Today in Georgia it is celebrated Christian holiday- day of mention of St. Nino! NINOOBA, this is the name of this holiday in Georgia, the Georgian people greatly value this holiday and Georgians especially revere the enlightener of all Georgians - Saint Nino.

In Georgia, many girls are named Nino, and this time they receive special congratulations.

I congratulate everyone with all my heart on the NINOOBA holiday!

Yes, Saint Nino is especially revered in Georgia, since her merit is enormous and even invaluable in the fact that Georgia has become a Christian country. Saint Nino is considered the enlightener of all Georgians and the heavenly patroness of Georgia, the country where, according to legend, the Most Holy Theotokos was supposed to go for apostolic preaching, bringing the teachings of Christ to new lands. Throughout her entire life, Saint Nino has traveled quite an interesting and Divine path, and it would be good for everyone to get acquainted with historical facts her life.

Saint Equal to the Apostles Nina

Every person has a name. Many of us were named after grandparents or other relatives. And some believe that his parents chose his name completely by accident. If the name is not invented, but given to us in honor of the holy saint of God - the one who glorified the Lord Jesus Christ with his deeds, then it is he who becomes our heavenly patron in the sacrament of Baptism and protects us in the future. life path. He knows our life, knows about our sorrows and tirelessly prays to God for us. Therefore, it is important to know not only the meaning own name, but also the life of your heavenly patron and turn to him for help and support in your prayers. It is no coincidence that it is said: “By name and life.”

If, dear readers, your parents called you this wonderful Christian name, do not forget about the one who glorified him before God and people - Saint Nina, Equal to the Apostles, the enlightener of Georgia.

Saint Nina was born around 280 in the Asia Minor city of Kolastri, in Cappadocia. She was the only daughter of noble and pious parents - the Roman governor Zebulon and Susanna, the sister of the Patriarch of Jerusalem. At the age of twelve, Nina and her parents came to the city of Jerusalem to venerate the shrines. Her ardently religious father decided to become a monk. His wife agreed to this, and Zebulon, having received the blessing of the patriarch, went into the Jordan desert. Susanna became a deaconess at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and Nina was given to be raised by the pious old woman Nianfora.

The holy girl grew in faith and piety. Once, when she was reading the Gospel story about how the soldiers who crucified Christ shared His clothes and one of them received a tunic that the Most Holy Theotokos Herself had woven, Nina thought: such a shrine cannot be lost on earth, and she told her mentor about this.

To the northeast of Jerusalem, the old woman explained, there is the country of Iberia (now Georgia) and in it the city of Mtskheta. The Lord's robe was taken there. But the peoples who live there are pagans.

How! There is such a shrine there, and no one knows about it! - Nina was surprised and began to fervently pray to the Most Holy Theotokos to see that country and find the tunic that the Most Pure Virgin Herself had woven.

The Mother of God heard this prayer. She appeared to Nina in a dream and said:

Go to the Iberian country, preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ there and you will find favor before His Face. I will be your patroness.

But how can I, a weak girl, perform this great service? - Nina was surprised.

In response to this, the Blessed Virgin handed Nina a cross woven from a grapevine:

Take this cross. He will be your shield and fence against all enemies, visible and invisible. By the power of this cross you will bring faith to that country.

When Nina woke up, she saw a cross in her hands. What a miracle! She kissed him tenderly. Then she cut off part of her hair and tied it with a cross in the middle. At that time there was a custom: the owner cut off the hair of a slave and kept it as proof that this person was his slave. Nina dedicated herself to serving the Cross.

She told her uncle, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, about everything, and he joyfully blessed her. He knew that, according to legend, Georgia was considered the destiny Mother of God. When in the 1st century, after the crucifixion of the Lord and His resurrection, the apostles decided to cast lots as to who would preach the Gospel in which country, the Mother of God also wanted to participate in this. She got Georgia. But an angel of God informed Her:

Don't leave Jerusalem now. The country that was given to you by lot will be enlightened later.

Having learned that Princess Ripsimia, her mentor Gaiania and 35 virgins were heading from Jerusalem to Armenia (they fled from Rome from the persecution of Emperor Diocletian), Nina decided to go with them.

Having reached Armenia, the virgins settled outside the capital city and fed on the labor of their hands. But the cruel Diocletian, having heard that Hripsimia was hiding in Armenia, sent a letter to the Armenian king Tiridates (then still a pagan) so that he would find Hripsimia and send her to Rome or, if he wanted, take her as his wife.

Tiridates' servants soon found Hripsimia and brought her to Tiridates. Seeing how beautiful she was, the king decided to make her his wife.

I am engaged to the Heavenly Bridegroom! I am the bride of Christ! You can't touch me! - Hripsimia told him.

This answer angered Tiridates. He - the king - is rejected by a woman! She doesn't want to obey him! She considers him unworthy! Tiridates flew into a rage and ordered Ripsimia to be brutally tortured. After terrible torment, to which the poor girl was subjected, the same fate befell her friends.

Only Nina managed to escape: she disappeared into the bushes of a wild, not yet blooming rose. Praying fervently for her friends, Nina turned her gaze to heaven and unexpectedly saw a bright angel. With a fragrant censer in his hands, accompanied by many celestial beings, he descended to the earth, and from the earth - towards him - the souls of the martyrs ascended. They joined the angels and ascended to heaven with them.

God! Why are you leaving me here alone? - Nina exclaimed.

And I heard the answer:

Don't be sad, wait a little, and you will be in the Kingdom of Heaven. Now get up and go north. A rich harvest is ripening there, but there are no laborers.

Nina obeyed and went north. The journey was long. Finally, she came to the river. It was Kura greatest river Caucasus. On the shore, Nina met shepherds who spoke Armenian. She understood this language: her mentor Nianfora taught it to her.

Where is the city of Mtskheta? - she turned to the shepherds.

Do you see this river? - answered the shepherd. - On its bank downstream stands the great city of Mtskheta. In it our gods reign and our kings reign.

Nina realized that she was in a country where people do not know Christ. How to convince them? How to awaken faith in them? Wasn’t it in vain that she walked for so long and so hard? Exhausted, the girl sat down on a stone and dozed off. A man of majestic appearance appeared to her in a dream; his hair fell over his shoulders, and in his hands he had a scroll written in Greek. Unrolling the scroll, he handed it to Nina.

Strengthened by this vision, Nina confidently continued her journey. Enduring hunger and thirst, overcoming fear of wild animals, she finally got to ancient city Urbnisi. Here she stayed for about a month, getting to know a new people, learning their language and customs. However, its goal was the capital of Iveria - Mtskheta. And then the day came for which Nina made this difficult journey.

