The patron saint of women named Nina is Saint Equal to the Apostles Nina. Icon of St. Equal to the Apostles Nina Where are the relics of St. Nina in Georgia

Kakheti is a beautiful region

We continue our acquaintance with the shrines of ancient and eternally young Georgia, which never cease to amaze the imagination.
This time we visited its eastern part, Kakheti, where, in close proximity to the city of Sighnaghi, in a picturesque area at the foot of the Caucasus Range, the Bodbe Monastery is located - the monastery where Saint Nina, Equal to the Apostles, the enlightener of Georgia, rests. It was this place that the saint chose as her final refuge.

Alazani Valley

Everything here is beautiful and majestic. Already in the immediate vicinity of the monastery, a pleasing view of the fertile Alazani Valley opens up, surrounded by snow-capped peaks of the Caucasus Mountains rising into the stern sky

In the distance is the Alazani Valley

Then a slender bell tower appears, immersed in the greenery of trees. Everything here breathes grace and holiness. The monastery is very ancient.
According to chronicles, it was founded immediately after the end of St. Nina, in the first half of the 4th century. This, obviously, was the will of the saint.

The Georgian king Mirian, who was converted to Christianity by Nina, wanted to move the body of the great enlightener to the capital - Mtskheta, but two hundred people were unable to move the remains from the place. The grave of St. Nina became a particularly revered place; a temple was built over it - a majestic basilica.
Let us turn to the life of Saint Nina, Equal to the Apostles, which in itself is wonderful and instructive.

As you know, Saint Nina was from Cappadocia, from a noble and pious family. Her father, Zabulon, the commander of the Roman Emperor Maximian, who converted ten Gallic principalities to Christianity, was married to the sister of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Sosanna. Their only daughter was St. Nina.

St. Nina was 12 years old when the family left their homeland and headed to Jerusalem. Having distributed all his property to the poor, Zebulun retired to the Jordan desert, Sosanna looked after the weak. Nina’s uncle, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, gave her upbringing to the pious Christian Sarah from Bethlehem, a servant of the Holy Sepulcher.


At the age of 14 St. The Most Holy Theotokos appeared to Nina and informed her of her high destiny - to preach the True Faith in the earthly lot of the Virgin Mary herself - in Iveria (Georgia). Having blessed her for the apostolic feat, as a sign of God's Favor, the Most Holy Theotokos handed her a cross made of a vine, which Nina wrapped around with her hair (St. Nina's Cross is currently kept in Tbilisi, in the Zion Cathedral).
In Georgia, St. Nina accomplished her ministry through many efforts. Through her prayers, Queen Nana was healed from a serious illness and believed in the True God, and after her King Mirian himself. Soon the entire people were baptized in the waters of the Aragvi River in Mtskheta (the ancient capital of Georgia).

Having accomplished his feat, St. Nina reposed in the village of Bodbe and was buried there by God's Providence. The Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles King Mirian, wanting to honor the Enlightener of Georgia, intended to transfer the relics of the Saint to Mtskheta, to the Svetitskhoveli Church, where the Robe of the Lord is located, but two hundred people were unable to move her small bed. The king and all the people mourned their enlightener for 30 days. Soon St. King Mirian built a temple over the grave of the Pleasant of God. And before his death, he bequeathed to his wife: “You, Nana, if God willing, after my death, divide the royal treasury into two parts and donate one to the grave of St. Nina, so that this place will be unshakable forever and ever.”


Since then, the Bodbe Monastery has been a witness to many interesting historical events.
In the 5th century St. the blessed king Vakhtang Gorgasali expanded and decorated the temple-tomb. The temple acquired the form of a three-nave basilica in the 8th-9th centuries.


In the 12th century Tsar Dmitry I, son of St. the blessed king David the Builder, re-equipped and decorated the tomb of St. Nina.
The burial place of the Enlightener of Georgia was so revered that even the Tatar-Mongols, who ravaged the entire country, did not dare to desecrate the saint, although they caused considerable damage to the temple.

In the Middle Ages, Bodbe Cathedral became the place of coronation of the Kakheti kings. It is significant that the Persian Shah Abbas I himself was present at the coronation of Teimuraz I (1589-1663), although this did not prevent him from destroying the monastery a few years later. Subsequently, Teimuraz I himself worked hard to restore the temple.


From the second half of the 17th century. a theological seminary functioned in Bodbe, and from the 18th century. there was a monastery here with quite a large brethren.


In the first half of the 19th century. The Bodbe diocese was headed by an outstanding spiritual shepherd, Metropolitan John (in the world Prince Makashvili). Under him, in 1823, the temple was restored and re-painted, and a new iconostasis was installed (which still exists today).

