2023 TRIP TO GEORGIA
SLIDES Commentary
1. My presentation: How modern culture might be influenced by traditional values.
How we treat refugees in a culture influenced by Social Darwinism and Quantum Physics – based on values in the Lord’s Prayer. Thanks to Bible Class I led last year on the Lord’s Prayer.
2. Idea of where Georgia is.
3. Map of Georgia – Borders Russia, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Trip started in capital of Georgia, Tbilisi – then to Akhaltakhe – back to Tbilisi – Kakheti wine country.
Then back to Tbilisi.
Georgia claims to be the world home for wine making= earliest wine making tools were found in Georgia. Visited a monastery making wine from 10th century.
Everyone speaks English and most (primarily older people) speak Russian.
Georgia on the Silk Road – Many old castles along the way, most in disrepair.
Population of 3.7 million
Paris in the 1950s – Can by a standard condo, two bedrooms two baths for $50,000. Met a couple moving from California to Georgia because of the living standard,
4. Tbilisi is the capital. See in the center a golden cathedral. Christianity is a partner with the government.
Georgian Orthodox – each country has its own Patriarch – or Pope, but not like Rome.
East and West Churches split in 1054 AD, after 1000 years of unity – split over one word…
2000 Georgian Orthodox churches in 1923 – less than 100 by 1973 – 1500 today.
5. Opera House
6. Bridge
7. My friend, Metropolitan Nicholas – like a Cardinal. Read my book on the apostolic church….Christians in Georgia extremely dedicated. Metropolitan as a young man was an atheist. Graduated with degree in Physics – Was evangelized by a priest who became the
Patriarch of Georgia. Priest – Bishop – Metropolitan…
8. First night – dinner with Metroplitan – and one of three daughters… Moscow, Idaho and Tbilisi
9. Hotel where I stayed the first night
10. Freedom Square: was Lenin Square. King George slaying dragon on top…
11. Duncan Donuts!
12. Two saints: Andrew – who brought the gospel to the area around the eastern Black Sea… And Nino: one of 20 young women who set out to find the robe of Christ. Rumored to be in this area…. One third of women in Georgia are named Nino – not Nina – Nino. If you met a Nino…
13. Sunday – went o Sioni Church – built in 400s. Raied and destroyed in its history – Mongols, Muslims, Romans…Dome of church taken down by Muslim ruler…
14. Opening of Conference – in celebration of the 90th birthday of Patriarch Ilias II and his 45th anniversary.
15. President of the Georgian Parliament was one of the speakers at the start…Then broke up into sixteen sectionals.
16. I presented at one of the sectionals on Education and Values
17. Living quarters of the monastery in Akhaltakhe – near border with Turkey
18. Small church at the monastery. Orthodox worship is 2 hours long, no pews, priests and choir do antiphonal singing – Worshippers join in now and then.
19. Two of the Nuns who work at the monastery. Altogether, probably 10-15…
20. In the worship service people can come and go – priests doing the worship – go out and get coffee and come back…
21. Chapel – where one of a very few exact copies of the Shroud of Turin is kept.
22. Said to be the shroud that Jesus was wrapped in and his body put in a cave. Argument about whether it is authentic – or made in the 13th century. Blood is O+, similar to blood of many people in Palestine.
23. Face of Christ from the Shroud. About 6 feet tall…
24 Trip to the Church of St. John the Baptist the Beheaded. Built in 8th century but forgotten about for centuries. In 2016 a lone monk returned. A retired architect who works alone to make the cave church more accessible and beautiful.
The church is in a cave on the side of a mountain. The journey begins by crossing this bridge.
25. Scenery on the way to the cave church.
26. Entrance to the church
27. Have to enter through a tunnel.
28. Beautiful icons and altar inside.
29. Back to Tbilisi: another church, the most holy church in Georgia. Completed 1010 AD. Where Georgian kings are buried, and where the robe of Christ is buried.
30. His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas and two assistants sang a brief hymn.
31. We went to the Eastern part of Georgia to the Bodbe Women’s Monastery. Destroyed by the Russian occupiers but being restored by the nuns.
32. One of the nuns was a fresco painter – on the walls of their chapel. St. Nino is buried here – this is a picture of her.
33. The monastery is in the mountains overlooking the Caucus mountain range.
34. This is Mother Theodora, the Abess of the Monastery
35. The nuns hosted us with a great lunch – complete with the local wine.
36. This where the nuns eat their meals.
37. Back in Tbilisi: the home of friends we made ten years ago – 19th century estate home – taken by the Russians and used as an apartment house. The owners are trying to restore the building.
38. Nino, the artist, creates beautiful tapestries.
39. This is Nino
40. This is her artist husband, Dado and their daughter who lives at the house
41. Traditional to sing at dinners…In restaurants – Here at the Bodbe Monastery with all the Presenters
42. The new cathedral – a fortress – need for the word to get out. Can no longer assume everyone in Georgia will be Christian.
43 Close with a prayer written by the Orthodox Patriarch of Romania.