Local men gathered in Mtskheta to worship the pagan gods. Nina also went there. When they approached the city, they met numerous carriages of King Mirian and Queen Nana with their entourage. A huge crowd followed them. Everyone rushed to the top of the mountain, at the top of which stood the idols of Aramaz and Zaden.

Carried away by the crowd, Nina headed towards the mountain, to the place where the altar was located.

The people waited with trepidation for the sacrifice to take place. And so the incense burned, sacrificial blood flowed - the blood of innocent people. Trumpets and tympanums thundered. The king and the people fell on their faces. And Nina prayed to God with all her heart: “Almighty God! Scatter these idols like the wind blows away dust. Look with mercy on the people you have created!”

No one heard the words of the prayer, but everyone saw how heavy thunderclouds began to approach the city from the west. There was thunder. Lightning struck the idols, the walls of the temple collapsed, and all this was carried away fast current Chickens.

All the next day the pagans searched for their gods, but in vain. Then someone said:

This means there is another God, He is stronger than Armaz. Maybe this is the God of Christians?

Nina entered Mtskheta under the guise of a wanderer. As she passed by the royal garden, Anastasia, the gardener's wife, came out to meet her. She greeted Nina as a welcome guest, brought her into her house, washed her feet and offered her food. The couple persuaded Nina to stay. They had no children, and they mourned their loneliness. Nina agreed. Anastasia's husband set up a small tent for her in the corner of the garden.

Nina spent day and night in prayer. She converted many pagans to faith. Anastasia, who began to have children through Nina’s prayers, was the first to believe in Christ.

One day, a young woman in the city had a seriously ill baby. Desperate, she went out into the street with him and began to cry out for help. Taking the sick child, Nina brought him to her tent, laid a vine cross on him, and the child recovered.

From that time on, Nina began to openly preach the Gospel and call residents to repentance. Many - and especially Jewish wives - began to visit her often to listen to the new teaching about the Kingdom of God. One of the first to believe was Sidonia, the daughter of the Jewish high priest Abiathar. And soon he himself became a Christian.

One day Abiathar said to Nina:

I heard from my parents, and they from their parents, that my great-grandfather Elioz was in Jerusalem and bought the tunic of Christ from the warrior who received it by lot. Returning home, Elioz learned that during the execution of Christ, his mother felt in her heart the blows of a hammer driving in nails, and exclaimed: “The Kingdom of Israel has perished!” And with these words she died. Sister Eliosa took the tunic, pressed it to her chest and fell dead. No one managed to take the tunic from her hands. So she was buried with him. The burial place remains unknown. However, it was assumed that this place was located in the middle of the royal garden, where a cedar tree itself grew, which has healing powers.

Having heard about this legend, Nina began to pray at this tree at night to find out if the tunic was there. And she had a vision. Flocks of huge black birds flocked to the royal garden. From here they flew to the Aragvi River and washed themselves in its waters. After that, they became white as snow and returned to the garden, sat on the branches of the cedar and sang heavenly songs. Nina understood: local peoples will accept holy baptism, and in place of the cedar there will be a church.

King Miriam did not forbid Nina from preaching the Word of God. After all, Georgia was part of the Roman Empire, where Emperor Constantine patronized Christians. Queen Nana harbored a grudge. However, she soon became very ill. Every day she became worse and worse. The doctors, no matter how hard they tried, could not help her. It was then that the queen was advised to invite the wanderer Nina, who helps everyone. But Nina did not go to the palace. Unexpectedly for everyone, she said:

If the queen wants to be healthy, let her come here to my tent. I believe that she will be healed by the power of Christ my God.

The queen was carried on a stretcher. Behind her came her son Rev and a multitude of people. Nina ordered that the queen be laid out in a tent on a bed of leaves. Kneeling down, Nina prayed long and earnestly. Then, taking the cross, she placed it on the patient’s head, legs and both shoulders, and she felt relief. Having thanked God, Nana immediately said loudly in front of everyone:

Christ is the true God!

But King Mirian himself, despite the miraculous healing of his wife, still hesitated to openly confess Jesus Christ. And after Nina converted a relative of the Persian king Khosroes to faith in his house, Mirian decided to exterminate all Christians: he was afraid of the wrath of Khosroes, who was a fire worshiper.

“I will destroy them,” he told his companions while hunting in the forest. “And if the queen does not renounce Christ, I will destroy her too.”

And then the bright day turned into darkness. A storm arose. Lightning blinded Mirian's eyes, thunder scattered his companions. The king shouted. He began to call on his gods for help. But they were deaf to Mirian’s prayers. Then he exclaimed:

God Nina! Dispel the darkness before my eyes, and I will confess and glorify Your name!

And immediately the darkness dissipated, the storm subsided.

Mirian believed in Jesus Christ. On Nina's advice, he asked Tsar Constantine to send priests to baptize the Georgian people.

Mirian wished, even before the arrival of the priests, to build a temple and chose a place for this in his garden, where the famous cedar stood. The tree was cut down. Six pillars were cut out of its six branches, and the seventh pillar was hewn out of the cedar trunk, but they could not lift it. Nina stayed in the garden and prayed all night. Early in the morning a wondrous young man appeared, entwined fire belt, and said something very quietly to Nina. She immediately fell to the ground and bowed to him. The young man raised the pole. It shone like lightning, illuminating the entire city. And then everyone saw how the pillar sank and stood motionless in the place where the tree grew. Fragrant myrrh began to flow from under its base. Soon the first wooden temple in Georgia was built here. (Nowadays on this site there is a cathedral in honor of the twelve apostles, Svetitskhoveli, which translated from Georgian means “Life-Giving Pillar.”)

Upon the arrival of the priests in the capital, the king and his family received holy baptism. Then the nobles and the rest of the people were baptized.

Avoiding the bustle of people, Nina went to the mountains. She headed to the upper reaches of the Aragvi and Iori rivers, where she preached the Gospel to the mountaineers, and from there to Kakheti. Through her labors, the faith of Christ was established and spread not only in Georgia itself, but also in the adjacent mountainous regions.

In Kakheti, Nina received a revelation about her imminent death. She sent a letter to King Mirian asking him to send Bishop Jacob to her so that he could prepare her for last path. The bishop, the king and all his courtiers urgently went to the saint. They found her still alive. Next to Nina were her students. Nina told them about her life, and one of them - Solomiya Udzharmskaya - wrote down this story.