Later, under the leadership of Archimandrite Nikoloz Mikeladze, a three-story bell tower was built. But in general in the 19th century. Due to the abolition of the autocephaly of the Georgian Apostolic Church in 1811, the Bodbe Monastery experienced many difficulties. During this difficult time for the monastery, the recognized hagiographer and icon painter Mikhail Sabinin worked hard for the benefit of the monastery. His tireless activity prepared the ground for the founding of a nunnery here.
At the end of the same century, the grave of St. Nina in Bodbe was visited by Russian Emperor Alexander III and by his decree a convent was opened here. The first nuns of the newly opened monastery were 12 sisters from different monasteries in Russia.

In 1902-1906 The abbess of the monastery was Abbess Juvenalia II (in the world Princess Tamara Alexandrovna Mardzhanishvili, in the schema Mother Tamar, sister of the famous Georgian director Kote Mardzhanishvili), who later became famous for her activities in Russia.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the number of sisters reached 300. In the very first year of the monastery’s existence, a one-class school was opened in it, which was soon transformed into a two-class school, and then into a second class; when a pedagogical course was introduced at the Bodbe School, it began to graduate teachers for primary schools.
In 1906, by decree of Emperor Nicholas II, the monastery was awarded the title of a first-class monastery.

From the words of Sir Oliver Wardrop, who visited the monastery in 1919, after the restoration of autocephaly of the Georgian Church (1918), one can imagine what the monastery was like at the beginning of the 20th century. He wrote admiringly about this visit to his wife:

“As we approached the monastery, a triumphal arch (of foliage and flowers) appeared. We were received by the abbess (Princess Vachnadze). The sisters of the monastery were all in black vestments, with their headdresses raised high, the girls of the monastery school (all in white dresses) ... The priest invited me to a small church, built for the first time in the 4th century, and held a small service, praying for the servant of God Oliver, the nuns meanwhile they sang. Then the abbess showed me the chambers where the girls lived: the classroom, the refectory, the kitchen, as well as the rooms where handmade carpets, embroidery, church vestments and icons were made. We saw there a large garden at the monastery and with huge bouquets of flowers that the girls gave us, accompanied by applause and cries of delight from those seeing them off, we continued our way to Sighnaghi.” (It is interesting that this letter was conveyed to the current abbess of the monastery, Abbess Theodora, daughter of Oliver Wardrop. She bears the name of the enlightener of Georgia, lives in England and, like her father, loves Georgia. She is keenly interested in the monastery of her heavenly patroness, as evidenced by her correspondence with the sisters Bodbe Monastery).
In 1924, the Bolsheviks closed the monastery. The last abbess was Abbess Nina (in the world Princess Elena Vachnadze). An ascetic, a student of the Bodbe School, she joined the monastic life from her youth and protected her native monastery until her last days. The Bolsheviks repeatedly threatened her life, but she miraculously survived, covered by her heavenly patroness, although she was forced to leave Bodbe. She spent the rest of her life in Tbilisi at the Anchiskhati temple. After her death, according to her will, the relics of the last abbess were transferred to her native monastery.
Destroyed by the communists, the ancient Bodbe monastery has found new life these days. Since 1991, the revival of the shrine began.

Currently, there are about 30 sisters working in the monastery. The inhabitants are mostly young. Under the leadership of the abbess, the sisters work tirelessly and take care of the structure and splendor of the monastery.


The monastery, although slowly, is still regaining its former appearance, improving and expanding. Decorated tomb of St. Nina, dilapidated buildings are being restored, above the source of St. Nina, a font and a church were built in honor of the parents of the Saint - Sts. Zebulun and Sosanna. The monastery has extensive subsidiary farming, and there are icon-painting and gold-embroidery workshops. The Pilgrim refectory is open to numerous pilgrims. The sisters are also engaged in literary activities traditional for Georgian monasteries: they prepare liturgical books for publication based on ancient manuscripts. And most importantly, at the grave of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles. Nina, a daily service is performed for the peace and prosperity of Georgia and the entire Orthodox world.


Tomb of St. Nina still exudes spiritual and physical healing to this day, and her monastery tries to give those who are thirsty the opportunity to join this spring of spirituality.

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 benefactor 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 throughout the ages have revered this saint. 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.

Not far from Sighnaghi, in a picturesque area overlooking the Alazani Valley and, if you’re lucky, the snow-capped peaks of the Caucasus Range, the Bodbe Monastery is located. Saint Equal to the Apostles Nina of Georgia, one of the most revered in Georgia, found her last refuge here.

There is no direct minibus from Tbilisi to Bodbe. The first option is not to think about anything and resort to the help of Tbilisi travel agencies, the second option is to negotiate with a taxi and the third option, the most budgetary, is to take a minibus to Sighnaghi.
If you need to get to the monastery on your own, then you need to take a minibus to Sighnaghi and ask the driver to stop before turning to the monastery. From the turn to the monastery it is about 1.5 kilometers on foot. Back to Tbilisi you need to either go to the same turn and wait for the minibus or go to Erekle II Square in Sighnaghi (about three kilometers), where the same minibuses stop. A trip to Bodbe can and should be combined with a visit to the wonderful town of Sighnaghi. The distance from Tbilisi to Bodbe is about 110 kilometers, travel time is about two hours.

