Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and Mtskheta, Georgia

Previous posts:

1. Jvari Monastery and the City of Uplistsikhe, Georgia

2. The Fortress and City of Gori, Georgia

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and Mtskheta, Georgia

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta, Georgia. Photo by Caroline Carson.

After visiting the city of Gori, our group headed back toward Tbilisi to Svetitskhoveli Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles. in the gorgeous ancient city of Mtskheta, Georgia. 

Mtskheta, Georgia: View from Jvari monastery, photo by Caroline Carson

Now, if there's anyone who loves visiting churches and cathedrals, it would be me! I happily observed that Georgia seems to have more churches than I've ever seen before so I was excited the whole time I was there! The stunning Mtskheta is one of the oldest cities in the country and also one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It was even declared a "Holy City" in 2014 by the Georgian Orthodox Church as it was the birthplace of Christianity in Georgia. The city itself is a charming destination and seems to enjoy a reasonable amount of tourism. The citizens are very friendly, the food is fantastic, and there are plenty of things to do.

Mtskheta. Photo by Caroline Carson

The way through town to the cathedral is through quaint, narrow streets lined with grape leaves. Georgia has a vibrant wine making history; the fertile valleys of the Caucasus making it one of the world's oldest and largest producers of wine. The region holds the source of the world's first cultivated grapevines and Neolithic wine production, from over 8,000 years ago! Everything I tasted was excellent so I can vouch for quality of both the white and red wines - all research was scientific - of course ;-)

               Mtskheta streets                   

   
The Georgian Orthodox Church developed several important styles of religious art which are still around today: polyphonic church singing, cloisonne icons, and enameled mosaics, calligraphy, and the "cross-dome" style of architecture. I saw some of these in Svetitskhoveli Cathedral though I did not hear any Georgian choirs or orthodox choral music (very similar to Russian Orthodox choral music). I did hear chanting though and there's a video link later in this post. The cathedral was cross-dome shaped.
Built into the cathedral, on the south side, is a tiny square cupola chapel built between the end of the 13th and the beginning the 14th centuries. It is a replica of the Chapel of Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and was built at the site to mark Svetitskhoveli as the second most sacred place in the world.

Part of the old structure - a tiny Medieval
cupola chapel within a cathedral! Photo by Caroline Carson.

The name "Svetitskhoveli" means "Living Pillar". In the traditional Georgian style of churches, it has one dome atop a descending layer of structures. The cathedral is the second largest church building in the country, second only to Sameba (Holy Trinity Cathedral) in Tbilisi. Svetitskhoveli is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is rumored to be the place where Christ's mantle is kept. Of COURSE it was "downstairs being preserved" and safe underneath the crypt, so no one can see it. I found out later that there are several versions of where Christ's mantle is kept. (Link above and see below regarding Georgia's versions.)

According to the tradition of the Georgian Orthodox Church, the chiton was acquired by a Jewish Rabbi from Georgia named Elioz (Elias), who was present in Jerusalem at the time of the crucifixion and bought the robe from a soldier. He brought it with him when he returned to his native town of Mtskheta, Georgia, where it is preserved to this day beneath a crypt in the Patriarchal Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. The feast day in honor of the “Chiton of the Lord” is celebrated on October 1.

Prayer book with candle wax stains

Another, more dramatic version is here (again from wiki, sorry, BUT I had no guide to tell me anything while there and nothing was in English so.....)

According to Georgian hagiography, in the 1st century AD a Georgian Jew from Mtskheta named Elias was in Jerusalem when Jesus was crucified. Elias bought Jesus’ robe from a Roman soldier at Golgotha and brought it back to Georgia. Returning to his native city, he was met by his sister Sidonia who upon touching the robe immediately died from the emotions engendered by the sacred object. The robe could not be removed from her grasp, so she was buried with it.[2] The place where Sidonia is buried with Christ's robe is preserved in the Cathedral. Later, from her grave grew an enormous cedar tree. Ordering the cedar chopped down to build the church, St. Nino had seven columns made from it for the church’s foundation. The seventh column, however, had magical properties and rose by itself into the air. It returned to earth after St. Nino prayed the whole night. It was further said that from the magical seventh column a sacred liquid flowed that cured people of all diseases. In Georgiansveti means "pillar" and tskhoveli means "life-giving" or "living", hence the name of the cathedral.

