Saint David of Gareja - a famous Christian monk, is considered a disciple of John of Zedazni, who came to Iberia from Antioch to preach faith in Christ. He is 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 remembrance of the saint.
Christian Faith in Georgia
Saint David of Gareja appeared in Georgia at the behest of the Mother of God. He came to this country in the middle of the 6th century from Syria in company with the Monk John of Zedazni, among a dozen of his students.
Initially, the holy fathers settled near Mtskheta, on Zedazeni Mountain. Three years later, John sent his disciples and associates to different parts of Georgia to preach Christian doctrine. David, along with his student Lucian, settled on Mount Mtatsminda, which lies in the vicinity of Tbilisi.
By that time, Georgia had already been two centuries, as baptized by St. Nina. But throughout all this time she was under strong pressure from Persia, was constantly devastated by invasions of the Persians, and for some time she was in a state of siege. Initially, the Persians tried to erase the Christian faith with a sword, then they began to act more cunningly. Everywhere they began to impose Mazdeanism, that is, fire worship. Merchants and artisans who accepted this religion were given all kinds of benefits and incentives.
As a result, it even came to the fact 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 situation of the Christian faith had been greatly shaken.
Birth of stone
Having settled not far from Tbilisi, the Georgian saint David Gareji began to regularly go out to the locals, instructing them on the path of Christianity. As a rule, every Thursday he went down from the mountain to the city to turn Georgians back to the fold of the church. Many followed him.
Firefighters, of course, were unhappy with this state of affairs. Then they bribed the fallen girl to slander David, calling him the culprit in the fact that she became a fallen woman.
Residents summoned St. David of Gareja to court. Face to face, he met this girl, touched her womb with a staff and asked if he was a father. From there came a voice that answered no, and then called the true culprit of the fall of the girl. After that, in front of the amazed crowd, she gave birth to a stone.
This amazing miracle has long remained in the memory of local residents. And St. David of Gareja himself, in memory of the heavenly intercession, asked the Lord to open a healing spring on the mountain, where he settled. He is still visited by women from all over the country who suffer from a variety of gynecological diseases.
Life off the beaten path
After this incident, David and his student left the vicinity of Tbilisi and went to the southeast. They settled in a desert area called Gareji. Here the monks dug cells for themselves in the mountain and settled in them.
Over time, other hermits began to appear around them, wishing to pray to God next to St. David of Gareja in Georgia. As a result, the still-famous Davido-Gareja Lavra settled down.
Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
Shortly before his death, David went to the Holy Land for worship. Having already appeared on the mountain with a view of Jerusalem, the saint suddenly declared to his companions that he was not worthy to step on those places where the Savior had been.
Instead, he asked him to pray at the Holy Sepulcher, and he took three stones, put them in his bag and returned.
At that time, an angel appeared to the Jerusalem patriarch, who conveyed that the beloved God, David, had taken away all the grace of this place, ordering him to equip a walker who would take back two stones from the monk.
And so it happened. David brought the third stone to his laurel; it is still stored in it. Currently, the stone is in the treasury of the Trinity Cathedral of the Georgian capital.
Rev. David died on May 20, 605, in 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 according to the project of the architect Leopold Bilfeld, which was based on the medieval Samtavisi Cathedral.
According to the life of St. David of Gareja, it was at this place that the woman, incited by the pagans, accused him of being pregnant from him. David, in response, stated that her wrongness would become apparent when she gave birth to a stone. And so it happened, after which this place was called "kashveti", which comes from two Georgian words with the meaning "give birth" and "stone".
Church of St. David
In Tbilisi itself, on the pantheon of Mtatsminda, one of the country's main Orthodox shrines is located - the Church of St. David of Gareja.
It was built in the period from 1859 to 1871. Consecrated in honor of the Christian associate of the VI century. In honor of this, a Georgian church holiday is celebrated here annually under the name Mamadavitoba, which is dedicated to the founder of Georgian monasticism.
Celebrate it on the day of remembrance of the saint - on the first Thursday after the Ascension of the Lord. The central events are held in Tbilisi, as well as on the mountain, where the old man’s cave is located, as well as a source, the appearance of which the locals associate with the reverend.
The spring is not far from 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 desire.
Since 1929, there has been a pantheon in the church where prominent people of Georgia are buried, including famous artists, writers, and scientists.
Monastery
Associated with the name of this saint and the eponymous monastery. This is a whole complex of cave monasteries dating back to the 6th century, about 60 kilometers from Tbilisi in 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 whole complex, founded by one of the thirteen Syrian fathers in the natural cave of Gareja.