You can ask the residents for the way from Sighnaghi to the Bodbe Monastery or, if you are guided by the names, from Irakli II Square go along Baratashvili Street in the direction of Tbilisi.

The road offers excellent views of Sighnaghi and the Alazani Valley.

Along the way we came across huge flowers.

They grew next to the house, from where a woman came out to us and invited us to look at her flowers.

We pass by a gas station.

And almost immediately after it, turn left to the Bodbe Monastery.

Bodbe Monastery.

Bodbe Monastery is now a functioning convent and you can only get into it until 19-00 and not all the premises. The Bodbe Monastery of St. Nino is one of the main shrines of Orthodox Christians in Georgia and there are many pilgrims here.

Mostly everyone arrives in their own cars, for which there is a large parking space allocated in front of the monastery.

Next to the parking lot, the “Pilgrim” refectory has been operating for several years, where you can relax and eat national dishes.

All food is prepared according to the recipes of the nuns, and the income received from the refectory goes entirely to the restoration of the monastery.

Therefore, by buying something, be it a piece of khachapuri or a cup of coffee, you are making your contribution to this worthy cause.

We also contributed to the restoration and construction of the monastery, without excluding, of course, our own benefit from eating delicious food.

It's time to get acquainted with the buildings of the Bodbe Monastery.

The main attraction of Bodbe is the Temple of St. George of the 9th century with the tomb of St. Nina of the 4th century.

Inside the temple, in addition to the grave of St. Nina, the myrrh-streaming icon of the Iveron Mother of God and the 1803 grave of General Vasily Gulyakov, who defeated the Dagestani army at the Iori River, are worthy of attention. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to take photographs in the temple. Therefore, I will limit myself to a photo of the territory of the Bodbe Monastery and at the same time say a few words about the person to whom the monastery owes its foundation.

Saint Nina.

Saint Nina, Equal to the Apostles, was born into a rich and noble family in the territory of Cappadocia (modern Turkey) at the end of the 3rd century. Her parents were the Roman commander Zebulon and the sister of the Patriarch of Jerusalem Sosanna.

When Nina was 12 years old, her family left Cappadocia for Jerusalem. The father retired to the Jordan Desert, and the mother began to help her brother look after the poor. Nina was given to be raised by the servant of the Holy Sepulchre, Sarah.

From Sarah, Nina learned that the Robe of the Lord was transferred from Jerusalem to Mtskheta. How the Robe of the Lord got to Georgia is another story, to which we will return when talking about Mtskheta.

At the age of 14, the Most Holy Theotokos appeared to Nina in a dream and announced that Nina was entrusted with a holy mission to find the Robe of the Lord and preach the True Faith in Iberia (modern Georgia).

Iveria is considered the first inheritance of the Mother of God or, more simply, the land under her special protection. It was the Mother of God, after the crucifixion of Christ, who, by lot, had to go to Iberia to preach the Gospel.

The Mother of God handed Nina a cross made of grapevine (now kept in Tbilisi, in the Zion Cathedral) and blessed her for her apostolic feat.

And at the age of 23, Nina and several other Orthodox girls began their journey to Iveria.

The path lay through Armenia, where the local king liked one of the girls and wanted to leave her. But she refused and in anger the king killed everyone; only Nina was saved by the will of the Mother of God.

In Georgia, through the prayers of Saint Nina, Queen Nana and King Mirian were healed of illness and the Robe of the Lord was found. Soon, in the waters of the Aragvi River in Mtskheta, the entire people of Iveria were baptized.

Saint Nina died in the village of Bodbe. King Mirian wanted to transfer the saint’s relics to Chiton in Mtskheta, but even two hundred people could not move her tomb. Then the king ordered to build a temple over the grave of St. Nina, which has not survived to this day, and to found a monastery near the grave.

History of Bodbe.

Since then, the Bodbe Monastery, like Georgia, has experienced many different events. Here are the Mongol-Tatar invasion, and the Arab invasion, a strong earthquake of the 14th century, Georgia’s entry into Russia in 1801 (by the way, the bell tower built nearby was inherited from Russia)

and the closure of the Bodbe Monastery in 1926 by the Bolsheviks (at the entrance to the temple is the grave of the last abbess of the monastery at that time, Abbess Nina).

But during all this difficult time for Georgia, the grave of St. Nina, as a particularly revered place, has not been touched by anyone since the burial.

On the territory of Bodbe there is another temple and, at first impression, it is very old and main. In fact, the construction of the Church of St. Nino (as it was called) began in 2010 and is now being completed, interior and exterior work is being carried out.

Destroyed by Soviet power, the Bodbe Monastery has found new life in our time. Since 1991, the shrine has been revived. Now about 30 nuns live in Bodbe and work in the monastery.

Source of St. Nina.

Bodbe has its own healing spring. They say that before the Soviet regime it was located in the monastery itself, but with its arrival it dried up. The spring filled with life-giving moisture again only in the 90s at the foot of the mountain where the monastery is located. A descent down the center of the Bodbe Monastery will lead directly to the source of St. Nina.

The walk from Bodbe to the source is quite far, about two kilometers, and if it’s easy enough to go down there, then you can understand the climb yourself. For those who find the steep climb back a burden, there is also a road to the source. It is flatter, but longer. As a last resort, there are always taxi drivers on duty at the spring; you can use their services.

The source itself is located in a brick building, where men and women are admitted in turn. To undergo ablution, you need to remember to take a chiton (shirt) with you or purchase it (an excellent souvenir) at the entrance to the source. You must remove your shoes before entering. The water in the source is very cold, you are guaranteed a cheerful mood for the next few hours.

It is not our habit to walk along the same road. After recharging our energy at the spring, we decided to return on foot along the road back to Sighnaghi and did not regret it at all. After all, there were so many interesting things along the way: a herd of cows, pomegranate blossoms, and much more.

Holy Equal to the Apostles NINA, enlightener of Georgia (†335)

Equal to the Apostles Nina (Georgian: წმინდა ნინო) - the apostle of all Georgia, the blessed mother, as Georgians lovingly call her. Her name is associated with the spread of the light of the Christian faith in Georgia, the final establishment of Christianity and its declaration as the dominant religion. In addition, through her holy prayers such a great Christian shrine as the unsewn Robe of the Lord was found.

Saint Nina was born around 280 in the Asia Minor city of Kolastri, in Cappadocia, where there were many Georgian settlements. She was the only daughter of noble and pious parents: the Roman governor Zebulon, a relative of the holy Great Martyr George, and Susanna, the sister of the Patriarch of Jerusalem. At the age of twelve, Saint Nina came with her parents to the Holy City of Jerusalem. Here her father Zebulon, blazing with love for God, left and hid in the Jordan Desert. The place of his exploits, as well as the place of death, remained unknown to everyone. Saint Nina’s mother, Susanna, was made a deaconesses at the Holy Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Nina was given up to be raised by one pious old woman, Nianfora, and after only two years, with the assistance of God’s grace, she understood and firmly assimilated the rules of faith and piety. The old woman said to Nina: “I see, my child, your strength is equal to the strength of a lioness, which is more terrible than all four-legged animals. Or you can be likened to an eagle soaring in the air. For her, the earth seems like a small pearl, but as soon as she notices her prey from above, she instantly, like lightning, rushes at her and attacks. Your life will definitely be the same.”

Reading the gospel stories about the crucifixion of Christ the Savior and everything that happened at His cross, St. Nina's thoughts dwelled on the fate of the Lord's tunic. From her mentor Nianfora, she learned that the unsewn Chiton of the Lord, according to legend, was taken by the Mtskheta rabbi Eleazar to Iveria (Georgia), called the Lot of the Mother of God, and that the inhabitants of this country still remain immersed in the darkness of pagan error and wickedness.

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. The Most Holy Virgin appeared to her in a dream vision, and handing Nina a cross woven from grape vines, she said: “Take this cross, go to the Iberian country, preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ there. I will be your Patroness.”

When Nina woke up, she saw a cross in her hands. 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.

Taking a blessing from her uncle the Patriarch for the feat of evangelism, she went to Iveria. 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 53 virgins (September 30), who fled to Armenia from Rome from the persecution of Emperor Diocletian. Guided by an invisible hand, she disappeared into the bushes of a wild, not yet blossoming rose. Shocked by fear at the sight of the fate of her friends, the saint saw a luminous angel who addressed her with words of consolation: “Do not be sad, but wait a little, for you too will be taken into the Kingdom of the Lord of Glory; this will happen when the prickly and wild rose surrounding you is covered with fragrant flowers, like a rose planted and cultivated in a garden.”

Strengthened by this Divine vision and consolation, Saint Nina continued her path with inspiration and new zeal. Having overcome hard work, hunger, thirst and fear of beasts along the way, she reached the ancient Kartalin city of Urbnis in 319, where she remained for about a month, living in Jewish houses and studying the morals, customs and language of a people new to her. The fame of her soon spread in the vicinity of Mtskheta, where she labored, for her preaching was accompanied by many signs.

One day, a huge crowd of people, led by King Mirian and Queen Nana, headed to a mountain peak to make an offering there to the pagan gods: Armaz - the main idol forged from gilded copper, with a golden helmet and eyes made of yakhont and emerald. To the right of Armaz stood another small golden idol of Katsi, to the left was a silver Gaim. Sacrificial blood flowed, trumpets and tympani thundered, and then the heart of the holy virgin was inflamed with the jealousy of the prophet Elijah. At her prayers, a cloud with thunder and lightning burst over the place where the idol altar stood. The idols were smashed to dust, rain streams cast them into the abyss, and the waters of the river carried them downstream. And again the radiant sun shone from the sky. It was on the day of the glorious Transfiguration of the Lord, when the true light that shone on Tabor for the first time transformed the darkness of paganism into the light of Christ on the mountains of Iberia.

