Tsminda Sameba Cathedral is one of the first places that tourists in Tbilisi are eager to visit. It rises majestically on the hill of St. Elijah over the Georgian capital and is the Orthodox center of the country. Let's get acquainted with the history, architectural features and shrines of the temple.
Story
The story of Tsmind Sameba begins in November 1995. It was then that the first stone was laid. Although according to the plan, construction work was supposed to begin in 1989, when they celebrated the day of the 1500th anniversary of the Autocephalous Church. The construction of the cathedral took place on the donations of citizens and large businessmen. The collection lasted for 10 years. True, there is another version. According to her, the construction of Tsmind Sameba was financed by the Georgian oligarch Bidzina (Boris) Ivanishvili. Today he is also known as a shareholder of Gazprom, the owner of the Unikor group and the Prime Minister of Georgia 2012-2013.
According to ancient customs, sacred objects should be laid in the foundation of the temple. As for Tsminda Sameba, the land from Jerusalem was used here. At the end of 2002, the first service was held in the still under construction church. And two years later, on the day of the patron saint of Georgia - George the Victorious - the cathedral was consecrated by the Patriarch-Catholicos Ilia II. The service was attended by bishops and clergy from the Russian, Constantinople, Alexandria, Cyprus, Romanian, Serbian and other churches. After the ceremony, the Cathedral of the Patriarch was transferred to the cathedral from the historical temple in Tbilisi - Zion.
Location
Tsminda Sameba translated from the Georgian language means the Holy Trinity. The cathedral is the main one in the Orthodox Church of the country. It is not difficult for tourists to find it. The temple is located in the historic district of Tbilisi - Avlabari. In the 90s there were no high-rise buildings, only small private houses and narrow streets, paved with paving stones. Life flowed slowly, people were in no hurry. In the center of this peaceful, picturesque corner on the hill, a cathedral was erected. Currently, one of the main attractions of Avlabari is the residence of the President of Georgia.
Due to its good location on a hill, the cathedral can be seen from anywhere in Tbilisi. The exact address of Tsmind Sameba will tell any local resident. The cathedral can be reached by metro, leaving at Avlabari station. Or take buses 91 or 122 (stop "Sameba").
Construction scandal
During the construction of the temple there was a serious scandal. The foundation for the foundation was the old Armenian Khojivank cemetery. When the builders were digging a pit, they opened old burial places with human remains. They were mistaken for destroyed tombstones, monuments. Therefore, the reburial did not take place. Such disrespect caused a wave of indignation on the part of the Armenian diaspora in Georgia and the inhabitants of Armenia. The Georgian media did not stop talking about this for a long time. Discontent was expressed by local residents.
Description
Before the construction of Tsmind Sameba in Tbilisi, a competition was held. The architect Archil Mindiashvili won it with a retrospective-style temple project. He only took into account the fact of frequent earthquakes in the area. According to the architect’s calculations, the cathedral can withstand up to six points on the Richter scale.
Tsminda Sameba is not just a solitary cathedral, but a whole Orthodox complex. It includes several churches, a bell tower, a theological academy, a monastery, a clerical seminary, the residence of the Catholicos, a hotel and a restaurant for tourists. There are also many auxiliary buildings on the territory.
The cathedral includes nine chapels. Five of them are underground at a depth of approximately 20 meters. Bells for ground belfries are cast in Germany on special order. They work in mechanical and electronic mode. The weight of the largest bell reaches eight tons. The facades of the temples are decorated with arches with rows of unique carvings.
The cathedral itself is striking in its size. Its area is 5005 square meters. m, and the height is more than 100 m (according to some reports, 75.5 m).
Tsminda Sameba has 13 thrones. The floors and the altar are tiled with mosaic patterns. Picturesque frescoes and paintings in the temple were made by Georgian artist Amiran Goglidze. Several icons for the cathedral were painted by Patriarch Elijah II himself.
When describing Tsmind Sameba, it is important to mention a handwritten Bible of impressive size, located near the altar. It is written in antique font by hand. The tome is also the result of the skill of contemporary artists.
In the daytime, the cathedral is striking in its grandeur, resembling medieval buildings. At night, the facades are highlighted with yellow lanterns, which produces no less effect.
Icons
The interior of the temple resembles in many ways a museum. So, next to each icon there are small tablets with names and brief descriptions. Here you can admire the image of Sergius of Radonezh and Seraphim of Sarov. At the entrance to the temple is an icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, painted by Patriarch Elijah II.
But the most surprising in its beauty is the icon “Hope of Georgia”. It depicts all Georgian saints. Among them are the great faster and ascetic Shio, Saint Nina, who brought Christianity to Georgia, King David IV the Builder, who defended Iveria from invaders, and others.
The size of the image is three meters in height and the same in width. The icon is the true value of the cathedral. Her canvas is made in the style of enamel, and the salary is made of pure gold. The image was also created with donations. And for the salary, the townspeople themselves brought jewelry: rings, earrings, chains, watches, which were subsequently remelted. Thanks to the joint efforts of believers, Tsminda Sameba Temple in Tbilisi has become a symbol of the country's religious unity.
Fire
March 20, 2016 in the church a service was held in honor of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. After it ended, a fire began. The epicenter of the fire was the printing house on the ground floor of the cathedral. The reason for the rescuers first called a wiring failure. However, this version was later rejected.
The fire began at about two in the afternoon, and only at six it was possible to eliminate it. Due to the large amount of smoke, the work of firefighters was complicated. Burnt 1/5 of the area of the spiritual complex. At the time of the fire, there were many people in the temple. They were promptly evacuated. No harm done.
Recovery
Two days after the incident, a fundraising campaign was announced to restore Tsmind Sameba Cathedral. The authorities also connected to it. Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has officially stated in the media that restoration work will be carried out as soon as possible. And in May of that year, about 4 million lari were allocated from the reserve fund. At this time, the monastery complex was closed. Divine services are held in four small churches located in the surrounding area.