სამონასტრო წმინდანის თაყვანისცემის ისტორიიდან

Abstract

The cult of saints constituted a significant aspect of Christian piety for many centuries. From the fourth century onward, the integration of saints into the Eucharistic Liturgy exemplifies their prominent role in religious practice.
This paper examines The Life of Giorgi Mtats’mindeli (George Hagiorites or George of the Holy Mount, 1009–1065), composed between 1066-1067/72 by Giorgi Mtsire (George the Lesser). This hagiographic text, authored by the eyewitness of the described events, serves as a valuable primary source that illuminates various dimensions of the historical and religious context of the period.
The narrative provides a detailed account of the establishment of the cult of St. Giorgi, a distinguished figure in Georgian religious and cultural history. The text outlines the efforts of Blessed P’etre and his brother Ioane, Bishop of Ch’q’ondidi (in western Georgia), to commemorate the departed father. Their initiatives included the designation of a feast day for Giorgi and the selection of his burial site, thereby laying the foundations for the veneration of a monastic saint.
Particularly noteworthy is the role of a specific icon described in the text, which depicts Saints Giorgi and Ekvtime interceding before the Virgin. As is well established in Christian tradition, saints functioned as protectors and intercessors, a concept vividly expressed through the iconography of the icon described in the Life. Commissioned by P’etre and Ioane for Giorgi’s tomb, the icon played a central role in the veneration practice of the saints.
The Life also offers valuable insight into the social networks and the status of Georgian Athonite monks, further enriching our understanding of monastic life and the tradition of establishing saints’ veneration.