As one of the first countries to recognize Christianity as the state religion, Georgia has many Orthodox shrines. Stored in ancient monasteries and churches, they allow you to feel the true value of the Christian faith and immerse yourself in the fertile atmosphere of past centuries. It is almost impossible to see all the relics of the state within the framework of one pilgrimage tour, however, any tourist can visit the most interesting places where the most valuable icons and relics are kept.

Famous holy places in Georgia

Bodbe monastery

The ancient Bodbe monastery, located at a distance of 2 km from the town of Sighnaghi in Kakheti, keeps within its walls the relics of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Nino, the great Enlightener of Georgia, whose sermons led all the inhabitants of the country to Christ. Born in 280, for 35 years the preacher was engaged in apostolic asceticism, and before her death she retired to the miniature town of Bodbe, where she was buried. After a while, a church of St. George was erected over the grave of Nino, next to which the monastery complex arose.

The relics of the preacher are kept in the southern aisle of the temple. Every year, thousands of pilgrims come to them, seeking to bow to the sacred remains and visit the source of St. Nino, the water in which is considered healing. Along with the relics, the monastery contains another revered shrine - the myrrh-streaming Iberian Icon of the Mother of God. IN Soviet period a hospital operated in the monastery, and traces of a scalpel are still visible on the image, which remained there as a memory of the hospital past of the building.

Patriarchal Cathedral of Svetitskhoveli

Svetitskhoveli Temple is one of the most important spiritual centers of the Orthodox inhabitants of Georgia. The Cathedral is located in the city of Mtskheta and is one of the largest historical buildings of the state. Thanks to its rich and rich history, as well as its significance for Christianity, it is included in the honorary list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The history of the shrine goes back to the 4th century, when, on the advice of Equal-to-the-Apostles Nino, the Iberian king Mirian III built the first wooden church in the state. In the second half of the 5th century, a stone basilica was erected on the site of the church, and already in the 11th century, the building was replaced by a modern three-aisled church, erected under the supervision of the architect Arsakidze.

According to the legend, under the vault of the cathedral is kept the coat of Jesus Christ, which was brought to Georgia by Rabbi Eleazar. During the execution, the clergyman was in Jerusalem and witnessed the casting of lots for the clothes of the Savior. The Life-Giving Pillar points to the burial place of the tunic, at which many miracles and healings took place in the old days.

Monastery Samtavro

At the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers, on the territory of the city of Mtskheta, the majestic Samtavro monastery complex rises, consisting of the monastery of St. Nino and the Samtavro-Transfiguration Church. The construction was erected in the 4th century by order of King Mirian, who was later buried within the walls of the temple. Despite repeated destruction and restoration, the complex has managed to preserve the original ornaments, which have no analogues in Georgian architecture.

Inside the building contains many interesting shrines:

the icon of St. Nino, which has a miraculous effect;
the relics of the anchorite Shio Mgvimsky and the preacher Abibos Nekressky;
icon of the Iberian Mother of God;
tomb of Queen Nana;
part of a stone from the burial place of Nino in the Bodbe monastery.

Cathedral of Sioni

Sioni Temple in Tbilisi is one of the two main Orthodox buildings in Georgia. The building got its name in honor of Jerusalem's Mount Zion, which in the Bible is called "the habitation of God." The cathedral rises on the coast of the Kura in the historical center of the capital. The date of its foundation is called the VI century, but over the past years the temple has been destroyed and rebuilt more than once.

The most valuable shrine of Sioni is the Cross of St. Nino, which, according to legend, the preacher received from the Virgin before visiting Georgia. Woven from a vine, after the death of Nino, it was kept for a long time in the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, then traveled to Armenian churches, visited Russia, and in 1801 returned to Georgia again. Today, the cross is placed in a silver icon case next to the northern gate of the altar of the Sioni temple.

Jvari Monastery

In terms of perfection and originality of architectural forms, the Jvari Monastery near Mtskheta has no equal in Georgia. Being a masterpiece of Georgian architecture, the temple was the first in the country to be included in the UNESCO list. The building rises on the top of the mountain, where, according to ancient chronicles, Saint Nino installed the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord.

