Find a list of names of saints of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Saint George - heavenly patron of Georgia
In addition to the fact that Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina is the patroness of all who are baptized with the same name, she helps everyone who asks her for intercession.
Nina is considered the patroness of those people who are associated with education (teachers), because in essence she was an educator, teaching people the faith of Christ.
In front of the icon of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina, you can pray for the cure of various diseases and mental ailments - her most important weapon was a cross made of grapevine, which she received from the Mother of God Herself.
In Georgia, a lot of girls are named Nina - after all, the saint is considered the patroness of this country and its inhabitants.
It must be remembered that icons or saints do not “specialize” in any specific areas. It will be right when a person turns with faith in the power of God, and not in the power of this icon, this saint or prayer.
And .
THE LIFE OF SAINT NINA, ENLIGHTENER OF GEORGIA
Saint Nina was born around the year 280 in Cappadocia (the center of modern Turkey) into a noble family. Her father Zabulon was a noble nobleman, he was favored by the ruling emperor Maximian himself. There were several famous saints in this family, Zebulun had a relative - saint, and Saint Nina herself was his cousin.
At the age of twelve, Saint Nina found herself in Jerusalem with her parents. Her father Zebulon became God's servant in the Jordanian deserts, and her mother, Susanna, had the great honor of serving at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Saint Nina was raised by the pious Elder Nianfora, who taught her to follow numerous rules of faith and instilled in her a love of reading the Holy Scriptures.
One day she was reading the Gospel and thinking about the Robe of the Lord (John 19:23-24). Nianfora told her the legend that the Mtskheta rabbi Eleazar took the sacred Robe of the Lord to Iveria (Georgia), which became one of the Destinations of the Mother of God.
The enlightenment of Iberia fell to Saint Mary by lot with the apostles, but the Angel of the Lord who appeared to her said that Georgia would be Her destiny after the end of her earthly life, and during her life, She was supposed to place Her holy labors on Athos.
Having learned this story from Elder Nianfora, Saint Nina began to fervently pray to the Most Holy Theotokos to help her enlighten Georgia and suggest the location of the Robe of the Lord, which had been lost to people. And then one day, in a dream, the Mother of God appeared to the righteous woman and said to her:
“Take this cross, it will be your shield and fence against all visible and invisible enemies. Go to the country of Iveron, preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ there and you will find grace from Him: I will be your Patroness.”
With these words, the Blessed Virgin presented Nina with a cross made of grapevine, which the girl, upon waking up, saw in her hands.
Currently, this grape cross is in a special ark in the Tbilisi Zion Cathedral.
When Saint Nina told her uncle, who was the Patriarch in Jerusalem, about this, he without hesitation blessed her for apostolic service, after which she went to Iberia, where she arrived in 319.
She fell in love with the local people, studied their customs, language and preached Orthodoxy, while her sermons were accompanied by many signs. 
Once upon a time in the city of Mtskheta (the capital of ancient Georgia) there were pagan celebrations and at the same time a Christian one began. On this day, during the prayer of St. Nina, a very strong wind arose, blowing away the idols to which people made sacrifices and prayed to them.
In Mtskheti, Saint Nina found shelter in the family of the royal gardener. For many years there were no children in this family, and now, through the prayers of Saint Ninoy, this man’s wife, Anastasia, was finally able to give birth to a child and immediately believed in Christ.
A little later, Saint Nina helped the Georgian Queen Nana overcome a serious illness, after which she turned from an idolater into a zealous Christian and accepted Baptism. Nana's husband, King Miriam (265-342) saw, of course, the miraculous healing of the queen, but, despite this, he believed the evil slander against Nina. He ordered her to be seized and executed, but during the execution of the holy righteous woman, the sun suddenly darkened and darkness fell. The ruler was struck by blindness, and his courtiers began to pray to their pagan gods for day to return to them. But their, as they thought, “holy” idols remained and did not help and the darkness intensified. Then the frightened people cried out to the Lord God, whom Nina preached, and immediately the darkness dissipated and the sun came out. This happened in 319 on May 6th. 
Tsar Mirian was healed from blindness by Saint Nina, immediately believed in Christ and, together with his court, received holy Baptism.
To help Saint Nina, at the request of King Miriam, the Byzantine Emperor Constantine sent Bishop Eustathius and five other clergy, who by 324 finally established Christianity in Georgia.
But Jesus Christ was still unknown to the mountainous regions of Georgia. In order to enlighten the people living near the Aragvi and Iori rivers, Saint Nina and two assistants went to them and began to preach the Gospel. After her labors, many highlanders accepted Holy Baptism.
Then Nina went to Kakheti (East Georgia), where she led an ascetic life, lived in a tent and explained to people the essence of a new faith for them. Through her works, a large number of people turned to the faith of Christ, along with their queen of Kakheti Soja (Sophia) and her courtiers.
All this time Saint Nina dreamed of finding the Robe of the Lord. Finally, through her prayers, the Lord revealed the location of the shrine - the Chiton was found. And on this site the first Christian temple in Iveria was built. At first it was a wooden structure, later a stone temple was erected. Now this is a cathedral in honor of the 12 holy Apostles in Svetitskhoveli.
