In a.d. 326 the Georgian king Mirian proclaimed his dominion to be a Christian kingdom. Since then, the Georgian people have preserved their Orthodox Faith despite the constant assault of unbelievers. Not only have they maintained their Faith, but in the midst of turbulent circumstances they have excelled in producing a singular Christian culture. Their music, architecture and iconography are distinct in their beauty and otherworldliness, conveying the deep spirituality of the Georgian land.
Since the time of the ancient Greek historians, Georgia has been viewed as an enigma hidden behind impenetrable mountains and a complex language. Little has been written about this small country and its saints. Now, the entire collection of the Lives of the Georgian saints has been translated for the first time into English. These lives encompass the seventeen hundred years of Orthodox Christianity in Georgia. The stories of ascetics and bishops, warriors and noblemen are intertwined with the tumultuous history of the Georgian land. Beside these Lives the magnificent culture of Georgia is presented in full-color photographs of icons, churches and landscapes.
The he author, Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze, was born November 26, 1960, in the village of Tsitelkhevi in Georgia's Baghdadi district.
In 1988 Fr. Zakaria was ordained a deacon by His Holiness Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia. On November 21 of the same year he was ordained a priest by Bishop Giorgi (Shalamberidze) of Chqondidi and assigned to Martvili Cathedral in Samegrelo. From 1990 to 2002 he served as pastor of the Zugdidi Church of the Savior in western Georgia. During that time he received a blessing to wear the gold cross and miter.
In addition to Lives of the Georgian Saints, Fr. Zakaria compiled a four-volume Lives of the Saints in the modern Georgian language.
Currently Fr. Zakaria is pastor of the Church of Holy Queen Tamar in Tbilisi and Secretary to Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II. He lives in Tbilisi with his wife and three children.
CONTENTS
Editors' Introduction
Translators' Note
Author's Preface
JANUARY
3 Saint Ekvtime Taqaishvili the Man of God (†1953)
4 Venerable Fathers Evagre, Ilia the Deacon, and the Disciples of the Thirteen Syrian Fathers (6th century)
8 Holy Martyr Abo of Tbilisi (†786)
14 Saint Nino, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia (4th century)
15 Saints Salome of Ujarma and Perozhavra of Sivnia (4th century)
18 Venerable Eprem the Lesser, the Philosopher (†1101)
Venerable Hieromonk Alexi (Shushania) (†1923)
19 Venerable Anton of Martqopi, the Stylite (6th century)...
... 20 Saint Ekvtime (Kereselidze) the Confessor (†1944)
25 Saint Gabriel (Kikodze), Bishop of Imereti (†1896)
26 Holy King Davit IV of Georgia and Abkhazeti, Called "the Restorer" († 1125)
29 Holy Royal Martyr King Ashot Kuropalates (†829)
FEBRUARY
4 Venerable Evagre, Ruler of Tsikhedidi and Fellow Struggler with Shio of Mgvime (6th century)
6 Venerable Arsen of Iqalto († 1127)
10 Venerable loane of Chimchimi, the Philosopher (12th-13th centuries)
12 Feast of the Iveron Icon of the Theotokos
Holy Fathers Prokhore the Georgian, Luka of Jerusalem, Nikoloz Dvali, and All the Martyrs and Holy Fathers of the Georgian Monasteries in Jerusalem
14 Saint Ilarion the Georgian, the New (†1864)
17 Holy Hieromartyr Tevdore of Atchara (†1822)
18 Holy Catholicos Nikoloz († 1591)