The building was built in the 6th century. It was originally a small church, which today lies in ruins. In 604, a grand opening of a larger building, consecrated in honor of the Exaltation of the Cross, took place next to it. On its facades, ancient reliefs depicting ktitors have been preserved, and inside there is a modern cross, in which particles of that ancient cross, installed by Nino, are kept.

Other Georgian shrines

Traveling through the territory of Georgia, in the cities and small villages of the country, you can see many other churches, cathedrals, monasteries, which contain truly revered relics:

Monastery complex of Shemokmedi – preserves the oldest Georgian icon dating back to 886. The image of the Transfiguration of the Lord was brought to the temple from the Zarzma monastery in the 16th century. Since that time, the icon has been gathering thousands of pilgrims and tourists who come to rest in Western Georgia.
Gelati monastery - revered thanks to the tomb of King David the Builder. It is believed that Queen Tamara was buried under its foundation, although according to other sources, her ashes were later transported to the Holy Cross Monastery in Jerusalem.
Cathedral of the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God - the relics of Saints John, George and Marina, a particle of the belt and robe of the Mother of God, as well as a part of the sponge from which the Savior drank vinegar are placed in the temple.
- Pilgrims go to this holy place to worship the relics of Saints Constantine and David, who were tortured by the Arab invaders.
Metekhi Temple- is the burial place of St. Abo of Tbilisi and St. Shushanik, the first great martyr in Georgia, who died at the hands of her fire-worshipping husband.

Georgia is one of the first to adopt Christianity and the program of each tour will definitely include an ancient monastery, church or cathedral. I have visited many places and made my list of must-see places like this, which I admiringly tell my friends and acquaintances.

Vanis Kvabebi

Vanis-Kvabebi is a cave monastery near Vardzia. To climb to Vanis Kvabebi you need to go to steep mountain about 500 meters, and the road goes in a snake and 500 meters turn into a kilometer. The climb is not easy. 6 monks live in the monastery. One of them is located on top of the rock, you need to climb the tunnels and vertical stairs. Scary! Very! In Vanis-Kvabebi I will return at every opportunity. Compared to Vardzia, it is not remarkable, but the energy is very strong in this place. We were able to communicate with the monks. I cannot describe in words the feeling I experienced in Vanis Kvabebi. Just go and see for yourself.

The Green Monastery is located in the Borjomi region. It was the first monastery in Georgia where I felt an invisible force. In the ancient century, the Turks came to the monastery and killed all the monks. To this day, red stones are found in the forest around the monastery, it is believed that this is the blood of monks. On the territory there is a small church where everyone can go. There are icons of monks around the perimeter of the church, I went there alone, there was no one around me except these icons and that very power.

David Gareji - with a breath I tell everyone about him. One part of the monastery is located on the territory of Georgia, the other - in Azerbaijan. David Gareji is a huge monastery complex. Many cells are located on the other side of the mountain from the main monastery - the Lavra of St. David. From the height of the mountain, stunning views of the colorful desert open up. They say that the monks of the monastery make the best wine - Saperavi. In my opinion, David Gareji is a unique place and I recommend everyone to visit here.

Motsameta - Monastery of Saints David and Constantine. Located in the suburbs of Kutaisi. The relics of the Saints are now in the main temple, on a hill to the right of the entrance. Under it, a passage was made about half the height of a man. You need to go around the ark several times crawling through this passage. The monastery is very quiet, cozy and peaceful! Only the rustle of leaves and the murmur of water in the canyon are heard. The atmosphere here is peaceful!

The Katskhi Pillar is the fifth well-deserved place for its unusualness. I was interested to see. Would I go a second time? No. But for those who haven't been, it's a must see.

Famous Christian churches and monasteries in Tbilisi and beyond
Sights of Georgia

Almost every Caucasian settlement, be it a metropolis or a small village, is multinational and "multi-confessional", so to speak. Georgia, including Tbilisi, is no exception!

In the capital of Georgia - the city of Tbilisi - many peoples, different religions live. The main majority, of course, are Georgians. But there are also large diasporas of Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Turks, Russians, Ukrainians, Jews and other peoples in the city. Everyone lives together, without big conflicts and upheavals. Accordingly, in Tbilisi one can see Georgian and Armenian Christian churches, Jewish synagogues, Orthodox churches and Muslim mosques.

