Saint Nino

According to a tradition, Iberia, also called Georgia, is the particular province of the Immaculate Mother of God. Saint Stefan of the Holy Mountain relates that after our Lord's Ascension, as the Apostles and His most Holy Mother remained in Jerusalem awaiting the promised Comforter, they cast lots to determine in which country God desired each of them to preach the Gospel. When, with fear and reverence, they cast for the holy Mother of God, the destiny of the most Pure One fell on the Iberian land. After the day of Pentecost She meant to set out for Iberia at once, but an Angel of God restrained Her, saying that She must remain in Jerusalem, for Her land would be enlightened with the light of Christ at a later time. These words were fulfilled three centuries later when the most Blessed Virgin Mother of God sent, zenith Her blessing and help, the holy virgin Nino to preach in Iberia.

St. Nino (Saint Nina) was born in Cappadocia and was the only daughter of pious and noble parents the Roman general Zabulon, a relative of the great martyr St. George, and Susanna, sister of the patriarch of Jerusalem. When St. Nino was twelve years old, she traveled with her parents to the holy city of Jerusalem. Here her father Zabulon obtained the patriarch's blessing and departed into the Jordan wilderness to serve God as a monk. Susanna was established by her brother the patriarch at a church to serve the poor and the sick, and Nino was given to be brought up by a certain pious old woman Nianfora. The holy young girl had such outstanding abilities that in the course of two years, with the help of the grace of God, she had firmly assimilated the rules of faith and piety. Every day she prayerfully read the Holy Scripture, and her heart blazed with love for Christ, Who had endured the suffering of the Cross and death for the salvation of men. When, with tears, she would read the Gospel story of the Crucifixion of our Savior, her thoughts often rested on the fate of the Lord's robe. she asked her teacher about its present location, for she felt sure that such a holy object could not have been lost. Nianfora told St. Nino that to the north-east of Jerusalem was the country of Iberia and in it the city Mtskheta and that there, according to tradition, the Lord's robe had been taken by the soldier who had won it by lot at Christ’s crucifixion. Nianfora added that the inhabitants of that country, the Kartlians, and also their neighbors the Armenians and many mountain tribes still remained enveloped in the darkness of pagan error and godlessness.

The old woman's words went deep into the heart of St. Nino, and many days and nights she spent in ardent prayer to the Most Italy Virgin Mother of God that she might be found worthy to see Iberia; to find and reverence the robe of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to preach the holy name of Christ to those peoples who did not know Him. And the most Blessed Mother of God heard the prayer of Her servant. She appeared to St. Nino in a dream and said:

"Go to Iberia and tell there the Good Tidings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and you will find favour before the Lord; and I will be for you a shield against all visible and invisible enemies. By the strength of this cross, you will erect in that land the saving banner of faith in My beloved Son and Lord."

When St. Nino awoke and saw in her hands the miraculous cross, she kissed it with tears of joy. Then, tying it in her hair, she went to see her uncle the patriarch. When the blessed patriarch heard how the Mother of God had appeared to St. Nino and had commanded her to go to Iberia to preach the Gospel of eternal salvation, he saw in this a clear expression of the will of God and did not hesitate to give the girl his blessing. When the time arrived for her departure. the patriarch led Nino into the church and up to the holy altar, and placing his hand on her head, he prayed in the following words: "Lord God, our Saviour! As I let this young girl depart to preach Thy Divinity, I commit her into Thy hands: Condescend, O Christ God, to be her Companion and Teacher everywhere that she proclaims Thy Good Tidings, and give her words such force and wisdom that no one will be able to oppose or refute them. pond Thou, most Holy Virgin Mother of God, Helper and Intercessor for all Christians, clothe with Thy strength against all enemies, visible and invisible, this girl whom Thou Thyself hast chosen to preach the Gospel of Thy Son and our God among the pagan nations. Be always for her a shield and an invincible protection, and do not deprive her of Thy favor until she has fulfilled Thy holy will!".

St. Nino (St. Nina) left Jerusalem with the princess Ripsimia the princess' teacher Gaiana, and a group of fifty-three virgins who were fleeing the persecutions of the Emperor Diocletian. Diocletian wanted to marry Ripsimia, even though she had taken a vow of chastity to Christ, so she and her virgins fled to Vagarshapat the capital of Armenia. Diocletian soon learned that Ripsimia vats hiding in Armenia and told the Armenian king Tiridat to take her for his own wife, for she was very beautiful. When Ripsimia remained faithful to her Heavenly Bridegroom, the enraged Tiridat, at this time still a pagan, had her and her companions cruelly tortured and put to death. Only St. Nino was miraculously saved.

St. Nino was responsible for bringing in and introducing Christianity to Iberia (Georgia) in the 4th Century.