Saint David of Gareji: biography, miracles, days of remembrance

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Saint David of Gareji - a famous Christian monk, is considered a disciple of John Zedazniy, who came to Iberia from Antioch to preach faith in Christ. Considered one of the thirteen Syrian fathers, the founder of Georgian monasticism. In this article we will give his biography, tell about the miracles that are associated with him, as well as about the days of the saint's memory.

Christian environment in Georgia

Saint David of Gareji appeared in Georgia at the command of the Mother of God. He came to this country in the middle of the 6th century from Syria in company with St. John of Zedazne among a dozen of his disciples.

Initially, the holy fathers settled near Mtskheta, on Mount Zedazeni. Three years later, John sent his disciples and associates to different parts of Georgia to preach the Christian doctrine. David, together with his disciple Lucian, settled on Mount Mtatsminda, which lies inaround Tbilisi.

By that time, Georgia had already been baptized by St. Nina for two centuries. But throughout all this time, she experienced strong pressure from Persia, was constantly subjected to devastation due to the invasions of the Persians, and for some time was under siege. Initially, the Persians tried to eradicate the Christian faith with a sword, then they began to act more cunningly. Everywhere they began to plant Mazdeism, that is, fire worship. Merchants and artisans who adopted this religion were given all sorts of benefits and incentives.

As a result, it even got to the point that the temples of fire worshipers were placed near the entrances to Christian churches. In connection with this appearance of the Syrian fathers in Georgia, some even call the second baptism of the country, since by that time the position of the Christian faith was greatly shaken.

Birth of a stone

Having settled near Tbilisi, the Georgian Saint David of Gareji began to regularly go out to the locals, instructing them on the path of Christianity. As a rule, every Thursday he descended from the mountain to the city in order to convert the Georgians back into the bosom of the church. Many followed him.

Fire worshipers, of course, were unhappy with this state of affairs. Then they bribed the fallen girl to slander David, calling him the culprit for her becoming a fallen woman.

Residents summoned St. David of Gareji to court. Face to face, he met this girl, touched her womb with a staff and asked if he was the father. From there resoundeda voice that answered no, and then named the true culprit of the girl's fall. After that, in front of the astonished crowd, she gave birth to a stone.

This amazing miracle remained in the memory of local residents for a long time. And Saint David of Gareji himself, in memory of heavenly intercession, asked the Lord to open a healing spring on the mountain where he settled. Women from all over the country who suffer from various gynecological diseases still come to him.

Life in the wilderness

After this incident, David and his student left the outskirts of Tbilisi and went to the southeast. They settled in a desert area called Gareji. Here the monks dug out cells for themselves in the mountain and settled in them.

Over time, other hermits began to appear around them, who wanted to pray to God next to St. David of Gareji in Georgia. As a result, the still famous David Gareji Lavra settled down.

Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

Shortly before his death, David went to the Holy Land to worship. Once on the mountain, from which a view of Jerusalem opened, the saint suddenly declared to his companions that he was not worthy to set foot on those places where the Savior had been.

Instead, he asked to pray for him at the Holy Sepulcher, and he took three stones, put them in his knapsack and returned back.

At this time, an angel appeared to the Jerusalem patriarch, who said that David, beloved by God, took away all the grace of this place, commandingsend a runner after him to take back two stones from the reverend.

So it happened. The third stone David brought to his Lavra, it is still kept there. Currently, the stone is in the treasury of the Trinity Cathedral in the Georgian capital.

Reverend David died on May 20, 605, on Ascension. This date is considered the day of his memory.

Kashveti

The name of the saint is associated with the origin of the Kashveti church, which today is located in the center of Tbilisi. It was built from 1904 to 1910 by the architect Leopold Bielfeld, who was based on the medieval Samtavisi Cathedral.

According to the life of St. David of Gareji, it was at this place that the woman, incited by the pagans, accused him of being pregnant from him. David, in response, said that her wrong would become obvious when she gave birth to a stone. And so it happened, after which this place was called "kashveti", which comes from two Georgian words meaning "to give birth" and "stone".

Church of Saint David

In Tbilisi itself, on the Mtatsminda Pantheon, there is one of the main Orthodox shrines of the country - the Church of St. David of Gareji.

It was built between 1859 and 1871. Consecrated in honor of a Christian associate of the VI century. In honor of this, a Georgian church holiday called mamadavitoba is celebrated here every year, which is dedicated to the founder of Georgian monasticism.

Celebrate it on the day of the memory of the saint - on the firstThursday after the Ascension of the Lord. The central events are held in Tbilisi, as well as on the mountain, where the cave of the elder is located, as well as the source, the appearance of which the locals associate with the reverend.

The spring beats near the church, its water is considered healing. Believers are convinced that it helps to get rid of infertility. On the northern wall of the temple there are a large number of small stones that are attached to fulfill a wish.

Since 1929, there has been a pantheon in the church, where prominent people of Georgia are buried, including famous artists, writers, scientists.

Monastery

Associated with the name of this saint and the monastery of the same name. This is a whole complex of cave monasteries dating back to the 6th century, approximately 60 kilometers from Tbilisi in the region of the Georgian-Azerbaijani border.

