of the Khakhuli Monastery, Commemorated December 21 ;

Khakhuli Monastery, Georgia (Chorokhi River 3) approx. 970
Khakhuli Monastery; St Hilarion of Tvali, Commemorated on July 24; Hilarion of Tvali (Tulashvili) served as abbot of Khakhuli Monastery in southwestern Georgia at the beginning of the 11th century. his work The Life of George of the Holy Mountain, George the Lesser writes that Venerable Hilarion was outstanding in virtue and celebrated for his sermons and ascetic labors. Hilarion raised the young George of the Holy Mountain to be a brilliant writer, translator, theologian and patriot. From him George also received a blessing to enter the monastic life. to the chronicle Life of Kartli, Saint Hilarion was a famous translator and writer and an eminent theologian. Saint Hilarion moved from Khakhuli to Tvali Monastery, not far from Antioch, where he remained for the rest of his life. According to the 19th-century historian-iconographer Michael Sabinin, Saint Hilarion reposed in the year 1041. Venerable George the Scribe, of Khakhuli, Commemorated December 19 ; Venerable Macarius the Faster, Abbot of the Khakhuli Monastery, Commemorated December 21 ; St John of Khakhuli the Oqropiri, also called Chrysostom, Commemorated on March 10; St Basil of Georgia, the son of King Bagrat III, Commemorated on May 27; Venerable George of Mt. Athos, Georgian, Commemorated on June 27;

Ishkhani monastery (Chorokhi River 3) 641
Ishkhani monastery; St Gregory of Chandzoe in Georgia, Commemorated October 5 ; Venerable Fathers and Mothers of the Klarjeti Wilderness, Commemorated on October 5;

Chorokhi River 4 (Nigali Gorge)

Nigali valley, Southwestern Georgia (Chorokhi River 4)
Nigali valley; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated January 29 ;

Laze, Georgia, Capital Artvin (Nigali Valley, Chorokhi River 4)
Laz People, Laze, Armenia, Capital Artvin; Martyrs of Lazeti, Commemorated on April 29;

Georgia, Southwest Georgia, Chorokhi River 4, Klarjeti River Folder, Klarjeti

Klarjeti River

Klarjeti, Klarjeti River, Tao-Klarjeti region, Soutwestern Georgia
Tao-Klarjeti region; Venerable Fathers and Mothers of the Klarjeti Wilderness, Commemorated on October 5; Venerable George the Scribe, of Khakhuli, Commemorated on December 19 ; Venerable Macarius the Faster, Abbot of the Khakhuli Monastery, Commemorated December 21 ; St John of Khakhuli the Oqropiri, also called Chrysostom, Commemorated on March 10; St Ephraim the Great of Atsquri, Commemorated on April 15; Martyr David of Georgia, Commemorated on May 18;

Akhiza Fortress, Artvin, Klarjeti River, Southwest Georgia
Akhiza Fortress, Artvin, Klarjeti River, Southwest Georgia; Tao-Klarjeti region; Saint Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30;

Shavshet-Klarjeti Region, Soutwestern Georgia (Klarjeti River)
Shavshet-Klarjeti Region; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated January 29 ; Venerable Michael of Parekhi, Commemorated on May 27;

Shavshet, Georgia
Shavshet, Georgia; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated January 29 ; Venerable Michael of Parekhi, Commemorated on May 27;

Klarjeti Wilderness, Southwestern Georgia
Klarjeti Wilderness; St Gregory of Chandzoe in Georgia, Commemorated October 5 ; Venerable Fathers and Mothers of the Klarjeti Wilderness, Commemorated October 5 ; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated January 29; Martyr Nicholas Dvali, Commemorated February 12 ; Martyr Luke of Jerusalem, the Georgian, Commemorated on February 12 ; St Prochorus of Georgia, Commemorated February 12 ; St George Matskevereli of Georgia, Commemorated on April 2; St Ephraim the Great of Atsquri, Commemorated on April 15; St Michael of Ulompo, Georgia, Commemorated on May 3 ; Martyr David of Georgia, Commemorated on May 18;

Chandzoe (Khandzta) monastery, Klarjeti Wilderness, Southwest Georgia, 782
Khandzta; St Arsenius the Great, Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated September 25 ; Venerable Fathers and Mothers of the Klarjeti Wilderness, Commemorated October 5 ; St Gregory of Chandzoe in Georgia, Commemorated October 5 ; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated January 29; St George Matskevereli of Georgia, Commemorated on April 2; St Ephraim the Great of Atsquri, Commemorated on April 15; St Michael of Ulompo, Georgia, Commemorated on May 3 ; Venerable Michael of Parekhi, Commemorated on May 27;

Shatberdi , 41-55'20"E, Fertile Land and Monastery for Chandzoe
Shatberdi , 41-50"N 41-55'20"E, Fertile Land and Monastery;

Khandzta (Chandzoe) monastery, Klarjeti Wilderness, Southwest Georgia, 782
Khandzta; St Arsenius the Great, Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated September 25 ; Venerable Fathers and Mothers of the Klarjeti Wilderness, Commemorated October 5 ; St Gregory of Chandzoe in Georgia, Commemorated October 5 ; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated January 29; St George Matskevereli of Georgia, Commemorated on April 2; St Ephraim the Great of Atsquri, Commemorated on April 15; St Michael of Ulompo, Georgia, Commemorated on May 3 ; Venerable Michael of Parekhi, Commemorated on May 27;

Parekhi Monastery (Opiza, Klarjeti River) 840 approx.
Parekhi Monastery; St Serapion of Zarzma, Commemorated October 29 ; Venerable Michael of Parekhi, Commemorated on May 27;

Opiza Monastery, southwestern Georgia, 840 approx.
Opiza Monastery; St Serapion of Zarzma, Commemorated October 29 ; St George Matskevereli of Georgia, Commemorated on April 2 ; Venerable Michael of Parekhi, Commemorated on May 27;

Georgia, Southwest Georgia, Chorokhi River 4, Artanuji River Folder, Tao

Artanuji River

Tao Region - Southwestern Georgia (Artanuji River)
Tao Region; Venerable Macarius the Faster, Abbot of the Khakhuli Monastery, Commemorated December 21 ; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29 ; St Euthymius the New, Founder of the Iveron Monastery and His Fellow Georgian Saints of Mt. Athos, Commemorated on May 13; Martyr David of Georgia, Commemorated on May 18;

Artanuji Castle, Southwest Georgia
Artanuji Castle; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29 ;

Artanuji Fortress, Tao, Southwest Georgia
Artanuji Fortress ; Venerable Fathers and Mothers of the Klarjeti Wilderness, Commemorated on October 5; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated November 30 ;

Artanuji, Southwest Georgia
Artanuji; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29 ;

Artanuji monestary
Artanuji monestary; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated November 30 ;

Ancha Monastery and Cathedral (Tao)
Ancha Monastery and Cathedral (Tao); 1Anchi, Bishopric of Ancha; Saint Gregory of Chandzoe, Georgia, Commemorated on October 5

Chorokhi River 5

Chorokhi River 6 (Ajara River Mouth)

Georgia, Southwest Georgia, Chorokhi River 6, Ajara River Folder, Atchara, Khikhani Fortress

Ajara River

Ajara River Source (along the border)

Khikhani Fortress and Village in Upper Atchara
Khikhani Village in Upper Atchara, Khikhani Fortress in the region of Khulo St Tbeli Abuseridze, Commemorated August 17;

Adjara River Mouth (Chorokhi River 6)

Atchara (Adjara river region of Southwestern Georgia)
Atchara (Adjara River region of Southwestern Georgia); Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; St Sidonia of Georgia, Commemorated on October 1; Hieromartyr Theodore of Atchara, Commemorated on February 17; Gallows and a guillotine were erected in the villages of Atcharistsqali, Keda, Chakvi, Khulo, Machakhela, and Gonio. The documents preserved in the manuscript collection at Akhaltsikhe Museum describe in even more horrific detail the martyrdom of the Atcharan Christians. Martyred Fathers and Mothers of Atchara, Commemorated on May 29;

Acharistsqali (Adjara's Water)
Acharistsqali (Adjara's Water); Martyred Fathers and Mothers of Atchara, Commemorated on May 29;

Chorokhi River Mouth (Black Sea)

Shemokmedi, Guria (Chorokhi River Mouth)
Batumi, Guria; metropolitan of Batumi-Shemokmedi; Shemokmedi Monestary ; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated on October 27 ;

Gonio (Chorokhi River Mouth, Black Sea) Apostle Matthias' relics
Gonio; Martyred Fathers and Mothers of Atchara, Commemorated on May 29; Seven Martyred Brothers: Orentius, Pharnacius, Eros, Firmus, Firminus, Cyriacus, and Longinus, in Georgia, Commemorated on June 24;

Gonio Fortress
Gonio Fortress; Seven Martyred Brothers: Orentius, Pharnacius, Eros, Firmus, Firminus, Cyriacus, and Longinus, in Georgia, Commemorated on June 24;

Georgia, Northwestern Georgia Folder, Abkhazeti, Samegrelo

Colchis Region, Northwestern Georgia
Colchis Region; Apostle Matthias of the Seventy, Commemorated on August 9 ;

Abkhazeti Region (Northwest Georgia, Southwest Caucasus Mts, Samegrelo)
Abkhazeti Region, A disputed territory on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus ; St Gregory of Chandzoe in Georgia, Commemorated on October 5; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated on October 27 ; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated January 8 ; St Ephraim the Lesser, Commemorated January 18 ; St Gabriel, Bishop of Imereti, Commemorated January 25 ; St Ephraim the Great of Atsquri, Commemorated on April 15; Martyred Fathers and Mothers of Atchara, Commemorated on May 29;

Chaneti Province (Northwestern Georgia, Svaneti)
Svaneti Province; St Jacob the Elder, and disciple of St Anthony of Chkondidi, Commemorated on October 13 ; Martyred Fathers and Mothers of Atchara, Commemorated on May 29;

Sochi, Russia (Northwestern Georgia, Alania)
Sochi; New Martyr John the New of Sochi, who suffered at Belgrade, Commemorated on June 2;

Alania, Land of the Bagrationi Dynasty, North Ossetia
Alania, Land of the Bagrationi Dynasty, North Ossetia; Georgia, 1187-1207, David Soslan Bagrationi, King Consort to Tamar; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8;

Pityus in Abkhazia, Northwest Georgia on the Black Sea
Pityus in Abkhazia on the Black Sea ; St John Chrysostom the Archbishop of Constantinople, Commemorated November 13 ; Martyr Orentius, one of the seven martyred brothers in Georgia, Commemorated on June 24 ; Seven Martyred Brothers: Orentius, Pharnacius, Eros, Firmus, Firminus, Cyriacus, and Longinus, in Georgia, Commemorated on June 24;

Pitindeia, Northwest Georgia (Pitsunda)
Pitindeia (Pitsunda); Martyr Orentius, one of the seven martyred brothers in Georgia, Commemorated on June 24; Seven Martyred Brothers: Orentius, Pharnacius, Eros, Firmus, Firminus, Cyriacus, and Longinus, in Georgia, Commemorated on June 24;