Side of cathedral

Fascinating! I really wish I had known all of this history before I went. As it was, I hadn't even the foggiest idea! Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is ALSO the location of a relic of St. Andrew, the First-called's footstep. It looked like the top of a foot was under the glass case. Here, from the Georgian Brotherhood of the Holy Cross, is a bit more about St. Andrew in Georgia and takes us to the point at which St. Nino came to the country.

According to the will of God and the blessing of the Theotokos, St. Andrew the First-called set off for Georgia to preach the Christian Faith. He entered Georgia from the southwest, in the region of Atchara, and subsequently preached in every region of the nation. He established a hierarchy for the Georgian Church and then returned to Jerusalem for Pascha. When he visited Georgia for the second time, the Apostle Andrew was accompanied by the Apostles Matthias and Simon the Canaanite. Years passed and, under threat from Persian fire-worshippers and other pagan communities, the memory of Christ faded from the minds of the Georgian people. Then, at the beginning of the 4th century, according to God’s will and the blessing of the Most Holy Theotokos, the holy virgin Nino arrived in Kartli to preach the Christian Faith. She settled in the outskirts of Mtskheta, in the bramble bushes of the king’s garden. St. Nino inquired as to the whereabouts of our Lord’s Robe, but no one could remember where it had been preserved. In her quest for the Precious Robe, she became acquainted with Elioz’s descendants, the Jewish priest Abiatar and his daughter, Sidonia. St. Nino converted them to Christianity.

Georgian painting of St. Andrew entering the country

I tried taking several photographs discreetly, but everything was too dark. I found the relic when I heard chanting and wandered into a smaller side chapel to listen a bit. I saw this priest lighting candles, chanting, and kissing the icons and THEN......

    

I heard a female voice chanting in response! I stayed to bathe in the incense, the holy aura of slowly wafting light, and the chant in stillness I hadn't found in the other, busier and touristy parts of the cathedral. It was so beautiful and serene. A slice of a life in an orthodoxy I knew little about, carrying its daily routine to God with care and dedication.

After a while, my wits came to order and I managed to make a small video of the room and the chanting. By then a few other folks were coming in.

Above is the gorgeous main dome of the cathedral, bedecked with  Medieval painting. The cathedral is also the Medieval coronation and burial site of all of the kings of ancient Georgia. At least six tombs have been found, but more are assumed to be there below. Several found tombs are all set before this altar front area. (Sorry for the fuzzy image - soft lighting and lack of camera skills.)

The whole Svetitskhoveli cathedral and monastery complex contains the remnants of a palace and the gates of the king Melchizedek I who was the first Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, from 1010 to 1033. He is held as a saint by the Georgian Orthodox Church.

Back inside the cathedral, amazing Medieval paintings were on many walls. My absolute favorite one is below. (I love ancient wheels!) I'm not sure of all that this one represents, but the wheel in the center features the Twelve Apostles in the inner circle and the outer rim of the wheel is of the Zodiac! SO COOL! First is a closeup (w/ flash) and then an overall shot. 

There are also other wheels - this Seraphim was to the right of the high altar area. This whole area was blocked off due to reconstruction and restoration efforts.
                        
And this, below, was the best shot I could get of the entire altar painting without scaffolding:

Painted in the 19th Century by a Russian artist

There are several modern items to the Cathedral, including the giant painting above. These give it a timeless quality and accessibility to those of Orthodox faith that visit today. This holy is a highlight and testament to the centuries of Georgian Orthodoxy, Christianity, and history. If you are in Georgia, DO NOT MISS IT. 

