While walking around the capital of Georgia, you cannot ignore the Old City. It is there, on the right-bank part, that you will see a grayish massif on a rock, which, it seems, is about to fall right into the river. Here is the Metekhi temple - a landmark of Tbilisi, recognized as a real symbol of the ancient city.
The difficult fate of the Orthodox Church
Tbilisi is an ancient city that has survived many blows of fate. This fate did not bypass the temple. In ancient times, a magnificent palace of kings was located next to it, surrounded by many buildings and strong walls.
Such a neighborhood only emphasized the greatness of the temple. But in 1255, the Tatar-Mongol army attacked Georgia, wiped out the palace complex and caused severe damage to the church itself. A couple of centuries later, the building was captured by the Turks, and then by the Persians. The Metekhi Temple in Tbilisi has come down to us only thanks to the perseverance and love of the Georgian rulers. Each king considered it his sacred duty to revive this ancient building.
The building thatappears before our eyes today, rebuilt in the XIII century, and the dome was erected in the XVIII. The temple of Metekhi was also expected to change during the entry of Georgia into the Russian Empire. Then a prison was organized in the building. Only in the Soviet years, the miracle of architecture was freed from such a fate. During the reign of Stalin, Beria planned to raze the church to the ground. The artist Dmitry Shevardnadze at the end of the 30s of the XX century strongly opposed this order, for which, of course, he paid with his life. Not afraid of execution, this hero saved the ancient building, the symbol of Tbilisi. For parishioners, the church opened its doors only in 1988.
Why is the church named like that?
Researchers believe that since the Metekhi temple was originally built at the palace complex, then its name comes from there. Indeed, in translation from the Greek language, “palace” sounds like “methochia”. No one knows for what reason this place in the documents is initially referred to in the plural form (“metechni”, “metehta”). According to researchers, King Demeter I was the first to use this word, but perhaps he meant the village of Metekhi.
The name of the church in its modern version has been known and used since the 18th century.
Queen Shushanik as one of the symbols of Metekhi temple
The icon of the Great Martyr Queen Shushanik is kept in the temple. Any parishioner who knows the history of this woman prays before her face and asks to fulfill his desire. Shushanik lived during the reign of King Vakhtang I Gorgosal and was the wife of Vasken, the ruler of the southern part of Kartli. Duringone of his military campaigns, he renounced the faith and adopted Zoroastrianism. The ruler publicly renounced his first wife and took the Shah's daughter as his wife, promising that his former family would follow his example.
Hearing about the thoughts of her unfaithful husband, Shushanik did not leave her cell and prayed for herself and her children. At the feast, which she had to attend after the persuasion of her relatives, Vasken forces his wife to accept a new faith, but she refuses. Then the ruler beats the woman and throws her into a dungeon at the palace. Christian priests took care of her. When Vasken returns from another military campaign even more embittered, he grabs Shushanik, drags her over the thorns and throws her into prison forever.
For six long years, the former queen spent in prison and constantly prayed for the people who came to her. It is believed that through her prayers people received the fulfillment of their desires. In 475, Queen Shushanik fell ill and died. The relics of the great martyr were buried near the Metekhi church.
Christian shrine interiors
The official name of the Orthodox Cathedral is the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin. The interior of the temple has changed significantly over the long centuries of its existence. The once circular arches became lancet. This is a merit of the restoration of the XVIII century. Many of the frescoes have not been preserved, so the walls of the building are mostly just gray. But the holy icons, dear to the parishioners, are kept here. One of them is called "100,000 Martyrs of Metekhi" and hangs on the wall of the temple on the south side.
The icon depicting the face of St. Abo, painted in oil, has become so black with time that it is difficult to distinguish the image on it. Be sure to pay attention to the portico of the church. This is a complex structure made of stone, which has survived to our times unchanged. Even vine patterns, popular in the 13th century, have been preserved here. The Metekhi Temple, the only one in Tbilisi, is the custodian of this kind of carving. It is impossible to be a guest of the capital of Georgia and not visit a Christian shrine.
Where is the Metekhi Temple in Tbilisi?
The church is located in the Old Town on the banks of the Kura River, near the bridge of the same name. Address: Metekhi rise, 1. This area is a very attractive place for walking, here you can see a lot of interesting things.
Getting here is easy. There are two ways to do this:
- By metro, reaching Avlabari station.
- By bus, ride to the European Square stop. The following routes run here: 31, 44, 50, 55, 71, 80, 102.
If you travel by private vehicle, getting to the place will be even easier. The church is open to visitors from 9 am to 4 pm. Entrance to the Metekhi temple is free, but donations are not prohibited.
Tourists visiting Georgia for the first time should definitely visit this marvelous church, because it is the hallmark of the city.