Completing her apostolic ministry in Georgia, Saint Nina was notified from above about the end of her earthly life. She asked King Miriam to send Bishop John to her so that he could prepare her for her final journey. The king, having received such news, himself, together with many priests, went to the saint, where all the clergy witnessed the healings of people who came to visit the dying Saint Nina from serious illnesses.
Saint Nina's disciples asked her to tell about her life; one of the students, Solomiya Udzhamarskaya, wrote down this story, which became the basis of the life of Saint Nina.
After 35 years of apostolic labors, Saint Nina, having received the Holy Mysteries, in 335 (from other sources - in 347) peacefully departed to the Lord. At this moment, Nina was 67 years old. According to her will, the body was buried where she had recently lived - in Bodbe.
Mirian, the clergy and the people greatly mourned the death of the bright righteous woman. The king even wanted to move her remains closer to himself, to the Mtskheta cathedral church. But the saint did not want this - they simply could not move her coffin from its resting place. 
The convent of St. Nino was founded on this site; there is also a temple founded in 342 in the name of Nina’s cousin, the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious.
The relics of the holy enlightener became famous for countless miracles and healings.
The Georgian Orthodox Church, with the consent of the Antiochian Patriarchate, named the enlightener of Georgia equal to the apostles and, canonizing her as a saint, established her memory on January 27 (January 14, old style), the day of her blessed death.
GREATNESS
We magnify you, holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Nino, who enlightened the entire country of Iveron with the light of the Gospel and led us to Christ.
VIDEO
Armenia is the first country to adopt Christianity as a state religion in 301. This is a state with a rich history, rooted in the legend of Noah’s Ark, left on Mount Ararat. The Armenian Highlands became the location of the legendary ancient state of Urartu, which competed for the right of primacy in this region with Babylon and Assyria. Armenia then came under the influence of the Medes, and soon became part of the Persian Achaemenid Empire. This territory was conquered by Alexander the Great and became part of the vast Hellenistic world. After the death of the great conqueror, the Armenian state fell under the protectorate of the Syrian Seleucids.
The reason for the baptism of Armenia was the story of the death of Saints Hripsimeyanki
The Christian faith began to spread throughout the territory of Armenia back in the 1st century AD, as well as in neighboring Colchis (present-day Georgia). There is a legend according to which the Armenian ruler Avgar, having learned about the appearance of the Savior on Palestinian soil, sent his ambassadors to him with an invitation to visit the capital, Edessa. In response to the invitation, the Savior sent his two disciples Bartholomew and Thadeus with a blessing and His Image Not Made by Hands. Coming to the Armenian land from Assyria and Cappadocia, they began to spread the word of God in the period from 60 to 68 AD. In the Armenian tradition, Thaddeus and Bartholomew became known as the “Enlighteners of the Armenian World.” For the first two centuries, Armenian Christians were still oppressed by the pagans - they were the majority, and paganism remained the state religion. The persecution of the new faith in Armenia was carried out in parallel with the persecution in Rome. Both the then rulers Trdat III and the Roman emperor Diocletian considered the first Christians to be marginal elements corrupting the foundations of statehood. However, oppression at the official level gradually faded away and by the beginning of the 4th century had completely disappeared - in 313, Emperor Constantine the Great signed the Edict of Milan, which legalized the Christian religion in the Roman Empire. Trdat's intentions were even more radical - he decided to eradicate paganism overnight and make Christianity a single faith for all Armenians.
The reason for this act was the story of the martyrdom of the holy virgins of Hripsimeyanki. Several Christian Roman girls fled from persecution in their homeland and, visiting Jerusalem, came to Armenia, where they settled near the city of Vagharshapat. Trdat admired the beauty of one of them, Hripsime, but did not reciprocate, which made him furious and ordered the execution of all the Roman women. The exemplary execution took place in 300, and its consequences had a serious impact on the ruler’s mental health: the illness that happened to Trdat was often called “pig disease,” which is why a pig’s head appeared in the image of the king. And at the same time, one of the king’s former associates, Christian Gregory, was in captivity, whom Trdat accused of killing his father and put in a pit with snakes and scorpions. After spending 13 years in inhuman conditions, Gregory was miraculously released, as the king’s sister had a prophetic dream, informing him that only this prisoner was able to heal her brother from mental illness. The liberated Gregory ordered the tortured Hripsimeans to be interred with all Christian honors. And after preaching for 66 days, he ultimately healed the ruler. Admired by the miracles of Gregory, Trdat accepted the Christian faith and made it the official religion of Armenia.