New Athos monastery, Abkhazeti, Georgia, 1875, Deliverer Icon
New Athos Simono-Kananitsk monastery in the Caucasus; Deliverer Icon of the Mother of God, Commemorated on October 17; the beginning of the XIX century the remarkable ascetic Constantine Theodoulos was loving as a monk on Mount Athos. This Elder had a wonderworking Icon of the Theotokos, which had been painted about 150 years before. After this ascetic's repose, the Icon was passed on to Constantine's disciple, Schema-monk Martinian, who arrived on Mount Athos from Greece in 1821. in 1841 Father Martinian left the Holy Mountain and went to the town of Mavrovonē in the diocese of Sparta, where many miracles were about to take place. residents of that place were afflicted by a terrible disaster: their fields, forests and almost all the vegetation was devastated by locusts. Moving forward in a solid mass, they destroyed everything in their path. Their flight took them right to the city of Marathon. The local authorities drove the residents out of their homes into the fields, forcing them to collect the destructive insects, dump them into pits, and then burn them, but all these measures were ineffective. It seemed that the more locusts they killed, the more their numbers increased. lost all hope for human assistance, so they chanted a Moleben, but the disaster did not end. Terrified, the villagers turned to Father Alexis, a man of God, who lived in a monastery near that unfortunate district. Taking some holy relics, this God-pleaser advised them to have a Moleben with a Cross Procession to their fields. The locusts, as if irritated by such actions, focused their attention on the worshippers. Countless insects attacked people, especially in their eyes. Both the residents and priests fled to their homes in horror. Martinian also learned about this disaster. After serving a Moleben, he spoke to the villagers: "Is our faith so weak that we cannot ask the Lord to help us? Let us intensify our prayers; at least let us gather the old men, and we will resort to the powerful intercession of the Queen of Heaven and Earth. Let us take her holy Icon and pray together, trusting in the Lord. He will not reject our humble prayer to Him, and, through the intercessions of His Mother, He will save this district from a great calamity." inhabitants followed the pious Elder's suggestion, with confidence in the merciful intercession of the Mother of God, they gathered not only old men, but also husbands, wives and even children. There were also four priests. The Cross Procession followed the Elder, who carried the holy Icon, and went into the field. There Father Martinian placed the Icon on the ground, and all the villagers bowed before it in supplication. The Sovereign Lady did not reject the prayers of the faithful servants of her Son and our God. She drove the locusts away. Suddenly, a great flock of birds appeared, rushing swiftly at the insects. The locusts rose from the fields and flew in such a thick mass that they obscured the sunlight. in the village of Mavrovonē there was a boy who was very sick, and his illness was getting worse. His parents asked the priest to bring him Communion. For some reason, however, the visiting priest did not hurry, and he did not arrive for a long time. He took the Holy Gifts and went to the boy's house. He had invited Elder Martinian to come with him. When they arrived at the house, they were shocked by the news that boy was already dead. The priest was filled with deep remorse, since his procrastination had deprived the child of his final spiritual consolation. The only hope left to them was to trust in God's mercy. priest asked Father Martinian to bring his Icon so they could pray to the Queen of Heaven for the boy. The Elder, seeing the deep faith of the priest and the devastated parents, took out the holy Icon which he always kept with him and placed it over the child's bed. Confident that nothing is impossible for the Sovereign Lady, the Elder, the priest, and parents bowed before the Icon, begging her to restore the child to life. After praying for a time, the Elder touched the dying boy three times with the Icon, and suddenly the child opened his eyes. At Father Martinian's request, the boy was given Holy Communion, and then got up perfectly well. The next day he went to school, where he had been sent shortly before this for his primary education. Later, the boy who returned to life was tonsured in a foreign country with the name Alexis, and for a long time he lived an ascetical life on Mount Athos. of this glorious miracle spread far through the neighborhood. Many people who suffered from physical and spiritual infirmities flocked to the Icon of the Mother of God with faith. The Elder's tiny home was always crowded with people and he decided to hide from them, but they found him again. Martinian would not have minded visiting the sick with the Icon if their reverence for the Mother of God had not been mixed with a desire to glorify the Elder as well. He thought he should retire to a place where no one would find him. Therefore, he went by the sea shore and soon, above the ocean, he found a sheer rock with a cave, which was quite suitable for his ascetical struggles. Father Martinian thought he was completely secluded there. However, the good will of the Most Pure Virgin had arranged things otherwise. night the ascetic was praying in the cave. Suddenly, he heard a voice ordering him not to hide the Icon, but to minister to the needs of others. He tried to protest his unworthiness, and his infirmity, but the voice told him even more insistently to be obedient, saying that all this was for the glory of the Mother of God. When the Elder had finished his prayer, he decided to rest for a short time. Suddenly, at that moment, the cave was illumined with an extraordinary light. Surprised, the Elder came out onto the rock, desiring to know the source of such extraordinary radiance. The ascetic beheld a wondrous sight. He saw a pillar of light stretching from the sky to the ground, and in doing so, he heard again the same voice commanding him to leave his solitude and to go serve his neighbors. Thus, the ascetic opened his door to the residents of that vicinity. was a possessed woman named Elena, who used to shout all the time that she knew where the Elder was hiding. At the same time, she declared that only his Icon could heal her. The demon who possessed the woman was very fierce. He exposed the secret sins of all those who came to see Elena. One devout priest decided to read the prayers of exorcism over her no matter what happened. For that reason he went to Elena's house. Immediately, the woman attacked the priest and began to vilify the one who served at the altar, saying: "Aha! So you want to expel me? Are you thinking of casting me out? No, you cannot expel me, you will never drive me out. Look to yourself!" all the demon's words the priest continued to read the prayers, and asked the demon possessing the woman to reveal who could banish him. Against his will, the impure spirit spoke of a solitary Elder with an Icon, calling the ascetic a ragamuffin, an evil monk, and so on. Then the priest asked the demon where he might find this Elder. Then the demon, forced by the priest's prayers and by the power of God, revealed where Father Martinian was hiding. morning after the vision the Elder heard the sound of a large crowd of people gathered before the rock and begging him to come down to them to help the suffering. Seeing God's will in all this, the Elder obeyed and went to the homes of the villagers. First of all, he went to see Elena. As he approached her dwelling, she fell down unconscious and began to scream. When the Elder entered the house, he put down the Icon of the Mother of God and bowed before the Icon. At once, the demon came out of the woman with great moaning. She returned to her senses and fervently thanked the Theotokos. After this she felt quite well. Many other demoniacs were also healed by praying before her Icon. of all the miracles taking place before the Icon, people were always in Father Martinian's home. The Elder finally decided to return to his monastery. When the people learned of his departure, they followed him for some distance. With a great cry they parted from the Elder as he walked away from them, carrying the Icon of the Mother of God, who had poured forth so much grace on their district. 1884, soon after he arrived on the Holy Mountain and entered the monastery of the Great Martyr Panteleimon, Father Martinian went to the Lord. Then the holy Icon of the Mother of God became the monastery's precious heritage. The revered Icon remained there until July 20, 1889, when Archimandrite Makarios, the Superior of Saint Panteleimon's Monastery, gave the Deliverer Icon as a blessing to the newly-built New Athos Monastery of Saint Simon the Canaanite in the Caucasus The Icon has been there from 1889 until the present day. first celebration of the transfer of the Icon to New Athos Monastery took place on October 17, 1889. That is why the Feast Day in honor of this Icon was established on this day. About that time a storm cast more than a ton of fish ashore at the monastery. this Icon the Most Holy Theotokos holds the Divine Child on her right arm, and He blesses with His right hand. Deliverer Icon of the Mother of God is commemorated on October 17, and on April 4.

Simono-Kananitsk monastery, New Athos, in the Caucasus, 1875
New Athos Simono-Kananitsk monastery in the Caucasus; Icon of the Mother of God the "Deliveress", Commemorated October 17 ;

Khobi River

Khobi, Western Georgia
Khobi, Western Georgia ; Venerable Hieromonk Alexei of Teklati, Commemorated on January 18 ;

Lazika, Northwest Georgia (planned city, Black Sea)
Lazika (planned city, Black Sea); Translation of the relics of St Maximus the Confessor, Commemorated on August 13; Seven Martyred Brothers: Orentius, Pharnacius, Eros, Firmus, Firminus, Cyriacus, and Longinus, in Georgia, Commemorated on June 24;

Enguri River (Inguri)

Egrisi (now Samegrelo Province)
Egrisi (now Samegrelo Province); St Jacob the Elder, and disciple of St Anthony of Chkondidi, Commemorated October 13 ;

Samegrelo Province, Northwestern Georgia
Samegrelo Province; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated on October 27; Venerable Hieromonk Alexei of Teklati; St Ambrose the Confessor, Commemorated on March 16

Mingrelia (Samegrelo)
Mingrelia (Samegrelo); Georgia, 1621-1682, Queen Mariam Dadiani; Martyr Evdemoz the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on October 4;

Ilori Theological School in Ochamchire, Northwestern Georgia
Ilori Theological School in Ochamchire; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated on October 27 ;

Bedia Cathedral, 999, Northwest Georgia, Abkhazeti
Bedia Cathedral, 999; Georgia, 975-1014, Georgia King, Bagrat III, Bedia Cathedral ; Bedia Cathedral; St Hilarion of Tvali, Commemorated on July 24; St Melchizedek I, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated October 1 ; Venerable George the Scribe, of Khakhuli, Commemorated on December 19; Venerable Macarius the Faster, Abbot of the Khakhuli Monastery, Commemorated on December 21; Venerable Sabiana, Abbess of the Samtskhe Monastery, Commemorated on December 31; Martyr Luke of Jerusalem, the Georgian, Commemorated on February 12; St Prochorus of Georgia, Commemorated on February 12; St John (Chrysostom) IV, the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on March 3; St John of Khakhuli the Oqropiri, also called Chrysostom, Commemorated on March 10; St Basil of Georgia, the son of King Bagrat III, Commemorated on May 27 ;

Caucasaus, Greater Caucasus Mountains
Greater Caucasus Mountains;

Enguri River Source (along the border, Caucasus Mountains)

Matskhvarishi church of the Savior, Abkhazeti (Enguri River Source_
Matskhvarishi church of the Savior; Saint Damiane (Demetrius), King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23;

Enguri River (Inguri) Mouth (Black Sea)

Anaklia (Enguri River Mouth)
Anaklia (Enguri River Mouth); Seven Martyred Brothers: Orentius, Pharnacius, Eros, Firmus, Firminus, Cyriacus, and Longinus, in Georgia, Commemorated on June 24;

River Atcharistsqah

Egrisi, Northwestern Georgia
Egrisi; St Jacob the Elder, and disciple of St Anthony of Chkondidi, Commemorated October 13 ; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated November 30;

Tskhumi, Northwestern Georgia
Tskhumi, Northwestern Georgia Martyr David the Prince of Georgia, Commemorated October 2 ;

Sokhumi, Northwestern Georgia
Sokhumi; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated October 27 ; St Ambrose the Confessor, Commemorated on March 16; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on June 27;

Bridge of Queen Tamar, Northwest Georgia
Bridge of Queen Tamar; Martyred Fathers and Mothers of Atchara, Commemorated on May 29;