Many Caucasian peoples, including Georgians, are one of the first who accepted Christianity as a national religion. It happened in the distant year 326. For example, ancient Armenia- This is the first state, the official religion of which was Christianity. The patroness of Georgia is considered Holy Mother of God.

Many tragic events in its history are connected with the fact that Georgia is a Christian state among many Muslim ones. One of them happened in 1226, when Tbilisi was invaded by Shah of Khorezm Jalaladdin. He ordered the local population to desecrate their Christian shrines, icons and churches, but many refused to commit this blasphemous act. Those who refused were brutally executed. The Muslim ruler Jalaladdin did not spare women, children or the elderly. All those who did not accept Islam were killed. And, unfortunately, the history of the Georgian people knows a lot of such sad events.

But the great Georgian people were able to adequately pass this test, they preserved their traditions, their foundations, their religion, their national uniqueness.

There are many Christian churches left in Georgia itself. For example, temples of St. George(one of the most revered Christian saints in the country) in Georgia, there are over 350. Christian churches in the Caucasus are not only a place of spiritual reckoning, but also cultural and educational centers, "fortresses" in which the local population fought off Muslim invaders. Therefore, Christian churches in Georgia are unique in their kind, such churches cannot be seen anywhere else in the world!

		Literally a few kilometers from modern Tbilisi there is ancient city Mtskheta- a symbol of Christianity in Georgia and the national liberation struggle against foreign invaders. The most important architectural structure in the city is a huge Cathedral Svetitskhoveli, which was erected here in the XI century ...

		No less amazing and beautiful in Mtskheta is the ancient church Jvari built in the 6th century. Jvara Temple (Church of the Holy Cross) stands on a high mountain, from where a beautiful panorama opens up to the confluence of two majestic rivers - Aragva and Kura and Tbilisi. From here, this huge city literally looks like a small settlement in the middle of mountains and rivers. Opposite this monastery stands the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral...

		Another attractive Christian church within Tbilisi is the church Anchiskhati, or the church of St. Mary. It is not in Mtskheta, but in Tbilisi itself, in its “old” city. Anchiskhati was built in the VI century, but then it was completely destroyed. In the 17th century it was restored to its original form...

		In the "old" city of Tbilisi there is also one built here back in the 6th-7th centuries. This cathedral was named after the Jerusalem Zion. Tbilisi Zion has a very turbulent history...

		On the central street of Tbilisi - Shota Rustaveli Avenue, there is a church Kashveti, which was erected by the architect L. Bielfeld relatively recently - in 1910. The Kashveti Church is almost an exact copy of the holy Samtavisi Church, built in the 11th century and then completely destroyed...

		Not far from the city river Mtkvari there is a holy temple Metekhi also having a tragic history. Like many Christian churches, this temple was literally “erased” from the face of the earth many times, but each time it was restored again. Metekhi Church was built in the XII century. Prayed here many times Queen Tamara...

		On the holy mountain Mtatsminda, which is located in the very center of the city, stands church of st david built in the middle of the 19th century. According to legend, the foundation of this church was laid by Saint David himself. At the end of the 6th century, he settled here, on the slope of Mount Mtatsminda...

		On Tsereteli Avenue is the Church of the Didube Mother of God, also built in the 19th century. This temple was built on the site of ancient church, which, according to legend, was built by the Georgian king George III in honor of the birth of his daughter, Tamara...

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I planned to visit the Shio-Mgvime Monastery on my first visit to Mtskheta, but then the taxi driver dissuaded us under the pretext that after the rain, 10 km of dirt road would be quite painful, and instead of Shio we ended up in the Ananuri fortress. This time I myself was on wheels, so there was no one to dissuade me. Near the Samtavro monastery, about which there was a story in a post about Mtskheta, a secondary road goes uphill - this is the only car way to the monastery.

There is only one road here, so you won't get lost. Only in one place it bifurcates, but the second part leads to some sensitive facility, fenced with a barrier, you can see it. I don’t know how it is during the rains, but in dry weather we easily overcame all 10 km in a small car.

In the summer, I think it's very beautiful here: