What a church holiday on August 28 of the year. Church Orthodox holiday of August

Saint Equal to the Apostles Nina, an educator of Georgia, was born about 280 in the city of Kolastra, in Cappadocia, where there were many Georgian settlements.

Her father Zabulon was a relative of the Holy Great Martyr George (commemorated April 23, Old Style). He came from a noble family from pious parents and enjoyed the favor of the emperor Maximian (284-305). While in the military service of the emperor, Zebulun, as a Christian, helped to free the captive Gauls who converted to Christianity. Saint Nina's mother, Susanna, was the sister of the Jerusalem patriarch.

Equal to the Apostles Nina Gruzinskaya. Miniature. Athos (Iversky Monastery). End of the 15th century. Since 1913 it has been in the Russian Public (now National) Library in St. Petersburg

At the age of twelve, Saint Nina came to Jerusalem with her parents, who had their only daughter. By their mutual consent and with the blessing of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Zebulun dedicated his life to serving God in the Jordanian deserts.

Susanna was made deaconess at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the upbringing of Saint Nina was entrusted to the pious old lady Nianforra. Saint Nina showed obedience and diligence, and two years later, with the help of the grace of God, she firmly fulfilled the rules of faith and diligently read the Holy Scriptures.

Once, when she, crying, empathized with the evangelist describing the crucifixion of Christ the Savior, her thought stopped at the fate of the Lord's Tunic (John 19:23, 24). When Saint Nina asked where the incorruptible Chiton of the Lord is (celebrated on October 1), the elder Nianfora explained that according to legend, it was carried by the Mtskheta rabbi Eleazar to Iveria (Georgia), called the inheritance of the Mother of God.

Having learned that Georgia had not yet been enlightened by the light of Christianity, Saint Nina prayed to the Most Holy Theotokos day and night, may she grant her to see Georgia, turned to the Lord, and may help her find the Tunic of the Lord. The Heavenly Queen heard the prayers of the young righteous woman.

Once, when Saint Nina rested after long prayers, the Most Pure Virgin appeared to her in a dream and presented a cross woven from vine with the words: "Take this cross, it will be your shield and fence against all visible and invisible enemies. Go to the Iberian country, preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ there and you will find grace from Him. I will be your Patroness."

Having awakened, Saint Nina saw in her hands a cross (now it is kept in a special kivot in the Tbilisi Zion Cathedral) and rejoiced in spirit. The Patriarch of Jerusalem blessed the young virgin for the feat of apostolic service.

On the way to Georgia, Saint Nina miraculously avoided martyrdom from the Armenian king Tiridates, who were subjected to her companions - princess Hripsimia, her mentor Gaiania and 35 virgins (commemorated September 30), who fled to Armenia from Rome from the persecution of the emperor Diocletian (284-305). Strengthened by the visions of the angel of the Lord, who first appeared with a censer, and the second time with a scroll in hand, Saint Nina continued on her way and appeared in Georgia around 319.

The fame of her soon spread in the vicinity of Mtskheta, where she asceticised, for her preaching was accompanied by many signs. On the day of the glorious Transfiguration of the Lord through the prayer of Saint Nina during the pagan sacrifice performed by the priests in the presence of King Mirian and large people, were thrown down from a high mountain idols - Armaz, Gatsi and Gaim. This phenomenon was accompanied by a violent storm.

Entering Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia, Saint Nina found shelter in the family of a childless royal gardener, whose wife, Anastasia, through the prayers of Saint Nina, was relieved of sterility and believed in Christ. Saint Nina healed the Georgian queen Nana from a serious illness, who, having received holy baptism, from an idolater became a zealous Christian (her memory is celebrated on October 1).

Despite the miraculous healing of his wife, King Mirian (265-342), heeding the instigations of the pagans, was ready to subject Saint Nina to cruel tortures. At this time, the sun darkened, and an impenetrable haze covered Mtskheta.

The king suddenly became blind, and the horror-stricken retinue began to beg pagan idols for the return of daylight, but in vain. Then the terrified cried out to God, whom Nina had preached. Instantly the darkness cleared away and the sun shone.

King Mirian, healed by Saint Nina from blindness, received holy baptism along with his retinue. In 324, Christianity was finally established in Georgia.

The chronicles tell that Saint Nina, through her prayers, was discovered where the Chiton of the Lord was hidden, and on this place the first Christian church in Georgia was erected - at first it was wooden, and now stone cathedral in honor of the 12 Holy Apostles, called Svetitskhoveli, which means "life-giving pillar". By that time, with the help of the Byzantine emperor Constantine (306-337), who at the request of King Mirian sent a bishop, two priests and three deacons to Georgia, Christianity was finally consolidated in the country.

However, the mountainous regions of Georgia remained unenlightened. Accompanied by the presbyter Jacob and a deacon, Saint Nina set off to the upper reaches of the Aragvi and Iori rivers, where she preached the Gospel to the pagan highlanders. Many of them received holy baptism.

From there Saint Nina went to Kakheti (Eastern Georgia) and settled in the village of Bodbe, in a small tent on the side of a mountain. Here she led an ascetic life, staying in constant prayers and converting the surrounding inhabitants to Christ. Among them was the queen of Kakheti Sodja (Sofia), who was baptized along with the courtiers and many people.

Having made apostolic ministry in Georgia, Saint Nina was informed from above about her imminent death. In a letter to King Mirian, she asked him to send Bishop John to prepare her for her last journey.

Equal to the Apostles Nina, Enlightener of Georgia

Not only Bishop John, but also the king himself, together with the clergy went to Bodbe, where at the deathbed of St. Nina they witnessed many healings. While edifying the people who had come to worship her, Saint Nina, at the request of the disciples, told about her origin and life. This story, written down by Salome of Ujarmskaya, served as the basis for the life of Saint Nina.

Reverently joining holy mysteries, Saint Nina bequeathed that her body be buried in Bodbe, and peacefully departed to the Lord in 335 (according to other sources - in 347), in the 67th year after birth after 35 years of apostolic labors. The tsar, clergy and people, grieving over the death of Saint Nina, wanted to transfer her honest body to the cathedral church of Mtskheta, but could not move the tomb of the ascetic from her chosen resting place.

Holy Equal to the Apostles NINA, Enlightener of Georgia (+ 335)

Equal to the Apostles Nina (Georgian წმინდა ნინო) - Apostle of All Georgia, blessed mother, as Georgians call her with love. The spread of light is associated with her name. Christian faith in Georgia, the final approval of Christianity and the announcement of it as the dominant religion. In addition, through her holy prayers such a great christian shrine as an unsewed Tunic of the Lord.

Saint Nina was born about 280 in the Asia Minor city of Kolastra, in Cappadocia, where there were many Georgian settlements. She was the only daughter of noble and pious parents: the Roman governor Zebulun, a relative of the holy Great Martyr George, and Susanna, a sister Jerusalem Patriarch... At the age of twelve, Saint Nina came with her parents to the Holy City of Jerusalem. Here her father Zebulun, blazing with love for God, left and hid in the Jordanian desert. The place of his exploits, as well as the place of death, remained unknown to all. The mother of Saint Nina, Susanna, was made a deaconess at the holy church of the Holy Sepulcher, while Nina was given to be raised by one pious old woman Nianfor, and after only two years, with the assistance of the grace of God, she enlightened and firmly mastered the rules of faith and piety. The old woman said to Nina: “I see, my child, your strength, equal to that of a lioness, who is more terrible than all four-legged animals. Or you can be likened to an eagle soaring in the air. For her, the earth seems to be a small pearl, but as soon as she notices her prey from a height, she instantly, like lightning, rushes at her and attacks. Your life will definitely be the same. "

Reading the Gospel stories about the crucifixion of Christ the Savior and about everything that happened during His cross, St. Nina dwelled on the fate of the Lord's tunic. From her mentor Nianfora, she learned that the unsewed Tunic of the Lord, according to legend, was carried by the Mtskheta rabbi Eleazar to Iveria (Georgia), called the Lot Mother of God and that the inhabitants of this country are still immersed in the darkness of pagan delusion and wickedness.

Saint Nina prayed day and night to the Most Holy Theotokos, may she grant her to see Georgia turned to the Lord, and may help her to find the Tunic of the Lord. cross, go to the country of Iberia, preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ there. I will be your Patroness. "

Waking up, Nina saw a cross in her hands. She kissed him tenderly. Then she cut off part of her hair and tied it around the middle of the cross. At that time, there was a custom: the owner cut off the slave's hair and kept it in confirmation that this person was his slave. Nina dedicated herself to serving the Cross.

Taking the blessing from her uncle the Patriarch for the feat of evangelism, she went to Iveria. On her way to Georgia, Saint Nina miraculously escaped the martyrdom of the Armenian king Tiridates, to which her companions - Princess Hripsimia, her mentor Gaiania and 53 virgins (Comm. 30 September), who fled to Armenia from Rome from the persecutions of the emperor Diocletian, suffered. Guided by an invisible hand, she disappeared into the bushes of a wild, not yet blossoming rose. Shocked by fear, at the sight of the fate of her friends, the saint saw a light-bearing angel who turned to her with words of consolation: “Do not be sad, but wait a little, for you too will be taken into the Kingdom of the Lord of glory; this will happen when the thorny and wild rose surrounding you is covered with fragrant flowers, like a rose planted and cultivated in the garden. "

Supported by this Divine vision and consolation, Saint Nina continued her journey with enthusiasm and renewed zeal. Overcoming on the road hard work, hunger, thirst and fear of the beasts, she reached the ancient Kartala city of Urbnis in 319, where she stayed for about a month, living in Jewish homes and studying the customs, customs and language of a people new to her. The fame of her soon spread in the vicinity of Mtskheta, where she asceticised, for her preaching was accompanied by many signs.

Once a huge crowd of people, led by King Mirian and Queen Nana, went to a mountain peak to make an offering there pagan gods: Armazu - the main idol, forged from gilded copper, with a golden helmet and eyes made of yacht and emerald. To the right of Armaz stood another small golden idol of Katsi, to the left - the silver Gaim. The sacrificial blood poured, trumpets and tympans rang out, and then the heart of the holy virgin was kindled with jealousy of the prophet Elijah. At her prayers, a cloud with thunder and lightning burst over the place where the idol's altar stood. The idols were crushed to dust, the rains drove them into the abyss, and the waters of the river carried them downstream. And again the radiant sun shone from the sky. It was on the day of the glorious Transfiguration of the Lord, when the true light that shone on Tabor first transformed the darkness of paganism into the light of Christ on the mountains of Iberia.

Entering Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia, Saint Nina found shelter in the family of a childless royal gardener, whose wife, Anastasia, through the prayers of Saint Nina, was relieved of sterility and believed in Christ.

One woman, with a loud cry, carried her dying child through the streets of the city, calling out to everyone for help. Saint Nina laid her cross of grape vines on the baby and returned it to her mother alive and well.

View of Mtskheta from Jvari. Mtskheta is a city in Georgia, at the confluence of the Aragvi River with the Kura River. The Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is located here.

The desire to find the tunic of the Lord did not leave Saint Nina. To this end, she often went to the Jewish quarter and hurried to reveal to them the secrets of the kingdom of God. And soon the Jewish high priest Abiathar and his daughter Sidonia believed in Christ. Abiathar told Saint Nina their family tradition, according to which his great-grandfather Elioz, who was present at the crucifixion of Christ, acquired the Lord's tunic from a Roman soldier, who received it by lot, and brought it to Mtskheta. Elioz's sister Sidonia took him, kissed him with tears, pressed him to her chest and immediately fell dead. And no human power could pull the sacred clothing out of her hands. After some time, Elioz secretly buried the body of his sister, and together with her he buried the tunic of Christ. Since then, no one knew the place of Sidonia's burial. It was assumed that it was under the roots of a shady cedar that grew by itself in the middle of the royal garden. Saint Nina began to come here at night and pray. Mysterious visions that happened to her at this place assured her that this place is sacred and will be glorified in the future. Nina with no doubt found the place where the Lord's tunic was hidden.

From that time on, Saint Nina began to openly and publicly preach the Gospel and call the Iberian pagans and Jews to repentance and faith in Christ. Iberia was then under the rule of the Romans, and Mirian's son Bakar was at that time a hostage in Rome; therefore Mirian did not prevent Saint Nina from preaching Christ in her city. Only Mirian's wife, Queen Nana, a cruel and zealous idolater who erected a statue of Venus in Iberia, harbored anger against Christians. However, the grace of God, soon healed this woman who was sick with spirit. Soon she became terminally ill and had to turn to the saint for help. Taking up her cross, Saint Nina placed it on the patient's head, on her legs and on both shoulders, and thus made on her sign of the cross, and the queen immediately rose from the bed of her illness healthy. Having thanked the Lord Jesus Christ, the queen confessed before everyone that Christ is the true God and made Saint Nina her close friend and companion.

Tsar Mirian himself (the son of the Persian king Chozroes and the ancestor of the Sassanid dynasty in Georgia), still hesitated to openly confess Christ as God, and once he even set out to exterminate the confessors of Christ and, together with them, Saint Nina. Overwhelmed by such hostile thoughts, the king went hunting and climbed to the top of the steep mountain Thoti. And suddenly, suddenly, the bright day turned into impenetrable darkness, and a storm arose. The flash of lightning blinded the king's eyes, the thunder scattered all his companions. Feeling over himself the avenging hand of the Living God, the king cried out:

- God Nina! Dispel the darkness before my eyes, and I will confess and glorify Your name!