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.

One woman, crying loudly, carried her dying child through the streets of the city, calling on everyone for help. Saint Nina placed her cross made of grapevines on the baby and returned him to his mother alive and well.

View of Mtskheta from Jvari. Mtskheta is a city in Georgia, at the confluence of the Aragvi River and the Kura River. The Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is located here.

The desire to find the tunic of the Lord did not leave Saint Nina. For this purpose, she often went to the Jewish quarter and hurried to reveal to them the secrets of the kingdom of God. And soon the Jewish high priest Abiathar and his daughter Sidonia believed in Christ. Abiathar told Saint Nina their family tradition, according to which his great-grandfather Elioz, who was present at the crucifixion of Christ, acquired the tunic of the Lord from a Roman soldier, who received it by lot, and brought it to Mtskheta. Elioz's sister Sidonia took him, began to kiss him with tears, pressed him to her chest and immediately fell dead. And no human power could tear the sacred robe from her hands. After some time, Elioz secretly buried his sister’s body, and buried Christ’s tunic with her. Since then, no one has known the burial place of Sidonia. It was believed that it was located under the roots of a shady cedar, which grew on its own in the middle of the royal garden. Saint Nina began to come here at night and pray. The mysterious visions that she had at this place assured her that this place was holy and would be glorified in the future. Nina undoubtedly found the place where the Lord’s robe was hidden.

From that time on, Saint Nina began to openly and publicly preach the Gospel and call the Iberian pagans and Jews to repentance and faith in Christ. Iberia was then under Roman rule, and Mirian's son Bakar was at that time a hostage in Rome; therefore, Mirian did not prevent Saint Nina from preaching Christ in her city. Only Mirian's wife, Queen Nana, a cruel and zealous idolater who erected a statue of Venus in Iberia, harbored anger against Christians. However, the grace of God soon healed this woman who was sick in spirit. Soon she became terminally ill and had to turn to the saint for help. Taking her cross, Saint Nina placed it on the sick woman’s head, on her legs and on both shoulders and thus made the sign of the cross on her, and the queen immediately rose from her sick bed healthy. Having thanked the Lord Jesus Christ, the queen confessed before everyone that Christ is the true God and made Saint Nina her close friend and interlocutor.

King Mirian himself (the son of the Persian king Khosroes and the founder of the Sassanid dynasty in Georgia) still hesitated to openly confess Christ as God, and one day he even set out to exterminate the confessors of Christ and with them Saint Nina. Overwhelmed by such hostile thoughts, the king went hunting and climbed to the top of the steep mountain Thoti. And suddenly the bright day turned into impenetrable darkness, and a storm arose. The flash of lightning blinded the king's eyes, and thunder scattered all his companions. Feeling the punishing hand of the Living God above him, the king cried out:

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

And immediately everything became light and the storm subsided. Amazed at the power of the name of Christ alone, the king cried out: “Blessed God! in this place I will erect the tree of the cross, so that the sign You have shown me today will be remembered forever!”

King Mirian's appeal to Christ was decisive and unshakable; Mirian was for Georgia what Emperor Constantine the Great was at that time for Greece and Rome. Mirian immediately sent ambassadors to Greece to Tsar Constantine with a request to send him a bishop and priests to baptize the people, teach them the faith of Christ, plant and establish the holy Church of God in Iberia. The emperor sent the Archbishop of Antioch Eustathius with two priests, three deacons and everything necessary for worship. Upon their arrival, King Mirian, the queen and all their children immediately received holy baptism in the presence of everyone. The baptismal sanctuary was built near the bridge on the Kura River, where the bishop baptized military leaders and royal nobles. A little below this place, two priests baptized the people.

Jvari is a Georgian monastery and temple on the top of a mountain at the confluence of the Kura and Aragvi near Mtskheta - where St. Nina, Equal to the Apostles, erected the cross. Jvari - in terms of the perfection of architectural forms, it is one of the masterpieces of architecture and the first World Heritage Site in Georgia.

The king wished, even before the arrival of the priests, to build a temple of God and chose a place for this, at the direction of St. Nina, in his garden, precisely where the mentioned great cedar stood. The cedar was cut down, and six pillars were hewn out of its six branches, which were erected without any difficulty. But the seventh pillar, hewn from the very trunk of the cedar, could not be moved from its place by any force. Saint Nina remained all night at the construction site, praying and pouring tears on the stump of the felled tree. In the morning, a wondrous young man appeared to her, girded with a belt of fire, and spoke three mysterious words into her ear, hearing which, she fell to the ground and bowed to him. The young man walked up to the pillar and, hugging it, lifted it high into the air. The pillar sparkled like lightning and illuminated the entire city. Unsupported by anyone, he rose and fell and touched the stump, and finally stopped and stood motionless in his place. From under the base of the pillar, fragrant and healing myrrh began to flow, and all those suffering from various diseases who anointed themselves with it in faith received healing. From that time on, not only Christians, but also pagans began to honor this place. Soon the construction of the first wooden temple in the Iberian country was completed Svetitskhoveli(cargo - life-giving pillar), which for a thousand years was the main cathedral of all Georgia. The wooden temple has not survived. In its place there now exists an 11th-century temple in the name of the Twelve Apostles, which is listed among the World Heritage Sites and is currently considered one of the spiritual symbols of modern Georgia.