The ancient Georgian state adopted Christianity in the same 4th century thanks to Saint Nino, who from that moment is considered the patroness of Georgia. As in the case of Armenia, the reason for the adoption of Christianity was a miracle of healing, and in 324 or 326 the Georgian king Mirian approved a new official religion. Saint Nino, Equal to the Apostles, was born in Cappadocia around 280. Coming from a very noble family, the young girl at the age of 12 ended up in Jerusalem, where her parents were ordained clergy. Finding herself in the care of the old woman Nianfora, Nino listened with delight to her stories about the distant and fabulous country of Iveria (present-day Georgia). Inspired by the stories, Nino wanted to visit this country one day and soon she had the following opportunity: one day in a dream she saw the Virgin Mary, who handed her a cross made of vines, saying, “Take this cross, it will be your shield and fence against all visible and invisible enemies. Go to the country of Iveron, preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ there and you will find grace from Him. I will be your Patroness.” This cross is still kept in the Sioni Cathedral in Tbilisi. Nino turned for a blessing to her uncle, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, who sent her to a distant country.
Saint Nino, having baptized Iberia, converted neighboring Kakheti to Christianity
On the way to Iveria, Nino almost died at the hands of the Armenian ruler Trdat III, already mentioned above in connection with the baptism of Armenia. Miraculously escaping death, Nino reached Iberia in 319. Entering the ancient capital of Georgia, Mtskheta, the future patroness of all Georgians found shelter in the family of a childless royal gardener. The prayers of Saint Nino miraculously helped the gardener’s wife Anna, who soon became pregnant and after this story believed in Christ. Soon, the miraculous Nino was first learned in the immediate vicinity, and later rumors reached the Georgian queen Nana, who was suffering from a serious illness. However, the miraculous incident with his wife had the opposite effect on King Mirian - he hated Saint Nino and even wanted to kill her.
Where is the Robe of the Lord located in Mtskheta, a temple was erected in honor of the 12 Apostles
But after a hunting accident, the king, caught in a thunderstorm, became blind and promised to convert to Christianity if he was healed. Saint Nino soon healed Mirian, and he, in gratitude, believed in God and converted first all his subjects, and then the entire Iberian people, to the Christian faith. According to the legend of the chronicles, Saint Nino showed the king where the Robe of the Lord was located and on that place (in Mtskheta) they first built a wooden and then a stone temple in honor of the 12 holy Apostles, Svetitskhoveli. In 324 (or 326) Christianity became the official religion of the Georgian people. After the churching of Iveria, Saint Nino went to neighboring Kakheti, where she converted the local queen Sophia to the faith.
Having completed her good mission, Saint Nino soon had a dream in which she learned of her imminent death. She asked King Mirian to send Bishop John to help her prepare for her final journey. Soon Saint Nino with the bishop and the Iberian king went to Bodbe, where on her deathbed she performed her last healings and there she told about her origin. This information is reflected in chronicles that have survived to this day. On January 27, 335 (or 347) Saint Nino was buried in Bodbe, as she herself bequeathed. The Georgian Orthodox Church, with the consent of the Antioch Patriarchate, named the enlightener of Georgia equal to the apostles and canonized her. In Georgia, on January 27, the holiday of Ninoba was established - on this day the Orthodox Church commemorates Saint Nino. In honor of her, many temples were erected throughout the country, in Tbilisi alone there are at least five of them. And in the Zion Cathedral of the Assumption of the Mother of God there is a cross made of grapevine, entwined with her hair.
On November 10 (23), the Georgian Church glorifies the suffering of the holy Great Martyr and Victorious George. On this day, the holy great martyr was subjected to wheeling - a torture not inferior in cruelty to crucifixion. Torture in the pagan world was not only a means of intimidating the people, it was a special form of art. It was kept as a sacred legend by Rome, “New Babylon”, fed by the milk of a wolf, a city that trampled under its boot three parts of the world: Europe, Asia and Africa. The Roman Colosseum, where gladiators fought with lions, where Christians were thrown to be devoured by wild animals, became the heart of the pagan world. There the emperor, priests and commoners met together; They were united by one feeling - pleasure in suffering, thirst for blood. The circus arena was a “garden of torture”, carefully cultivated by the hands of priests, magicians and vestals - virgins dedicated to the demon. The ability to torture and kill people was brought to the level of artistic skill. The executioners were virtuosos of their craft. The new type of torture and death was perceived by the crowd as a brilliant theatrical performance, it was admired as an invention of national importance. The Colosseum, the temple of Satan, exposed the demonic essence of the pagan world. Satan, the great artist whom Christ called a liar and a murderer, opened a theater of death in “New Babylon,” but the blood of the martyrs made the Colosseum a holy place for the Christian world. The blood of Christ has redeemed mankind; the blood of the martyrs, according to Tertulian, “was the seeds of the future rise of the Church.”
The first persecution of Christians began during the time of Nero, the last, tenth, under Diocletian and his successors. He ended the period in the history of the Church called the “era of persecution.” However, the entire history of the Church is a continuous martyrology, written in blood, each page of it is a list of the names of martyrs, known and unknown to the world. This royal, sacred book describes the exploits and torments of St. George the Victorious.
