The church of the Dormition of the Virgin stands in Khirsa. The name of the village is well known and confusion is hard to avoid: Khirsa holds the monastery of Saint Stephen, one of the oldest communities of the region, linked to the tradition of the Assyrian fathers. This is a different site in the same village, a parish church of the Dormition rather than the monastery itself.
The dedication is midzineba in Georgian: the word conveys not death but a falling asleep, which is why churches of this dedication sound gentler than the feast might suggest. The village lies in eastern Kakheti, between Sighnaghi and the Azerbaijani border, among dry hills that give way to the Shiraki steppe further south.
The church is active, so a headscarf and covered clothing are appropriate. If you are visiting the monastery too, start there: it keeps its own rules and routine, and leave the parish church for the way back.
โช For pilgrims
- A parish church of the Dormition of the Virgin, midzineba in Georgian
- Khirsa in eastern Kakheti, between Sighnaghi and the Azerbaijani border
- This is not the monastery of Saint Stephen but the parish church of the same village
๐ Getting there
- Landmark - the village of Khirsa in eastern Kakheti, south-east of Sighnaghi
- The navigator opens with the Build Route button
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