News

New Orthodox Church Opens in Pakistan Climacus Conference to Examine the Legacy of Byzantium Talks held in Moscow between Russian Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church in Lithuania on teaching religion in secular school St. Gregory the Theologian Charity establishes 5 scholarships for students from far abroad Engin Ardic Criticizes Fall of Constantinople Festivities in Turkish Newspaper Sabah

and other news …

Latest Articles

[Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days ]

Venerable Fathers and Mothers of the Klarjeti Wilderness (8th–10th centuries)

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

For centuries the region of Tao-Klarjeti in southwestern Georgia was known for its holiness, unity and spiritual strength. The cultural life and faith of Kartli were nearly extinguished by the Arab-Muslim domination from the 8th to 10th centuries. Tao-Klarjeti, however, which had been emptied by a cholera epidemic and the aftermath of the Islamic invasions, filled with new churches and monasteries, becoming a destination for many Christian ascetics.

[Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days ]

Venerable Grigol of Khandzta (†861)

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

Our Holy Father Grigol of Khandzta was raised in the court of the Kartlian ruler Nerse. His family was part of the Meskhetian aristocracy. He received an education befitting his family’s noble rank and displayed a special aptitude for the sciences and theology.

[Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days ]

Holy Hieromartyr Evdemoz, Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia (†1642)

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

Saint Evdemoz led the Georgian Orthodox Church in the mid-17th century during the reign of King Rostom-Khan (1632–1658), a Georgian who had converted to Islam. Having murdered King Luarsab II of Kartli and chased out King Teimuraz I of Kakheti, the Persian shah Abbas I had declared Rostom-Khan ruler of a unified Kartli-Kakheti kingdom.

[Church History]

In the Steps of the Apostle Thomas

Priest Paul Martin

It takes real courage to become a Christian in India — and it takes courage to remain Christian. Converts are often rejected by family and friends, but they know that to be rejected for love of Christ is cause for rejoicing. One man told me that, when he converted and his home became a center of Christian worship, the villagers threatened him and his family with bodily harm. He remained firm, however, and now years later many in his village are Orthodox. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. And even when it does, acceptance and peace come gradually and often with pain.

[Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days ]

Great-martyrs Davit and Constantine (†740)

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

The 8th century was extremely difficult for theGeorgian people. Marwan bin Muhammad (called “the Deaf” by the Georgians and “the Blind” by the Armenians), the Persian ruler and military leader for the Arab caliph, invaded eastern parts of the Byzantine Empire, then Armenia and Georgia. With fire and the sword he fought his way across Georgia from the east to the city of Tskhumi (now Sokhumi) in the region of Abkhazeti. The princes Davit and Constantine Mkheidze of Argveti were faithful Christians and skilled military leaders. When they heard about the enemy’s invasion, the brothers prayed to God for protection, assembled their armies, and urged their people to pray fervently for God’s help.

[Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days ]

Saint Melchizedek, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia (11th century)

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

After the repose of Catholicos Svimeon, leadership of the Georgian Church passed to Catholicos Melchizedek I. St. Melchizedek led the Church from approximately 1010 to 1030, during the reigns of Kings Bagrat III, Giorgi I, and Bagrat IV.

[Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days ]

Venerable Onopre of Gareji, the Wonderworker (18th century)

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

Saint Onopre of Gareji (Otar Machutadze in the world) lived and labored in the 18th century. He was a Kartlian aristocrat famed for his wealth, hospitality, and charity.

[Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days ]

Holy Catholicos Arsen the Great (†887)

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

Saint Arsen the Great, a pupil and spiritual son of Grigol of Khandzta, was the youngest son of a certain aristocrat, Mirian, from Meskheti in southern Georgia.

[Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days ]

Holy Martyrs Bidzina, Shalva, and Elizbar (†1661)

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

In the 17th century the Persian aggressors razed churches, monasteries, and fortresses and drove out thousands of Georgian families to resettle them in remote provinces of Persia. The deserted territories were settled by Turkic tribes from Central Asia. In the chronicle The Life of Kartli it is written: “The name of Christ was not allowed to be uttered, except in a handful of mountainous regions: Tusheti, Pshavi, and Khevsureti.”

[Church History]

Restoration of Canonical Unity within the Russian Orthodox Church. Celebration in Dioceses Outside of Russia

At the blessing of His Holiness, Patriarch Alexei II of Moscow and all Russia, an official delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, headed by His Eminence Isidore, Metropolitan of Ekaterinodar and Kuban, will be participating in a celebration of the restoration of unity in the Russian Orthodox Church. The delegation, which includes the Sretensky Monastery Choir, will be participating in Divine Services in churches and monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. These guests from Russia will be carrying a holy miracle-working icon treasured by all Orthodox Christians—the “Reigning” icon of the Mother of God.

[Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days ]

Holy Martyrs, the Brothers Isaak and Ioseb the Georgians (†808)

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

The holy martyrs Isaak and Ioseb the Georgians were born into a Muslim family, but their Georgian mother, a Christian, secretly raised them according to the Christian tradition. The brothers were so firmly dedicated to the Faith that they journeyed to Byzantium to request that Emperor Nicephorus I Phocas (802–811) permit them to settle in his capital.

[Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days ]

Venerable Abba Ioseb of Alaverdi (†570)

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

Blessed Abba Ioseb of Alaverdi was a disciple and companion of St. Ioane of Zedazeni, who in the 6th century arrived in Georgia with twelve Syrian ascetics to spread the Christian Faith.With the blessing of his teacher, Fr. Ioseb settled in the village of Alaverdi in eastern Georgia. According to tradition, he carried with him a cross formed from the wood of the Life-giving Cross of our Savior.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59