22 Nine Holy Children of Kola (6th century)
MARCH
3 Saint loane (Chrysostom) the Catholicos (†1001)
10 Holy Hierarch loane of Khakhuli, Also Called Chrysostom (10th-11th centuries)
12 Restoration of the Autocephaly of the Georgian Apostolic Church (1917)
Holy King Demetre the Devoted (†1289)
16 Saint Ambrosi the Confessor, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia (†1927)
Venerable Pimen, Fool for Christ and Enlightener of Dagestan, and His Companion Anton Meskhi, the Censurer of Kings (13th century)
17 Venerable Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser (†1802)
28 Venerable loane of Manglisi (†1751)
APRIL
1 Venerable loane of Shavta, Bishop of Gaenati, and Evlogi the Prophet and Fool-for-Christ (13th century)
2 Saint Giorgi of Atsquri (9th-10th centuries)
10 Holy Martyrs of Kvabtakhevi Monastery (†1386)
15 Holy Martyr Sukia and His Sixteen Companions (ca. 100-130)
17 Saint Eprem the Great of Atsquri (9th century)
18 Venerable Basil Ratishvili (13th century)
29 Holy Martyrs of Lazeti (17th-18th centuries)
MAY
I Holy Queen Tamar (†1213)
Holy Hierarch Zosime of Kumurdo (16th century)
3 Holy Catholicos Mamai (†744)
Venerable Fathers Mikael and Arsen the Georgians (9th century)
7 Venerable loane of Zedazeni and His Twelve Disciples (6th century)
9 Repose of Venerable Shio of Mgvime (6th century)
11 Blessed Kristesia, called Kristepore († 1771)
13 Venerable Ekvtime of Mt. Athos, the Translator (†1028)
Holy Martyrs Killed by the Latins at the Iveron Monastery on Mt. Athos (13th century)
18 Holy Martyrs, the Brothers Davit and Tarichan (†693)
19 The Entry into Georgia of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Nino, Enlightener of Georgia (323)
20 Venerable Zabulon and Sosana, Parents of Equal-to-the Apostles Nino (4th century)
23 Venerable Damiane (†1157)
27 Venerable Basil, Son of King Bagrat III (11th century)
Venerable Mikael of Parekhi (8th-9th centuries)
JUNE
1 Holy Monk-martyrs Shio the New, Davit, Gabriel, and Pavle († 1696-1700)
8 Holy Hieromartyr Tevdore (†1609)
9 Venerable loane of Shavta (12th-13th centuries)
12 Venerable loane-Tornike of Mt. Athos (10th century)
13 Saint Antimos of Iberia, Metropolitan of Wallachia (†1716)
16 Saint Kaikhosro the Georgian (†1612)
17 Holy Martyr Shalva of Akhaltsikhe (†1227)
21 Holy Royal Martyrs Archil (†744) and Luarsab (†1622)
27 Venerable Father Giorgi of the Holy Mountain († 1065)
Holy Hieromartyr Kirion II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia (1918)
30 Holy Queen Dinar (10th century)
JULY
2 Feast of the Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos
3 Venerable Giorgi the God-bearer (†1068)
8 Holy Royal Martyr Mirdat, King of Kartli (†410)
12 Venerable Fathers loane and Gabriel of Mt. Athos (10th century)
18 Holy Martyr Kozman (†1630)
20 Holy Martyr Salome the Georgian (13th century)
Saint Ilia the Righteous (†1907)
24 Saint Ilarion of Tvali (†104l)
28 Venerable Giorgi of Mt. Athos, the Builder (†1029)
29 Holy Martyr Evstati of Mtskheta (†589)
30 Saint Tsotne Dadiani the Confessor (13th century)
31 Saint Arsen, Bishop of Ninotsminda (†1082)
AUGUST
3 Saint Razhden, Protomartyr of the Georgian Church (†457)
The Nine Kherkheulidze Brothers with Their Mother and Sister and Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda (†l625)
8 Venerable Ekvtime, Abbot of the Monastery of St. John the Baptist (†1804)
12 Venerable Martyrs Geronti, Serapion, German, Besarion, Mikael, Svimeon, and Otar of Davit-Gareji Monastery (†1851)
