Saint Nina, Enlightener of Georgia

Life

Nina was a relative of Saint George the Great Martyr and of Juvenal, Patriarch of Jerusalem. Since both her father and mother, Cappadocian nobles, became monastics, she was raised under the supervision of Patriarch Juvenal. Having heard about the Georgian people, the virgin Nina from childhood desired to go to Georgia and baptize the Georgians. The Most Holy Theotokos appeared to her and promised to take her to that land. When the Lord opened the way, the young Nina indeed went to Georgia where in a short time she gained the great love of the people. She succeeded in baptizing the Georgian king Mirian, his wife Nana and their son Bakhar, who afterward zealously assisted Nina's missionary work. Nina succeeded during her lifetime in passing through all of Georgia and for the most part in converting all the people to the Christian faith, and this during the very time of the terrible persecution of Christians by Emperor Diocletian. She rested from her many labors and reposed in the Lord in the year 335. Her tomb is located in the Samtavro church. She worked many miracles both during her life and after her death.