And immediately everything became light and the storm subsided. Amazed at the power of the name of Christ alone, the tsar cried out: “Blessed God! in this place I will erect a tree of the cross, so that for eternal time the sign you have shown me now may be remembered! "

King Mirian's appeal to Christ was resolute and unshakable; Mirian was for Georgia what Emperor Constantine the Great was at that time for Greece and Rome. Immediately Mirian sent ambassadors to Greece to King Constantine with a request to send a bishop and priests to him to baptize the people, teach them the faith of Christ, plant and establish the Holy Church of God in Iberia. The emperor sent Archbishop Eustathius of Antioch with two priests, three deacons, and everything needed for the service. Upon their arrival, King Mirian, the queen and all their children immediately received holy baptism in the presence of all. The baptismal chamber was built near the bridge on the Kura River, where the bishop baptized military leaders and royal nobles. Below this place, two priests baptized the people.

Jvari is a Georgian monastery and temple on the top of a mountain at the confluence of the Kura and Aragvi near Mtskheta, where the cross was erected by the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina. Jvari is one of the masterpieces of architecture and the first monument in Georgia in terms of the perfection of architectural forms World heritage.

The tsar wished to build a temple of God even before the arrival of the priests and chose a place for this at the direction of Saint Nina, in his garden, exactly where the aforementioned great cedar stood. The cedar was cut down, and six pillars were hewn out of six branches, which they affirmed without any difficulty. But the seventh pillar, carved out of the cedar trunk itself, could not be moved by any force. Saint Nina stayed all night at the construction site, praying and shedding tears on the stump of a felled tree. In the morning a wondrous youth, girded with a belt of fire, appeared to her, and said three mysterious words in her ear, having heard which, she fell to the ground and bowed to him. The young man went up to the post and, embracing it, lifted it high into the air. The pillar glittered like lightning and illuminated the entire city. Unsupported by anyone, he either rose or fell and touched the stump, and finally stopped and stood motionless in his place. From under the base of the pillar, a fragrant and healing ointment began to flow, and all those who suffered from various diseases, who were anointed with it with faith, received healing. Since that time, this place has been revered not only by Christians, but also by pagans. Soon the construction of the first wooden temple in the Iberian country was completed. Svetitskhoveli(cargo - life-giving pillar), which for a millennium was the main cathedral of the whole of Georgia. The wooden temple has not survived. In its place, there is now a temple of the XI century in the name of the Twelve Apostles, which is listed among the World Heritage Sites and is currently considered one of the spiritual symbols of modern Georgia.

Svetitskhoveli (life-giving pillar) is the cathedral patriarchal church of the Georgian Orthodox Church in Mtskheta, which for millennia was the main cathedral of all Georgia.

Throughout its existence, the cathedral served as a place of coronation and a burial vault for representatives of the royal family of Bagration. In the classical literature of Georgia, one of the brightest works is the novel "The Hand of the Great Master" by the classic of literature Konstantin Gamsakhurdia, which tells about the construction of the temple and the formation of Georgia at the same time associated with this event. Epic work describes in detail the process of building a temple, the formation of Christianity in Georgia and the Georgian state.

The presence of the Lord's tunic under the root of the cedar, both during the life of Saint Nina and after, was manifested by the outflow from the pillar and its root of a healing and fragrant world; this myrrh stopped flowing only in the 13th century, when, by the will of God, the tunic was dug out of the ground. During the years of the invasion of Genghis Khan, one pious man, foreseeing the death of Mtskheta and not wanting to leave the shrine to the barbarians' mockery, prayerfully opened the tomb of Sidonia, took out of it the honorable tunic of the Lord and handed it over to the chief archpastor. From that time on, the tunic of the Lord was preserved in the sacristy of the Catholicos, until the restoration of the Mtskheta temple, where it remained until the 17th century, until the Persian Shah Abbas, having conquered Iberia, took it and sent it as a priceless gift to the All-Russian To His Holiness the Patriarch Filaret, the father of Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich, in order to enlist the favor of the Russian royal court. The tsar and the patriarch ordered to arrange a special room with precious decorations in the right corner of the western side of the Moscow Assumption Cathedral and put the clothes of Christ there. V Russian Church since then, the feast of the position of the robe has been established, i.e. the tunic of the Lord.

Escaping the glory and honors that both the king and the people bestowed upon her, fervent with the desire to serve to even greater glorification of the name of Christ, Saint Nina left the crowded city for the mountains, to the waterless heights of Aragva and began there by prayer and fasting to prepare for new evangelistic works in neighboring Kartaly regions. Having found a small cave hidden behind the branches of trees, she began to live in it.

Accompanied by the presbyter Jacob and one deacon, Saint Nina set off to the upper reaches of the Aragvi and Iori rivers, where she preached the Gospel to the pagan highlanders. Many of them believed in Christ and received holy Baptism. From there Saint Nina went to Kakheti (Eastern Georgia) and settled in the village of Bodbe, in a small tent on the side of a mountain. Here she led an ascetic life, staying in constant prayers, turning the surrounding inhabitants to Christ. Among them was the queen of Kakheti Sodja (Sofia), who was baptized together with her courtiers and many people.

WITHHaving thus completed the last work of her apostolic ministry in the Iberian country in Kakheti, Saint Nina received a revelation from God about the approach of her death. In a letter to King Mirian, she asked him to send Bishop John to prepare her for last way... Not only Bishop John, but also the king himself, along with all the clergy, went to Bodbe, where at the deathbed of St. Nina they witnessed many healings. While edifying the people who had come to worship her, Saint Nina, at the request of her disciples, told about her origin and life. This story, written down by Solomiya Ujarmskaya, served as the basis for the life of Saint Nina.

Then she reverently received communion from the hands of the bishop of the saving Mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ, bequeathed her body to be buried in Bodbi, and peacefully departed to the Lord. in 335(according to other sources, in 347, in the 67th year of birth, after 35 years of apostolic deeds).

Her body was buried in a shabby tent, as she wanted, in the village of Budi (Bodbi). The deeply grieved tsar and bishop, and with them all the people, set out to transfer the precious remains of the saint to the Mtskheta cathedral church and bury them at the life-giving pillar, but, in spite of any efforts, they could not move the tomb of St. Nina from her chosen resting place.

In a short time, Tsar Mirian laid the foundation for her grave, and his son, Tsar Bakur, completed and consecrated the temple, in the name of a relative of Saint Nina, Saint Great Martyr George.

Prepared by Sergey SHULYAK

for the Temple Life-giving Trinity on Sparrow Hills

* In preparing the material, information from various Orthodox sources was used.

Troparion, voice 4
The words of God to the servant, / in the apostles of the sermon to the First-Called Andrew and the other apostles imitated, / the enlightener of Iberia / and the Holy Spirit, / the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Nino, / pray to Christ God / save our souls.