10 Reasons Why I'm Not Afraid to Travel Alone

I'm not afraid to travel alone - not in the least! 
I am pretty afraid of spiders though...as any of my friends or students will tell you!
It's a very common idea that it is dangerous to travel alone, and even more so as a woman. There are differences of experiences when you compare men and women traveling alone, but it's 2015 and taking safety precautions has become a habit for almost everyone. I'm occasionally more worried about getting to my car safely on an early, quiet Sunday morning on deserted Frenchmen Street in New Orleans, than I am worried about trying to find a train station and get myself to an airport in a foreign country. Knowing about where you're going, the cultural differences, knowing how to dress appropriately in that culture, and being resourceful are all things that are vital to traveling alone. Being watchful of your surroundings and having an idea of where others are is good advice for anyone at any time.

Me in the amazing UNESCO site of Uplistsikhe, Georgia

I've written some about some of my travels here in former blog posts. Here are a few:
Chiusa, Italy
Mungeli, India and Mandwa Mahal, India
South Korea and Cheorwon
I usually get questions about my travels, ranging from "How can you afford that?" to "WHY are you going to X when you could go to Y or Z?!"
I'm expecting similar questions and a little more concern from folks regarding possible upcoming trips. I will surely blog about them, but in the meantime, wanted to write down some thoughts I have on solo travel.

                           The beautiful rolling hills and cattle of Azerbaijan. Photo by Caroline Carson

I mostly travel alone, not because I dislike people, but because I actually LIKE to have freedom to make my own choices about places to visit or activities and to be on my own schedule. Often, I am traveling with a group first, on mission work, a choral trip, or workshop, and then I want to explore another place alone. If I'm in one location for a week, there might be a day when all I really want to do is drink coffee in a park staring at flowers and petting dogs in Italy or to read a book along the banks of a gently wafting river in Scotland. I prefer visiting UNESCO sites, churches, and museums, but I love meandering through markets, strolling down picturesque streets, or finding myself a spot on the ground where I can lie down on greeny grass, and look up at the sky to ponder the meaning of life.

Handsome and sweet dog in Padova, Italy. Photo by Caroline Carson

10 Reasons Why I'm Not Afraid to Travel Alone

1. I have a sense of adventure that I refuse to limit simply because I live alone
I'm not going to wait until someone comes along and says it's ok to go to a certain place or decides to join me. Planning can often be easier when preparing a trip for yourself. I like having adventurous "me time". 

Paragliding outside of Ljubliana, Slovenia. Selfie by Caroline Carson :-)

2. I Do My Research
I enjoy spending time carefully crafting a unique trip! I spend hours online looking for deals and looking into the distances between cities. I was able to see the oldest musical instrument in the world and go paragliding for the first time while in Slovenia after I discovered that balloon rides were temporarily banned in the country. If I had not looked into this, I would have missed out on some history AND some fun. This is not to say that one should not be spontaneous while traveling - that has its own awesomeness to it! 

Throwing paint on a Buddhist stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal. Photo by Caroline Carson

3. I Trust My Gut
Regarding safety, I try not to do anything abroad that I wouldn't do at home. I stay aware of my surroundings, decently aware of the time and how much daylight I have left. I don't flash money or my cell phone around. I ALWAYS let people know if I am hiking or climbing somewhere. If any hikes include forested areas, I have a walking stick as well as a knife with me. I take enough water and some food for energy. I always carry Benadryl with me. Yes, sometimes it's possible to forget something (like sunscreen) or do dumb things (like the time I was on a mountain when clouds & lightning came up too quickly), but less over time and with experience! If something feels unsafe, it very well may be so I will avoid it.

Sunlit reeds and tree outside of the UNESCO Bulguska temple site in North Gyeongsang province. 
Photo by Caroline Carson

4. The real world isn't always what we see on TV...even in the news
The media can display much more violence than nonviolence. Some assume that all people of a certain culture are what they have associated with a negative person, group, or incident. On the ground where the real folks are, people around the world eat dinner, they dress and go to work or school or about their days, and they laugh and cry JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. 
We are HUMANS on ONE planet.
We need to make an effort to get to know one another!