The main one is the St. David's Lavra, located on the northern slope of the mountain. This is the oldest monastery of the entire complex, founded by one of the thirteen Syrian fathers in the natural cave of Gareja.

In the 9th century, a refectory and the Church of the Transfiguration were built in the vicinity of this place. After that, the monastery suffered more than once from invasions of foreigners. In the XI century it was plundered by the Seljuks, and in the XIII century. - Mongols. At the beginning of the 15th century, it was severely ruined by Tamerlane, and about a century later by the Persian Shah Abbas I.

The first attempts to restore the monastery began to take King Teimuraz at the end of the XVII century. In fact, its revival is considered to be 1690, whenRev. Onufry Machutadze. He managed to restore the monastery in its old rights, return the lands that previously belonged to him, build fortress walls to protect against enemies, and build refectories.

In the 18th century, the monastery was again subjected to numerous attacks and ruins, then interest in it disappeared after the appearance of secular and spiritual schools in various cities of Georgia. They remembered him only during the Soviet stagnation. Electricity was supplied here, a road was laid, several houses for monks were built.

This is where the holy relics of David of Gareji are kept. Orthodox Georgians note that over the long centuries of its existence, the monastery was repeatedly attacked and destroyed, but still managed to survive, playing an important role in the spiritual development of Georgia.

The way to the monastery

This famous monastery, which today has become a popular destination for pilgrims, is located 45 kilometers south of Sagarejo along a winding road. A little closer - about 30 kilometers - it is from Gardabani, but this road is rarely used, because it is badly broken, and you can spend much more time to overcome it.

Before, there were buses from Tbilisi to Gareji, but now they have been cancelled. You can take a minibus to Sagarejo, and from there call a taxi directly to the monastery. With some taxi drivers, you can arrange to get to the temple directly from Tbilisi.

13 kilometers from this holy complex is the village of Udabno, which is from the Georgian languageLiterally translated as "desert". An asph alt road leads to it, but it can only be reached by private transport.

From Sagarejo you can order a taxi to the monastery for about 35 GEL. For this money, you will be taken back and forth, taking into account the two hours of waiting.

In 2014, a bus from Tbilisi appeared, which departs daily. You can sit on it in the area of Freedom Square at 11 am, on Pushkin Street. The fare is 25 GEL. For this money, you will be taken to the monastery complex, and after three hours you will be taken back. On the way, the bus makes one stop at the Oasis Club cafe. The flight operates only during the tourist season, until about mid-October.

Territorial dispute

Due to the fact that part of the monastery complex is located on the territory of Azerbaijan, a territorial dispute has continued between these two countries for many years.

Georgian monks who live permanently in the monastery consider everything part of a plan developed back in Soviet times to quarrel Georgians and Azerbaijanis.

Georgian authorities have repeatedly noted that they would like to exchange this territory, as it is of great historical and cultural significance for the country. However, official Baku refuses because of the strategic location of the heights, stating that this issue is not even considered.

How do they beg for children?

It has long been believed that a saint is able to help if a womancan't get pregnant for a long time. In this case, she should pray to St. David of Gareji.

To do this, it is not at all necessary to go to distant Georgia. The corresponding prayer services are regularly performed in the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Gryazekhi in Moscow, where there are two icons of St. David of Gareji at once. One of them, containing a particle of his relics, is kept in the altar. She is taken out of there only for the time of the prayers dedicated to the reverend. The second icon with hagiographic stamps is placed in a large carved icon case near the left wall of the temple itself.

For a prayer service to St. David of Gareji in a temple in Moscow, believers gather every Monday at 18:00. Mostly women, both young and old. Some come with their husbands. All of them are united by requests related to help in the birth of a child. This is what they pray to St. David of Gareji.

Not only Muscovites come to these prayers, but also people from different parts of the country. They even come from neighboring countries. It is noted that this saint is highly valued in Georgia, venerating him immediately after George the Victorious and Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina.

Prayer to the saint

With the appropriate prayer, one should turn to the Christian saint David of Gareji. What they pray to him, you now know. With such requests, several dozen people come to him every week.

Oh, bright, blasphemous Abba David, holy of God! You, by the power of the good Legislator, appeared to us, bound and overwhelmed by the wiles of the evil one, as a mentor in repentance and an assistant in prayer. That's why it's given to youmany gifts of grace and wonderworking, the resolution of our sins and transgressions, the remission of diseases, the healing of diseases and the devil's slander, driving away. By the same token, by your paternal mercy in the divine understanding, by your laborious prayers and supplications, and especially by your unceasing intercession for us, may the Lord God raise us, who have fallen into sin, with His invincible power against every visible and invisible enemy, so that thankfully making your holy memory, with desire we desired to worship the Eternal God in the Trinity, the One, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.

How to get to the temple?

In Moscow, the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Gryazeh is located at the address: Pokrovka Street, 13.

If you get to the holy place by public transport, it is best to take the subway. You should get to the station "Turgenevskaya" or "Chistye Prudy".

From here you need to go to the monument to Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov, and then take any tram two more stops in the direction of the temple.

Another option: get to the Kitai-Gorod metro station. From there, go out to Maroseyka Street and walk on the left side for about ten minutes.