Svetitskhoveli (life-giving pillar) is the patriarchal cathedral church of the Georgian Orthodox Church in Mtskheta, which for a millennium was the main cathedral of all Georgia.

Throughout its existence, the cathedral served as a coronation site and a burial vault for representatives of the royal Bagration family. In the classical literature of Georgia, one of the brightest works is the novel “The Hand of the Great Master” by the classic of literature Konstantin Gamsakhurdia, which tells about the construction of the temple and the formation of Georgia at the same time associated with this event. The epic work describes in detail the process of building the temple, the formation of Christianity in Georgia and the Georgian state.

The presence of the Lord's tunic under the cedar root, both during the life of Saint Nina and after, was manifested by the outflow of healing and fragrant myrrh from the pillar and its root; this myrrh stopped flowing only in the 13th century, when, by the will of God, the tunic was dug out of the ground. During the years of the invasion of Genghis Khan, one pious man, foreseeing the destruction of Mtskheta and not wanting to leave a shrine for desecration by the barbarians, prayerfully opened the coffin of Sidonia, took out the most honorable tunic of the Lord from it and handed it over to the chief archpastor. From then on, the tunic of the Lord was kept in the sacristy of the Catholicos, until the restoration of the Mtskheta Church, where it remained until the 17th century, until the Persian Shah Abbas, having conquered Iberia, took it and sent it as a priceless gift to the All-Russian His Holiness Patriarch Philaret, the father of Sovereign Mikhail Feodorovich, to gain the favor of the Russian royal court. The Tsar and the Patriarch ordered the construction of a special room, with precious decorations, in the right corner of the western side of the Moscow Assumption Cathedral and placed the clothes of Christ there. Since then, the Russian Church has established the holiday of placing the vestment, i.e. Robe of the Lord.

Avoiding the glory and honors that both the tsar and the people bestowed upon her, flaming with the desire to serve for even greater glorification of the name of Christ, Saint Nina left the crowded city for the mountains, the waterless heights of Aragva, and there began, through prayer and fasting, to prepare for new evangelistic works in the neighboring villages. Kartalya regions. Finding a small cave hidden behind tree branches, she began to live in it.

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 (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, turning the surrounding residents to Christ. Among them was the Queen of Kakheti Soja (Sofia), who received Baptism along with her courtiers and many people.

WITHHaving thus completed the last work of her apostolic ministry in the Iberian country in Kakheti, Saint Nina received a revelation from God about the approach of her 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, 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, recorded by Solomiya of Ujarma, served as the basis for the life of Saint Nina.

Then she reverently received the saving Mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ from the hands of the bishop, bequeathed her body to be buried in Bodby, and peacefully departed to the Lord in 335(according to other sources, in 347, in the 67th year from birth, after 35 years of apostolic exploits).

Her body was buried in a wretched tent, as she wanted, in the village of Budi (Bodby). The deeply saddened king and bishop, and with them the whole people, set out to transfer the precious remains of the saint to the Mtskheta Cathedral Church and bury them at the life-giving pillar, but, despite all efforts, they could not move the coffin of St. Nina from her chosen resting place.

King Mirian soon laid a foundation on her grave, and his son, King Bakur, completed and consecrated a temple in the name of Saint Nina’s relative, the Holy Great Martyr George.

Material prepared by Sergey SHULYAK

for the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Sparrow Hills

*In preparing the material, information from various Orthodox sources was used.

Troparion, tone 4
The words of God to the servant, / who imitated the First-Called Andrew and the other apostles in his apostolic sermons, / to the enlightener of Iberia, / and to the priest of the Holy Spirit, / holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Nino, / pray to Christ God / for the salvation of our souls.

Kontakion, tone 2
Come today, everyone, / let us sing the praises of Christ’s chosen / equal-to-the-apostles preacher of God’s word, / the wise evangelist, / who led the people of Kartalinia on the path of life and truth, / the disciple of the Mother of God, / our zealous intercessor and unceasing guardian, / the most praised Nina.