River Atcharistsqali 1
River Atcharistsqali; Martyred Fathers and Mothers of Atchara, Commemorated on May 29;

Georgia, Western Inland Georgia, Rioni River Folder, Imereti

Rioni River

Georgia, Western Inland Georgia, Rioni River 1-3, Upper Rioni River Folder, Gelati and Raca

Rioni River Source (Caucasus Mountains)
Rioni River Source (Caucasus Mountains);

Svaneti Province (Northwestern Georgia, Chaneti)
Svaneti Province; St Jacob the Elder, and disciple of St Anthony of Chkondidi, Commemorated on October 13 ; Martyred Fathers and Mothers of Atchara, Commemorated on May 29;

Chelishi Monastery, Lentekhi, Lower Svaneti
Chelishi Monastery, Lentekhi, Lower Svaneti; St. Ambrose the Confessor, Commemorated on March 16;

Rioni River 1 (Skhvava and Racha)

Racha Region, Georgia (Upper Rioni River Valley)
Racha; St Tsotne Dadiani the Confessor, Commemorated July 30 ; St Euthymius the Confessor, Commemorated on January 20 ; St George (John) of Georgia, Commemorated January 21 ; St George (John) of Georgia, Commemorated September 8

Skhvava (Village near Racha)
Skhvava (Village near Racha); St George (John) of Georgia ; George (Mkheidze) was born in the village of Skhvava in the Racha region around 1877. received a military education—a highly esteemed commodity among the Georgian aristocracy—but instead of pursuing a military career in defense of the Russian empire, he dedicated himself to Georgia’s national liberation movement. one point the pious and learned George worked for Saint Ilia the Righteous as his personal secretary. often met Saint Ilia’s spiritual father, the holy hierarch Alexandre (Okropiridze), and the holy hieromartyr Nazar (Lezhava), and he was acquainted with other important spiritual leaders of the time as well. to sacrifice his life to God, George was tonsured into monasticism by the holy hieromartyr Nazar. His rare character combined a nobleman’s deportment with a monk’s humble asceticism. Fr. George was ordained a priest and soon after elevated to the rank of archimandrite. with divine love and patriotic sentiment, the holy father willingly endured the heavy burdens and spiritual tribulations afflicting his country at that time. 1924, while Fr. George was laboring at Khirsa Monastery in Kakheti in eastern Georgia, an armed Chekist mob broke into the monastery. The perpetrators beat him, cut off his hair, shaved his beard, and threatened to take his life. He sought refuge with his family, but to no avail—his brothers, who were atheists, shaved off his beard while he was sleeping. (One of Fr. George’s brothers later committed suicide, and the other, together with his wife, was shot to death by the Chekists.) In the same year, Fr. George visited Betania Monastery and was introduced to Fr. John (Maisuradze), with whom he would labor for the remainder of his life. George’s health was poor, and he was able to perform only the lightest of tasks around the monastery. He tended the vegetable garden and took responsibility for raising the bees. He was extremely generous. At times he would give all the monastery’s food to the needy, assuring Fr. John that God Himself would provide their daily bread. thin, and with an upright posture, Fr. George was strict in both appearance and demeanor. He spoke very little with other people, and children did not play with him as they did with Fr. John. Knowing his character, they tried to please him by reciting prayers and behaving themselves. Fr. George did not like to leave the monastery, but it was often necessary for him to travel to Tbilisi to visit his spiritual children— among whom were many secret Christians who worked for the government. George was endowed with the gifts of prophecy and healing, but he was careful to hide them. When constrained to reveal them, he would pass them off as though they were nothing extraordinary. Once a certain pilgrim arrived at the monastery and was surprised to discover that Fr. George knew him by name. Sensing his great amazement, Fr. George told the pilgrim that he had attended his baptism some thirty years earlier, thus concealing his God-given gift. Fr. George knew in advance when his nephew was bringing his sisters, whom he had not seen in forty-eight years, to visit him at the monastery during Great Lent. with this foreknowledge, Fr. George prepared fish and a festal meal in honor of the occasion. prayers of Fr. George and Fr. John healed the former’s nephew, who was afflicted by a deadly strain of meningitis. They restored hearing to a deaf child and healed many others of their bodily infirmities. 1957, when Fr. John reposed in the Lord, Fr. George was tonsured into the great schema. He was given the name John in honor of his newly departed spiritual brother. Fr. George-John now bore full responsibility for the affairs of the monastery. His health deteriorated further under the weight of this heavy yoke. His spiritual children began to come from the city to care for him. a twenty-year-old girl arrived at the monastery, complaining of incessant headaches. She had been told that the water from Betania Monastery would heal her. She remained there for one week and was miraculously healed. When she left to return home, Fr. George-John walked five miles to see her off, in spite of his physical frailty. Theotokos appeared to Fr. George-John in a vision and relieved his terrible physical pain. The protomartyr Thekla also appeared to him, presenting him with a bunch of grapes. Several days before his repose, the holy father was in the city when an angel appeared to him and announced his imminent repose. The angel told him to return to the monastery to prepare for his departure from this world. George-John (Mkheidze) reposed in 1960. He was buried at Betania Monastery, next to Fr. John (Maisuradze). These venerable fathers were canonized on September 18, 2003, at a council of the Holy Synod under the spiritual leadership of His Holiness Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia. Frs. John and George-John have been lovingly deemed “one soul in two bodies.”

Nikortsminda Cathedral, 1010 (Rioni River 1)
Nikortsminda Cathedral, 1010 (Rioni River 1); Martyr Nicholas Dvali in Jerusalem, Commemorated on February 12;

Rioni River 2 (Tsageri)

Tsageri (in lower Svaneti, Rioni River 2)
Tsageri (in lower Svaneti); St Jacob the Elder, and disciple of St Anthony of Chkondidi, Commemorated on October 13 ;

Schemarum Fortress, Tsageri, Georgia (Rioni River 2)
Schemarum Fortress, Tsageri (in lower Svaneti); Tsageri (in lower Svaneti); St Jacob the Elder, and disciple of St Anthony of Chkondidi, Commemorated on October 13 ; St. Maximus the Confessor, Commemorated on January 21; Martyr Anastasius the Disciple of the Venerable Maximus the Confessor, Commemorated on January 21;

Rioni River 3 (Kutaisi, Gelati Monastery)

Gaenati (Gelati) Monastery, Georgia (Rioni River 3) 1106
Gaenati (Gelati) Monastery; Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Martyr Otar of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; St Euthymius the Confessor, Commemorated on January 20 ; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26 ; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8 ; St John of Shavtel-Gaenati, Commemorated on June 9;

Gelati Monastery, Georgia (Rioni River 3) 1106
Gelati Monastery; Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Martyr Otar of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; St Tbeli Abuseridze, Commemorated on August 17; Venerable Hieromonk Alexei of Teklati, Commemorated on January 18 ; St Euthymius the Confessor, Commemorated on January 20 ; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26; St Arsenius of Iqalto in Georgia, Commemorated Febraury 6; St Eulogius of Salosi, the Prophet and Fool-for-Christ, Commemorated on April 1; St John Shavteli of Salosi, Bishop of Gaenati, Georgia, Commemorated on April 1; Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23; St John of Shavtel-Gaenati, Commemorated on June 9;

Motsameta monastery (Rioni River 3) 1072
Motsameta monastery; Martyrs David and Constantine, Princes of Georgia, Commemorated on October 2;

Gelati Theological Academy, Rioni River 3, Georgia, 1106
Gelati Theological Academy; Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Martyr Otar of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; St Tbeli Abuseridze, Commemorated on August 17; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26 ; St Arsenius of Iqalto in Georgia, Commemorated Febraury 6; St Eulogius of Salosi, the Prophet and Fool-for-Christ, Commemorated on April 1; St John Shavteli of Salosi, Bishop of Gaenati, Georgia, Commemorated on April 1; St John of Shavtel-Gaenati, Commemorated on June 9; St John of Shavtel-Gaenati, Commemorated on June 9;

Bagrati Cathedral (Rioni River 3) 1003
Bagrati Cathedral; New Martyr Nazarius, Metropolitan of Kutaisi-Gaenati, and his companions of Georgia, Commemorated August 14 ;

Cathedral of King Davit the Restorer in Kutaisi (Rioni River 3) 1003
Bagrati Cathedral; New Martyr Nazarius, Metropolitan of Kutaisi-Gaenati, and his companions of Georgia, Commemorated August 14 ; St. Euthymius the Confessor, Commemorated on January 20;

Baghdati, Georgia (south of Rioni River 3)
Baghdati, Georgia; Hieromartyr Theodore (Tevdore) of Kvelta, Commemorated on June 8;

Georgia, Western Inland Georgia, Rioni River 3, Argveti River Folder

Argveti River

Argveti River Source

Argveti, Region (Westcentral Georgia, Argveti River Folder)
Argveti; Martyr David the Prince of Georgia, Commemorated on October 2

Argveti River 1

Ubisi in Imereti (Argveti River 1) before 861
Ubisi in Imereti; Saint George's Monastery founded by Saint Gregory of Khandzta before 861; Gregory of Khandzta, 820-861; Saint Gregory of Chandzoe, Georgia, Commemorated on October 5;

Saint George's Monastery, before 861
Ubisi in Imereti; Saint George's Monastery founded by Saint Gregory of Khandzta before 861; Gregory of Khandzta, 820-861; Saint Gregory of Chandzoe, Georgia, Commemorated on October 5;

Shorapani, Kutaisi (Argveti River 1)
Shorapani; St Hilarion the Georgian, the New, Commemorated February 14 ;

Sakara, Imerti (Argveti River of Riori River)
Venerable Christodoulos the Philosopher, Commemorated August 18 ;

Argveti River 2

Tabakini Monastery in Zestaponi (Argveti River 2)
Tabakini Monastery in Zestaponi (Argveti River 2); St Hilarion the Georgian, the New, Commemorated February 14 ;

Argveti River Mouth (Rioni River 3)

Imereti region (Western Inland Georgia, Rioni and Argveti Rivers)
Imereti region; New Martyr Nazarius, Metropolitan of Kutaisi-Gaenati, and his companions of Georgia, Commemorated August 14 ; Venerable Christodoulos the Philosopher, Commemorated on August 18; St Gabriel, Bishop of Imereti, Commemorated January 25 ; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23; Martyr Luarsab II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21 ;

Kutaisi, Imereti, Georgia (Argveti River Mouth, Rioni River 3)
Kutaisi; Kutaisi-Gaenati; New Martyr Nazarius, Metropolitan of Kutaisi-Gaenati, and his companions of Georgia, Commemorated August 14 ; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated October 27 ; St Euthymius (Takaishvili), Commemorated Janaury 3; St Euthymius the Confessor, Commemorated on January 20 ; St Gabriel, Bishop of Imereti, Commemorated January 25 ; St Hilarion the Georgian, the New, Commemorated February 14 ; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on June 27;

Georgia, Western Inland Georgia, Rioni River 4-6 and Black Sea, Lower Rioni River Folder

Rioni River 4

Rioni River 5 (Chkodidi aka Abasha, Guria)

Tao region (Western Inland and Southern Georgia, South of Rioni River)
Tao region; New Martyr Nazarius, Metropolitan of Kutaisi-Gaenati, and his companions of Georgia, Commemorated August 14 ; St Ephraim the Lesser, Commemorated January 18 ; St Ephraim the Lesser, Commemorated February 21 ; 9 Martyred brothers of Kola, Commemorated February 21 ; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23;

Guria Province (left side Rioni River 5 and 6, Western Inland Georgia)
Guria; Martyr Christopher of Guria, Georgia, Commemorated August 16 ; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated on October 27; St Euthymius (Takaishvili), Commemorated January 3 ;

Georgia, Western Inland Georgia, Rioni River 5, Chgondidi River Folder

Chqondidi River

Chgondidi River Source (along the border)

Chqondidi River 1 (Martvili Monastery)

Chqondidi, Georgia (Chkondidi River 1)
Chqondidi; Martvili Monastery in Egrisi; St Jacob the Elder, and disciple of St Anthony of Chkondidi, Commemorated on October 13; St Ambrose the Confessor, Commemorated on March 16; Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8 ; Venerable George of Mt. Athos, Georgian, Commemorated on June 27;

Martvili Monastery, Chqondidi River 1, Georgia, 7th Century and 1788
Martvili Monastery in Egrisi; St Jacob the Elder, and disciple of St Anthony of Chkondidi, Commemorated October 13 ; Venerable Hieromonk Alexei of Teklati, Commemorated on January 18 ; St Ambrose the Confessor, Commemorated on March 16; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8 ; Venerable George of Mt. Athos, Georgian, Commemorated on June 27;

Chqondidi River 2 (Chkondidi aka Abasha)

Abasha (aka Chqondidi, the capital of Western Georgia)
Abasha; Martyr Archil II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21;

Chkondidi (Rioni River 5, the capital of Western Georgia)
Chkondidi; St Jacob the Elder, and disciple of St Anthony of Chkondidi, Commemorated October 13 ;

Chqondidi River Mouth ( Rioni River 5)

Tskhenistsqali River

Tskhenistsqali River Source (Caucasus Range)

Tskhenistsqali River Mouth (Chqondidi River Mouth, Rioni River 5)
Tskhenistsqali River

Rioni River 6 (Senaki River, Ozurgeti, Guria)

Ozurgeti district of Guria, Western Inland Georgia, left side Rioni River 6
Ozurgeti district of Guria; Martyr Christopher of Guria, Georgia, Commemorated August 16 ; St Euthymius (Takaishvili), Commemorated January 3 ; St Gabriel, Bishop of Imereti, Commemorated January 25 ;

Georgia, Western Inland Georgia, Rioni River 6, Senaki River Folder

Senaki River

Senaki River Source (along the border)

Senaki River 1

Tsikhegoji (Tsikhedidi), Western Georgia, Egrisi
Tsikhegoji; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30 ; St. Evagrisi the disciple of St. Shio, Commemorated on February 4; Repose of the Venerable Shio the Anchorite of Georgia, Commemorated on May 9;

Lazica region, Western Inland Georgia, Rioni River 6, Senaki River
Lazica region, Western Inland Georgia, Rioni River 6, Senaki River; St Tsotne Dadiani the Confessor, Commemorated on July 30 ; Saint Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30;

Senaki
Venerable Hieromonk Alexei of Teklati;

Senaki district, Western Georgia
Senaki district; Venerable Hieromonk Alexei of Teklati, Commemorated on January 18 ;

Senaki River Mouth (Rioni River 6)

Abaasha River Source (on the border)

Abasha River

Abasha River Mouth (Senaki River Mouth, Rioni River 6)
Abasha River;

Rioni River Mouth (Black Sea)

Georgia, Western Coast Georgia Folder (or Armenia)

Atchara, Western Georgia or Armenia
Atchara; Principality of Hamamshen; Apostle Thaddeus of the Seventy, Commemorated January 4 ; Martyrs of Lazeti, Commemorated on April 29; Martyred Fathers and Mothers of Atchara, Commemorated on May 29;

Artaz region, Western Georgia or Armenia
Artaz region; Principality of Hamamshen; Apostle Thaddeus of the Seventy, Commemorated January 4; Martyred Fathers and Mothers of Atchara, Commemorated on May 29;

Rize, Western Georgia (Riza)
Rize; Martyr Orentius, one of the seven martyred brothers in Georgia, Commemorated on June 24;

Qipchaks,, 1101-1299, 12th-13th Centuries, Cuman-Kipchaks in Georgia, mercenaries
Qipchaks, Cuman-Kipchaks in Georgia; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated on January 26;

Georgia, Eastern Georgia Folder, Alazani and Iori Rivers , Kakheti, Hereti

Kakheti Region (Alazani and Iori Rivers, Eastern Georgia)
Kakheti Region; 9 Kherkheulidze Brothers with their Mother and Sister and Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda, Commemorated August 3 ; St George (John) of Georgia, Commemorated September 8 ; Greatmartyr and Prince Bidzina of Georgia, Commemorated September 18 ; Venerable Hilarion the Monk and Wonderworker of Thessalonica, Georgian, Commemorated on November 19 ; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated on November 29 ; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated November 30 ; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated on January 8 ; Venerable Salome of Ujarma, Commemorated January 15 ; St Anthony the Founder of Monasticism in Georgia, Commemorated January 19 ; St Arsenius of Iqalto in Georgia, Commemorated February 6; St John Chimchimeli the Philosopher, Commemorated on February 10 ; St Nicholas the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated February 18 ; St Pimen of Salosi the Enlightener of Dagestan and the North Caucasus People, Commemorated on March 16 ; 6,000 Martyrs of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on April 26; Venerable Dodo of the St David-Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on May 17; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23; Martyr Luarsab II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21;

Georgia, Eastern Georgia, Kakheti, History Folder

Georgia, Kakheti, 744 or 785, Prince Archil II of Kakheti, Martyr
Georgia, Kakheti, 744, Prince Archil II of Kakheti, Martyr; Archil the Martyr (Georgian: áƒáƒ áƒ©áƒ˜áƒšáƒ˜) was an 8th-century Georgian Orthodox Christian royal prince of the eastern Georgian region of Kakheti. 1 Life 2 Family 3 Notes 4 References Ê¼s biography is related in the medieval corpus of Georgian chronicles known as The Life of Kartli. One of its parts, the c. 800 history by Pseudo-Juansher, terminates with a brief account of ArchilÊ¼s tenure as prince, while another one – The Martyrdom of Archil,[1] a brief text of uncertain age (between early 9th and late 11th centuries) inserted just after Ps.-JuansherÊ¼s chronicle – narrowly focuses on ArchilÊ¼s martyrdom.[2] was a scion of the former royal dynasty of Iberia (Kartli), the Chosroid dynasty and a son of Prince Stephen of Kakheti (r. 685-736). His rule coincided with the Arab conquests in Caucasia. The 735-737 expedition by Marwan ibn Muhammad forced Archil and his brother Mirian to flee to the west through Egrisi into Abasgia where they joined the local dynast Leon I in the defense of Anacopia against the invading Arabs. Returning to Kakheti, Archil launched a program of reconstruction and Christianization of his mountainous pagan subjects. The Georgian texts also relate the rise of the Georgian Bagratids, a future royal dynasty, during the time of Archil.[citation needed] 786, eastern Georgia was subjected to another Arab invasion, this time led by Khuzayma b. Khazim, who had been reconfirmed as viceroy of Arab-controlled Caucasia (ArmÄ«niya) by the caliph al-Hadi (r. 785-786). Archil, in an untenable situation, pleaded for peace. Khuzayma b. Khazim promised Archil gifts in return for his acceptance of Islam, but the prince refused and was condemned to prison. Then the viceroy was informed of Archil being a descendant of the Chosroid kings who allegedly knew the location of a treasure hidden by the Byzantine emperor Heraclius while evacuating Caucasia in the 620s. has been canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church which commemorates him on June 21 (N.S. July 4).[3] was survived by two sons, Juansher and Iovane (John) and four daughters: Guarandukht, Mariam, Mirandukht and Shushan. Upon ArchilÊ¼s death, Iovane evacuated to Egrisi while Juansher remained in Kakheti[4] and later married Princess Latavri of Tao-Klarjeti of Bagrationi dynasty. Martyr Archil II, King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21; Holy Martyr Archil II, King of Georgia belonged to the dynasty of the Chosroidoi, and he was a direct descendant of the holy emperor Saint Mirian (+ 342). the reign of Archil II, Georgia was subjected to a devastating invasion by Murvana-Kru (“the Wildâ€), so called by the Georgian people for his inexorable cruelty. The position of the Georgian people was desperate, and the emperor Archil II, together with his brother Myro, the ruler of Western Georgia, tearfully implored the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, and She showed forth Her mercy. a battle by the Rivers Abasha and Tskhenis-Tskhali the Georgian forces miraculously gained the victory over the significantly superior forces of Murvana-Kru. this victory the emperor Archil II was occupied with the restoration of the Georgian kingdom. He rebuilt the city of Nukhpatis, rebuilt ruined churches in Mtskheta and furthered the acceptance of Christianity by many of the mountain tribes. But soon Georgia suffered a new Arab invasion with the sudden appearance of Dzhidzhum-Asim (Jijum-Asim). Having paid a tribute to the Arabs, the emperor did not expect this invasion. In order to deliver the land from new devastation and avert the intrusion of Islam upon it, he deemed it beneficial to go himself to Dzhizhum-Asim, and subject formerly independent Georgia to the Arabs, and ask for peace. Placing all his hope on the mercy of God and ready to offer up his soul for his holy Faith and for his nation, Saint Archil went to the camp of the Arabs. Dzhidzhum-Asim received him hospitably and promised his suzerainty, but insisted on acceptance of Mohammedanism. As the “Georgian Chronicleâ€ relates, the holy emperor Archil calmly said, “It will not be, that I should forsake Christ, the True God, Who for our salvation took upon Himself human flesh. I know, if I obey you, then I shall die a spiritual death and shall suffer eternally. If for my firmness you put me to death, I shall then rise as did my Lord, and I shall go to Himâ€. these words, Dzhidzhum-Asim gave orders to seize the confessor and take him off to prison. But neither tortures nor promises could make the eighty-year-old emperor Archil apostasize. March 20, 744 the holy emperor Archil was beheaded. The body of the martyr was secretly taken by Georgian Christians to the locale Ertso and buried in Kakhetia, in the Notkor church built by the holy emperor himself. Kakheti Region;

Georgia, Alazani, Kakheti, 1412-1907, Chavchavadze Family
Georgia, Alazani, Kakheti, 1412-1907, Chavchavadze Family; Martyr Ilia Chavchavadze of Georgia, Commemorated on July 20;

Georgia, 1650-1660, Saint, Bidzina Cholokashvili
Georgia, 1650-1660, Saint, Bidzina Cholokashvili; Greatmartyr and Prince Bidzina of Georgia, Commemorated on September 18;

Georgia, Kakheti, 1802, Great Fast of 1802 (Lent)
The Great Fast ; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17 ;

Georgia, Eastern Georgia, Iori River Folder (Center of Eastern Georgia) David Gareja monastery