Having partaken of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, Saint Nina peacefully departed to the Lord. This happened in 335. She was buried in the village of Bodby. At the burial site in 342, King Mirian founded a temple in honor of St. George the Victorious, a relative of Nina. Later it was founded here convent in the name of Saint Nina. The relics of the saint, hidden under a bushel, were glorified by many healings and miracles. The Georgian Orthodox Church, having canonized Nina, called her equal to the apostles, that is, likened to the disciples of Christ - the apostles - in spreading the faith.

The day of remembrance of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina, the enlightener of Georgia, is celebrated on January 27.

Until 458, Nina’s grape cross was preserved in the Mtskheta Cathedral Church. When attacked by enemies, he was hidden in the mountains. In 1749, this cross was brought to Moscow for safekeeping by Metropolitan Roman of Georgia to the Georgian prince Bakaru. Bakar's grandson, Prince George, presented the cross to Alexander I in 1801, when Georgia joined Russia. The Russian Tsar returned this great shrine to Georgia. There, in Tiflis, in Zion cathedral, he was there.

The Robe of the Lord to this day, according to the tradition of the Georgian Orthodox Church, is kept in Mtskheta under the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral.

Many people consider their birthday to be their name day, but this is a mistake. Name day is the day of remembrance of the saint after whom you are named.

The choice of a heavenly patron is determined either by your desire or by the proximity of the saint’s memorial day to the date of your birth or baptism.

On name day, it’s good to come to church, order a prayer service, submit notes about the health of people close to you, and light candles in front of the icons. Orthodox Christians try to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ on this day. You can have a small festive meal at home, invite godparents, relatives, friends.

Pray to God for us,

Holy Equal to the Apostles Nina,

as we diligently resort to you,

ambulance and prayer book

about our souls.

Saint Nina, enlightener of Georgia

Sermon of St. Nina in the 4th century, the Baptism of Georgia, the declaration of Christianity as the state religion in Kartli.
Based on materials from the article “Georgian Orthodox Church” from volume XIII “ Orthodox Encyclopedia", Moscow. 2007

Baptism of Georgia and declaration of Christianity as state. religion is associated with the preaching of St. equal to Nina.Information about its activities in Kartli (East Georgia) was preserved as if it were cargo. legends and historiography, as well as in Greek, Latin, Armenian, Coptic. sources. In the works of Byzantium. church historians of the 5th century. Rufinus of Aquileia(Church history. X. 10), Socrates Scholasticus, Sozomena(Salaman Ermey) and St. Theodoret of Cyrus(Church history. I. 24) a certain “captive” is mentioned who preaches Christianity in Kartli (Iberia), and is identified with St. Nina ; in the composition of Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi tells about the friend of the maidens Hripsimyan (saints Hripsim and Gayan) - Nuneya ( MosesofKhoren. History. 1987. Cap. 86).

The main source for reconstructing the cultural and historical realities of the circulation of the Kingdom of Kartli is the cargo. hagiographic monument Life of St. Nino, preserved in several years. editorial offices. The oldest one entered Moktsevai Kartlisai(Conversion of Kartli, V/VII century) and is considered a protograph created in the period immediately after the Georgians converted to Christianity (i.e., in the mid-IV century). Later versions include the so-called. chronicle edition included by Leontiy Mroveli in Kartlis Tskhovreba(XI century) and metaphrastic version of the XII century. Some researchers (Abashidze Z., Khoshtaria-Brosse E.) believe that Leontiy Mroveli used the one created in more early time lost text. One more the most important source is “The Life of King Mirian”, also included in Kartlis Tskhovreb.

According to the Life of St. Nina was a native of Cappadocia (Kolastra) and was the daughter of a Roman commander. imp. Maximian(284-305) St. Zebulun and St. Sosanne. It is believed that St. Nina was on her father's side cousin St. Vmch. George To the Victorious. After her parents dedicated their lives to the Church, St. Nina was raised in Jerusalem by an old woman from Dvin, an Armenian named Sarah Miafora (Niofora). After hearing her talk about Robe of the Lord, kept in Mtskheta, St. Nina was looking for an opportunity to venerate the shrine. As the metaphrastic version says, one day the Mother of God appeared to her in a dream and blessed her to preach in her destiny (Georgia), handing the girl a cross made of grapevine, which she, upon waking up, wrapped in her hair. A cross with slightly lowered sides (“St. Nino’s cross”) is a symbol of the GOC. In 303, fleeing persecution by Rome. imp. Diocletian, St. Nina, St. Hripsime, St. Gayane and several Christian girls fled to Armenia, where King Trdat III ruled at that time. Saints Hripsime, her friends and Elder Gayane were cruelly tortured, and St. Nina fled north. The oldest version of the Life does not mention the name of Rome. emperor; information from the “Life of King Mirian” dates the date of the martyrdom of Saints Hripsime and Gayane to the time of the reign of Emperor. Licinia (Pataridze. Appeal of Georgians. 2000. pp. 8-16). However, most historians believe that the flight of St. Nina happened much earlier.

On the eve of the day of celebration of the cult, cargo. pagan god Armaz (Aug. 5) St. Nina reached Mtskheta. The saint lived with the gardener of the royal garden of Mtskheta, then with the village. borders of the city in a hut in the blackberry bushes (now the female monastery of Samtavro is located here, a small church of St. Nina was built next to the blackberry bush), healed and preached. Her followers were women from noble families and the royal house: the wife of Prince Revy St. Salome of Ujarma, wife of the Kartli eristav St. Perozhavra Sivniyskaya, wife of St. king Miriana St. queen Nana, to St. Nina healed from a serious illness, the daughter of the rector of the Mtskheta synagogue, St. Aviafar Sidonia.

Life of St. Nina pays special attention to the close connection between the Georgian enlightener and the Jews. communities of Kartli: “priests” from the localities. Bodi (modern Bodbe, Sighnakh district, where the Bodbe Monastery is located; according to another version, modern Ninotsminda, near the city of Ujarma - Z. Kiknadze, T. Mirzashvili), “scribes” from Kodi-Tskaro, “translators of Kananite” from Khobi. Those closest to the court were the “inhabitants of Mtskheta” (“house of Elia”) - a family that considered itself a descendant of the biblical high priest Elijah, who traditionally had the right to serve in the Mtskheta synagogue. From Abiathar and Sidonia St. Nina learned that the Robe of the Lord in the 1st century. brought to Mtskheta by the Levite Elioz (see Art. Georgia), and bowed to the secret burial place of Heaton. On behalf of St. Sidonia and St. Aviafar is narrated in certain chapters of the Life. There are several more. information about the connections of St. Nina from Europe communities of Kartli: thus, even before arriving in Mtskheta, the saint lived for a month in Heb. community Urbnisi (“for the Hebrew language”), and recent years spent her life in places. Bodie, where the Bodie Priests center may have still operated. It is believed that St. Nina gave sermons to the Jews special meaning, since this provided her with a cultural connection with Christ. peace of Syria and Palestine. After the baptism of Kartli and the death of St. Nina ev. educational centers are no longer mentioned in the sources, which is associated with the merger of communities of baptized Jews with the Church ( Kiknadze. The Conversion of Kartli. 1994.S. 41-42).