14 Holy Martyrs Metropolitan Nazar of Kutaisi-Gaenati, Priests German, leroteos and Simon, Archdeacon Besarion, and All the New Martyrs of the Totalitarian Regime (†1924)
16 Holy Martyr Kristepore Guruli
17 Saint Tbeli Abuseridze (13th century)
18 Venerable Kristodule the Philosopher (12th century)
21 Holy Catholicos Sarmean (†774)
24 Venerable Serapion the Wonderworker (†1774)
28 Holy Royal Martyr Queen Shushanik CH75)
SEPTEMBER
4 Venerable Svimeon the Wonderworker († 1773)
8 Holy Confessors loane (Maisuradze) (†1957) and Giorgi-Ioane (Mkheidze) (†1960)
12 Holy Hieromartyr Dositeos of Tbilisi (†1795)
13 Great-martyr Queen Ketevan (†1624)
15 Venerable Abba loseb of Alaverdi (†570)
16 Holy Martyrs, the Brothers Isaak and loseb the Georgians (†808)
18 Holy Martyrs Bidzina, Shalva, and Elizbar (†1661)
25 Holy Catholicos Arsen the Great (†887)
26 Arrival of the Iveron Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos in Georgia (1989)
29 Venerable Onopre of Gareji, the Wonderworker (18th century)
OCTOBER
1 The Feast of the Robe of Our Lord, the Myrrh-streaming and Life-giving Pillar, Equals-to-the-Apostles King Mirian and Queen Nana, and Saints Sidonia and Abiatar (4th century)
Saint Melchizedek I, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia (11th century)
2 Great-martyrs Davit and Constantine (†740)
4 Holy Hieromartyr Evdemoz, Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia (†1642)
5 Venerable Grigol of Khandzta (†861)
Venerable Fathers and Mothers of the Klarjeti Wilderness (8th-10th centuries)
7 Venerable loseb of Khevi, Elder and Wonderworker (†1763)
13 Holy Hierarch Anton of Chqondidi and His Disciple Hieromonk lakob the Elder (18th-19th centuries)
17 Holy Catholicos-Patriarch loseb the Wonderworker (†1770)
Holy Martyr Kozman
19 Holy Martyr Nikoloz Dvali (†1314)
27 Holy Hierarch Alexandre, Bishop of Guria and Samegrelo (†1907)
28 Holy Hieromartyr Neopite of Urbnisi (7th century)
29 Venerable Serapion of Zarzma (†900)
30 Saint lotam Zedgenidze (†1465)
31 The Hundred Thousand Martyrs of Tbilisi (†1227)
NOVEMBER
3 Venerable Nikoloz, Radiant Star of the Georgians (†1308)
4 Holy and Righteous loane, Stepane, and Isaiah the Georgians
10 Great-martyr George (†303)
Great-martyr Constantine-Kakhi (†852)
17 Great-martyr Mikael-Gobron and His 133 Soldiers (†914)
19 Venerable Ilarion the Georgian (†875)
23 Holy Hieromartyr Grigol (Peradze) (†1942)
29 Holy Martyr Abibos of Nekresi (6th century)
30 Holy King Vakhtang Gorgasali (†502)
Holy Catholicos Petre and Holy Catholicos Samoel (5th—6th centuries)
DECEMBER
2 Saint Ise of Tsilkani (6th century)
11 All Saints of Georgia
12 Holy Martyr loane, Abbot of Zedazeni Monastery (9th century)
19 Venerable Giorgi the Scribe and His Brother Saba, of Khakhuli (11th century)
21 Venerable Makar the Faster, Abbot of Khakhuli Monastery (11th century)
31 Venerable Mother Sabiana, Abbess of Samtskhe Convent (11th century)
MOVABLE FEASTS
Feast of the Iveron Icon of the Theotokos
The Six Thousand Holy Martyrs of the Davit-Gareji Wilderness (†16l6)
Holy Queen Tamar (†1213)
Holy Georgian Martyrs of Persia (17th-18th centuries)
Venerable Dodo of Gareji (†596)
Venerable Fathers Davit of Gareji and Lukiane (6th century)
Holy Fathers and Mothers of Atchara (18th century)
Venerable Shio of Mgvime (6th century)
Feast of the Georgian Language
Afterword
About the Author, Editor, and Translators
Acknowledgments
Glossary of Names
Index
Map of Historical Sites of Christian Georgia