Iori River (from Ersto Valley)

Iori River Source (above Ersto)

Tusheti (Iori River Source)
Tusheti; Greatmartyr and Prince Bidzina of Georgia, Commemorated on September 18 ;

Iori River 1 (Ertso Valley, Tianeti)

Ertso (upper Lori river valley)
Ertso; Martyr Archil II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21 ;

Tianeti (Lori River 1)
Tianeti; Martyr Archil II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21;

Iori River 2 (Kakheti region Eastern Georgia)

Tsiv-Gombori Range
Tsiv-Gombori Range;

Iori River 3 (Tvali, Gare Valley)

Tvali, Kakheti, Georgia
Tvali, Kakheti, Georgia ; Venerable Macarius the Faster, Abbot of the Khakhuli Monastery, Commemorated December 21 ;

Kakheti (Tvali or Gare or Sagarego is the capital of Kakheti, Iori River 3)
Tvali; Gare (Gare Valley); Sagarego Kakheti; Greatmartyr Ketevan the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated September 13; Venerable Hilarion the Monk and Wonderworker of Thessalonica, Georgian, Commemorated November 19 ; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated January 8 ; Venerable Salome of Ujarma, Commemorated January 15 ; St Anthony the Founder of Monasticism in Georgia, Commemorated January 19 ; St Nicholas the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated February 18 ; 6,000 Martyrs of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on April 26; Martyr Archil II the King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21;

Gare-Kakheti
Gare-Kakheti. Outer Kakheti (Gare Kakheti) along the middle Iori River basin; 6,000 Martyrs of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on April 26;

Gare, Georgia (Sagarego, Gare Valley of Gare-Kakheti Area), 540's
Gare, Georgia (Sagarego, Gare Valley of Gare-Kakheti Area) ; 6,000 Martyrs of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on April 26;

Ujarma, Kakheti, Georgia (Iori River 3)
Ujarma, Kakheti; Martyr Razhden of Persia the Georgian, Commemorated on August 3; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 30 ; Venerable Salome of Ujarma, Commemorated on January 15 ;

Iori River 4 (David Gareja Monastery)

Saint John the Baptist Monastery, David Gareja complex, Georgia (Iori River 4), 540's
David Gareja monastery complex (Georgia) ; Hieromartyr Kozman, Commemorated on July 18; St Euthymius the Elder of the St John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated on August 8; Hieromartyr Kozman; Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Martyr Otar of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Venerable Serapion, Abbot and Wonderworker of the St. John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated August 24 ; Venerable Simeon the Wonderworker, Commemorated September 4 ; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated on October 27 ; Venerable Hilarion the Monk and Wonderworker of Thessalonica, Georgian, Commemorated on November 19 ; St Onuphrius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated September 29 ; St Joseph the Catholicos of Georgia; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo; St Gabriel, Bishop of Imereti, Commemorated January 25 ; St Pimen of Salosi the Enlightener of Dagestan and the North Caucasus People, Commemorated on March 16; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28; 6,000 Martyrs of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on April 26; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; Venerable Dodo of the St David-Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on May 17; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23; Fathers martyred by the Dagestanians, Commemorated on June 1; St David Gareji, Commemorated on June 9;

David Gareja monastery complex, Kakheti, Georgia (Iori River 4), 540's
David Gareja monastery complex (Georgia) ; Hieromartyr Kozman, Commemorated on July 18; St Euthymius the Elder of the St John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated on August 8; Hieromartyr Kozman; Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Martyr Otar of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Venerable Serapion, Abbot and Wonderworker of the St. John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated August 24 ; Venerable Simeon the Wonderworker, Commemorated September 4 ; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated on October 27 ; Venerable Hilarion the Monk and Wonderworker of Thessalonica, Georgian, Commemorated on November 19 ; St Onuphrius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated September 29 ; St Joseph the Catholicos of Georgia; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo; St Gabriel, Bishop of Imereti, Commemorated January 25 ; St Pimen of Salosi the Enlightener of Dagestan and the North Caucasus People, Commemorated on March 16; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28; 6,000 Martyrs of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on April 26; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; Venerable Dodo of the St David-Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on May 17; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23; Fathers martyred by the Dagestanians, Commemorated on June 1; St David Gareji, Commemorated on June 9;

Gareji, David Gareja monastery complex, Georgia (Iori River 4) 540's
David Gareja monastery complex (Georgia) ; Hieromartyr Kozman, Commemorated on July 18; St Euthymius the Elder of the St John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated on August 8; Hieromartyr Kozman; Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Martyr Otar of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Venerable Serapion, Abbot and Wonderworker of the St. John the Baptist Monastery, Commemorated August 24 ; Venerable Simeon the Wonderworker, Commemorated September 4 ; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo, Commemorated on October 27 ; Venerable Hilarion the Monk and Wonderworker of Thessalonica, Georgian, Commemorated on November 19 ; St Onuphrius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated September 29 ; St Joseph the Catholicos of Georgia; Hierarch Alexander, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo; St Gabriel, Bishop of Imereti, Commemorated January 25 ; St Pimen of Salosi the Enlightener of Dagestan and the North Caucasus People, Commemorated on March 16; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28; 6,000 Martyrs of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on April 26; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; Venerable Dodo of the St David-Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on May 17; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23; Fathers martyred by the Dagestanians, Commemorated on June 1; St David Gareji, Commemorated on June 9;

David Gareja Mountains (Mravalmta (the Rolling Mountains))
David Gareja Mountains (Mravalmta (the Rolling Mountains)); St David Gareji, Commemorated on June 9;

Mravalmta (the Rolling Mountains) (David Gareja Mountains)
David Gareja Mountains (Mravalmta (the Rolling Mountains)); St David Gareji, Commemorated on June 9;

Iori River Mouth (Kura River 11)

Georgia, Eastern Georgia, Alazani River Folder (Kakheti, Hereti, Northeastern Georgia)

Alazani River

Alazani River Source (Greater Caucasus Range)
Alazani River;

Atsquri, Georgia (Akhmeta, Kakheti, Alazani River Source)
Atsquri, Georgia (Akhmeta, Kakheti); St Ephraim the Great of Atsquri, Commemorated on April 15;

Alazani River Valley 1 (Alsquri)

Bakhtrioni Fortress, Kakheti (Strategic Crossroads to Caucasus Mts, Alazani River 1)
Bakhtrioni Fortress, Kakheti (Strategic Crossroads to Caucasus Mts) ; Greatmartyr and Prince Bidzina of Georgia, Commemorated September 18 ; Venerable Fathers and Mothers of the Klarjeti Wilderness, Commemorated on October 5;

Bakhtroni Uprising 1659, Timuraz of Kakheti rose against Abbas I of Persia and Rostom of Kartli a muslim convert, colonization by muslim tribes
Bakhtroni Uprising 1659; Bakhtrioni uprising was a general revolt in the eastern Georgian Kingdom of Kakheti against the political domination of Safavid Persia, in 1659.[2] It is named after the main battle, which took place at the fortress of Bakhtrioni. the first half of the 17th century, Kakhetian king Teimuraz I had conducted resistance against his Persian overlords, which culminated in the bloody and devastating years of the mid-1610s; after successfully repelling an expedition sent by Shah Abbas I, Kakheti was invaded once again by the Shah himself in 1616, much of its population massacred or deported.[3] the following years, Qizilbash lords were appointed as governors of Kakheti, while a large number of Qizilbash tribal folk were relocated to Georgia in order to strengthen the central control.[4] In the early 1630s, the Persians tried to put Kakheti under control of the more submissive Kingdom of Kartli, led by Georgian prince Rostom, a convert to Islam. When such control had been installed, and Teimuraz had fled to Western Georgia, in the 1650s, a policy of colonisation of Kakheti by Qizilbash Turcoman tribes was decided by the Persians, for a number of reasons. One of these reasons was to repopulate this part of the province, while another one was to keep an eye on the restive nobles. Yet another reason was due to the fact that the Safavid possessions in Georgia were geographically close to the Daghestan province. From Daghestan, Lezgian marauders frequently organized raids into parts of the northwestern Safavid domains, including Safavid Georgia.[4] Lastly, it was also decided as a measure against Russia, which had increased its pressure on Daghestan (see also; Russo-Persian War of 1651-1653), a neighboring province of the Georgia province.[4] forced installation of the Qizilbash was the immediate motive for the uprising. Kakheti had been divided in two administrative regions: the south-eastern part was under the power of the beglarbeg of Karabakh, the rest under that of Nakhchivan. Up to 80,000 Turcomans migrated to Kakheti. They started building a fortress at Bakhtrioni, and transforming the ancient monastery of Alaverdi into one. uprising was, as in 1615, inspired by the main noble families who had remained faithful to Teimuraz I. However, according to Georgian accounts, the mass of the population took part in it, as they were being evicted of their villages and farms by the incomers.[citation needed] The Eristavi Zaal, Duke of Aragvi, one of the main feudal lords in Kakheti, a former supporter of Teimuraz who had made allegiance to Rostom and the Persians in 1648 and thus gained even more power, took the lead of the uprising. Among the leaders were also Bidzina Choloqashvili, Shalva, Eristavi of Ksani, and his brother Elizbar Eristvisshvili. Georgian mountain people, such as the Tushs, the Khevsurians and the Pshavs, also joined the rebellion, under the leadership of Zezva Gaprindauli, Nadir Khosharauli, and Gogolauri. Georgian forces, once united, attacked the Turcoman fortresses at Bakhtrioni and Alaverdi and vanquished them. They then defeated Turcoman forces in other places of Kakheti. However, the weak organisation and isolation of the rebels allowed the Persians, now under personal direction of Shah Abbas II, to successfully counter-attack and defeat them. Eristavi Zaal was murdered by his own nephews at the order of the shah, and his children sent to the Persian court. Upon those news, Bidzina Choloqashvili, Shalva of Ksani and Elizbar Eristvisshvili asked the shah for forgiveness, but he had them delivered to the tribes that the insurgees had massacred earlier. They were tortured and put to death. They would be canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church. remained under Persian rule, even if the rebels had succeeded in defeating the Turcomans, who did not remain in the region[5][6] In 1664, the Persians agreed to have Archil (Shah-Nazar Khan), son of the king/vali of Kartli, installed as king/vali of Kakheti. uprising soon entered Georgian collective memory, and many songs and poems were composed about it, while the mountain warriors became well-known folk heroes. The battle at Bakhtrioni, and the heroism of the mountaineers, inspired Vazha-Pshavela his epic poem Bakhtrioni (1892), while Akaki Tsereteli wrote a whole novel about it, Bashi-Achuki. Georgia, 1650-1660, Saint, Bidzina Cholokashvili; Cholokashvili (died c. 1660) is a Christian martyr canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church. His feast is celebrated on October 1. He was one of the leaders of Bakhtrioni Uprising (1659). During the 1630s he was a "sakhltukhutsesi" of Kingdom of Kakheti. In the battle between Teimuraz and Rostom he supported the former. In 1648 by order of Teimuraz he invaded Ertso in order to make Ertso-Tianeti subordinate to the King. After the uprising Shah summoned Bidzina as well as Shalva and Elizbar Eristavi, who later were forced to converse their religion, but none of them accepted. As a result, they were given to tribes whose members were slaughtered during the uprising. Bidzina was tortured and killed. Greatmartyr and Prince Bidzina of Georgia, Commemorated on September 18;