It is believed that Georgia received Baptism in 326. In the “Life of St. Miriana” describes the king’s conversion to Christianity, the reason for which was a miracle during a hunt on Mount Thothi (c. the modern city of Kaspi), in the vicinity of Mtskheta. Suddenly the sky darkened, the king’s companions fled, and the king offered vain prayers to the pagan deities, then called out to “God Nino,” promising to accept Christianity if saved, and at the same moment he saw the light. The king confessed Christ before St. Ninoy and sent a letter about his desire to be baptized by St. to the queen Elena and her son St. to the king KonstantinIGreat, who sent bishop to Kartli. John, St. Jacob and the deacon. St. Queen Helen donated a piece of the Life-Giving Tree. The king and the court were baptized a little earlier, and then in Mtskheta, at the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari (Kura) rivers, the people were baptized. 1 Oct. The GOC celebrates Svetitkhovloba - an ancient holiday dating back to the time of the Baptism of Kartli: every year on this day the Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia performs a mass baptism of the people in the waters of Aragvi and Mtkvari.

Cargo. writer and theologian of the 11th century. St. Efrem Mtsire, relying on the Antioch Chronograph, he notes that Archbishop arrived in Mtskheta to found and organize the Church. Antioch St. Eustathius(324-330). The source referenced by St. Ephraim, has not survived, but glory exists. chronograph translation made Nikon Montenegrin, which contains the same information that St. Petersburg used. Ephraim. Tradition about the baptism of Georgians, St. Eustathius of Antioch for a long time preserved and reflected on the fresco of the 18th century. Svetitskhoveli Church: St. Eustathius of Antioch presents the Tsar with the Gospel, with Mirian, the Tsarina and the Tsarevich nearby. However, neither the early editions of the life of St. Nina, nor Byzantine works. the authors do not contain any mention of the role of St. Eustathius in the organization of the GOC. These sources (Socr. Schol. Hist. Eccl. I 20; Sozom. Hist. Eccl. I 23) indicate that the first hierarch new Church became archbishop. (mamamtavar) John(20-60s of the 4th century), “a person adorned with both piety and intelligence, and righteous life and respect for the bishops” (Theodoret. Hist. eccl. I 23).

As a sign of the triumph of Christianity in Kartli, on the mountains where pagan idols previously stood, by order of St. Nina crosses were erected: the main one in Mtskheta (later the Jvari temple was built on this site), others on the Thoti mountains (the place of conversion of King Mirian), in the city of Ujarma. The holidays on the occasion of the erection of crosses lasted 52 days: from Friday, March 25 to Sunday, May 15 (Moktsevai Kartlisay. 1963. p. 147-152).

First load. It was decided to build the temple on the site of a 300-year-old cedar, which grew over the burial of St. Sidonia and the Robe of the Lord. The founding of the temple was accompanied by miracles: after the tireless prayers of St. Nina’s trunk, which had previously been impossible to cut down, miraculously rose into the sky and landed on the site intended for construction, becoming the first pillar of the church. The sick began to be brought to him, and they were healed. The pillar was surrounded by a wooden fence and the Svetitskhoveli Church (Georgian: Life-giving Pillar) was built around it. sources call it the “Holy of Holies.” As the life of St. Nina, the temple was shrouded in special holiness, and “no one dared to enter there except on Sunday, only the monks sang psalms there” (Ibid. p. 160). According to Kartlis Tskhovreba, numerous miracles and signs took place at the myrrh-streaming pillar of Svetitskhoveli, and soon particles of the tree spread throughout the country. Fearing that the pillar will be so. divided into parts, the king with the consent of the archbishop. Jacob of Mtskheta, in order to preserve the shrine, ordered the miraculous pillar to be covered with limestone, and a cross carved from the same wood to be installed on top - the so-called. Life-Giving Tree (Life of the King of Kings David // KTs. T. 1. P. 131-132) .

Asking for help in church construction An embassy headed by Bishop went to K-pol. John. Imp. Constantine handed him the foot of the Holy Cross, the Nails of the Savior, church utensils, icons and money, and also sent builders to Kartli, who founded churches in Tsunda, Erusheti (where Bishop John left the Nail), Manglisi (where he handed over the foot of the Cross) , then stone churches in Mtskheta (Samtavro Svetitskhoveli), and also baptized other peoples of the Kartli kingdom. Information from sources about church construction during the time of St. King Mirian is also confirmed by archaeological research. Thus, traces of altars of the 4th century. were discovered in Manglisi, in the lower layers of the floor of the Mtskheta temples of Samtavro and Svetitskhoveli, ca. Samtavro found the tombstone of the main architect and painter (Greek?) Aurelius Akolla from the Greek. inscription (Kaukhchishvili. 2004. Inscription No. 236. P. 256) .

Life of St. Nina says that St. Nina, priest Jacob and “a certain eristav” (the king’s deputy) preached in the mountainous regions of the East. Georgia. But the population of the Aragvi and Iori gorges, to the north. from Mtskheta, refused to accept the new faith. Sources (Moktsevai Kartlisay) mention that those who refused to accept Christ. faith, were forced to pay more tribute. Parts of euro. diaspora, which adopted Christianity, St. King Mirian granted the status of citizens of Mtskheta, which gave the right to land ownership and other privileges (Pataridze. 2004. pp. 62-68) . The rest of the Jews, after the baptism of Aviathar and the consecration of the Mtskheta synagogue, moved to other regions of the country.

Archaeological research confirms the information of “Moktsevai Kartlisay” about active church construction in the 4th century. During this period, Ninotsminda, Bolnisi Sioni, temples in Tsilkani and Nekresi were built; In Vardisubani, during excavations, the remains of a round church dating from the Mirian era were discovered ( Kipiani. 2003. pp. 34-39; Bolkvadze. 1998. pp. 72-79).

Years in the city of Kolastra, in Cappadocia, where there were many Georgian settlements, in the family of saints Zebulon and Sosanna. Zebulon came from a noble family, from pious parents, and enjoyed the favor of Emperor Maximian (284-305). While on military service from the emperor, Zebulon, as a Christian, contributed to the release of captive Gauls who converted to Christianity. Saint Nina's mother, Sosanna, was the sister of the Patriarch of Jerusalem.

