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Holy Royal Martyr Mirdat, King of Kartli (†410)

Memory 8 (21) July

King Mirdat (408–410), the son of Varaz-Bakur, was the first martyred king of Georgia. He was raised by his maternal grandfather, King Trdat.

The faithful grandfather taught the future king to love God and his nation, and the young prince mindfully preserved his grandfather’s wisdom throughout his life. Mirdat was endowed with the greatest of a nobleman’s virtues: wisdom, discretion, physical prowess, fearlessness, valor, and courage. He liberated Klarjeti from the Byzantines, abolished the tribute system (by which Georgia was required to pay taxes to Persia, and prepared for war against the Persians.

The Persian king gathered an enormous army to punish the Georgian nation, and King Mirdat courageously marched toward Gardabani (in eastern Georgia with his much smaller army. But the selflessness and bravery of the Georgian soldiers were no match for the multitude of Persian warriors. The Georgians suffered defeat, and the Persian conquerors captured the young king.

The Persian king demanded that Mirdat renounce the Christian Faith, but he was firmly rebuffed. Neither intimidation nor fear of persecution would break the will of the king. After torturing him for his love of Christ, the Persians bound him in chains, tormented him almost to death, and cast him into prison, where he gave up his soul to the Lord.

The martyrdom of King Mirdat took place at the beginning of the 5th century, in the year 410.

O Holy Martyr Mirdat, entreat Christ God to save our souls!

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

For further information on the book THE LIVES OF THE GEORGIAN SAINTS by Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze contact St. Herman Press:
St. Herman Press, P.O. Box 70, Platina, CA 96076
http://www.stherman.com/catalog/chapter_five/Lives_of_the_georgian_saints.htm

8/3/2007

Venerable Giorgi the God-bearer (†1068)

Venerable Giorgi the God-bearer (†1068)
Commemorated July 3/16

Venerable Giorgi the God-bearer (†1068)

Venerable Giorgi the God-bearer (†1068)
Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze
Saint Giorgi the God-bearer and Recluse labored in the Black Mountains near Antioch during a time when the churches and monasteries there flourished. Orthodox Christians from many parts of the world came to settle there, and as a result, tensions often arose between monks of different nationalities.

The Lives of the Georgian Saints

The Lives of the Georgian Saints
Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

The Lives of the Georgian Saints

The Lives of the Georgian Saints
Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze
Since the time of the ancient Greek historians, Georgia has been viewed as an enigma hidden behind impenetrable mountains and a complex language. Little has been written about this small country and its saints. Now, Pravoslavie.Ru presents the entire collection of the Lives of the Georgian saints which has been translated for the first time into English. These lives encompass the seventeen hundred years of Orthodox Christianity in Georgia. The stories of ascetics and bishops, warriors and noblemen are intertwined with the tumultuous history of the Georgian land.

Venerable Fathers Ioane and Gabriel of Mt. Athos (10th century)

Venerable Fathers Ioane and Gabriel of Mt. Athos (10th century)
Commemorated on July 8/21

Venerable Fathers Ioane and Gabriel of Mt. Athos (10th century)

Venerable Fathers Ioane and Gabriel of Mt. Athos (10th century)
Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze
Saint Ioane was born the son of a nobleman during the reign of King Davit Kuropalates.For his love of Christ he left his family and the world to be tonsured a monk. After informing the royal court of his decision, St. Ioane received a blessing from his spiritual father to travel to Greece, where he settled at a monastery on Mt. Olympus.

See also

Venerable Giorgi the God-bearer (†1068)

Venerable Giorgi the God-bearer (†1068)
Commemorated July 3/16

Venerable Giorgi the God-bearer (†1068)

Venerable Giorgi the God-bearer (†1068)
Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze
Saint Giorgi the God-bearer and Recluse labored in the Black Mountains near Antioch during a time when the churches and monasteries there flourished. Orthodox Christians from many parts of the world came to settle there, and as a result, tensions often arose between monks of different nationalities.

Venerable Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser (†1802)

Venerable Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser (†1802)
Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

Venerable Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser (†1802)

Venerable Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser (†1802)
Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze
Saint Gabriel the Lesser was a major figure in the eighteenth- century Georgian Church. Few details of his life are known, but it is evident that the education he received was quite good for the period. Striving toward the monastic life but still living in the world, Gabriel tried in every way to close himself off from the vanity of the world. He kept a small sewing shop in Tbilisi and distributed most of his profits to the poor.

St Euthymius (Takaishvili)

St Euthymius (Takaishvili)

St Euthymius (Takaishvili)

St Euthymius (Takaishvili)
On February 10, 1963, the centennial of St. Ekvtime’s birth, his body was reburied at the Didube Pantheon in Tbilisi. When his grave was uncovered, it was revealed that not only his body, but even his clothing and footwear had remained incorrupt. St. Ekvtime’s relics were moved once again, to the Pantheon at the Church of St. Davit of Gareji on Mtatsminda, where they remain today.