Akhmeta, Kakheti
Akhmeta; St Joseph the Catholicos of Georgia ; St George Matskevereli of Georgia, Commemorated on April 2;

Atsquri, Kakheti, Georgia (Alazani River 1)
Atsquri (Akhmeta, Alazani River 1); Tetri Giorgi (Saint George), his chief shrine a 14th-century Orthodox Christian church overlooking the village Atsquri in what is now Akhmeta Municipality ; Venerable Fathers and Mothers of the Klarjeti Wilderness, Commemorated on October 5; St George Matskevereli of Georgia, Commemorated on April 2; St Ephraim the Great of Atsquri, Commemorated on April 15;

Alaverdi Monestary, Kakheti Georgia (Alazani River 1) 11th Century
Alaverdi Monestary; Greatmartyr Ketevan the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated September 13 ; Venerable Joseph, Abbot of Alaverdi, Georgia, Commemorated September 15 ; Greatmartyr and Prince Bidzina of Georgia, Commemorated September 18 ; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on June 27;

Gremi, Kakheti, Georgia (Alazani River 1)
Gremi, Kakheti, Georgia ; St John Chimchimeli the Philosopher, Commemorated on February 10 ;

Iqalto, Kakheti, Northeastern Georgia (Alazani River Valley)
Iqalto; St Arsenius of Iqalto in Georgia, Commemorated February 6; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7;

Iqalto monastery, Georgia, 540 of so
Iqalto monastery; St Arsenius of Iqalto in Georgia, Commemorated on February 6; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7;

Telavi (Alazani River 1)
Telavi; Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Commemorated on June 27;

Alazani River Valley 2 (Qvareli)

Nekressi, Georgia (Alazani River 2)
Nekressi ; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated on November 29 ; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7;

Village of Gremi in Kakheti
Village of Gremi in Kakheti; St John Chimchimeli the Philosopher;

Qvareli, Kakheti, Georgia (Alazani River Valley 2)
Qvareli in Kakheti, Georgia (Alazani River Valley 2) Martyr Ilia Chavchavadze of Georgia, Commemorated July 20 autocephaly

Bakurtsikhe, Kakheti, Eastern Georgia
Bakurtsikhe, Georgia; Hieromartyr Gregory (Peradze) of Georgia, Commemorated on November 23 ;

Khirsa Monastery in Kakheti, Georgia
Khirsa Monastery in Kakheti ; St George (John) of Georgia, Commemorated September 8 ; St Anthony the Founder of Monasticism in Georgia, Commemorated January 19 ;

Alazani River Valley 3 (Tsurtavi)

Tsurtavi, Eastern Georgia
Gachiani; Martyr Susanna the Queen of Georgia;

Bodbe Monastery, Northeastern Georgia, 350
Bodbe Monastery; Martyr Evdemoz the Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on October 4; St Nino (Nina), Equal of the Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia, Commemorated January 14 ; Venerable Salome of Ujarma, Commemorated January 15 ;

Alazani River Valley 4 (Hereti and Zakatalsk Regions)

Hereti, Georgia (Alanzi River Valley, Kakheti)
Hereti; Martyr Susanna the Queen of Georgia, Commemorated August 28 ; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26 ; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29 ; Holy Queen Dinar, Commemorated on June 30;

Georgia, Eastern Georgia, Alazani River 4, Task River Folder, Zakatalsk

Talsk River

Zakatalsk region (Talsk River of Alazani)
Zakatalsk region; Founding of the Church of St George, Commemorated November 10 ; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23;

Zakatalsk (Talsk River of Alazani)
Zakatalsk (Talsk River) ; Founding of the Church of St George, Commemorated November 10 ; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23;

Alazani River Valley 5

Alazani River Mouth (Kura River 11)

Hereti Kingdom of Kakheti Region, Georgia
Hereti Kingdom of Kakheti Region; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated January 26 ; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23; Holy Queen Dinar, Commemorated on June 30;

Georgia, Silk Road Folder (to China to Turkey)

Silk Road North 1 Luoyang

Silk Road North 2 Changan

Silk Road North 3 Shaanxi Province

Silk Road North 4 Gansu Province

Silk Road North 5a north of Taklimakan Desert

Silk Road North 5b South of Taklimakan Desert

Silk Road North 5c Turpan

Silk Road North 6a Kashgar

Silk Road North 6b Talgar

Silk Road Divider (Tian Shan Mountains)
Tian Shan Mountains;

Silk Road North 7 Amaty

Alma-Atu, Silk Road North 7, Turkestan, Kazakistan
Alma-Atu, Silk Road North 7, Turkestan, Kazakistan; Hieromartyr Hilarion, Archbishop of Vereiya, Commemorated on December 15;

Silk Road North Kokand

Silk Road North Termiz

Silk Road North Balkh

Silk Road North Fergana Valley

Silk Road North Karakum Desert

Silk Road North and South at Merv

Silk Road North and South at Black Sea at Trabzon

Silk Road South Karakoram

Silk Road South Karakoram Highway

Silk Road South Khunjerab Pass

Silk Road South, K Hwy 1, Upal China

Silk Road South, K Hwy 2, Tashkurgan, Xinjiang China

Silk Road South, K Hwy 3, Sost

Silk Road South, K Hwy 4, Passu

Silk Road South, K Hwy 5, Gulmit

Silk Road South, K Hwy 6, Hunza Valley

Silk Road South, K Hwy 7, Nagar Valley

Silk Road South, K Hwy 8, Gilgit

Silk Road South, K Hwy 9, Parri Bangla

Silk Road South, K Hwy 10, Chilas

Silk Road South, K Hwy 11, Kohistan

Silk Road South, K Hwy 12, Besham

Silk Road South over the Hindu Kush Mountains

Silk Road South, Hindu Kush Mountains to Merv

Silk Road South, Kashgar, China to Hindu Kush Mountains (Tea Horse Route)

Silk Road North to Kashgar by north of the Taklimakan Desert route

Silk Road North to Kashgar by south of the Taklimakan Desert route

Silk Road North and North of the Tian Shan Mountains

Silk Road from Kashgar to Fergana Valley to Koland to Merv

Silk Road from Kashgar to Termiz to Balkh to Merv

Silk Road, Trabezon to Merv

Grand Trunk Road (between South China and Afganistan)

Grand Trunk Road 1 (Chittagong, Bangladesh)

Grand Trunk Road 2 (Dhaka, Bangladesh)

Grand Trunk Road 3 (Serampore Colony, Kolkata, West Bengal, India)

Grand Trunk Road 4 (Howrah, West Bengal, India)

Grand Trunk Road 5 (Murshidabad, West Bengal, India)

Grand Trunk Road 6 (Patna, Bihar, India)

Grand Trunk Road 7 (Banares, India)

Grand Trunk Road 8 (Ilhabad)

Grand Trunk Road 9 (Delhi, India)

Grand Trunk Road 10 (Lahore, Pakistan)

Grand Trunk Road 11 (Peshawar, Pakistan)

Grand Trunk Road 12 (Kabul, Afganistan)

Grand Trunk Road (Southeast Asia to Afganistan)

Southern Silk Road

Southern Silk Road - The Tea Route (Hunnan to Bengal)

Southern Silk Road- the Tea Route (Yunnan)

Southern Silk Road - The Tea Route (Dhaka, Bengal

Georgia, Dagestan and Azerbaizhan Folder (included with Georgia)

Dagestan, 664-, northeast of Georgia, Caspian Sea
Dagestan; Hieromartyr Kozman, Commemorated on July 18; Prophet Ezekiel, Commemorated on July 21 ; Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Martyr Otar of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Repose of St. Anthimus, Bishop of Georgia, Commemorated on September 14; Caucasian Avars; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated November 29 ; St Pimen of Salosi the Enlightener of Dagestan and the North Caucasus People, Commemorated on March 16 ; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17 ; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8 ; Fathers martyred by the Dagestanians, Commemorated on June 1; St Anthimus, Bishop of Georgia, Commemorated on June 13;

Azerbaizhan, 667-, east of Georgia, Caspian Sea
Azerbaizhan, 667-, east of Georgia; St Demetrius the Devoted, King of Georgia, Commemorated on March 16; Mothers of the Kvabtakhevi Monastery in Georgia, Commemorated on April 10 ; Martyr Suchias and his Soldiers in Georgia, Commemorated on April 15 ; Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8 ; Venerable Dodo of the St David-Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on May 17; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23; Fathers martyred by the Dagestanians, Commemorated on June 1; Apostle Bartholomew of the Twelve, Commemorated on June 11;