Twelve years old, Saint Nina came to Jerusalem with her parents, who had an only daughter. By their mutual consent and with the blessing of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Zebulon dedicated his life to serving God in the deserts of Jordan, Sosanna was made a deaconess at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the upbringing of Saint Nina was entrusted to the pious old woman Nianphora. Saint Nina showed obedience and diligence and two years later, with the help of God’s grace, she firmly learned to follow the rules of faith and read the Holy Scriptures with zeal.

Once, when she, crying, empathized with the evangelist describing the crucifixion of Christ the Savior, her thought stopped on the fate of the Robe of the Lord (John 19, 23-24). In response to St. Nina’s question where the Robe of the Lord resides, Elder Nianfora explained that the unsewn Robe of the Lord, according to legend, was taken by the Mtskheta rabbi Eleazar to Iveria (Georgia). Having learned from Elder Nianfora that Georgia had not yet been enlightened by the light of Christianity, Saint Nina prayed day and night to the Most Holy Theotokos, may she be worthy to see Georgia turned to the Lord, and may she help her to find the Robe of the Lord.

One day the Most Pure Virgin appeared to her in a dream and, handing her 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".

Having awakened, Saint Nina saw a cross in her hands, rejoiced in spirit and tied the cross with her braids. Then, coming to her uncle, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, she told about the vision. The Patriarch of Jerusalem blessed the young virgin for the feat of apostolic service.

On her way to Georgia, Saint Nina miraculously escaped martyrdom from the Armenian king Tiridates III, to which her companions were subjected - Princess Hripsimia, her mentor Gaiania and 35 virgins who were converted by Saint Nina and fled from Rome to Armenia from the persecution of Emperor Diocletian (284-305). The Lord was preparing a different fate for Saint Nino, so He inspired her to hide in a rose bush. When the danger had passed and the punishers dispersed, Saint Nino continued on her way.

Near Lake Paravani she met shepherds from Mtskheta, who told her about their region and said that they would soon return home. Having again received the blessing from the Lord to preach to the pagans, Nino asked the shepherds for permission to accompany them. Strengthened by visions of the Angel of the Lord, who appeared the first time with a censer, and the second with a scroll in his hand, having endured great difficulties on the way, Saint Nina finally reached Georgia in the year. She arrived in the city of Urbnisi and remained there for some time. Soon she, along with the pagan Urbnisians who went to worship the Armaz idol, arrived in Mtskheta, the capital of Georgia.

Her fame soon spread throughout the surrounding area, for her preaching was accompanied by many signs. On the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord, through the prayer of Saint Nina, during a pagan sacrifice performed by the priests in the presence of King Mirian and numerous people, they were overthrown from high mountain idols - Armaz, Gatsi and Gaim. This phenomenon was accompanied by a strong storm and hail. The frightened crowd fled in fear in different directions.

Saint Nina found shelter in the family of a childless royal gardener, whose wife, Anastasia, through the prayers of Saint Nina, was relieved of infertility. Then the couple glorified Christ and became disciples of the holy virgin. Followers of the Christian faith were drawn to Saint Nino, and soon she became so famous that many pagans began to turn to her for help and, having received it, believed in Christ. The saint went to a secluded place near northern line city, where she settled in a hut in the blackberry bushes (and where the Samtavro monastery later arose), and from there she continued her preaching.

Saint Nina healed the Georgian Queen Nana from a serious illness, who, having received holy baptism, from an idolater became a zealous Christian. But, despite the miraculous healing of his wife, King Mirian (265-342), heeding the instigations of the pagans, was ready to subject Saint Nina to cruel torture. One day, during a royal hunt on Mount Tkhotskaya, while he was plotting the execution of the holy righteous woman, the sun darkened and an impenetrable darkness covered the place where the king was. Mirian suddenly went blind, and his horrified retinue began to beg their pagan idols for the return of daylight. " But Armaz, Zaden, Gaim and Gatsi were deaf, and the darkness increased. Then the frightened unanimously cried out to God, Whom Nina preached. The darkness instantly dissipated, and the sun illuminated everything with its rays". This event took place on May 6 of the year.

King Mirian, healed of blindness by Saint Nina, received holy baptism along with his retinue. After several years of the year, Christianity finally established itself in Georgia.

The chronicles tell that, through her prayers, it was revealed to Saint Nina where the Robe of the Lord was hidden, and the first one in Georgia was erected there christian temple- first a wooden, and now a stone cathedral in the name of the 12 holy Apostles, Svetitskhoveli. By that time, with the help of the Byzantine emperor Constantine (306-337), who at the request of King Mirian sent the Antiochian bishop Eustathius, two priests and three deacons to Georgia, Christianity was finally strengthened in the country. However mountainous areas Georgians remained unenlightened. Accompanied by the presbyter Jacob and one deacon, Saint Nina went to the upper reaches of the Aragvi and Iori rivers, where she preached the Gospel to the pagan mountaineers. Many of them believed in Christ and received holy baptism. From there Saint Nina went to Kakheti and settled in the village of Bodbe, in a small tent on the slope of a mountain. Here she led an ascetic life, being in constant prayer, turning the surrounding residents to Christ. Among them was the Queen of Kakheti Soja (Sofia), who was baptized along with her courtiers and many people.

Having completed her apostolic service in Georgia, Saint Nina was informed from above of her imminent death. In a message to King Mirian, she asked him to send Bishop John to prepare her for her final journey. Not only Bishop John, but also the Tsar himself, along with all the clergy, went to Bodbe, where they witnessed many healings at St. Nina’s deathbed. Edifying the people who came to worship her, Saint Nina, at the request of her disciples, spoke about her origin and life. This story, written down

Women of enlightenment in Georgia, where this holiday is called “Ninooba” and is celebrated especially solemnly.

In connection with the holiday, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II will hold a divine service in the Zion Cathedral of the Assumption on the morning of January 27 Holy Mother of God. The head of the Georgian Orthodox Church will also serve a prayer service in honor of the day of remembrance of the country's Christian enlightener on January 26 in the evening. In the Zion Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary there is kept a cross made of grapevine, entwined with the hair of St. Nino, from which the enlightener came to Georgia. Parishioners will be able to venerate the shrine after the prayer service and on the day of remembrance of the Saint. The Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates Saint Nino twice a year: on January 27, the day of her death, and June 1, the day of her coming to Georgia.

Life

Saint Nino was born around 280 in the city of Kolastri, in Cappadocia, where there were many Georgian settlements. Like many saints, she came from a noble family. Her father Zabulon was a relative of St. George the Victorious, her mother Susanna was the sister of the Jerusalem Patriarch Juvenal.