Some icons depict Saint George slaying Diocletian with his spear. This persecutor of Christianity, who combined the immense power of the emperor and the occult powers of the high priest of Rome, was the personification of paganism. Before his death, Saint George prayed that the persecution would end against him, and although it continued for several more years, it was already the agony of the pagan world, the death throes of a defeated beast.
The image of St. George slaying the dragon is a symbol of the victory of the saints of the Christian Church over evil and sin.
If in church hymns Christ is called the Sun, then the holy martyrs are His rays. Every saint is a victory over the devil, the source of sin. Image of Saint George slaying Diocletian. - a symbol of the victory of the Church over its visible opponents, those who fought Christianity with sword and fire, who tried to tear the name of Christ from the chest of the people with the iron hand of the executioner.
Saint George was born in Cappadocia, a mountainous country much like Georgia. The tribes of the ancestors of the Colkhians walked through this area, heading from their ancestral home of Mesopotamia - the cradle of humanity - to the north. Saint George's father held a high position in the Roman army. He openly professed Christianity and suffered martyrdom. After the death of her husband, the mother of Saint George retired to her family estate, located in Palestine, near the city of Lydda. Many nobles sought her hand, but she remained faithful to her martyr husband, just as he was faithful to Christ.
Saint George's childhood passed under the protection of his mother's prayers. In her he saw a high example of a Christian woman, from her he heard stories about his father, whose spirit was not broken by torture and was not frightened by death. Saint George retained his tender love and deep affection for his mother throughout his life. Before his death, he bequeathed that his body be transferred to his mother’s homeland. At a young age, Saint George, following the example of his father, entered the army. A brave and experienced warrior in battles with enemies of the state, he soon received the rank of commander and tribune. Emperor Diocletian brought him closer to himself and loved him like a son. There is information that the emperor wanted to make George his successor. This aroused envy among the courtiers, which they hid for the time being. They hated George, but found no reason to accuse him of anything before the emperor. At the beginning of his reign, Diocletian did not persecute Christians; he allowed them to build temples and hold services. In Nicomedia, at the residence of the emperor, a huge Christian basilica was erected, accommodating up to twenty thousand people. Even among Diocletian's relatives there were Christians.
This emperor is one of the most controversial and tragic characters in the history of Rome. He was the son of a slave - a freedman. Often in the history of Rome, the imperial throne became a scaffold on which kings were erected, as if in order to then, as during the Saturnalia, throw them down onto the spears of warriors. For the Roman patricians, Diocletian, a cheese slave from Illyricum, seemed like Spartacus on the throne of the Julians and Antonievs, descendants of the Trojan kings. Diocletian showed himself to be a skillful ruler. He carried out important reforms in the army and the country, and repelled the onslaught of enemies who were plundering the provinces. He sat on the throne of Rome as firmly as in the saddle of a war horse. This went on for fifteen years. But clouds began to cloud the sky over the empire. One disaster followed another: famine, epidemics, uprisings in the provinces shook the huge state.
The priests told Diocletian that these were signs of the wrath of the gods and the imminent destruction of the empire. They persistently convinced him: it was possible to appease the gods and save the country only at the cost of a huge hecatomb - the destruction of all Christians in the empire. Diocletian, being the high priest, himself considered the greatness and splendor of Rome to be inextricably linked with the pagan religion. The Roman Caesars especially hated Christians because they refused to make sacrifices to them as to earthly deities. Diocletian convened a council of his associates to draw up a plan for the persecution of Christians. It was supposed to begin the persecution suddenly and simultaneously in all regions of the empire. On the night of Christmas in Nicomedia, the blood of the first martyrs was shed. On this night, the capital's temple, crowded with people, was burned. The emperor spoke at a meeting in the palace. He ended his speech with the words: “There should be no Christians.” Then the nobles and generals began to propose various plans for the destruction of Christians. Saint George was with the king. Knowing about the impending persecution, he ordered in advance to release the slaves, sell the property and distribute it to the poor. (He took off the burden of worldly worries and felt like a wanderer on earth).
Rising from his seat, George turned to the emperor with the words:
“Justice should reign over kings, but you are plotting a crime unheard of even among barbarians; instead of doing justice and protecting the people, you want to go to war against your own subjects, who have not committed a crime and have not done you any harm.”
Who taught you to say this? - asked the prefect of the capital.
“Truth,” answered George.
- What is truth? - the prefect repeated Pilate’s words.
- Christ, whom you are going to crucify again.
Almost every country has a righteous man who is considered the patron of his land. Georgia also has its favorite and most honorable idol. St. Nina's Day - January 27 is a very important event in this region.
Character of the person
The name of this blessed one is as popular in Georgia as Tatyana in Russia. Moreover, every resident of the country knows when exactly the day of memory of this person is celebrated. The woman is considered an educator and patroness of this region.
By nature, girls called by this name are very patient and good-natured. From childhood they show good manners and tolerance. And this is not surprising. After all, their heavenly protector, at one time, was very merciful to everyone without exception. She helped both Christians and pagans, regardless of religion. In their youth, women with this name try to be wise in all their actions. And in old age they become role models. The holy lady with such a wonderful name had many positive qualities and is celebrated on January 27th. It was on this day that the righteous woman left the earthly world and moved to the heavenly one.