Kontakion, voice 2
Come today, everyone, / let us sing to the chosen one of Christ / equal to the apostles preacher God's words, / a wise evangelist, / the people of Kartalinia who led them on the path of life and truth, / the disciple of the Mother of God, / our zealous intercessor and vigilant guardian, / Nina praiseworthy.

First Prayer to Saint Nina Equal to the Apostles, Enlightener of Georgia
O all praiseworthy and equal-to-the-apostles Nino, we come running to you and tenderly ask you: protect us (names) from all evils and sorrows, give reason to the enemies of the holy Church of Christ and shame the opponents of piety and pray to the All-blessed God our Savior, to Him you stand now, and grant to the people Orthodox world, long life and haste in every good undertaking, and may the Lord lead us into His Heavenly Kingdom, where all the saints glorify His all-holy name, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.

Second Prayer to Saint Nina Equal to the Apostles, Enlightener of Georgia
O all praiseworthy and equal-to-the-apostles Nino, truly a great adornment of the Orthodox Church and a fair amount of praise to the people of God, who enlightened the entire Georgian country with the Divine teachings and deeds of apostleship, defeated the enemy of our salvation, through labor and prayer planted a helicopter of Christ here and brought him back to the fruit of many! Celebrating your holy memory, we flow to your honest face and reverently kiss the all-praiseworthy gift to you from the Mother of God, miraculous cross You have thrown around him with your hair, and we tenderly ask, like our inherent representative: protect us from all evils and sorrows, admonish the enemies of the Holy Church of Christ and opponents of piety, guard your flock, safeguarded by you, and pray to the All-good God, our Savior, To whom you now stand, may he grant Orthodox people our peace, long life and haste in every good undertaking, and may the Lord lead us into His Heavenly Kingdom, where all the saints glorify His all-holy name now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.

Film from the cycle "Shrines of Christendom": THE CROSS OF SAINT NINA

SAINT NINO (280-335)

Equal to the Apostles

Equal to Apostolic- the names of the saints who were especially famous for the preaching of the Gospel and the conversion of peoples to the Christian faith.

In the Orthodox Church, the name of the Equal to the Apostles is attached to: St. Mary Magdalene (as a fellowship of the Apostles); the holy First Martyr Thekla (a disciple of the Apostle Paul, who converted many pagans to Christianity in Seleucia of Isauria); the holy Martyr Apphia, Saint Averkiy, Bishop of Hierapolis; to the saints Tsar Constantine I the Great and his mother Helen; Saint Nino (enlightener of Georgia); Saint Patrick (educator of Ireland); Boris I (the Baptist of Bulgaria), Saints Cyril and Methodius (enlighteners of the Slavs); Saint Prince Vladimir I Svyatoslavich and his grandmother Olga (who baptized the Russian land); Saint Nicholas (Archbishop of Japan).

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According to the pious tradition, Iberia (Georgia) is the lot Holy Mother of God; by the special will of God, it fell to her to preach the gospel of her Son and the Lord Jesus Christ there for the salvation of people.

Saint Stephen Svyatorets tells that after the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, His disciples, together with the Mother of Jesus Mary, stayed in the upper room of Zion and waited for the Comforter, in accordance with the command of Christ -not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise from the Lord (Luke 24, 49; Acts 1, 4). The apostles began casting lots to find out which of them in which country should preach the Gospel. The Blessed One said:

- "I want to cast my lot with you, so that I will not be left without an inheritance, but in order to have a country that God will be pleased to show Me."

According to the word of the Mother of God, they cast lots with reverence and fear, and by this lot she got the Iberian land. Having received this lot with joy, the Most Pure Mother of God wanted immediately, after the descent of the Holy Spirit in the form of tongues of fire, to go to Iberia. But the angel of God said to her:
- "Do not leave Jerusalem now, but stay here for the time being; the inheritance that you inherited by lot will be enlightened by the light of Christ afterwards, and your dominion will abide there."

This is how Stefan Svyatorets tells. This predestination of God about the enlightenment of Iberia was fulfilled three centuries after the ascension of Christ, and the Most Blessed Virgin Mary was its executor. After the specified time had elapsed, She sent with Her blessing and Her help the holy virgin Nina to preach in Iberia.

THE LIFE OF SAINT NINO

SAINT NINA (NINO) was born in Cappadocia (c. 280) and was the only daughter of noble and pious parents: the Roman governor Zebulun, a relative of the holy Great Martyr George, and Susanna, the sister of the Jerusalem patriarch. At the age of twelve, Saint Nino came with her parents to the holy city of Jerusalem.

By their mutual consent and with the blessing of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Zebulun dedicated his life to serving God in the Jordan deserts, Susanna was made deaconess at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (to serve the poor and sick women), and the upbringing of Saint Nino was entrusted to the pious old lady Nianforra. Saint Nino showed obedience and diligence, and two years later, with the help of the grace of God, firmly followed the rules of faith and diligently read daily Holy Bible... Her heart was aflame with love for Christ, who endured suffering on the Cross and death for the salvation of people. Once, when she, crying, empathized with the evangelist describing the crucifixion of Christ the Savior, her thought stopped at the fate of the Lord's Chiton (John 19: 23-24).

When Saint Nino asked where the Chiton of the Lord resides, Eldress Nianfora explained that the "unsewed" Chiton of the Lord, according to legend, was carried by the Mtskheta rabbi Eleazar to Iveria (Georgia), called the Lot of the Mother of God. The Most Pure Virgin herself during Her earthly life was called by the apostolic lot to enlighten Georgia, but the Angel of the Lord, appearing to Her, predicted that Georgia would become Her earthly lot later, at the end of time, and the Providence of God prepared Her apostolic service on Mount Athos (also considered the Lot Mother of God). Nianfora added that the inhabitants of this country, as well as the neighboring Armenians and many mountain tribes, still remain immersed in the darkness of pagan delusion and wickedness.

These stories of the old woman sunk deeply into the heart of Saint Nino. Nino prayed day and night to the Most Holy Theotokos, may she grant her to see Georgia turned to the Lord, and may she help her to find the Chiton of the Lord. And the Queen of Heaven heard the prayers of the young righteous woman. Once the Most Pure Virgin appeared to her in a dream and, having handed over a cross woven from a vine, said: "Take this cross, it will be your shield and fence against all visible and invisible enemies. Go to the Iberian country, preach the gospel there. Gospel Lord Jesus Christ and you will find grace from Him:

- "I'll be your Patroness."

Awakening, Saint Nino saw a cross in her hands ( now kept in the Tbilisi Zion Cathedral near the northern gates of the altar in an icon case, clad in silver; chased miniatures from the life of St. Nina are placed on the top lid of the icon case), rejoiced in spirit and, having come to her uncle, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, told about the vision. The Patriarch of Jerusalem blessed the young virgin for the feat of apostolic service.

