Betania Monastery

The Betania Monastery of the Nativity of the Holy Mother of God (Georgian ბეთანიის ყოვლადწმინდა ღვთისმშობლის შობის მონასტერი ), short Betania (Georgian ბეთანია; bɛt ʰ anɪa ) is a medieval Georgian Orthodox monastery in Georgia. It is located in the former village Kweseti, 16 kilometers southwest of the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, in the region of Lower Kartli. The monastery was founded in the 12th century and its buildings, which were built in the 12th to 13th centuries, examples of Georgian architecture in the so-called " golden age " of the Kingdom of Georgia. Betania is also known for its murals with the representations of contemporary Georgian monarch.

History

The name of the monastery is from the biblical village of Bethany, home of the mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible siblings Mary, Martha and Lazarus, is derived. The monastery consists of zwe churches. The small basilica of St. Giorgis was built in 1196. The large main church of the monastery was also in the 12th - 13th Erected century, but the exact date is unknown.

The area of the monastery was a family cemetery of the feudal Orbeliani. The monastery Betania deserted soon and for centuries has been neglected. It was rediscovered by chance in the 19th century by Grigol Orbeliani while hunting. In the 19th century, the newfound former convent has been restored.

In the 20th century the well-known Georgian monks were active in the monastery Fater Giorgi ( Mcheidse ) and Fater Ioane ( Maisuradse ). They were canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church of the Apostles.

Architecture

The building obtained are the main dome Church of the Nativity of the Holy Mother of God ( built at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries ), the minor basilica of St. Giorgis ( 1196), and the ruins of the bell tower.

The main church of the monastery has a rectangular plan. Its high dome, slightly to the east, resting on the two westerly freestanding columns. The southern entrance is faced through the gate with a covered star-shaped vault. The facade is covered with well -hewn stone. The clothing of the walls and interior of the dome were restored later. On the east facade are two niches with the traditional Georgian ornaments. Modern scientists believe that the church actually is an extended, curved and decorated version of an earlier basilica, probably dating from the 10th century.

Wall painting

The interior of the main church is decorated with significantly damaged murals, which are one of the highlights of the medieval Georgian frescos. There is a scene of supplication, of which only fragments of the figure of the Christians has survived on the wall of the altar. On the walls of the apse, behind the altar, the depictions of the prophet are decorated with scrolls in hand. The northern wall is occupied by one cycle of the Passion of Christ, the southern wall contains scenes from the Old Testament and the western - the scenes of the Last Judgment.

The north transept of the monastery is decorated with representations of the Georgian monarch. These representations date from the year 1207. Below are the portraits of Giorgi III. (1156-1184), his daughter Queen Tamar (1184-1213) and her son Giorgi IV ( 1213-1223 ). Giorgi IV is shown as a beardless young man, but he is wearing a crown and a sword.