On the icon, Equal to the Apostles is depicted with a cross on which a vine is climbing. She also holds the Gospel in her other hand. It was with the word of God that the blessed one walked around the world. For her merits and great mission, this woman is equated with equal to the apostles.
The woman's biography is very touching and interesting. Saint Nina lived an amazing life. But her story began long before the birth of the righteous woman.
Destiny to be a preacher
Immediately after Christ’s ascension into heaven, his disciples gathered so that whoever would go in which direction would glorify the name of the Lord. For example, Andrei the Primordial went to the lands where Kievan Rus was subsequently formed. Together with the disciples of Jesus, the Mother of God was there. The Most Pure One, seeing that the best Christians were scattering around the world to tell the pagans about the Most High, said that she also wanted to preach. The apostles did not dare refuse her such a request. Therefore, Mary fell to the distant country of Iveria, where Saint Nina lived more than two centuries later. Now this is the territory of modern Georgia.
Having received her lot, the Mother of God was ready to set off. But suddenly an angel appeared before her and told her to wait. He assured the woman that she would definitely fulfill her destiny. However, now is not the right time for this.
And around 280, in the city of Cappadocia, which is located on the territory of modern Turkey, a girl was born who was named Nina. There were many Georgian settlements near their house. The parents were good Christians. My father is a military man and more than once helped believers avoid death at the hands of pagan kings. His family was very famous and respected. The Great Martyr George came from this family. Therefore, we can safely say that Saint Nina inherited the love of God.
The girl's mother was the sister of the Patriarch of Jerusalem. Their family was very respected and enjoyed the favor of the emperor himself.
Touching story
When the girl was twelve, her parents went to Jerusalem and there they decided to devote their lives to serving the Lord. My father went into the desert, and my mother was made a deaconess so that she would help the poor and disadvantaged at the church. It was a pity for the parents to part with their only child. But they knew that a great future awaited her, the guide in which would be the Mother of God. The further fate of mother and father remained unknown to history.
Saint Nina went to the righteous old woman, whose name was Nianfore. The grandmother told the girl about the life of Jesus. The biography of the Son of God touched the child so much that she cried more than once. Within two years she became a true believer. Then the mentor told the student about the crucifixion and torment of the Savior. Nina became interested in history. She was very interested in the fate of the Lord's robe. This clothing was of great importance for the Christian world. Like all things of the Messiah, it had the amazing gift of healing.
The girl asked what happened to Christ's tunic. To this the woman replied that, according to legend, the soldiers who were present at the crucifixion cast lots. Therefore, the clothes went to the soldier. Then she was bought by a man who was Georgian. Then he took it to Iveria.
Saint Nina was very moved by this story. “The Georgian land and the territories that surround it,” the mentor added, “still live in ignorance, and the people there obey the pagan gods.”
Great mission
The girl spent a lot of time thinking about how unfairly the relic had been treated. In her prayers, the righteous woman asked the Virgin Mary to help her get to the distant country of Iberia, in order to find the tunic, and also to preach the truths of the Lord. She was eager to show the people who lived there the power of God and guide them to the right faith.
The prayers were answered. Mary came to the pious virgin in a dream. The Mother of God told the girl to go to a distant country. The Mother of God also explained that she would become her patroness. Then Saint Nina doubted her strength. The cross woven from vines that Mary gave her in a dream was real and in reality. Handing the relic to the girl, the Mother of God said that this symbol would become her amulet and would ward off trouble.
The next day the righteous woman went to the Patriarch. When he heard about the dream and saw the cross, he blessed Nina for the journey. She went along with other virgins who were fleeing from the Roman pagan king. However, their journey was short-lived. The enemies caught up with the Christians and brutally dealt with them. Only Nina managed to escape an evil fate. Then she hid in the rose bushes. She was guided by a higher power. It was hard to watch how cruel pagans dealt with Christians. But Saint Nina, the enlightener of Georgia, saw not only the picture of death. A miracle was revealed to her. She watched the souls of innocent girls rapture to God. The day of remembrance of these virgins is September 30.
The Power of Prayer
The girl continued her difficult journey alone. Many dangers and troubles awaited her along the way. But miraculously the righteous woman was always saved. Along the way, she met Georgian families and studied their traditions. When the Christian woman finally reached the city where, according to legend, the tunic was hidden, she saw a terrible picture. The pagans sacrificed to idols. This ritual struck the girl so unpleasantly that at the same moment she began to pray to the Lord to deprive these people of false faith. At that same moment, thunder and lightning struck, and the pagan idols burned to the ground. Then the people realized that God was stronger than their idols.
Nina lived in the house of the royal gardener. He and his wife had no children and accepted the foreigner as a sister. Saint Nina settled in a corner of the park. The prayer was pure and sincere. Very soon people began to turn to her for knowledge and help. The first person she healed was the gardener's wife. After this miracle, the woman became the mother of many wonderful children. More and more people accepted the faith of Christ and were healed.