And when the time came, convenient for setting off on a long journey, the patriarch brought Nina to the temple of the Lord, to the holy altar, and, laying his holy hand on her head, prayed in the following words:

- "Lord God, our Savior! Letting go of the orphan" girl to preach Your Divinity, I give her into Your hands. Be pleased, Christ God, to be her companion and guide wherever she preaches the gospel about You, and grant her words such strength and wisdom that no one is able to resist or object. You, the Most Holy Theotokos Virgin, Helper and Intercessor of all Christians, clothe from above with Your power against the enemies visible and invisible this young woman, whom You Yourself chose to proclaim the Gospel of Your Son, Christ our God, among the pagan nations. Always be a veil and irresistible protection for her and do not leave her with Your mercy until she fulfills Your holy will! "

On her way to Georgia, Saint Nino miraculously escaped the martyrdom of the Armenian king Tiridates, to which her companions - Princess Hripsimia, her mentor Gaiania and 35 virgins (Comm. 30 September), who fled to Armenia from Rome from the persecution of the emperor Diocletian (284-305) ... Guided by an invisible hand, she disappeared into the bushes of a wild, not yet blossoming rose. Shocked by the fear and fate of her friends, the saint raised her eyes to heaven with a prayer for them and saw above a luminous angel, girded with a bright orarion, with a fragrant censer in his hands, accompanied by many heavenly heights... The angel addressed her with the words:

- "Get up and go to the north, where a great harvest is ripening, but where there are no reapers."

Later, Nino had a dream: a majestic-looking husband appeared to her; his hair fell over his shoulders, and in his hands was a scroll of books written in Greek. Unfolding the scroll, he handed it to Nina and ordered to read it. Awakening from sleep and seeing in her hand a wonderful scroll, Saint Nina read in it the following Gospel sayings:

• "Truly I say to you, wherever this Gospel is preached in the whole world, it will be said in her memory and what she did" (Matt. 26, 13).
• "There is no male or female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:28).
• "Then Jesus said to them (the wives): do not be afraid: go and tell them to my things" (Matt. 28, 10).
• "He who receives you, receives Me, and who receives Me, receives him who sent Me" (Matt. 10:40).
• "I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist" (Luke 21, 15).
• "When they bring you to the synagogues, to the rulers and authorities, do not worry how or what to answer, or what to say, for the Holy Doug will teach you at that hour what you should say" (Luke 12, 11-12).
• "And do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul" (Matthew 10:28).
• "So go, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you forever, until the end of the age. Amen" (Matthew 28, 19 -twenty).

Supported by this Divine vision and consolation, Saint Nino continued on her way and came to Georgia in 319. Overcoming hard work, hunger, thirst and fear along the way, she reached the ancient Kartalin city of Urbnisi, where she lived for about a month, staying in Jewish houses and studying the customs, customs and language of a people new to her.

The fame of her soon spread in the vicinity of Mtskheta (the ancient capital of Iberia - Georgia), where she asceticised, for her preaching was accompanied by many signs. On the day of the glorious Transfiguration of the Lord (August 6/19), through the prayer of Saint Nino, during the pagan sacrifice performed by the priests in the presence of King Mirian and a large people, idols Armaz, Gatsi and Gaim were thrown down from a high mountain. This phenomenon was accompanied by a violent storm that suddenly broke out on a clear day.

Coming to Mtskheta, Saint Nino found shelter in the family of a childless royal gardener. He and his wife Anastasia suffered greatly from loneliness and accepted Nina as a sister. Subsequently, at the request of Saint Nina, Anastasia's husband set up a small tent for her in the corner of the garden, on the site of which a small church in honor of Saint Nino will be built in the future, in the fence of the Samtavr convent. Saint Nino, placing in this tent the cross given to her by the Mother of God, spent days and nights there in prayer and singing psalms.

St. Nino performed miracles for her glory Christ's Name... The first in Iberia to adopt Christianity were an honest married couple who took Nina in. Through prayer, Saint Anastasia was relieved of her sterility and later became the mother of a large and happy family. After this miracle, the couple believed in Christ.

One woman, with a loud cry, carried her dying child through the streets of the city, calling out to everyone for help. Taking the sick child, Saint Nino lowered him onto her bed made of leaves; After praying, she put her cross of grape vines on the baby and then returned the baby to the crying mother alive and well. From that time on, Saint Nino began to openly and publicly preach the Gospel and call the Iberian pagans and Jews to repentance and faith in Christ. Her pious, righteous and chaste life was known to everyone and attracted the eyes, ears and hearts of the people to the saint. Many - especially Jewish wives - began to often come to Nino to hear from her lips a new teaching about the Kingdom of God and eternal salvation, and began to secretly accept faith in Christ. These were: Sidonia, daughter of the high priest of the Kartalin Jews Abiathar, and six others Jewish women... Soon Abiathar himself came to believe in Christ - after he heard Saint Nino's interpretations of the ancient prophecies about Jesus Christ and how they were fulfilled on Him as the Messiah.

Aviathar told Nino the legend about the tunic of the Lord:

- "I heard from my parents, and they heard from their fathers and grandfathers, that when Herod reigned in Jerusalem, the Jews who lived in Mtskheta and throughout the Kartalin country, received the news that Persian kings came to Jerusalem, that they were looking for a newborn a male baby from the offspring of David, born of a mother without a father, and they called him King of the Jews... They found Him in the city of David, Bethlehem, in a wretched den, and brought Him as a gift royal gold, healing myrrh and fragrant incense; worshiping Him, they returned to their country. Thirty years passed after that, and now my great-grandfather Elioz received a letter from Jerusalem from the high priest Anna with the following content:
- "The one to Whom the Persian kings came to worship with their gifts, reached the perfect age and began to preach that He is Christ, the Messiah and the Son of God. Come to Jerusalem to see His death, to which He will be delivered according to the law of Moses."