First prayer to Saint Nina, Equal to the Apostles, enlightener of Georgia
O all-praised and devoted Equal-to-the-Apostles Nino, we come running to you and tenderly ask you: protect us (names) from all evils and sorrows, bring to reason the enemies of the holy Church of Christ and disgrace the opponents of piety and implore the All-Good God our Savior, to whom you now stand, to grant to the people to the Orthodox, peace, long life and haste in every good undertaking, and may the Lord lead us into His Heavenly Kingdom, where all the saints glorify His all-holy name, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Second prayer to Saint Nina, Equal to the Apostles, enlightener of Georgia
O all-praiseworthy and admirable Equal-to-the-Apostles Nino, truly a great adornment to the Orthodox Church and a fair praise to the people of God, who enlightened the entire Georgian country with Divine teaching and the exploits of the apostleship, who defeated the enemy of our salvation, who through labor and prayers planted the heliport of Christ here and grew it into many fruits! Celebrating your holy memory, we flock to your honorable face and reverently kiss the all-praising gift to you from God’s Mother, the miraculous cross, which you wrapped with your precious hair, and we tenderly ask, as our dear intercessor: protect us from all evils and sorrows, bring reason to our enemies Saints of the Church of Christ and opponents of piety, protect your flock, which you have shepherded, and pray to the All-Good God, our Savior, to whom you now stand, to grant our Orthodox people peace, longevity and haste in every good undertaking, and may the Lord lead us to His Heavenly The Kingdom where all saints glorify His all-holy name, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Film from the series “Shrines of the Christian World”: THE CROSS OF SAINT NINA

Monastery of St. Nina in Bodbe(ბოდბის წმინდა ნინოს სახელობის მონასტერი) - a monastery in the Sighnahi region, which is sometimes for simplicity, they call it “Bodbe Monastery”, the center of the Bodbe diocese. This famous monastery is located very close to Sighnaghi, about 2 kilometers. The most interesting thing here is undoubtedly the tomb of St. Nino. On the territory of the monastery there is the Cathedral of St. George, in the form of a basilica. The central altar of the cathedral is dedicated to George, and in the southern limit there is the tomb of St. Nino. Excursions almost always stop here on the way to Sighnaghi.

Story

As we know from the life of St. Nina (which was written under her dictation somewhere in these very places), after the conversion of King Mirian to Christianity and the construction of the first temples, Nina went east, to Tianeti and Ujarma, from there she went south, to the town of Bodbe (or Budi), where she settled in a tent. If you believe the life, this area belonged to the Kakheti kingdom, although in fact it is called Kiziki and at that ancient time could still have been independent of the Iberian kingdom. Nina came to Bodbe for a reason. At one time, 4 stars appeared to King Mirian, which scattered to various mountains and subsequently placed crosses on these mountains. The fourth cross was supposed to be placed somewhere near Bodbe and the installation was postponed until Nina personally visited this place, but whether the cross was eventually installed is not entirely clear.

Nina lived in Bodbe for some time, and died there in 342 or 347. It was decided to bury her there so that the local Christian community would receive such a sacred place. True, King Mirian was going to take Nina’s body to Mtskheta, but the harnessed oxen were unable to move the cart with the body, so the transportation plan was canceled. Nina was buried in the place where her tent stood and a temple was built on the grave, which has not survived to this day.

Over time, a monastery arose around the temple. It quickly became a cultural center and it is believed that it had great social benefits: it became a factor in the consolidation of the local Eretian and Kakh tribes with the Kart (central Georgian) tribes. Very soon the monastery became the center of the Bodbe diocese. The first bishop of Bodbe known to history was Lazarus, a participant in the Dvina Council of 505 - the same one that voted for the transition to Monophysitism.

The list of bishoprics established in the 480s does not include Bodbe, which means that it appeared a little later, in the 490s.

Under the Mongols, something unknown happened and the monastery fell out of sight of the chroniclers, although the diocese existed. During the era of the united Georgian kingdom, the Bishop of Bodbe was 7th in the hierarchy of 35 Georgian bishops.

In the 15th century, after the formation of the independent Kakheti kingdom in 1466, the monastery again became famous and famous. The first king of the newly formed kingdom transferred administrative power to the bishops, so that the Bishop of Bodbe administered approximately a quarter of all Kakheti.

Kakheti kings began to be crowned in Bodbe. For example, in 1574, Tsar Alexander was crowned here, contrary to the will of his father, who wanted to transfer the kingdom to his youngest son. The Bishop of Bodbe in this case decided the dynastic dispute in favor of Alexander.

They say that the Persian Shah Abbas was present here at the coronation of Teimuraz I in 1605, which did not prevent him from destroying the Bodbe Monastery a little later. The presence of the Shah is, in principle, likely; he was actually in Transcaucasia that year.

In 1777, part of the reduced Cherem diocese passed to the Bodbe diocese. In 1837, after the abolition of autocephaly of the Georgian Church, the Russian administration liquidated the Bodbe diocese. Only a few monks remained in Bodbe, then the monastery’s land property was taken away and it was transferred to state support, which is why the monastery finally fell into decay. In 1888, Emperor Alexander III visited Sighnaghi, and in 1989 he ordered the monastery to be restored. Bodbe was renovated, given arable land, populated with nuns (Russian) and it soon turned into the largest monastery in Kakheti.