Saint Equal to the Apostles Nino

Nino’s missionary feat was largely inspired by an event that happened to her in her early youth. At the age of 12, Nina came with her parents to Jerusalem. Here her father, with the blessing of the patriarch, went into the wilderness, and her mother was appointed deaconess at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Nino was given to be raised by the pious elder Nianfora, who was engaged in her spiritual education. The Holy Land, where the Savior was born, preached and performed miracles, died on the cross and was resurrected, shook the girl’s soul.

Once, while reading the evangelist describing the execution of Jesus Christ, the thought came to her, where is the Robe of the Lord now, which was given by lot to one of the Roman soldiers. It cannot be that such a great shrine should perish irrevocably.

She learned from Nianfora that, according to legend, the unsewn Chiton of the Lord (the Savior’s robe, woven by the Most Pure Mother) was bought from Roman soldiers by the Mtskheta rabbi Elioz and taken to Iveria (Georgia). And then young Nino decided that she should be the one to find this great shrine. The future Saint tirelessly prayed to the Most Holy Theotokos to help her find the Robe of the Lord. And one day Nino dreamed that the Mother of God gave her a cross made of grapevine and sent her to Iveria to preach the Gospel. Waking up, Nino found this grape cross in her hand. She kissed him tenderly. Then she cut off part of her hair and tied it with a cross in the middle, thereby dedicating herself to his service.

The Cross of Saint Nino, Equal to the Apostles, which was awarded to “persons who received active participation in the restoration of Orthodoxy in the Caucasus"

She went to her uncle, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, to tell about the vision and her decision. Seeing in what happened a sign of God's Providence, he blessed the young virgin for the feat of apostolic service.

A thorny path Having learned that Princess Ripsimia, her mentor Gaiania and 35 Christian virgins who fled Rome from the persecution of Emperor Diocletian were heading from Jerusalem to Armenia, Nino decided to go with them.

On the way to Georgia, Saint Nino miraculously escaped martyrdom from the Armenian king Trdat III, to which all her companions were subjected.

Strengthened by visions of the Angel of the Lord, who appeared the first time with a censer, and the second time with a scroll in her hand, Saint Nino continued her journey and appeared in Georgia in 319. The fame of her soon spread in the vicinity of Mtskheta, for her preaching was accompanied by many signs. Thus, on the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord, through the prayer of Saint Nino, during a pagan sacrifice performed by the priests in the presence of King Mirian and numerous people, the idols Armaz, Gatsi and Gaim were thrown down from a high mountain by a strong storm.

Baptism of Georgia

The first converts to Christ were the childless royal gardener and his wife Anastasia, with whom Saint Nino settled. With her prayer, she helped Anastasia recover from infertility.

Cross of St. Nino in the Jvari Monastery

Having learned about the power of the prayers of the righteous woman, crowds of the sick and suffering soon began to flock to her. Many of those who received healing through Nino’s prayers were soon baptized.

Georgia was then under the rule of the Roman Empire, where Christianity had already established itself, so King Mirian was forced not to prevent the Saint from preaching Christ in his city. However, Mirian's wife, Queen Nana, was a zealous worshiper of idols. Cured by Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina, she believed in Christ and from an idolater became a zealous Christian, but her husband was in no hurry to convert to the true faith. There is a legend that during the hunt of King Mirian, darkness suddenly descended, the king for the first time made a prayer to God, whom Nino preached, and the light illuminated the entire sky. It was after this incident that he believed in God.

Diptych of the icon of the Mother of God and St. Nina from Tbilisi

King Mirian and Queen Nana, together with their children and relatives, received Holy Baptism in the waters of the Aragvi River. After several years, in 324, Christianity was declared the state religion in Georgia.

First Church

Sacred Tradition testifies that in the 1st century AD, Rabbi Elioz, who was present at the crucifixion of the Lord and protested against the unjust judgment of the Sanhedrin, bought the Robe of the Lord from the Roman soldiers and, arriving in Mtskheta, handed it over to his pious sister Sidonia. The girl, who heard about the preaching of Christ and recognized Him as the Messiah, took this Shrine in her hands and died on the spot. Heaton could not be freed from her embrace, and she was buried with him. It grew on Sidonia's grave big tree, which became sacred for the inhabitants of Mtskheta, he was worshiped as an unknown deity.

Service at the Svetitskhoveli Temple in Mtskheta

Three centuries later, Saint Nina, Equal to the Apostles, came to Georgia, who from childhood wanted to come to Iveria to venerate the great shrine. Having brought the Good News to Mtskheta, she asked King Mirian to cut down this tree, make four crosses from it and install these crosses on the tops of the mountains on the four sides of the then Georgian state.

When the Tree was miraculously cut down and laid on the ground, healing, blessed myrrh began to flow from the remaining pillar, which flowed until the 17th century, before the invasion of the Persian Shah Abbas. The pillar began to be called the life-giving pillar - in Georgian Svetitskhoveli. The first church in Georgia was erected above it, consecrated in honor of the twelve apostles of Christ. By that time, with the help of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine (306 - 337), who at the request of King Mirian sent the Antiochian Bishop Eustathius, two priests and three deacons to Georgia, Christianity was finally established in the country.

Svetitskhoveli Temple in Mtskheta

In the first half of the 11th century, the architect Arsukidze on the site wooden church erected a majestic cathedral.

Thus, main cathedral The Georgian church stands on the burial site of the Robe of the Lord, which is still located in this holy place. All the main church events of the Georgian Church, in particular the enthronement of the Catholicos-Patriarch, take place precisely in.

Apostolic ministry

Despite the fact that Christianity was declared the state religion in Georgia, the mountainous regions of the country remained unenlightened. Accompanied by the presbyter Jacob and one deacon, Saint Nino went to the headwaters of the Aragvi and Iori rivers, where she preached the Gospel to the pagan mountaineers. Many of them believed in Christ and received holy Baptism. From there Saint Nino went to Kakheti (Eastern Georgia) and settled in the village of Bodbe, in a small tent on the slope of a mountain. There she led an ascetic life, constantly praying, turning the surrounding residents to Christ. Among them was the Queen of Kakheti Soja (Sophia), who received Baptism along with her courtiers and many people.

Reproduction of the icon “St. Nina Equal to the Apostles”

Having completed her apostolic service in Georgia, Saint Nino was informed from above of her imminent death. In a letter to King Mirian, she asked to send Bishop John to prepare her for her last journey. The king, together with all the clergy, went to Bodbe, where at the deathbed of Saint Nino they witnessed many healings.