When Elioz gathered together with many others to go to Jerusalem, his mother, a pious old woman from the family of the high priest Elijah, said to him:

- "Go, my son, at the royal call, but I implore you - do not be with the wicked against the One whom they intended to kill; He is the One whom the prophets foretold. light for the nations and eternal life. "

Elioz, together with the Karenian Longinus, came to Jerusalem and was present at the crucifixion of Christ. His mother remained in Mtskheta. On the eve of Easter, she suddenly felt in her heart, as it were, the blows of a hammer driving in nails, and exclaimed loudly:

- "The kingdom of Israel is now lost, because they put to death the Savior and his Deliverer; this people will henceforth be guilty of the blood of their Creator and Lord. Woe to me that I did not die before this: I would not have heard these terrible blows! more in the land of Israel's glory! "

Having said this, she died. Elioz, who was present at the crucifixion of Christ, acquired His tunic from a Roman soldier, who received it by lot, and brought it to Mtskheta. Sister Eliosa Sidonia, welcoming her brother with a safe return, told him about the wonderful and sudden death of her mother and her dying words. When Elioz, confirming the mother's foreboding regarding the crucifixion of Christ, showed his sister the tunic of the Lord, Sidonia, taking it, began to kiss it with tears, then pressed it to her chest and immediately fell dead, And no human power could pull this sacred garment from the hands of the deceased. - even the king Aderkiy himself, who came with his nobles to see the extraordinary death of the girl and who also wanted to take the clothes of Christ out of her hands. Elioz buried the body of his sister, and together with her he buried the tunic of Christ and did it so secretly that even to this time no one knows the place of Sidonia's burial. Some assumed only that this place is in the middle of the royal garden, where from that time a shady cedar has grown by itself, standing there now; believers flock to him from all sides, venerating him as some great power; there, under the roots of the cedar, according to legend, is the tomb of Sidonia. "

Hearing about this tradition, Saint Nino began to come at night to pray under this tree. Mysterious visions that happened to her at this place assured her that this place is sacred and will be glorified in the future. So, once, after performing midnight prayers, Saint Nino saw: from all the surrounding countries flocks of black birds flocked to the royal garden, from here they flew to the Aragva River and washed in its waters. A little later, they climbed up, but already white as snow, and then, falling on the branches of a cedar, they sounded the garden with paradise songs. This was a clear sign that the surrounding nations would be enlightened by the waters of holy baptism, and on the site of the cedar there would be a temple in honor of the True God, and in this temple the name of the Lord would be glorified forever.

Knowing that the Kingdom of God and the salvation of the Iberian people are near, Saint Nino ceaselessly preached the word of God to the people. Together with her, her disciples, especially Sidonia and her father Abiathar, worked in the gospel of Christ. The latter argued so zealously and persistently with his former fellow Jews about Jesus Christ that he even suffered persecution from them and was condemned to be stoned; only King Mirian saved him from death.

At this time, just Christ's faith not only spread in the neighboring Armenian kingdom, but also in the Roman Empire, Tsar Constantine became a Christian and the patron saint of Christians. Iberia was then under the rule of the Romans, and Mirian's son, Bakar, was at that time a hostage in Rome; therefore Mirian did not prevent Saint Nino from preaching Christ in his city.

Mirian's wife, Queen Nana, was a zealous idolater. Saint Nino healed her from a serious illness, placing her cross on the patient's head, on her legs and on both shoulders, and thus made the sign of the cross on her. And Nana, having accepted holy Baptism, from an idolater became a zealous Christian (her memory is celebrated on October 1). She made Saint Nino her close friend and constant companion, nourishing her soul with her holy teachings. Then the queen brought the wise elder Abiathar and his daughter Sidonia closer to her, and learned from them a lot in faith and piety.

Despite the miraculous healing of his wife, King Mirian (265-342), heeding the instigations of the pagans, was ready to subject Saint Nina to cruel tortures. "At the very time that the execution of the holy righteous woman was invented, the sun darkened and an impenetrable haze covered the place where the king was." The king suddenly went blind, and the horrified retinue began to beg their pagan idols for the return of daylight. "But Armaz, Zaden, Gaim and Gatsi were deaf, and the darkness multiplied. Then the terrified unanimously called to God, Whom Nino preached. Instantly the darkness dissipated, and the sun illuminated everything with its rays." This event took place on May 6, 319.

King Mirian, healed by Saint Nino from blindness, received holy Baptism together with his retinue. Mirian was for Georgia what Emperor Constantine the Great was at that time for Greece and Rome. The Lord chose Mirian to be the leader of the salvation of all Iberian peoples. Immediately Mirian sent ambassadors to Greece to Tsar Constantine with a request to send a bishop and priests to him to baptize the people, teach them the faith of Christ, plant and establish the holy Church of God in Iberia. Until the ambassadors returned with the priests, Saint Nino continuously taught the people the Gospel of Christ, pointing out the true path to the salvation of souls and inheritance. heavenly kingdom; she taught them and prayers to Christ God, thus preparing them for holy baptism.

The Tsar wished to build a temple of God even before the arrival of the priests and chose a place for this at the direction of Saint Nino - where the mentioned great cedar stood, where, according to legend, the Chiton of the Lord was hidden. And the first Christian church in Georgia was erected there (at first a wooden, now a stone cathedral in honor of the 12 holy Apostles, Svetitskhoveli).

The cedar was cut down and six pillars were hewn out of six branches. When the carpenters wanted to raise the seventh pillar, hewn out of the cedar trunk, in order to put it in the foundation of the temple, everyone was amazed, since it was impossible to move it from its place by any force. Saint Nino stayed all night at the construction site with her disciples, praying and shedding tears on the stump of a felled tree.

Early in the morning, Saint Nino appeared a wondrous youth, girded with a fiery belt, and said three mysterious words in her ear, having heard which she fell to the ground and bowed to him. Then this young man went up to the post and, embracing it, lifted it high into the air. The pillar glittered like lightning, so that it illuminated the entire city.

The king and the people are gathered to this place; with fear and joy looking at the wonderful vision, everyone wondered how this heavy pillar, unsupported by anyone, then rose up, then fell down and touched the stump on which it grew; at last he stopped and stood motionless in his place. From under the base of the pillar, a fragrant and healing ointment began to flow, and everyone who suffered from various diseases and wounds, who were smeared with this world with faith, received healing.

After several years, in 324, Christianity was finally established in Georgia. However, the mountainous regions of Georgia remained unenlightened. Saint Nino went to the headwaters of the Aragvi and Iori rivers, where she preached the Gospel to the pagan highlanders. Many of them believed in Christ and received holy Baptism. From there Saint Nino went to Kakheti (Eastern Georgia) and settled in the village of Bodbe, in a small tent on the side of a mountain. Here she led an ascetic life, staying in constant prayers, turning the surrounding inhabitants to Christ. Among them was the queen of Kakheti Sodja (Sofia), who was baptized together with her courtiers and many people.

Emperor Constantine sent skilled architects to Iberia to build stone churches. He handed the ambassadors Mirian apart from a large number gold and silver, another part (foot) life-giving tree the cross of the Lord, which at that time had already been acquired (in 326) by Saint Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great; he also gave them one of the nails with which the most pure hands of the Lord were nailed to the cross. They were given more crosses, icons of Christ the Savior and Blessed virgin Theotokos, as well as - in the foundation of churches - and the relics of the holy martyrs. At the same time, Mirian's son and his heir Bakuriy, who lived in Rome as a hostage, was released to his father.

Mirian's ambassadors, returning to Iveria with many priests and architects, laid the foundation of the first temple in the village of Yerusheti, on the border of the Kartala land, and left for this temple a nail from the cross of the Lord. They founded the second temple in the village of Manglisi, forty versts south of Tiflis, and here they left the above-mentioned part of the life-giving tree. In Mtskheta, they founded a stone temple in the name of the Transfiguration of the Lord (now the Samtavro temple); at the request of the king and the order of St. Nino, it was laid in the royal garden near the tent of St. Nino. She did not see the end of the construction of this magnificent temple.