One of the converts told Nina an amazing story. It turned out that a certain man from Georgia bought the tunic from the soldier who was at the execution of Jesus. His Jewish mother predicted the death of Jesus and was very worried about it. She felt the death of the Messiah and died herself, a thousand kilometers from the center of events. When the son returned home, his sister, having heard the story about Christ, clutched her clothes to herself, wept bitterly and fell dead. No matter how hard they tried, they could not snatch the holy relic from strong hands. Therefore, they buried the girl along with her tunic. However, the burial place was unknown. But they said that the body was hidden in the royal garden. Therefore, Saint Nina of Georgia began her own search. Then she often stopped at a large cedar and prayed there.
Healer's Gift
Only King Mirian did not stop worshiping idols. He even intended to destroy all Christians on his land. But then his eyes darkened and he lost his sight. For a long time the lord of his gods asked to help him, but in vain. It was only when he asked the Christian Lord for salvation that he began to see again. Immediately after this event, he fell at Nina’s feet and asked to be taught to be a true believer.
The blessed one continued to reveal the secrets of religion to people. The righteous woman spoke about true faith. The king asked priests to come from Greece, who also taught the people. Therefore, step by step, Georgia became Orthodox. Saint Nina, meanwhile, continued to work miracles.
The king decided to build a church in his garden. I chose an unusual place. There then grew a huge cedar tree, under which people were healed more than once. And before that, the blessed one had a dream in which she saw that it was under this tree that the tunic was hidden. Therefore, the desire of the righteous woman was fulfilled. They made pillars for the temple from six cedar branches, but they could not lift the seventh. As Nina expected, the myrrh left her. It even treated hopelessly ill people.
A lot of people believed in the Almighty and were baptized over the years. However, there were tribes in the mountains who still lived in darkness. Therefore, refusing honors and glory, Nina decided to go to those distant lands to help the pagans accept the true God. The inhabitants of the mountains listened to the words of the righteous woman and began to believe in Christ.
Glory, through the ages
The foreigner did a lot of good. Because of her great strength and boundless faith, the Orthodox world celebrates St. Nina's Day. The woman lived 65 (67 according to other sources) years. Of these, 35 were spent in Georgia, preaching the word of God.
She felt her death earlier, so she asked her friends to take her from the mountains to the royal garden. The woman departed to the heavenly world with a light heart. A crowd gathered near the dying woman's bed. Equal to the Apostles Nina told one of her students about her life. It is from these records that we know today the history of the patroness of Georgia.
The benefactress bequeathed to bury the body on the site of a modest tent, at the end of the garden, where she had spent all these years. After the death of the healer, the king decided that the infallible woman should be buried in the capital’s temple. But no matter how hard they tried, they could not lift the body of the deceased. Therefore, the ruler decided to build a church around this place. The king's work was completed by his son.
The Church of St. Nino is located in the eastern part of Georgia - Kakheti. The building was renovated several times. But over all the years of its existence, the tomb of the preacher remained intact. There is a legend that when the barbarians and Mongol-Tatars approached the tomb, they were afraid to even touch it with a finger. She was so beautiful and radiant at the same time. Over time, the structure expanded. The church was consecrated in honor of the woman's famous relative - St. George.
Georgians have revered this saint throughout the centuries. Therefore, for a long time, coronations even took place at the grave.
Memory of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Virgin
The Church of St. Nina at one time turned into a monastery. And this building played a deeper role than just a spiritual one. There was a theological school, the largest library in the country, and the humanities and exact sciences were taught here.
Hard times awaited the shrine during the Soviet period. It was plundered and almost destroyed. After the collapse of the USSR, the temple started working again. The nuns here not only do ordinary household work, but also copy sacred texts, embroider and paint pictures.
Today the relics of the preacher are kept in the Bodbe Monastery.
This convent remains one of the largest in Georgia. In addition to the aesthetic value of the temple, it also has colossal energy. Everyone who comes here feels a good vibe. Many people come here for advice and salvation. The Monastery of St. Nino joyfully welcomes good guests, regardless of the time of year.
However, those who want to see the cross of the righteous woman will need to visit another shrine. The relic, in the course of historical events, ended up in the main cathedral in Tbilisi. This cross was given to Nina by the Mother of God. It should be noted that it is very different from other symbols. Its ends are lowered down, it is woven from a vine and entangled with the hair of a righteous woman. There are especially many people at the relic on St. Nina’s Day.
But near the monastery there was a cave where a woman once prayed. There she prepared for a difficult mission in the mountains. Because of the requests and tears, water began to come out of the stone. Today this source gives people healing.
She fulfilled the task that the Mother of God entrusted to her, the preacher perfectly. Since her teachings and science were successful, the Church calls the righteous woman Equal to the Apostles. Because this woman, like the other disciples of Jesus, contributed to the baptism of the entire people of the country. That is why Georgia, like the whole world, celebrates St. Nina’s Day - January 27.