In 1924, the monastery was closed by the Soviet government. A hospital was located here. The Iveron Icon of the Mother of God was turned into an operating table. Now this icon with traces of a scalpel has become one of the relics of the monastery.

In the spring of 2019, the Cathedral of St. Nino was completed and consecrated.

What is there now

The Bodbe Monastery has a history of one and a half thousand years, but little has been preserved from its past. Only the Church of St. George has survived from the 9th century, but it also underwent some renovations. Therefore, now we see the monastery in the design of the late 19th century. We cannot even imagine how things were here in the 10th or 12th centuries.

Now the monastery looks very decent and cultured, it is clean, there is parking and even a cafe in the parking lot. The place is quiet and calm, but there is nothing visually enchanting here. I don't remember tourists ever being particularly excited about this place.

Now the monastery has the Temple of St. George, another large church of St. Nina, a spring of St. Nina, outbuildings and a park. The monastery is surrounded by a low wall; at 19:00 the gates are closed.

Temple of St. George- This is a classic three-nave building from the 9th century, built of brick. It looks nice inside, but not Georgian. All the frescoes are late, and the altar was clearly created in the Russian era. Instead of the usual Georgian asceticism, there is Russian-European baroque here. In 1823, the Russian administration even added a dome to the temple, which was demolished during Soviet times. Apparently, as anti-art.

Frescoes of the Church of St. George

Nina's grave is inside, on the right side of the altar. There are no special restrictions on visiting, except that photography is not allowed.

There is another grave, less famous. In 1803, the ashes of General Vasily Gulyakov, the same one who defeated the Dagestanis on Iori and then took Belokany by storm, were buried in this temple. A tombstone with an inscription from General Tsitsianov is embedded in the support pillar - the northern of the two central ones.

If you go east behind the temple, there will be a good observation deck and a flight of stairs down to the spring of St. Nina. From the observation deck the Alazani Valley is clearly visible and on this occasion one magazine wrote this way back in the 19th century: The late Emperor Alexander III, being in Sighnaghi in 1888, admiring this view exclaimed: “Have we seen anything like this in Switzerland!?”.

St. Nino's Cathedral- a large and interesting cathedral, which began to be built sometime after 2010 and took a very long time to build. It was only opened in the spring of 2019, although its interiors have not yet been decorated as they should be. Customers and architects approached the matter with soul. The cathedral was built in the style of 10th century cathedrals: it is a triconch, reminiscent of Bagrati, but a little in its own style. It has three apses, and the western nave is divided by two rows of columns. The authors were smart enough not to reproduce typical temples of the 12th century. The exterior of the temple is also non-trivial, with cladding made of very porous limestone, into which decorations made of denser stone are embedded. The general color scheme of the cathedral is grayish-pink. This cathedral can be included in the top ten achievements of modern architecture.

St. Nino's Cathedral

St. Nina's Source- This is the most important attraction of the monastery, and people often come here to get water or immerse themselves in this water. The descent to the source begins from the observation deck, which is immediately east of the Temple of St. George. I’ll warn you right away - you’ll have to go down a long way, and it won’t be easy to get back up either. There is a road to the spring, but its condition is not good, so some cars will not pass there, and some will only go down. As for the spring, it is a brick structure: on top is the temple of Zebulon and Sosana (the parents of Nina), and below it is the pool itself. An arch covered with a curtain leads there. They let in men and women in turns. The water is very cold. Usually there is a small queue - about ten people.

Unfortunately, in 2015-2019 they started bringing everyone here, and there was already a case when some group came just to swim and stood in line in their swimsuits. It turned out to be a small scandal.

For some reason, Bodbe was completely forgotten back in 2010-2013 and few people paid attention to it except pilgrims, but marketers in 2015-2018 promoted it all over the Internet. This is due to the fact that the most convenient road for drivers to Kakheti runs through Sighnaghi, so companies like to transport groups along the Tbilisi-Sighnaghi-Kvareli route. The route is boring, and to liven things up people are brought to Bodbe. So the monastery became a must-see destination for the most popular Kakheti excursions. It even became something of a pop marker.

How to get there

Getting to Bodbe on your own is not difficult, although it will require some brain power. For example, you can take a minibus from Tbilisi to Sighnaghi and get off in front of Sighnaghi, at the turn to Bodbe. The difficulty is that from the side of Tbilisi the turn is poorly marked and it is easy to miss even for someone who has been here several times. Ask the route driver to stop at this turn in advance. Maybe he will guess it. If you nevertheless missed the turn and entered Sighnaghi, it’s okay. From Sighnaghi it’s only two kilometers to the monastery - first along the road to Tbilisi, then turn left at the sign.

What's nearby

Sighnaghi is very close. Nearby is the village of Mirzaani, but you can get there either by taxi, or it’s not clear how at all. The road is very confusing. All other interesting places are already much further away.