Svetitskhoveli Cathedral

The Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (Georgian სვეტიცხოვლის საკათედრო ტაძარი, " Cathedral of the life-giving pillar") is a church in Georgia. It stands in the town of Mtskheta, 20 kilometers from the Georgian capital Tbilisi. With other historical monuments of Mtskheta in it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Overview

The cathedral was for several centuries the coronation and burial church of the Georgian monarchs and at the same time the main church of the Georgian Orthodox Church of the Apostles. Today it is the seat of the Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi, who is also the Catholicos - Patriarch of Georgia. It is the second largest Georgian church after the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi.

The cathedral was built in 1010-1029 by the Georgian architect Arsakidze. In their place was a church in the 4th century. She was the first Georgian Church and was under the rule of the Iberian King Mirian III. built. To that predecessor building legends to Christianity in Georgia in the year 317

Legend

It is said that St. Nino had the confluence of the Kura and Aragwi selected as the place for the first church in Georgia and it resorted to an old story.

After traveling a native of Mtskheta Georgian Jew called Elias to Jerusalem to speak at the trial of Christ for him. But he came late to just witnessed the crucifixion. On Calvary he should have bought a Roman soldier whose robe and brought it to Georgia. At home in Mtskheta had his sister Sidonia it pressed in and died instantly. Because you do not have the robe from her embrace can tear that she had been buried with him. On her grave had grown later a huge cedar.

The St. Nino is said to have arranged to cut down the cedar and build over the grave of the church. From the cedar a column for the church to be built. But the cedar did not make themselves. Nino is said to have prayed for a whole night, then an angel had appeared, who raised his arms. This is what the tree had raised, had fallen to the ground and the building could be completed. Later, the cedar column a sacred liquid have produced, could heal people from all diseases.

The legend gave the cathedral its name. Sweti zchoweli called on German life-giving pillar.

The site of the grave of Sidonia is highlighted in the cathedral. An image of Mikhail Sabinin the right of the Cathedral entrance shows the floating seventh column: Sidonia and an angel lift them into the sky. In the foreground, St. Nino is with King Mirian III. to their right, his wife Nana to her left, behind numerous Saints of Georgia, about the open sky Christ in the glory.

History

The church building has been since the 4th century repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, especially after the invasions of the Arabs, the Persians, and the Mongol conqueror Timur Lang. Earthquakes brought down the building. When the cathedral was restored in 1970 and 1971, was found in her the foundations of a basilica. This fortress was built in the late 5th century by King Vakhtang I Gorgasali instead of the built by the Holy Nino first church.

The present cathedral was built in the 11th century on the initiative of the Georgian Catholicos Melkisedek under the reign of King Giorgi II. 1787, surrounded by King Irakli II of a five -meter-high stone and brick wall. My top floor served a military and was armed with battlements. The wall had eight towers, six of which two cylindrical and square. In the south there was an entrance.

1963 during archaeological excavations at the southern wall of a residential building of the Catholicos was found from the 11th century. Within the enclosure were found the remains of a two-story castle of Patriarch Anton II

Architecture

Basilica

The destroyed basilica from the 5th century was a small three-aisled church almost square blank.

Cross-domed church

The extant building from the 11th century is a modern cross-domed church. The architectural style was after the unification of Georgia Bagrat III. (978-1014) for dominant church buildings. It is characteristic that the dome covers all four sides of the church. The statics is to impart good acoustics of the church. The dome was reconstructed several times since the 11th century.

The cathedral was built of yellow sandstone. The façade reliefs, including peacock ornaments, whose stylized tail feathers symbolize the apostles, bull heads, birds, vines and St George. For the windows of the apse red stone was used. The green stone used in the cylinder of the dome dates from the 17th century.

The western front of the cathedral is covered by a large window. It shows Christ with angels on both sides. The sculpture on the wall is no longer the original. It was restored several times after destruction, most recently in the 19th century.

Architect Arsukidse

A relief on the outer north wall of the cathedral is shrouded in a legend. It shows a right arm holding a chisel, the symbol of the masons. An inscription reads: " The Hand of Arsukidse, servant of God, may be forgiven him. " An inscription on the east wall is to prove that the architect did not live to see the completion of his building: " This holy church was built by the hand of his wretched servant Arsukidse May his soul find peace, O Master.. "

The poet Konstantine Gamsakhurdia was in continuity in his novel The hand of the great master of this legend. He wrote that a royal vizier, the Ardsukidse the architecture would have taught, at the sight of the building so jealous to become his disciple, that he made his influence with the king claimed to have cut off his right hand.

Icons and frescoes

The inner walls of the cathedral are painted with frescoes, which no longer are, however, now in their original condition. 1830 all were covered up during a visit by Russian Tsar Nicholas I.. A few have since been restored, including the apocalyptic beasts from the 13th century and representations of the zodiac.

The icons on the walls are not originals, but copies. The originals hang in the National Museums. The large painting of Christ on the altar was created by a Russian artist of the 19th century.

Font

Right at the entrance of the Cathedral is a stone baptismal font dating from the 4th century. It means they have with the introduction of Christianity in Georgia, the baptism of King Mirian III. and his wife Nana served.