Dancer of Columbian origin at a Rafain show near Iguazu, Argentina. Photo by Caroline Carson

5. People are people
With solo travel, I feel that I become a better observer of people and places around me. I'm much more compassionate as a result. I also occasionally realize what it feels like to be an outsider, however minor or major the situation may be. It can be uncomfortable sometimes, when you stand out based on your looks, gender, religion, language, etc. It can be an especially strong difference when you spend time with some people who have been born into certain conditions which prevent them from having a healthy or free life and/or future. These are very important feelings that can change your life and open your mind to what goes on in the world.
I'll repeat what I said for # 4 here! 
We are HUMANS on ONE planet.
We need to make an effort to get to know one another!

Kids playing in the mud and water. There is something universal in having a great time.
Outside Bilaspur, India. Photo by Caroline Carson

6. I can stay within my budget. 
I have been EXTREMELY lucky to have traveled internationally on choir tours, mission trips, conducting workshops, partially or fully funded trips, and getting paid for teaching in various international programs. When I make trips like these, I try to go somewhere nearby afterwards - on the cheap. After a conducting workshop in Bulgaria when I was a student, I created a proposal to return the following year and teach about music and American music education. It was accepted and partially sponsored! I did this three times. Each time, after I left Bulgaria, I had saved up for a ticket and few days in a hostel, a friend of a friend, or a bed and breakfast in a nearby country. Buying tickets when and where I want them saves me time and money. Sometimes, I spend hours online, plugging in different cities within a specific distance from my original destination. I love Travelocity, SkyScanner, Booking.com, Hotels.com, and I read reviews ad nauseum.

Mask in Venice, Italy. Photo by Caroline Carson

7. You'll make plenty of friends if you want to
Sometimes, it's a kid sitting next to you in a train and he also has a big ice cream cone. Sometimes, it's a person you meet while asking directions. 
Whether it's a person, dog, elephant, butterfly, or capybara, you will have opportunities to make friends. 
You might even make friends with yourself.

My friend Bernardo, a Capybara from Brasil. Photo by Caroline Carson

8. Scenes like this:

Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. Photo by Caroline Carson                  

When traveling alone, I have often have time to ponder and document my journey. Personally, I love photography and having several hours to photograph an area, building, or event makes me happy. My father was a photographer and sometimes when I'm deeply transfixed by the beauty of afternoon light (as above) or a scenic view in a particular country, I feel closer to him when I'm photographing it.

Paprika at a market outside of Sighisoara, Romania

9. Personal Growth and Confidence
You have to follow directions, find your way around, problem solve on the spur of the moment, figure out where to eat, learn who to trust, etc. Once, due to a series of train delays, I arrived in my destination in Slovenia at 11:00 PM. The station was closed, everyone disembarked and went about their merry ways, and I had NO idea in which direction to go from the station to find the street where my hotel was. In fact, it was quite scary. I had no cell service and my battery was dying. I ended up walking eight blocks and popping into a bar or two before I found someone who spoke enough English to point me in the right direction! I learned from this: to check out not only the map on my phone before I went, but the street view as well so that I'd know how it looked on the ground. I also learned that sometimes you just have to start walking.

No matter how much personal growth one experiences, being able to have gelato
any time you want it is still cool.

10. Life is Bigger Than Me
You might find yourself in the back of a truck with eight Chinese tourists at midnight, about to climb over the locked fence to get back INSIDE the nature reserve where your hotel is in the jungle of Nepal only to find the power is out, it's 100 degrees, and the mosquitoes aren't deterred by your netting. It happens. Or, you might explore a cemetery at the top of a mountain in Sighisoara, Romania and climb down the wrong part, to find yourself, and your students, lost. You didn't expect that and now have to figure out how to get everyone back to the city safely before dark and you can't go back UP the mountain because the cemetery is walled on the other side and now locked. You might even end up being the only hotel guest in a gigantic and creepy mansion on the edge of a massive loch in northern Scotland which provides you with nightmares, but also homemade whiskey pecan pie, stories from the barkeep, and two hours of throwing stones into the loch and pondering life as the dreary sun sets around midnight. 
Whatever it is, it makes you grow. It doesn't just enrich your life, it GIVES you life.

Hiking to the Obergurgl glacier, Austria. Photo by Caroline Carson

Dunnottar Castle, Scotland. Photo by Caroline Carson