Instructing the people who came to worship her, Saint Nino, at the request of her disciples, spoke about her origin and life. This story, recorded by Solomiya of Ujarma, served as the basis for the life of Saint Nino. Having partaken of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, Saint Nino bequeathed that her body should be buried in Bodbe, and peacefully departed to the Lord. This happened in 335, at the 67th year of birth, after 35 years of apostolic exploits.

Tomb of St. Nino in Bodbe

At the burial site in 342, King Mirian founded a temple in honor of St. George the Victorious, a relative of Nina. Later a convent was founded here.

The relics of the Saint, hidden under a bushel, were glorified by many healings and miracles. The Georgian Orthodox Church, canonizing Nino as a Saint, called her equal to the apostles, that is, similar to the disciples of Christ - the apostles in spreading the faith.

Traditions

In Georgia, Saint Nino is revered as an educator and heavenly patroness of Georgia. In the capital of Georgia alone, there are five churches of St. Nino, where the holiday of Ninoba is celebrated especially solemnly. On days dedicated to Saint ceremonial services pass in everyone Orthodox churches countries.

Orthodox holiday of Ninooba in Bodbe

Every year in summer large group children, teenagers and young people make a pilgrimage in the footsteps of the Equal-to-the-Apostles enlightener of Georgia. The route fully corresponds to the route of St. Nino in Georgia.

Saint Nino completed the feat of her life in the village of Bodbe (Kakheti, Eastern Georgia). A cathedral was erected over the grave of the saint in the name of the heavenly patrons of Georgia - St. George the Victorious and Nino - a three-nave basilica of the 9th century. Currently, the largest convent in Georgia operates at the temple. In the gorge to the northeast of the monastery there is the source of St. Nino (Ninos Tskaro) with healing water. Currently, a bathhouse and a small church have been built there in the name of her parents - Saints Zebulun and Susanna.

Saint Equal to the Apostles Nina, the enlightener of Georgia, was born around 280 in the city of Kolastri, in Cappadocia, where there were many Georgian settlements.

Her father Zabulon was a relative of the holy Great Martyr George (April 23, Old Style). He came from a noble family from pious parents and enjoyed the favor of Emperor Maximian (284-305). While in the military service of the emperor, Zabulon, as a Christian, contributed to the release of captive Gauls who converted to Christianity. Saint Nina's mother, Susanna, was the sister of the Jerusalem patriarch.

Equal to the Apostles Nina of Georgia. Miniature. Athos (Iveron Monastery). End of the 15th century. Since 1913 it has been in the Russian Public (now National) Library in St. Petersburg

When she was twelve years old, Saint Nina came to Jerusalem with her parents, who had an only daughter. By their mutual agreement and with the blessing of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Zebulon dedicated his life to serving God in the deserts of Jordan.

Susanna was made a deaconess at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the education of Saint Nina was entrusted to the pious old woman Nianfora. Saint Nina showed obedience and diligence, and two years later, with the help of God’s grace, she firmly followed the rules of faith and read the Holy Scriptures with zeal.

Once, when she, crying, empathized with the evangelist describing the crucifixion of Christ the Savior, her thought stopped on the fate of the Robe of the Lord (John 19:23,24). When asked by Saint Nina where the incorruptible Robe of the Lord resides (celebration - October 1), Elder Nianfora explained that, according to legend, it was taken by the Mtskheta rabbi Eleazar to Iveria (Georgia), called the lot of the Mother of God.

Having learned 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.

Once, when Saint Nina was resting after long prayers, the Most Pure Virgin appeared to her in a dream and handed her a cross woven from a vine with the words: “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, and I will be your Protector.”

Having awakened, Saint Nina saw the cross in her hands (now it is kept in a special ark in the Tbilisi Zion Cathedral) and rejoiced in spirit. The Patriarch of Jerusalem blessed the young virgin for the feat of apostolic service.

On the way to Georgia, Saint Nina miraculously escaped martyrdom from the Armenian king Tiridates, to which her companions were subjected - Princess Hripsimia, her mentor Gaiania and 35 virgins (September 30), who fled to Armenia from Rome from the persecution of Emperor Diocletian (284-305). ). Strengthened by visions of the angel of the Lord, who appeared the first time with a censer, and the second time with a scroll in her hand, Saint Nina continued her journey and appeared in Georgia around 319.

The fame of her soon spread in the vicinity of Mtskheta, where she labored, for her preaching was accompanied by many signs. On the day of the glorious Transfiguration of the Lord, through the prayer of St. Nina, during a pagan sacrifice performed by the priests in the presence of King Mirian and numerous people, the idols Armaz, Gatsi and Gaim were cast down from a high mountain. This phenomenon was accompanied by a strong storm.

Entering Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia, Saint Nina found shelter in the family of a childless royal gardener, whose wife, Anastasia, through the prayers of Saint Nina, was relieved of infertility and believed in Christ. Saint Nina healed the Georgian Queen Nana from a serious illness, who, having received holy baptism, from an idolater became a zealous Christian (her memory is celebrated on October 1).

Despite the miraculous healing of his wife, King Mirian (265-342), heeding the instigations of the pagans, was ready to subject Saint Nina to cruel torture. At this time the sun darkened, and an impenetrable darkness covered Mtskheta.

The king suddenly became blind, and his horrified retinue began to beg the pagan idols for the return of daylight, but in vain. Then the frightened ones cried out to God, Whom Nina preached. Instantly the darkness dissipated and the sun shone.

King Mirian, healed of blindness by Saint Nina, received holy baptism together with his retinue. In 324, Christianity finally established itself in Georgia.

The chronicles tell that, through her prayers, it was revealed to Saint Nina where the Robe of the Lord was hidden, and the first Christian church in Georgia was erected on this place - first a wooden, and now a stone cathedral in honor of the 12 Holy Apostles, called Svetitskhoveli, which means “life-giving pillar". By that time, with the help of the Byzantine emperor Constantine (306-337), who at the request of King Mirian sent a bishop, two priests and three deacons to Georgia, Christianity was finally strengthened in the country.

However, the mountainous regions of Georgia remained unenlightened. Accompanied by the presbyter Jacob and one deacon, Saint Nina went to the upper reaches of the Aragvi and Iori rivers, where she preached the Gospel to the pagan mountaineers. Many of them received holy baptism.

From there Saint Nina went to Kakheti (Eastern Georgia) and settled in the village of Bodbe, in a small tent on the slope of a mountain. Here she led an ascetic life, being in constant prayer and turning the surrounding residents to Christ. Among them was the Queen of Kakheti Soja (Sofia), who was baptized along with the courtiers and many people.

