Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze
The Life of the holy martyr Ioane, Abbot of Zedazeni Monastery, has not been preserved, but the list recalling “the names of the holy fathers who reposed at Zedazeni Monastery after Ioane of Zedazeni,” which was compiled by Catholicos Arsen II, tells us that Abbot Ioane was “murdered at Zedazeni by Muslims.”
Saving examined the history of Georgia and the hagiographical treasures attesting to the faith of the Georgian nation, we become convinced that Heavenly Georgia — the legion of Georgian saints, extolling the Lord in the Heavenly Kingdom with a single voice — is infinitely glorious.
Saint Ise of Tsilkani arrived in Georgia in the 6th century with the other Syrian fathers and companions of St. Ioane of Zedazeni. At the recommendation of St. Ioane of Zedazeni, Catholicos Evlavios of Kartli consecrated St. Ise as bishop of Tsilkani. The holy father traveled throughout his diocese preaching the Holy Gospel.
Saint Petre was the first catholicos of Georgia. He led the Church of Kartli from the 460s through the beginning of the 6th century. According to God’s will, St. Petre inaugurated the dynasty of the chief shepherds of Georgia.
The holy and right-believing king Vakhtang I ascended the throne of Kartli at the age of fifteen. At that time Kartli was continually being invaded by the Persians from the south and by the Ossetians from the north. The situation was no better in western Georgia: the Byzantines had captured all the lands from Egrisi to Tsikhegoji.