Alien healer
You can pray to the blessed one for the healing of children. History shows that the righteous woman often helped unfortunate children. As soon as she settled in the royal garden, one of the first patients was the son of the unfortunate woman. The mother walked the streets with the baby in her arms and begged passers-by for help. But none of the people could help her dying child. Then the poor woman went to the saint. The righteous woman ordered the baby to be placed on a bed of leaves. Then she began to pray over him. After some time, the boy recovered and began to play joyfully.
This is not the only case when Saint Nina helped a child. The Virgin Equal to the Apostles had no prejudices and treated everyone, both pagans and Christians. When myrrh began to flow from the cedar branch, a woman came to the tree, whose son had been ill for seven years. She told the righteous woman that she sincerely believed in the Lord and His Son. Then Nina put her hand on the trunk, and then on the child - and he was miraculously cured.
Therefore, everyone can turn to the saint with prayers. She helps children whose illnesses are considered hopeless. You should ask the blessed one sincerely and frankly. does not depend on the place where the text is read. If the request is good, then it will definitely come true.
The Christian woman worked not only with children. Saint Nina also heals those who have lost their sight. Even during her lifetime, Equal to the Apostles had the gift of healing this illness. Legends say that when the cedar began to produce myrrh, an old Jew came to him. He couldn't see from birth. Sensing the miracles that the Christian faith does, he placed his hopes in the Son of God and the mercy of the Most High. Sensing good intentions in the man, Nina wet her hands in the miraculous myrrh and anointed her grandfather’s eyes with it. At that very moment the Jew received his sight. The old man saw the light.
Protector of Travelers
You can also ask the healer for the birth of children. As the story said, the foreigner helped the gardener’s wife first. After the miracle, the woman became the happy mother of many wonderful children. Therefore, if one of the couple suffers from infertility, Saint Nina will help him in trouble. The icon, cross or tomb of an Orthodox righteous woman has the same power.
Another reason to turn to the benefactor with prayers is the despondency of a loved one. If a friend or relative has lost faith in the Lord or joined a sect, then the preacher will be able to help. During her lifetime she struggled with the darkness of other religions. Often she could become a victim of the pagans. But, thanks to faith in the Almighty, she was saved. Therefore, even after her death, Nina will be able to bring a person to reason and restore his faith.
On the day of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina, one should pray to the righteous woman. You can address the heavenly resident with the following words: “Miraculous and good-natured protector of Georgia. We come to you and ask you for help. Drive away evil and evil spirits from us, take away unkind thoughts and vain sorrows. Ask our Almighty for us. Give us the power that was given to you. Take evil demons away from our homes and hearts. Let our faith grow stronger, just as your pure word grew.”
Also, those who go on a long journey or are going to do some important, great deed pray to this righteous woman. The Virgin Equal to the Apostles left her land to help other people know the Lord. Therefore, she became the patroness of travelers. Those who often travel should pray to the preacher on the day of memory of St. Nina.
You need to ask the blessed one for help sincerely, from the heart. A righteous woman will definitely hear pure and sincere words. A merciful and kind preacher will never leave a person in trouble. During her earthly life, she never refused anyone a warm word or treatment.
The Orthodox faith is very strong. But she reveals the true secrets to those who know the stories. This woman's life is amazing. Having learned about this person, a person begins to look at religion differently.
Two new icons recently appeared in the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Puchkovo: St. Equal to the Apostles Nina, enlightener of Iberia, and the Council of Georgian Saints (“Life-Giving Pillar”).
The Georgian Church is one of the oldest Orthodox Churches. The emergence of Christianity in Georgia dates back to the time of the earthly life of the Savior.
According to legend, Iveria is the apostolic lot of the Virgin Mary, Her destiny. After the Ascension, the apostles gathered in the Upper Room of Zion to decide which country each of them should go to. The Virgin Mary wanted to take part in the apostolic preaching, and Iberia fell to Her. However, the Lord told Her that Her lot would be enlightened in subsequent times, and prepared for Her apostolic service on Athos (also called the lot of the Mother of God).
The first saint of the Georgian Church -blessed Sidonia , Mtskheta Jew, sister of Rabbi Elioz. She did not see Christ, but, having heard about Him, she immediately believed in Him as the Messiah and Savior of the world, believed with all the strength and love of her heart. And when her brother, along with the pilgrims, went to Jerusalem (this was in the year of the Savior’s execution), she begged him to bring with him to Mtskheta, as a great blessing, some thing belonging to Christ. Elioz fulfilled his sister's request. He was at Golgotha during the crucifixion of the Savior, bought a Tunic from one of the soldiers who carried out His execution and brought this priceless treasure to Mtskheta. St. Sidonia met her brother at the gate. He told her what happened at Golgotha and gave her the Heaton. Sidonia pressed the Chiton to her chest and, out of great sorrow over the Savior’s suffering on the cross and the great grace emanating from the Lord’s Tunic, fell lifeless to the ground. The whole city gathered around the dead maiden. King Amazaer (Adarnas) found out about this and wanted to take the Chiton to put on it himself, but no force could release the hands of the dead girl. She was buried in the royal garden with the Heaton on her chest. A mighty cedar grew at this place, which covered Sidonia’s grave with its roots. This cedar, like a seal on her grave, stood for three centuries. Residents of Mtskheta noticed that sick birds flew to the cedar, sat on its branches, pecked at the needles and flew away healthy; even wild animals came to the cedar and ate the fallen pine needles.