At that time, the inhabitants of Mtskheta contemplated a wonderful vision; for several nights, the newly created temple was decorated with a light cross with a crown of stars shining above it in the sky. At the onset of dawn, the four lightest stars separated from this cross and headed - one to the east, another to the west, the third illuminated the church, the bishop's house and the whole city, the fourth, illuminating the shelter of St.Nino, rose to the top of the cliff on which one majestic tree. Neither Bishop John nor the king could understand what this vision meant. But Saint Nino ordered to cut down this tree, make four crosses out of it and put one on the mentioned cliff, the other - to the west of Mtskheta, on Mount Thoti, - the place where King Mirian first became blind and then regained his sight and turned to the True God; She ordered the third cross to be given to the royal daughter-in-law, Rev's wife, Salome, so that she could set it up in her city of Udyasarma; the fourth she intended for the village of Bodbi (Budi) - the possession of the Kakhetian queen Soji (Sofia).

In a letter to King Mirian, she asked him to send Bishop John to prepare her for her last journey. Not only Bishop John, but also the king himself, along with all the clergy, went to Bodbe, where at the deathbed of St. Nino they witnessed many healings. While edifying the people who had come to worship her, Saint Nino, at the request of her disciples, told about her origin and life. This story, written down by Solomiya Ujarmskaya, served as the basis for the life of Saint Nina. St. Nino bequeathed her body to be buried in the same wretched tent in which she lived, so that the newly founded Kakhetian Church would not remain an orphan. Reverently partaking of the Holy Mysteries, Saint Nino peacefully departed to the Lord in 335 (according to other sources, in 347, in the 67th year from birth, after 35 years of apostolic deeds).

The tsar and the bishop set out to transfer the precious remains of the saint to the Mtskheta cathedral church and bury them at the life-giving pillar, but, in spite of any efforts, they could not move the tomb of St. Nino from her chosen resting place. The body of Christ's evangelist was buried in the place of her wretched tent in the village of Budi (Bodbi). In a short time, Tsar Mirian laid the foundation for her grave, and his son, Tsar Bakur, completed and consecrated the temple in the name of a relative of Saint Nino - Saint Great Martyr George. This temple was renovated many times, but it was never destroyed. With this temple, the Bodbe Metropolitanate was established, the eldest in the whole of Kakheti, from which evangelical preaching began to spread to the mountains of the eastern Caucasus.

The Lord glorified the incorruptible body of St. Nino, hidden under her command at her command (and after her in Georgia there is a custom not to reveal the relics of saints). Numerous and continuous signs and wonders took place at her tomb. These blessed signs, as well as the holy and angelic life and the apostolic labors of Saint Nino, which she undertook and completed with glory, prompted the young Iberian Church, with the consent of the Antiochian Patriarchate, to call the enlightener of Georgia equal to the Apostles (the names of the saints who were especially famous for preaching the Gospel and converting peoples to Christian faith) and, having canonized her, established her memory on January 14 (27), the day of her blessed death. In Iberia, they have already begun to build churches in the name of St. Nino, Equal to the Apostles. Until now, there is still a small stone church in her honor opposite Mtskheta, built by King Vakhtang Gorgasali on the mountain on which Saint Nino destroyed the idol of Armaz for the first time with her prayer.

In Georgia, Saint Nino is considered the enlightener of Georgians and the heavenly patroness of the country. As a result of the activities of Saint Nino, Christianity was declared in Iberia in 326 state religion... The Orthodox Church celebrates the holidays dedicated to Saint Nino (“Ninoba”), who spread Christianity in Georgia, twice a year: June 1 is the day of her arrival in Georgia, and January 27 (according to the old style - January 14) is the day of her death.

THE CROSS OF SAINT NINO

Cross of Saint Nino - a Christian relic, a cross woven from grape vines, which, according to legend, the Mother of God gave to Saint Nina before sending her to Georgia.

After the death of St. Nino, the cross was kept in the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta until 458, but after the intensification of pagan persecutions, the cross was taken by monk Andrey and transferred to the Taron region, in Armenia. Later, the cross was hidden in various Armenian cities and fortresses for about 800 years. In 1239, the Georgian queen Rusudan appealed to the Mongol commander Charmagan, who captured the city of Ani, where the cross of St. Nino was at that time, and asked to return it to Georgia. Charmagan granted the queen's request, and the cross returned to Svetitskhoveli. During the danger, the cross was repeatedly hidden in the Holy Trinity Church (Gergeti Trinity Church) on Mount Kazbek or in the Ananuri fortress.

In 1749, the Georgian Metropolitan Roman, setting off from Georgia to Russia, secretly took the cross of St. Nino with him and gave it to the Georgian prince Bakar who lived in Moscow. Since that time, for more than 50 years, the cross was kept in the village of Lyskovo, Nizhny Novgorod province, on the estate of Georgian princes. In 1801, Prince Georgy Alexandrovich presented the cross of St. Nino to Emperor Alexander I, who ordered the return of the relic to Georgia. Since 1802 the cross of St. Nino is kept in the Tiflis (Tbilisi) Zion Cathedral near the northern doors of the altar in an icon case, clad in silver. On the top cover of the icon case there are chased miniatures from the life of St. Nino.

Nina, Equal to the Apostles, Enlightener of Georgia

Saint Nina Equal to the Apostles, an educator of Georgia, was born about 280 in the city of Kolastra, in Cappadocia, where there were many Georgian settlements. Her father Zebulun was related to the holy Great Martyr George (+ 303; Comm. 23 April / 6 May). He came from a noble family, from pious parents, enjoyed the favor of the emperor Maximian (284-305). While in the military service of the emperor, Zebulun, as a Christian, helped free the captive Gauls who converted to Christianity. The mother of St. Nina Susanna was the sister of the Patriarch of Jerusalem.

At the age of twelve, Saint Nina came to Jerusalem with her parents, who had their only daughter. By their mutual consent and with the blessing of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Zebulun dedicated his life to serving God in the Jordan deserts, Susanna was made deaconess at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the upbringing of Saint Nina was entrusted to the pious old lady Nianforra.

Saint Nina showed obedience and diligence, and two years later, with the help of the grace of God, she firmly learned to fulfill the rule of faith and diligently read the Holy Scriptures.

Once, when she, crying, empathized with the evangelist who described the crucifixion of Christ the Savior, her thought stopped at the fate of the Lord's tunic (John 19: 23-24). When Saint Nina asked where the Lord's tunic resides, Eldress Nianfora explained that the incorruptible tunic of the Lord, according to legend, was carried by the Mtskheta rabbi Eleazar to Iveria (Georgia), called the inheritance of the Mother of God.

