Section 04: St. Shio of Mgvime

St. Shio, the cave-dwelling hermit of the Mgvime gorge near Mtskheta, and the great lavra of Shiomgvime that grew from his solitude. The first file follows the tradition’s account of Shio the ascetic — the Antiochene disciple of St. John, the caves of Sarkineti, the dove and the wolf, the reclusion in a pit. The second treats what his solitude produced: the coenobitic lavra of Shiomgvime, its rule, and its place as one of the great monastic centers of central Georgia.

Tradition: Georgian Orthodox

Contents

File Topic
The Cave-Dweller of Mgvime St. Shio the hermit: the Antiochene disciple, the caves of Sarkineti, the miraculous provision (the dove, the wolf), King Parsman, the withdrawal into a pit
The Lavra and the Rule The monastic community he founded: the growth of Shiomgvime into a great lavra, its monastic organization, and its enduring importance

How to Use

  • Read The Cave-Dweller of Mgvime for St. Shio himself and the eremitic beginning of the foundation.
  • Read The Lavra and the Rule for the coenobitic community that grew around him — the movement from solitude to lavra that is the classic monastic pattern.

Cross-References