The Martyrs of St. David Gareji Monastery

 

    One of the most active persecutors of Christianity was Shah Abbas I of Persia. History will tell of his greatness, how he regained control of the empire after the death of his weak and feeble father, how he was able to revolutionize Persia and how it was the golden age of its power-both militarily and economically. However the Christian Church, especially the Georgian Orthodox Church paints a different picture of this man, one that will be unfolded in this story about the Martyrs of the St. David Gareji Monastery. 

    Shah Abbas I was as I stated a very powerful man, with vast amounts of territories and many vassals. Of those Georgia was one. After invading and reclaiming eastern Georgia, he marched on Imereti and massacred about 100,000 people. He defeated the ruler Ketevan and had her tortured to death after she refused to recant Christianity.  Shah Abbas I, was genocidal when it came to the Georgian people, wanting to eradicate them from existence because of their staunch faith in Orthodox Christianity. I tell you all of this, not because the Shah is the focus of our story, rather, that this was a very difficult time in the history of such a strong Christian nation. 

    One of the causalities of this war with Georgia was the St. David Gareji Monastery and their entire brotherhood of monks. Persecution of the monastic way of life is nothing new, but the manner in which these monks sacrificed themselves for the faith strengthens even my faith because of their sound resolve. 

    On the night of Pascha 1616, the monks of St. David Gareji were preparing to celebrate, they had everything prepared. Shah Abbas and his men who were on their 100,000 men killing spree were near the area of the monastery as the celebrations began. The Abbot, Arsenius, was a holy man, and was visited by an angel warning of the impending attack and the loss of their life. The angel told him that he should offer the chance to the monks to flee if they chose and all but two stayed. After the chanting of the Lord's Prayer during the Paschal Liturgy, Abbot Arsenius knowing that they were surrounded asked the Persian warriors for more time to finish the service and for the fathers of the monastery to receive communion. They agreed. After the service the monks presented themselves before their captors and surrendered their lives for the faith. They beheaded Abbot Arsenius first and the monks one by one after.  The other monasteries in the area were not spared either and the Shah continued his quest to eradicate Christianity from the region.  The two monks who fled from the monastery when they had heard the news of their impending death? They too were executed after being captured and refused conversion to Islam. 

The relics at St. David Gareji Monastery still stream myrrh to this day, and miracles abound in this place of torture and execution.  Their relics are buried at the left of the altar of Holy Transfiguration Church on the site of the monastery.  

May God through their prayers have mercy on us. 

Amen.