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Mtskheta, Georgia’s Ancient Capital

There are many good reasons why you must stop at Jvari Monastery before entering the city of  Mtskheta. Here are three. First, Jvari is where the female evangelist, St. Nino, planted a wooden cross on top of a pagan temple and started her mission to spread Christianity across Georgia. The rest is history. Secondly, you can’t get a better view of Mtskheta than from one of the balconies at Jvari. Lastly, you can see the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers, two bodies of water that have shaped the lives of the people in this region. Let’s go.

Jvari Monastery is a sixth century monastery. It is also known as the Holy Cross Monastery after the cross St. Nino planted on this site. Jvari holds remnants of that cross which is revered by pilgrims to this day. Together with Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and Samtavro Monastery, it is a World Heritage site.

Wooden cross, Jvari Monastery
Beaneath this wooden cross are remnants of the original cross St. Nino planted on this site.

St. Nino (right) and St. George the Dragon Slayer

View of Mtskheta from Jvari Monastery

The approach to Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, Mtskheta

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
This 11th century Cathedral is the second largest Orthodox Christian church in Georgia and the traditional coronation site and burial ground of its kings. It is said that the tunic worn by Jesus Christ is buried in this church under the ciborium (see below).

Ciborium, 17th century
It is believed that the robe of Jesus Christ was buried under this ciborium.

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral Iconostasis and the Pantocrator in the background

Cross encrusted with semi precious stones, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral

Icon of the Resurrection, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral

Icon of the Blessed Mother and Child, Shroud of Jesus (above)

Shroud of Jesus, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
There are two known shrouds of Jesus, one is in Turin, Italy and the other is in Oviedo, Spain. The sudarium of Oviedo is a linen cloth that covered the head of Jesus. It does not have an image of Him, only blood stains. The Shroud of Turin is a much larger linen cloth that covers the entire corpse and bears both an image and blood stains of a tortured man. The Shroud at Svetitskhoveli does not indicate any provenance. It’s the first time I’ve heard or seen of a third shroud. It was a serendipitous discovery for me.

Restored fresco of the Beasts of the Apocalypse and a zodiac 
The Cathedral walls were formerly adorned with medieval frescoes. Sadly only traces remain after Russian authorities whitewashed the walls on the occasion of the visit of Emperor Nicolas I. How ironic that he never visited!

Replica of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem

Iconostasis, side altar, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral

Samtavro Transfiguration Church at Samtavro Monastery
Samtavro Monastery was founded by St. Nino in the 4th century and she built a small church after King Mirian III was converted to Christianity and Georgia along with it. King Mirian and his wife, Nana, are both buried here. The church was reconstructed in the 11th century under the reign of King George I and the Patriarch Melchisedek I and may have been repaired in later years. Note that the walls are plain as most of the original frescoes were lost over time. The frescoes that are extant are from the 16th-17th centuries.  

Iconostasis, Samtavro Transfiguration Church
The iconostasis was built from stone in the 18th century.

Icon of the Blessed Virgin and Christ child. In the background (right) is an icon 
of St. Nino holding the grapevine cross

Tombs of King Mirian III and his wife, Nana
If you only have two full days in Georgia, I would definitely recommend visiting Jvari Monastery and Mtskheta. It is only about 40 minutes from Tbilisi. This ancient capital of Georgia packs a rich history which is deeply intertwined with the origin of the Christian faith in the country. The tranquil setting will not remain for long as more visitors discover Georgia. Combine this visit with a stop at the Chronicle of Georgia. For more information about the Chronicle of Georgia, follow this link: https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2025/07/the-chronicle-of-georgia.html

How to get there:
Check for options here: https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Tbilisi/Mtskheta 

I had a private tour of the Mtskheta, Jvari, Samtavro Monastery and Chronicle of Georgia through Little Manila Travel and Tours. What I liked about this tour was that I could spend as much time as I wanted at each place. My guide gave me a good introduction to the places we visited and assisted me in going uphill to the 6th century Monastery. He also thoughtfully took me to the back entrance of the Chronicle of Georgia so I didnt have to climb all those stairs. And staff came to my hotel to drop off my spring coat which I had forgotten in the car. I highly recommend this tour company. littlemanilatravelandtours.com.

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*****

Images by TravelswithCharie



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Location: Mtskheta, Georgia

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