01/14/2025
Today we commemorate St. Nino as the "The Enlightener Of Georgia", because she brought Christianity to this previously pagan country. We have a particular affinity for St. Nino, which is why we chose her as one of our Chai House patron saints. We were blessed to visit Bodbe Monastery in eastern Georgia and venerate her relics. You may see pictures from our trip to Bodbe Monastery here: https://chaihousellc.com/tea-travel/
Below is the story of a miracle attributed to St. Nino.
ST. NINO AND THE MIRACLE OF THE LIFE-GIVING PILLAR (below is a picture I took of the icon commemorating this miracle, which is housed at Jvari Monastery in Mtskheta, Georgia).
The Georgian king Mirian (265-342) was converted by the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Nino, and he decided to build a Christian church on the spot where the Chiton (robe) of the Jesus Christ was kept. A massive cedar tree had grown on the grave of St. Sidonia (read about St. Sidonia of Georgia at http://ww1.antiochian.org/node/16772 ) which they sawed, and wanted to use its trunk as a foundation pillar for supporting the main cupola of the church, but they were not able to raise it upright. Saint Nino prayed all night for Divine help and visions were manifested to her, in which were revealed the historical courses of destiny of Georgia.
At dawn, an Angel of the Lord approached the pillar and raised it in the air. The pillar, shining with a wondrous light, was elevated and then lowered in the air, until it was set over its base. From the stump of the cedar issued a fragrant myrh. Thus the Angel of the Lord indicated the place, where the Chiton (robe) of the Lord was concealed in the ground. This event, witnessed to by many of the inhabitants of Mtskheta, is depicted on the icon, “Glorification of the Georgian Church”. Afterwards at the place of the wooden church was erected the majestic stone cathedral of Svetitskhoveli. The Life-Giving Pillar, from which occurred many healings, has at present a stone four-cornered covering and is crowned by a light-loft, not touching the arch of the cathedral. The Pillar is positioned in the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral with a model alongside of the Church of the Sepulchre of the Lord at Jerusalem. We were also blessed to visit Svetitskohveli Cathedral on our trip. See pictures here: https://chaihousellc.com/tea-travel/
From “Lives of the Saints”, Saint John of Kronstadt Press.
Read more about the life of St. Nino, the patron saint of Chai House, here:
https://chaihousellc.com/patron-saints-of-chai-house/
Read about my introduction to St. Nino:
https://chaihousellc.com/ninooba-st-ninos-day.../
We celebrate Ninooboa with our dear friends and Sisters in Christ of St. Nina's Georgian Orthodox Women's Monastery in Union Bridge, Maryland. Read more about them here:
https://chaihousellc.com/chai-house-partners/