Having completed her apostolic service in Georgia, Saint Nina was informed from above of her imminent death. In a message to King Mirian, she asked him to send Bishop John to prepare her for her final journey.

Equal to the Apostles Nina, enlightener of Georgia

Not only Bishop John, but also the Tsar himself, together with the clergy, went to Bodbe, where they witnessed many healings at the deathbed of St. Nina. Edifying the people who came to worship her, Saint Nina, at the request of her disciples, spoke about her origin and life. This story, recorded by Salome of Ujarma, served as the basis for the life of Saint Nina.

Having reverently partook of the holy mysteries, Saint Nina bequeathed that her body should be buried in Bodbe, and peacefully departed to the Lord in 335 (according to other sources - in 347), at the 67th year of birth after 35 years of apostolic labors. The Tsar, the clergy and the people, grieving over the death of Saint Nina, wanted to transfer her venerable body to the Mtskheta Cathedral Church, but could not move the ascetic’s coffin from her chosen resting place.

Editor's response

On January 27, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Remembrance Day Saint Equal to the Apostles Nina, educators of Georgia. Equal to the Apostles Orthodox Church names saints who became especially famous for preaching the Gospel and converting peoples to the Christian faith.

Girl from Cappadocia

Saint Nina Equal to the Apostles was born around 280 in Cappadocia. Her father, Zabulon, came from a noble family and was in the military service of Emperor Maximian, and her mother, Susanna, was the sister of the Jerusalem Patriarch Juvenal.

Nina was the only child of her parents. When the girl was 12 years old, she and her parents came to Jerusalem, where her mother became a deaconess at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and her father devoted his life to serving God in the deserts of Jordan.

Tales and dreams about the country of Iberia

Cross of St. Nina. Photo: wikipedia.org

At the age of 12, Nina was entrusted to be raised by Elder Nianfora, who often told her about Iveria (present-day Georgia), then still a pagan country. Hearing her stories, Nina wanted to visit Iberia.

One day the Most Pure Virgin appeared to Nina in a dream and handed over a cross woven from a vine, with the words: “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.”

Having awakened, Saint Nina saw a cross in her hands (now kept in a special ark in the Tbilisi Zion Cathedral), she rejoiced in spirit and, coming to her uncle, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, told about the vision. The Patriarch of Jerusalem blessed the young virgin for the feat of apostolic service.

Another time, the Savior appeared to Nina and gave her a scroll in which it was written: “Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

Baptism of Georgia

Having received the blessing of the patriarch and mother, Nina set off on the road. On the way to Iberia, Saint Nina miraculously escaped martyrdom from the Armenian king Tiridates, to which her companions—Princess Hripsimia, her mentor Gaiania and 35 girls who fled to Armenia from Rome from the persecution of Emperor Diocletian (284-305)—were subjected.

Nina reached Iveria in 319. Entering Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia, Saint Nina found shelter in the family of a childless royal gardener, whose wife, Anastasia, through the prayers of Saint Nina, was relieved of infertility and believed in Christ.

Very soon Nina became famous in the surrounding area, helping many suffering people. Having learned about the power of her prayers, people began to come to her. Many of them believed in God and were baptized.

Saint Nina healed the Georgian Queen Nana from a serious illness, who also received baptism and became a zealous Christian. King Mirian, despite the miraculous healing of his wife, listening to the pagans, hated Saint Nina and even wanted to put her to death. But one day while hunting he was caught in a thunderstorm, and he was blinded by lightning. The king promised to convert to Christianity if his sight returned. Saint Nina healed a supporter of paganism, and Mirian, along with his retinue, was baptized.

The chronicles tell that, through her prayers, it was revealed to Saint Nina where the Robe of the Lord was hidden, and the first Christian church in Georgia was erected there (initially a wooden, now a stone cathedral in honor of the 12 holy Apostles, Svetitskhoveli).

After several years, in 324, Christianity finally established itself in Iberia. A few years later, Nina went to Kakheti, where she converted Queen Sophia to Christianity.

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta. Photo: RIA Novosti / Alexey Kudenko

Memorial Day of St. Nina

Having completed her apostolic service in Georgia, Saint Nina was informed from above of her imminent death. In a letter to King Mirian, she asked him to send Bishop John to prepare her for her final journey. Not only Bishop John, but also the Tsar himself, together with all the clergy, went to Bodbe, where they witnessed many healings at the deathbed of St. Nina. Edifying the people who came to worship her, Saint Nina, at the request of her disciples, spoke about her origin and life. This story, written down Solomiya Ujarmskaya, served as the basis for the life of St. Nina.

Saint Nina bequeathed that her body should be buried in Bodbe. She died on January 27 (January 14, old style) 335 (according to other sources, in 347, in the 67th year from birth, after 35 years of apostolic exploits).

The tsar, clergy and people, grieving over the death of Saint Nina, wanted to transfer her remains to the Mtskheta cathedral church, but could not move the ascetic’s coffin from her chosen resting place. At this place in 342, King Mirian founded, and his son King Bakur (342-364) completed and consecrated a temple in the name of Saint Nina’s relative, the Holy Great Martyr George; later a convent in the name of St. Nina was founded here.

The relics of the saint, hidden under a bushel by her command, were glorified by many healings and miracles. The Georgian Orthodox Church, with the consent of the Antioch Patriarchate, named the enlightener of Georgia equal to the apostles and, having canonized her, established her memory on January 27, the day of her death.

Why is Saint Nina considered the patroness of Georgia?

In Georgia, Saint Nina is revered more than all the saints and is considered their patroness. She became famous for preaching the Gospel and converting the inhabitants of Iveria (present-day Georgia) to the Christian faith. In 326 AD Christianity in ancient Georgia became the state religion thanks to the sermons of St. Nina, Equal-to-the-Apostles.

Bodbe Monastery. Photo: wikipedia.org

What is the holiday called in Georgia?

In Georgia, St. Nina's Day is called Ninooba. The Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates Saint Nino twice a year: on January 27, the day of her death, and June 1, the day of her coming to Georgia. In the capital of Georgia alone, there are five churches erected in honor of the saint, and in the Zion Cathedral of the Assumption of the Mother of God there is a cross made of grapevine, entwined with her hair.

How is the holiday celebrated in Georgia?

The Ninooba holiday is celebrated especially solemnly in Georgia. Services on this day are held not only in the capital, but also in all other Orthodox churches in the country. Every year in the summer, a large group of children, teenagers and young people make a pilgrimage in the footsteps of the Equal-to-the-Apostles enlightener of Georgia.