Georgia, Dagestan and Azerbaijan History Folder

Georgia, Dagestan, 54-91, Georgian Saint, Bartholomew, finally skinned alive and beheaded to Albanus, Dagestan
Georgian Saint, 54-91, Bartholomew; Armenian King, 54-91, Triadates I; BARTHOLOMEW THE APOSTLE, (24 AUGUST NT); name "Bartholomew" appears in the New Testament only on lists of the names of the twelve apostles. This list normally is given as six pairs, and the third pair in each of the Synoptics is "Philip and Bartholomew" (M 10:3; P 3:18; L 6:14; but A 1:15). gives no list of the Twelve, but refers to more of them individually than the Synoptists. He does not name Bartholomew, but early in his account (John 1:43-50) he tells of the call to discipleship of a Nathaniel who is often supposed to be the same person. The reasoning is as follows: John's Nathanael is introduced as one of the earliest followers of Jesus, and in terms which suggest that he became one of the Twelve. He is clearly not the same as Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Thomas, Judas Iscariot, Judas (not Iscariot, also called Lebbaeus or Thaddeus), all of whom John names separately. He is not Matthew, whose call is described differently (M 9:9). This leaves Bartholomew, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes. Of these, Bartholomew is the leading candidate for two reasons: (1) "Bar-tholomew" is a patronymic, meaning "son of Tolmai (or Talmai)." It is therefore likely that he had another name. (A historical novel which may not be well researched informs me that a first-century Jew would be likely to use the patronymic instead of the forename as a mark of respect in speaking to a significantly older Jew.) "Nathanael son of Tolmai" seems more likely than "Nathanael also called James (or Simon)." (2) Nathanael is introduced in John's narrative as a friend of Philip. Since Bartholomew is paired with Philip on three of our four lists of Apostles, it seems likely that they were associated. St. Bartholomew, by Michaelangelo have no certain information about Bartholomew's later life. Some writers, including the historian Eusebius of Caesarea (now Har Qesari, 32:30 N 34:54 E, near Sedot Yam), say that he preached in India. The majority tradition, with varying details, is that Bartholomew preached in Armenia, and was finally skinned alive and beheaded to Albanus or Albanopolis (now Derbent, 42:03 N 48:18 E) on the Caspian Sea. His emblem in art is a flaying knife. The flayed Bartholomew can be seen in Michelangelo's Sistine painting of the Last Judgement. He is holding his skin. The face on the skin is generally considered to be a self-portrait of Michelangelo. by James Kiefer Apostle Bartholomew of the Twelve, Commemorated on June 11 ; Holy Apostle Bartholomew was born at Cana of Galilee and was one of the Twelve Apostles of Christ. After the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, it fell by lot to the holy Apostles Bartholomew and Philip (November 14) to preach the Gospel in Syria and Asia Minor. In their preaching they wandered through various cities, and then met up again. Accompanying the holy Apostle Philip was his sister, the holy virgin Saint Mariamnne. the cities of Syria and Myzia, they underwent much hardship and tribulations, they were stoned and they were locked up in prison. In one of the villages they met up with the Apostle John the Theologian, and together they set off to Phrygia. In the city of Hieropolis by the power of their prayers they destroyed an enormous viper, which the pagans worshipped as a god. The holy Apostles Bartholomew and Philip with his sister confirmed their preaching with many miracles. Hieropolis there lived a man by the name of Stachys, who had been blind for 40 years. When he received healing, he then believed in Christ and was baptized. News of this spread throughout the city, and a multitude of the people thronged to the house where the apostles were staying. The sick and those beset by demons were released from their infirmities, and many were baptized. The city prefect gave orders to arrest the preachers and throw them in prison, and to burn down the house of Stachys. At the trial pagan priests came forth with the complaint that the strangers were turning people away from the worship of the ancestral gods. that perhaps some sort of magic power was hidden away in the clothes of the apostles, the prefect gave orders to strip them. But Saint Mariamne became like a fiery torch before their eyes, and none dared touch her. They sentenced the saints to death. The Apostle Philip was crucified upside down. Suddenly there was an earthquake, and a fissure in the earth swallowed up the prefect of the city, together with the pagan priests and many of the people. Others took fright and rushed to take down the apostles from the crosses. Since the Apostle Bartholomew had not been suspended very high, they soon managed to take him down. The Apostle Philip, however, had died. After making Stachys Bishop of Hieropolis, the Apostle Bartholomew and Saint Mariamne left the city and moved on. the Word of God, Mariamne arrived in Lykaonia, where she peacefully died (February 17). The Apostle Bartholomew went to India, where he translated the Gospel of Matthew into their language, and he converted many pagans to Christ. He also visited Greater Armenia (the country between the River Kura and the upper stretches of the Tigrus and Euphrates Rivers), where he worked many miracles and healed the daughter of King Polymios from the demons afflicting her. In gratitude, the king sent gifts to the apostle, who refused to accept them, saying that he sought only the salvation of the souls of mankind. Polymios together with his wife, daughter, and many of those close to them accepted Baptism. And people from more than ten cities of Greater Armenia followed their example. But through the intrigues of the pagan priests, the Apostle Bartholomew was seized by the king’s brother Astiagus in the city of Alban (now the city of Baku), and crucified upside down. But even from the cross he did not cease to proclaim the good news about Christ the Savior. Finally, on orders from Astiagus, they flayed the skin from the Apostle Bartholomew and cut off his head. Believers placed his relics in a leaden coffin and buried him. about the year 508 the holy relics of the Apostle Bartholomew were transferred to Mesopotamia, to the city of Dara. When the Persians seized the city in 574, Christians took the relics of the Apostle Bartholomew with them when they fled to the shores of the Black Sea. But since the enemy overtook them there, they were compelled to leave the coffin behind, and the pagans threw it into the sea. By the power of God the coffin miraculously arrived on the island of Lipari. In the ninth century, after the taking of the island by the Arabs, the holy relics were transferred to the Neapolitan city of Beneventum in Italy, and in the tenth century part of the relics were transferred to Rome. holy Apostle Bartholomew is mentioned in the Life of Saint Joseph the Hymnographer (April 4). Having received from a certain man part of the relics of the Apostle Bartholomew, Saint Joseph conveyed them to his own monastery near Constantinople, and he built a church in the name of the Apostle Bartholomew, placing in it a portion of the relics. Saint Joseph ardently desired to compose hymns of praise in honor of the saint, and he fervently besought God to grant him the ability to do so. the Feast day in memory of the Apostle Bartholomew, Saint Joseph saw him at the altar. He beckoned to Joseph and took the holy Gospel from the altar table and pressed it to his bosom with the words, “May the Lord bless you, and may your song delight the whole world.” And from that time Saint Joseph began to write hymns and canons to adorn not only the Feast day of the Apostle Bartholomew, but also the Feast days of many other saints, composing about 300 canons in all. Saints John Chrysostom, Cyril of Alexandria, Epiphanius of Cyprus and certain other teachers of the Church regard the Apostle Bartholomew as being the same person as Nathanael (John 1:45-51, 21:2).

Georgia, Dagestan, Land of the Huns, 1st to 7th century AD, Caspian Sea and Cacausus Mts
Land of the Huns, Caspian Sea, Cacausus Mts, Scythia, and Hungary ; Venerable Genevieve of Paris, Commemorated on January 3 ;

Georgia, Dagestan, 664-, northeast of Georgia
Dagestan; Hieromartyr Kozman, Commemorated on July 18; Prophet Ezekiel, Commemorated on July 21 ; Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Martyr Otar of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Repose of St. Anthimus, Bishop of Georgia, Commemorated on September 14; Caucasian Avars; Hieromartyr Abibus, Bishop of Nekressi in Georgia, Commemorated November 29 ; St Pimen of Salosi the Enlightener of Dagestan and the North Caucasus People, Commemorated on March 16 ; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17 ; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8 ; Fathers martyred by the Dagestanians, Commemorated on June 1; St Anthimus, Bishop of Georgia, Commemorated on June 13;

Georgia, Dagestan and Azerbaizhan, 889-929, Sajid dynasty, Sunni Muslim
Azerbaijan, 889-929, Sajid dynasty ; Martyr Michael (Gobron) of Georgia, Commemorated on November 17;

Georgia, Dagestan and Azerbaizhan, 901-928, Sajid Amir, Yusuf ibn Abi'l-Saj
Azerbaijan, Sajid Amir, 901-928, Yusuf ibn Abi'l-Saj; Martyr Michael (Gobron) of Georgia, Commemorated on November 17;

Georgia, Dagestan and Azerbaizhan, 914, Arab Sajid invasion of Georgia, Kvelistsikhe Fortress
Arab Sajid invasion of Georgia 914 Kvelistsikhe Fortress; St Gregory of Chandzoe in Georgia, Commemorated on October 5; Martyr Michael (Gobron) of Georgia, Commemorated November 17 ;

Georgia, Dagastan, 1187-1189, Davit-Soslan Bagrationi, King Consort to Queen Tamar
Alania, Christian Bagrationi's; David Soslan, King Consort, Kingdom of Georgia, 1187-1189, 1207, Bagrationi, Husband of Queen Tamar; Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1;

Georgia, Dagestan, 1200-1864, Avar Khanate, Sunni
Dagestan, Earyly 13th Century-1864, Avar Khanate, Sunni ; Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Martyr Otar of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12;

Georgia, Dagestan, 1630, Dagestani Raid on David Gareja Monastery
Dagestani Raid on David Gareja Monastery 1630 Abbas I of Persia attack on Georgia (1616) ; Hieromartyr Kozman, Commemorated on July 18; 6,000 Martyrs of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on April 26;

Georgia, Dagestan, 1642-1860, Gazikumukh Khanate, Sunni Muslim
Dagestan, 1642-1860, Gazikumukh Khanate, Sunni Muslim; Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Martyr Otar of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12;

Georgia, Dagestan, 1690, Fathers martyred by Dagestanians, David Gareja monastery, Kakheti, dagestanis killed & destroyed icons
Georgia, 1690, Fathers martyred by the Dagestanians, David Gareja monastery complex, Kakheti, Georgia (Iori River 4), Shio's brother killed b, became monk, in charge, dagestani robbers killed and destroyed icons; David Gareja monastery complex (Georgia) ; Fathers martyred by the Dagestanians, Commemorated on June 1; holy monk-martyrs Shio the New, David, Gabriel and Paul labored in the David-Gareji Wilderness at the end of the 17th century. Shio was from the village of Vedzisi in the Kartli region. His parents, Papuna and Tamar, were wealthy and highly influential people. They had eight children: five sons and three daughters. After their parents died, Shio’s brothers quarreled so intensely over their inheritance that the eldest brother finally killed the youngest. disturbed by this tragedy, blessed Shio sought to withdraw from the vanity of the world—a world in which brother can murder brother and a son can murder his father. Shio confessed his desire to his spiritual father, and he was advised to journey to the David-Gareji Monastery and be tonsured a monk. In fact, the abbot, Fr. Onopre (Machutadze), had invited Shio to the monastery several times before, saying, “Come, brother Shio, and let us finish our lives here.” great joy Onopre received Shio, who was already revered by many for his faith and chastity. He directed him to a cell and clothed him as a novice. Shio’s tireless labors, humility, and manifest love for his brothers inspired many to seek his counsel. The abbot himself often trusted Shio to administer the affairs of the monastery in his absence. Fr. Onopre departed to attend to some matters outside the monastery, leaving Shio in charge. After Vespers and a meal, the exhausted brothers were settling down to rest when a band of Dagestani robbers suddenly stormed the monastery grounds. They ransacked the monastery and captured Hieromonk Shio and the monks David, Gabriel and Paul and killed them. Some of the brothers who remained tried to flee, but they were caught and brutally slain. cells of the David-Gareji Monastery were soaked with blood. Then the Dagestanis, yet unsatisfied, seized and destroyed nearly all the monastery’s property. They stole some of the clerical vestments, and the rest they cut in pieces and tossed in a well. Then they hacked the holy icons to pieces with their axes. the blessing of the catholicos and by order of the king, the mutilated relics of the holy martyrs were buried in the courtyard south of the grave of Saint David of Gareji. Martyrs Shio, David, Gabriel, and Paul of Akhalkalaki in Georgia, Commemorated on June 1; holy monk-martyrs Shio the New, David, Gabriel and Paul labored in the David-Gareji Wilderness at the end of the 17th century. Shio was from the village of Vedzisi in the Kartli region. His parents, Papuna and Tamar, were wealthy and highly influential people. They had eight children: five sons and three daughters. After their parents died, Shio’s brothers quarreled so intensely over their inheritance that the eldest brother finally killed the youngest. disturbed by this tragedy, blessed Shio sought to withdraw from the vanity of the world—a world in which brother can murder brother and a son can murder his father. Shio confessed his desire to his spiritual father, and he was advised to journey to the David-Gareji Monastery and be tonsured a monk. In fact, the abbot, Fr. Onopre (Machutadze), had invited Shio to the monastery several times before, saying, “Come, brother Shio, and let us finish our lives here.” great joy Onopre received Shio, who was already revered by many for his faith and chastity. He directed him to a cell and clothed him as a novice. Shio’s tireless labors, humility, and manifest love for his brothers inspired many to seek his counsel. The abbot himself often trusted Shio to administer the affairs of the monastery in his absence. Fr. Onopre departed to attend to some matters outside the monastery, leaving Shio in charge. After Vespers and a meal, the exhausted brothers were settling down to rest when a band of Dagestani robbers suddenly stormed the monastery grounds. They ransacked the monastery and captured Hieromonk Shio and the monks David, Gabriel and Paul and killed them. Some of the brothers who remained tried to flee, but they were caught and brutally slain. cells of the David-Gareji Monastery were soaked with blood. Then the Dagestanis, yet unsatisfied, seized and destroyed nearly all the monastery’s property. They stole some of the clerical vestments, and the rest they cut in pieces and tossed in a well. Then they hacked the holy icons to pieces with their axes. the blessing of the catholicos and by order of the king, the mutilated relics of the holy martyrs were buried in the courtyard south of the grave of Saint David of Gareji.