Saint Nina often heard about this country from the Jews who settled there and came to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. Having learned that Georgia had not yet been enlightened by the light of Christianity, Saint Nina prayed day and night to the Most Holy Theotokos: may she grant her to see Georgia turned to the Lord and may help her to find the Lord's tunic.

The Heavenly Queen heard the prayers of the young righteous woman. Once, when Saint Nina rested after long prayers, the Most Pure Virgin appeared to her in a dream and handed over a cross woven from a vine, with the words: “Take this cross, it will be your shield and fence against all visible and invisible enemies. Go to the Iberian country, preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ there and find grace from Him. I'll be your Patroness. "

Having awakened, Saint Nina saw a cross in her hands (now it is kept in a special kivot in the Tbilisi Zion Cathedral) and rejoiced in spirit.

Another time, the Savior appeared to Nina and gave her a scroll, in which it was written: Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit(Matthew 28:19).

With delight, Nina hastened to announce to her uncle, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, about these dreams and the commands she received. The patriarch and her mother blessed the saint for the feat to which she inspired and irresistibly aspired, and indeed the Lord led Nina to accomplish it.

On her way to Georgia, Saint Nina miraculously escaped martyrdom from the Armenian king Tiridates, to which her companions - Princess Hripsimia, her mentor Gaiania and 35 virgins (IV century; commemorated September 30 / October 13), who fled to Armenia from Rome from persecution, suffered Emperor Diocletian (284-305). Strengthened by the visions of the Angel of the Lord, Saint Nina continued on her way and appeared in Georgia around 319. The fame of her soon spread in the vicinity of Mtskheta, where she asceticised, for her preaching was accompanied by many signs. On the day of the glorious Transfiguration of the Lord, through the prayer of Saint Nina, during the pagan sacrifice performed by the priests in the presence of King Mirian and a large people, the idols Armaz, Gatsi and Gaim were cast down from a high mountain. This phenomenon was accompanied by a violent storm.

Entering Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia, Saint Nina found shelter in the family of a childless royal gardener, whose wife Anastasia, through the prayers of the saint, was relieved of sterility and believed in Christ. Soon she became famous in the surrounding area, because she provided wonderful help to the suffering. A multitude of sick people began to come to her, and Saint Nina with prayer healed their ailments and preached about Christ. Her words, her miracles, virtuous life strongly influenced the surrounding residents, and many of them believed in the true God. Abiathar, formerly a high priest, and his daughter Sidonia, after adopting the Christian faith, became collaborators in spreading the gospel teachings.

Saint Nina loved to spend days and nights in prayer under the majestic cedar, under which, according to Georgian tradition, the Savior's tunic was hidden in the ground. Later, the first Christian church in Georgia was erected on this place (at first a wooden, now stone cathedral in honor of the Twelve Holy Apostles, called Svetitskhoveli, which means "Life-giving Pillar").

Saint Nina healed the Georgian princess Nana from a serious illness, who, having received holy baptism, from an idolater became a zealous Christian (Comm. 1/14 October). Despite the miraculous healing of his wife, King Mirian (265–342), heeding the instigations of the pagans, was ready to subject Saint Nina to cruel tortures. At the same time that the execution of the holy righteous woman was invented, the sun darkened and an impenetrable haze covered the place where the king was. The king suddenly became blind, and the horror-stricken retinue began to beg their pagan idols for the return of daylight, but they were deaf and the darkness multiplied. Then the terrified unanimously cried out to God, whom Nina preached. The darkness instantly dissipated, and the sun illuminated everything with its rays. This event took place on May 6, 319.

And King Mirian, healed by Saint Nina from blindness, soon turned to the true God. On the advice of Nina, the tsar sent to ask the Byzantine emperor Constantine (306-337) to send a bishop and priests to perform the sacrament of baptism over the people. The bishop who arrived in the capital with priests and deacons was greeted by the king and all the people with great honor and joy, and the holy baptism soon began (324; according to other sources, 326). First of all, the tsar received holy baptism, followed by the tsarina with children. After that, having prepared a baptismal chamber near the bridge on the Kura River, the bishop consecrated the waters and baptized all the royal nobility. This place is still called the "Font of nobles", and a little below the "Font of nobles" two priests and deacons baptized at that time all the people, who received holy baptism so zealously and aspired to this with such haste that in the performance of the mysterious rite there was a lot of confusion. Such zeal stemmed from the fact that the people well remembered the instructions of Saint Nina, who told them that whoever does not receive baptism cannot find eternal light. Thus, almost all of Kartalinia received holy baptism, with the exception of the Caucasian highlanders, who remained in the darkness of paganism.

Following this, the tsar sent ambassadors to Constantinople with a request to the emperor to send architects to Iveria to build churches. The emperor received the ambassadors well, fulfilled their request, and together with them sent many architects and priests to the newly enlightened land, placing them at the disposal of the bishop large amount money for building churches.

Motivated by holy zeal, Nina continued to preach the gospel. She tried to spread the word of God among the highlanders and, accompanied by the presbyter Jacob and one deacon, went to the upper reaches of the Aragvi and Iori rivers. And many of the highlanders received holy baptism. From there Saint Nina went to Kakheti (Eastern Georgia) and settled in the village of Bodbe in a small tent on the side of a mountain. Here she led an ascetic life, staying in constant prayers, turning the surrounding inhabitants to Christ. Among them was the queen of Kakheti Sodja (Sofia), who was baptized together with her courtiers and many people.

Having completed her apostolic service in Georgia, Saint Nina was informed from above about her imminent death. In a letter to King Mirian, she asked him to send Bishop John to prepare her for her last journey.

Not only Bishop John, but also the king himself, along with all the clergy, went to Bodbe, where at the deathbed of St. Nina they witnessed many healings. While edifying the people who had come to worship her, Saint Nina, at the request of her disciples, told about her origin and life. This story, written down by Solomiya Ujarmskaya, served as the basis for the life of Saint Nina.

Reverently partaking of the Holy Mysteries, Saint Nina bequeathed that her body be buried in Bodbe, and peacefully departed to the Lord in 335 (according to other sources, in 347, 67 years from birth, after 35 years of apostolic deeds).

The tsar, the clergy and the people, grieving over the death of Saint Nina, wanted to transfer her honest body to the cathedral church of Mtskheta, but could not move the tomb of the ascetic from her chosen resting place. On this place in 342 King Mirian founded, and his son King Bakur (342–364) completed and consecrated the temple in the name of Saint Nina's relative, Saint Great Martyr George; later, a nunnery in the name of St. Nina was founded here. The relics of the saint, at her behest hidden under a shelter, were glorified with many healings and miracles. Georgian Orthodox Church with the consent of the Antiochian Patriarchate, she named the enlightener of Georgia equal to the apostles and, numbered among the saints, established her memory on January 14/27, the day of her blessed death.