In the IX century, in the vicinity of this place, the refectory and the Transfiguration Church were built. After this, the monastery more than once suffered from invasions of strangers. In the XI century, the Seljuks looted him, and in the XIII century. - the Mongols. At the beginning of the XV century, he was badly ruined by Tamerlane, and about a century later by the Persian Shah Abbas I.
The first attempts to restore the monastery began to be undertaken by King Teimuraz at the end of the 17th century. In fact, his revival is considered to be in 1690, when Rev. Onufry Machutadze became its rector. He managed to restore the monastery in his old rights, to return the lands previously owned by him, to build fortress walls to protect against enemies, to build refectory.
In the XVIII century, the monastery was again subjected to numerous attacks and ruins, then interest in it disappeared after the emergence of secular and religious schools in various cities of Georgia. They remembered him only during the Soviet stagnation. Electricity was brought here, a road was brought up, several houses for monks were built.
It is here that the holy relics of David of Gareja are stored. Orthodox Georgians note that over the many 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.
Way to the monastery
This famous monastery, which today has become a popular place among pilgrims, is located 45 kilometers south of Sagareggio along a winding road. A little closer - about 30 kilometers - it is from Gardabani, but this road is rarely used, because it is badly damaged, and you can spend much more time to overcome it.
Buses used to go from Tbilisi to Gareji, but now they have been canceled. 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.
At 13 kilometers from this holy complex is the village of Udabno, which literally translates from the Georgian language as "desert." An asphalt road leads to it, but can only be reached by personal transport.
From Sagareggio you can order a taxi to the monastery for about 35 GEL. For the money you will be taken back and forth, given two hours of waiting.
In 2014, a bus appeared from Tbilisi, which leaves daily. You can board it in the area of Freedom Square at 11 a.m., on Pushkin Street. The fare is 25 GEL. For this money you will be delivered to the monastery complex, and after three hours they 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 been going on between the two countries for many years.
Georgian monks who live on a permanent basis in the monastery consider everything to be part of a plan developed back in Soviet times with the aim of quarreling between Georgians and Azerbaijanis.
The Georgian authorities have repeatedly noted that they would like to exchange this territory, since it is of great historical and cultural importance for the country. However, official Baku refuses due to the strategic location of the heights, saying that this issue is not even considered.
How do they beg children?
From ancient times it is believed that a saint is able to help if a woman can not become pregnant for a long time. In this case, she should pray with St. David of Gareja.
To do this, it is not necessary to go to distant Georgia. Regular prayers are performed regularly in the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Gryazekh in Moscow, where there are two icons of St. David of Gareja at once. One of them, containing a particle of his relics, is stored in the altar. She is taken out of there only for the time of prayers dedicated to the reverend. The second hagiographic icon is placed in a large carved icon case near the left wall of the temple itself.
Believers gather for a prayer service to St. David of Gareja in a church in Moscow every Monday at 6 p.m. Basically, these are women, both young and old. Some come with husbands. All of them are united by requests related to assistance in the birth of a child. This is what they pray to St. David of Gareja.
These prayers are attended not only by Muscovites, but also people from different parts of the country. They come even from neighboring countries. It is noted that in Georgia they greatly value this saint, venerating him right after George the Victorious and Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina.
Prayer to the saint
Appropriate prayer should be addressed to Christian Saint David of Gareja. What you pray to him, you now know. With such requests, several dozen people come to him every week.
Oh, all the world, the blasphemous of Abba David, holier of God! You, by the force of the good of the Lawgiver, have appeared to us, the wiles of the evil one tied up and overpowered, like a mentor in repentance and an assistant in prayer. For the sake of that, many gifts of grace and miracles have been given to you, the resolution of our sins and the transgressions of our sins, the healing of diseases, and the demonic libel of exile. Also, with your fatherly mercy in God-kingly understanding, with many difficult prayers and your prayers, with the most unceasing your intercession for us, the Lord God will set us, in sin of sin, by His invincible power for every visible and invisible enemy, so that you may bless your memory we desired to worship the Eternal God in the One Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.
How to get to the temple?
In Moscow, the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Gryazekh is located at 13 Pokrovka Street.
If you get to the holy place by public transport, it is best to use the metro. Drive to Turgenevskaya or Chistye Prudy stations.
From here you need to go to the monument to Alexander Sergeyevich Griboedov, and then go on any tram for two more stops towards the temple.
Another option: get to the metro station Kitay-Gorod. From there, go to Maroseyka street and walk on the left side for about ten minutes.