Georgia Celebrates Svetitskhovloba Honoring Historical Cathedral and City

Source: Agenda.ge

October 14, 2015

    

Georgia’s ancient capital city and its World Heritage monument are being celebrated nationwide today.

Each year on October 14 Georgia celebrates the Svetitskhovloba holiday, where Orthodox Christian pilgrims and visitors flock to the country’s ancient capital city Mtskheta, just outside Tbilisi, to mark the annual day of the city and its unique cathedral.

The public holiday celebrates the cultural and religious significance of the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral – one of the three Mtskheta monuments in the UNESCO World Heritage List – and the city around it.

Delivering the traditional celebratory sermon from the Svetitskhoveli today, Georgia’s Patriarch Ilia II announced churches across Georgia would now be open for prayers daily around the clock.

Mtskheta is a site of three UNESCO World Heritage monuments including, the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral Mtskheta is a site of three UNESCO World Heritage monuments including, the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
    

While church-goers will be focused on religious celebrations, the holiday will also feature wide-ranging cultural occasions in the city including an exhibition of folk craftsmanship items, sports competitions and concerts of folk and pop music by local and countrywide bands.

The festive activities in Mtskheta will conclude with a special fireworks show in the evening.

The ancient capital of the East Georgian Kingdom of Kartli from the 3rd Century BC to the 5th Century AD, Mtskheta was also where Christianity was granted the status of official religion in 337.

The location was given the title of Holy City by Georgia’s Orthodox Church last year.

At the heart of Mtskheta sits Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, built in the 11th Century AD. According to legend the large cathedral was the burial site of Christ's mantle, while it was also a final resting place for a number of historical Georgian monarchs and noblemen.

Accepted as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994, Svetitskhoveli is the second largest church in Georgia after the recently built Holy Trinity Cathedral in capital Tbilisi.

Mtskheta is also the location of two other World Heritage monuments – the Jvari and Samtavro monasteries.

Agenda.ge

10/15/2015

See also
Mtskheta among the 20 most beautiful heritage sites of UNESCO Mtskheta among the 20 most beautiful heritage sites of UNESCO Mtskheta among the 20 most beautiful heritage sites of UNESCO Mtskheta among the 20 most beautiful heritage sites of UNESCO
The former capital of Georgia referred to as the spiritual heart of the country, has three picturesque, cliff top medieval churches. On October 14 Georgia celebrates the great feast of Svetitskhovloba On October 14 Georgia celebrates the great feast of Svetitskhovloba On October 14 Georgia celebrates the great feast of Svetitskhovloba On October 14 Georgia celebrates the great feast of Svetitskhovloba
This day is dedicated to the Tunic of the Lord and the Life-giving Pillar, exuding wonder-working Myrrh. Holy Martyr Evstati of Mtskheta (†589) Holy Martyr Evstati of Mtskheta (†589)
Commemorated July 29/August 11 Holy Martyr Evstati of Mtskheta (†589) Holy Martyr Evstati of Mtskheta (†589)
Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze
Saint Evstati, a Persian by descent, was a fire-worshipper named Gvirobandak prior to his baptism into the Christian Faith. When he arrived in Georgia and settled in Mtskheta, he was deeply drawn to the morals and traditions of the Georgian people, and he resolved to convert to Christianity.
Comments
Here you can leave your comment on the present article, not exceeding 4000 characters. All comments will be read by the editors of OrthoChristian.Com.
Enter through FaceBook
Your name:
Your e-mail:
Enter the digits, seen on picture:

Characters remaining: 4000

Subscribe
to our mailing list

* indicates required
×