Georgia, Dagestan, 1813, Dagestan and Azerbaizhan, Treaty of Gulistan, Russia and Persia
Dagestan Treaty, 1813, Treaty of Gulistan; Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Martyr Otar of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12;

Georgia, Dagestan, 1826-1828, Dagestan Azerbaijan War, Russo-Persian War (1826-“28)
Dagestan Azerbaijan War, 1826-1828, Russo-Persian War (1826-“28); Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Martyr Otar of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12;

Georgia, Degestan, 1834-1859, Dagastan Iman, Imam Shamil, Avar Khanate, Sunni Muslim
Dagastan Iman, 1834-1859, Imam Shamil, Avar Khanate, Sunni Muslim; Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Martyr Otar of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17 ;

Georgia, Dagestan, 1851, Dagestani Invasions of David Gareja Monastery
Dagestani Invasion 1851; Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Martyr Gerontius of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser, Commemorated on March 17 ;

Georgia, Dagestan and Azerbaizan, Azerbaizan Folder,

Eastern Transcaucasus, Azerbaizhan (Eastern Southern Caucasus)

Albania, Caucasian Albania (Azerbaizhan)
Caucasian Albanian ; Martyr Suchias and his Soldiers in Georgia, Commemorated on April 15;

Ganja, Azerbaijan
Ganja, Azerbaijan; St Shalva of Akhaltsikhe, Commemorated on June 17;

Shamkori, Azerbaijan (Shamkir Region)
Shamkori, Azerbaijan (Shamkir Region); St Shalva of Akhaltsikhe, Commemorated on June 17;

Karabakh Region, Azerbaijan
Karabakh, an area extending from the highlands of the Lesser Caucasus down to the lowlands between the rivers Kura and Aras ; Mothers of the Kvabtakhevi Monastery in Georgia, Commemorated on April 10;

Shirvan, Azerbaijan (Kura River 13)
Shirvan; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated on January 26; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23;

Kaladzori fortress in Shirvan, Azerbaijan (Kura River 13)
Kaladzori fortress in Shirvan, Azerbaijan (Kura River 13); Shirvan; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated on January 26; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23;

Kaladzori Castle in Shirvan, Azerbaijan (Kura River 13)
Kaladzori fortress in Shirvan, Azerbaijan (Kura River 13); Shirvan; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated on January 26; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23;

Arran Territory (Caucasus, Azerbaizhan)
Arran (Caucasus); St Demetrius the Devoted, King of Georgia, Commemorated on March 16;

Mugan plain, Azerbaizhan
Mugan plain around the Aras River in Azerbaijan and Northwest Iran. St Demetrius the Devoted, King of Georgia, Commemorated on March 16;

Nakharebou, Azerbaijan, 1788
Nakharebou; St Jacob the Elder, and disciple of St Anthony of Chkondidi, Commemorated on October 13;

Baku (Albanus), Azerbaijan
Alban (Baku); Return of theRelics of the Apostle Bartholomew from Anastasiopolis to Lipari; Apostle Bartholomew of the Twelve, Commemorated on June 11 ;

Alban (Baku), Azerbaijan, with Georgia
Alban (Baku); Return of the Relics of the Apostle Bartholomew from Anastasiopolis to Lipari, Commemorated August 25 : By the power of God the chests did not sink into the depths of the sea, but miraculously floated upon the waves and reached Italy. The chest with the relics of the Apostle Bartholomew came to land at the island of Lipari, and the remaining chests continued their journey and came to land at various places in Italy. The chest with the relics of the Martyr Papian halted at Sicily, the Martyr Lucian at Messina, the Martyr Gregory at Calabria, and the Martyr Acacius at Askalon. ; Apostle Bartholomew of the Twelve, Commemorated on June 11;

Georgia, Dagestan and Azerbaizhan, Dagestan Folder

Georgia, Dagestan and Azerbaijan, Derbend Area Folder, West Caspian, North Caucusus

Derbend, Dagestan
Derbend, Dagestan; Martyr Otar of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28;

Caucasus, Greater Caucasus Mountains Southeast
Greater Caucasus Mountains;

Land of the Huns, 1st to 7th century AD, Caspian Sea and Cacausus Mts
Land of the Huns, Caspian Sea, Cacausus Mts, Scythia, and Hungary ; Venerable Genevieve of Paris, Commemorated on January 3 ;

Albanus (Albanapolis, Derbent, Dagestan, Caspian Sea)
Albanus (Derbent, Dagestan, Caspian Sea) ; BARTHOLOMEW THE APOSTLE, (24 AUGUST NT) ;

Dagestan, Land of the Khzars, Khazaria, Derbent, North Caucusus, West Caspian
Land of the Khzars, Khazaria, Derbent ; Martyr Otar of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Equal of the Apostles and Teacher of the Slavs, Methodius, Commemorated on May 11 and April 6;

Khazaria, Land of the Khzars, Dagestan , Derbent, North Caucusus, Above Silk Road
Land of the Khzars, Khazaria, Derbent ; Martyr Otar of the St David Gareji Monastery, Georgia, Commemorated on August 12; Equal of the Apostles and Teacher of the Slavs, Methodius, Commemorated on May 11 and April 6;

Sarir, Dagestan
Sarir, Dagestan; Prophet Ezekiel, Commemorated on July 21 ;

Georgia, Dagestan and Azerbaijan, Terek River Folder, Ossetia North

Terek River

Terek River Source (SW of Mount Kazbek)

Mt. Kazbegi
Mt. Kazbegi; Venerable Joseph the Elder and Wonderworker of Khevi, Georgia, Commemorated October 7 ;

Khevi Creek

Trinity Church, Gergeti (Ossetia Region, near Terek River Source) 1300-1399, 14th Century
Gergeti Trinity Church; Venerable Joseph the Elder and Wonderworker of Khevi, Georgia, Commemorated October 7 ;

Trinity Creek

Trinity Creek Upper Trinity Creek

Trinity Church (a picture)
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Stepantsminda-Sameba Georgia
http://www.heritagesites.ge/

Trinity Church, Gergeti, Tsminda samebo church, Georgia
Stepantsminda-Sameba,,Georgia

Bethlehem Cave, Betlemi in the rocks of Mt Mkinvartsveri (Georgia)
,,Georgia

Bethlehem Cave 13,450 feet on this trail to the peak?

Stepantsminda, Dagestan (Terek River Source)
Stepantsminda ; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7;

Terek River 1 (Terek, Ossetia)

Ossetia Region (North and South of the Caucasus, Ossetian Language)
Ossetia Region North and South; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia;

Terek, Ossetia or Vladikavkaz (capital of North Ossetia)
Terek, Ossetia or Vladikavkaz (capital of North Ossetia); St Theodore the Prince of Smolensk and Yaroslav, Commemorated on September 19 ;

Ingushetia Region (Assa River Valley, Chechnya, North Caucasus, Dagestan)
Ingushetia Region; Located in the North Caucasus region with its capital at Magas.

Chechnya
Chechnya; St. Arsenius the Great, Catholicos of Georgia, Commemorated on September 25;

Alania, Christian Bagrationi's
Alania, Christian Bagrationi's; David Soslan, King Consort, Kingdom of Georgia, 1187-1189, 1207, Bagrationi, Husband of Queen Tamar; Right-believing Tamara, Queen of Georgia, Commemorated on May 1;

North Caucasus
North Caucasus ; St Pimen of Salosi the Enlightener of Dagestan and the North Caucasus People, Commemorated on March 16;

Osetian land, Dagestani Persians, Alans
Ossetia: Ossetian Land is the area both north and south of the Caucasus Mountians ; Ossetians came from Persia (Iran). ; These persians were Alans; These Alans were Aryan or Indo-Persians; These Aryans were from northern Indian including Nepal, Pakistan and the Ganges River Area called Aryavarta; St Theodore the Prince of Smolensk and Yaroslav, Commemorated September 19 ; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated November 30 ; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8 ;

Ossetia North, Dagestan
Ossetia; St Theodore the Prince of Smolensk and Yaroslav, Commemorated September 19 ; St Vakhtang Gorgasali, King of Georgia, Commemorated November 30 ; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated on January 26; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28 ; St John Zedazneli of Zaden, in Georgia with his 12 Disciples, Commemorated on May 7; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8 ;

North Ossetia-“Alania
North Ossetia-“Alania; Khan Mengu-Temir, 1266-1280; Saint Theodore, Prince of Smolensk and Yaroslav, and his sons Saints David and Constantine, Commemorated on September 19;

North Osetia-Alania, Khan Mengu-Temir, 1266-1280,
North Ossetia-“Alania; Khan Mengu-Temir, 1266-1280; Saint Theodore, Prince of Smolensk and Yaroslav, and his sons Saints David and Constantine, Commemorated on September 19;

Terek River 2 (Ossetia)

Terek River 3 (Sunzha River Mouth)

Georgia, Dagestan and Azerbaijan,Terek River 3, Sunzha River Folder

Sunzha River Source (Greater Caucasus Mountains)

Sunzha River

Sunzha River Mouth (Terek River 3)

Terek River 4 (Kizhar, Terek River Delta)

Kizliar, Dagestan (Terek River Delta, Caspian Sea)
Kizliar; Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi, Commemorated on March 28;

Terek River Mouth (Caspian Sea)

Dagestan, Avar people (Caucasus)
Dagestan, Avar people (Caucasus) ; The Placing of the Honorable Robe of the Most Holy Mother of God at Blachernae, Commemorated on July 2 ;

Georgia, Dagestan and Azerbaijan, Kuma River Folder

Kuma River

Kuma River Delta

Kuma River Delta 2

Kuma River Tributary

Kuma River Source (west of Kislovodsk)

Kuma River 1 (Mineralnye Vody)
Kuma River 1 (Mineralnye Vody);

Dagestan, Kuma River 1.5, Podkumok River Folder

Podkumok River

Podkumok River Source

Podkumok River 1 (Kislovodsk)
Podkumok River 1 (Kislovodsk);

Podkumok River 2 (Yessentuki)
Podkumok River 2 (Yessentuki);

Podkumok River 3 (Pyatigorsk)
Podkumok River 3 (Pyatigorsk);

Podkumok River 4 (Georgiyevsk)
Podkumok River 4 (Georgiyevsk);

Podkumok River Mouth (Kuma River 1.5)

Kuma River 2 (Zelenokumsk)
Kuma River 2 (Zelenokumsk);

Kuma River 3 (Budyonnovsk)
Kuma River 3 (Budyonnovsk);

Kuma River 4 (Neftekumsk)
Kuma River 4 (Neftekumsk);

Kuma River (Russia) Mouth
Kuma River (Russia) Mouth;