TravelswithCharie

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. Ni...

Iconostasis  A few minutes from the center of Bucharest is the medieval church of Snagov Monastery. It is also known as Vlad Tepeş Monastery after the infamous ruler of Wallachia who was a patron of this monastery. The Church sits on an island surrounded by a forest and connected to the mainland by a pedestrian bridge. I didn’t expect the beautiful natural setting and found myself standing in the middle of the bridge quietly enjoying the serenity the lake presented. The iconostasis is a screen between the nave and the sanctuary. There are three doors on the screen. The middle one is used only by the clergy and is called the Beautiful Gate or Royal Door (it was used at times by royalty). The other two doors are for the use of deacons. Snagov Lake Mircea cel Baltran (Mircea the Elder) At the entrance to the church are the medallions of Baltran and his grandson, Vlad Tepeş, who were both patrons of the church. Baltran is one of the founders of this monastery. *see also my post about S...