The Christian holiday of Ninooba in Georgia, history and traditions.
Where did the tradition of celebrating St. Nino's Day come from in Georgia and what traditions do Georgians have related to Ninooba, read the Madloba catalog right now! Here we tell in detail about the history of the origin of the church holiday and how modern Georgia celebrates this significant day.
Saint Nino's Day is revered among the inhabitants of Georgia. After all, Saint Nino was the progenitor of Christianity and the baptism of the country. We will tell you about how Georgians celebrate Ninooba and what features of the holiday exist to this day in this article.
The origin story of Ninoob
One of the greatest Orthodox Georgian holidays, after Easter, is Ninooba. The day of Saint Nino's arrival in Georgia for the enlightenment and spread of Christianity is celebrated on a special scale.
Saint Nino, a native of Cappadocia, converted to Christianity from an early age and believed in the legend of the Lord's chiton. And one day, in a dream, the Most Holy Theotokos really appeared to her and called her to preach in the kingdom of Iberia on the Black Sea coast. When she woke up and found a cross made of a vine in her hand, she received the patriarch's blessing for worship and a trip to pagan lands.
Arriving in Mtskheta, she repeatedly demonstrated the miracles of the Lord, healed people and helped people to find a new faith. After the great healing of Tsar Mirian's wife, she was able to convert the royal family to Orthodoxy. From that moment on, the baptism of Georgia became only a matter of time.
In 324 AD, the country's government declared Christianity the state religion. After that, Saint Nino went to the highlanders, managed to convince them to accept the faith and went further east. Her life ended in Kakheti, a small settlement of Bodbe, where she spent her last years of life and managed to convert almost all of Georgia to Christianity.
Later, a monastery was erected in Bodbe in her honor, which has survived to our times. There, not far away, there is a holy spring with healing water, a swimming pool and a small church erected in honor of St. Nino's parents.
It is the day of the coming to Georgia, on June 1 of each year, that the Georgian Orthodox Church celebrates the Day of Saint Nino – Ninooba. January 27 is also a tribute to the memory of the Saint, since this date is associated with the day of her death.
Features and traditions for the celebration of Ninooba
Most of the pilgrims gather on June 1 at the Bodbe Monastery. It is here that the relics of Saint Nino rest, and here the main celebrations and divine services take place. The pilgrimage itself begins in 1-1.5 months and goes all the way to Saint Nino during her preaching.
Candles are lit in temples and churches all over the country, prayers are offered and liturgies are held in honor of the Saint. In Tbilisi, the main temple on Ninooba is considered to be the Zion Cathedral.
Most often, believers ask for intercession and patronage. And young parents are happy to call the girls by the name of Nino, hoping for divine mercy and protection.
St. Nino's Churches in Georgia
Read about what takes place in Georgia during other annual holidays on the pages of the Madloba directory. The most interesting facts about Georgian customs and traditions are collected here.
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Так как всегда было интересно истоки традиций каких либо народов.
Достаточно подробно представлен материал , что подчеркивает профессиональный подход автора.
Чувствуется как близок этот праздник для грузин . Не легкая выдалась судьба у святой Нино и как приятно, что чтут её память