Saint Nino of Cappadocia was the cousin of St. George the Victorious. At the age of 12, she came to Jerusalem with her parents, who had an only daughter. Saint Nina's father Zabulon dedicated his life to serving God in the deserts of Jordan, and mother Susanna was made a deaconess at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The upbringing of Saint Nina was entrusted to the pious elder Nianfora. A few years later, Saint Nina had a vision of the Mother of God. Nino asked: “Where is the Robe of the Lord?” “In the land of Iberia, which was bequeathed to me,” answered the Virgin Mary.
Having learned from Nianfora that Georgia had not yet been enlightened by the light of Christianity, Saint Nina prayed day and night to the Most Holy Theotokos, that she might be worthy to see Georgia turned to the Lord, and that she might help her to find the Robe of the Lord. The Queen of Heaven heard the prayers of the young righteous woman. She appeared to her in a dream and, handing over a cross woven from a vine, said: “Take this cross, it will be your shield and fence against all visible and invisible enemies. Go to the country of Iveron, preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ there and you will find grace from Him. I will be your Patroness.” So Nino came to Mtskheta, to the “Garden of Eden”.
After some time, King Mirian III (265-342), on the advice of Saint Nina, decided to build a Christian temple at the site where the Robe of the Lord was kept. The huge cedar that grew on the grave of Sidonia was cut down, and they wanted to use its trunk as the main pillar to support the main dome of the temple, but they could not raise it. All night Saint Nina prayed for Divine help, and she was shown visions in which the historical destinies of Georgia were revealed. At dawn, the Angel of the Lord approached the Pillar and lifted it into the air. The pillar, illuminated by a wonderful light, rose and fell until it stopped above its base, fragrant myrrh flowed from it. The miraculously placed cedar trunk became the basis for the first Christian temple in Georgia, which was named “Svetitskhoveli”, i.e., translated from Georgian, “Life-Giving Pillar”.
That wooden temple has not survived. The current temple in the name of the Twelve Apostles was built from 1010 to 1029. This majestic stone Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is still the main temple of Georgia today. Tsars were crowned and buried here, and the enthronement of the Patriarch takes place here. In our time, the Pillar, at which many healings are performed, has a stone covering, painted with late frescoes. It is crowned with a canopy. At the base of the northern side there is a niche with doors, where there was a place for taking peace (the flow of peace ceased after the invasion of Shah Abbas I at the beginning of the 17th century).
The Robe of the Lord is the greatest shrine of the Georgian Church. Thanks to this shrine, Mtskheta was called the “second Jerusalem”.
The tomb of Saint Nina is located in Bodbe (in Kakheti), on the site of her exploits, in the resting place chosen by her. A convent in the name of St. Nina was later founded here. The relics of the saint were glorified by many healings and miracles. The memory of Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina is celebrated on January 27 (14th century), the day of her blessed death.
At the topIcons "Life-Giving Pillar" - deisis: to the right of the Savior is the Mother of God. On the left is “the greatest of those born of women” John the Baptist; further - the archangels Gabriel and Michael, the ecumenical apostles Peter and Paul. Below are saints especially close to the Celestial Church: Apostles Andrew the First-Called and SimonCanaanite, George the Victorious and St. Nicholas.
The apostles Andrew and Simon, according to legend, preached in the territory of modern Georgia and Abkhazia. Vmch. George the Victorious is a brilliant commander who chose the crown of martyrdom instead of earthly glory - the special patron of Georgia and its martyred kings. And this is not surprising, because the historical path of the Georgian Church is a centuries-old path of struggle for Orthodoxy with the pagan and Muslim world, a path of martyrdom.
The iconography of the “Cathedral of the Georgian Church” was compiled by the famous icon painter and historian Mikhail Gobron-Sobinin, who lived at the end of the 19th century. He collected the lives of the saints of Georgia into an extensive collection, which he published in Georgian and Russian and wrote a large book in an academic style. Further, as iconography developed, new, almost contemporary saints were included in it, the artistic style of the image changed, but the meaning and basic idea remained unchanged.
Image , which recently appeared in the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Puchkovo, is a copy of a large icon located in the Church of the Great Martyr. St. George the Victorious on Malaya Gruzinskaya Street in Moscow. It is distinguished by the iconographic language of the image, close to ancient Georgian icons, frescoes and miniatures. Another feature is the inclusion of saints close to us in time, such as St. Ekvtime - a remarkable ascetic and scientist who preserved and translated into musical notation many ancient Georgian church chants. We hear some of them with great joy in our church.
In honor of the Chiton of the Lord and the Life-Giving Pillar, the Georgian Church established the festival of Mtskhetoba-Svetitkhovloba - October 14 and July 13.