Section 05: St. David of Gareji

St. David, the hermit of the Gareji semi-desert, and the great cave-monastery complex that bears his name. The first file follows the tradition’s account of David the desert-dweller — the disciple of St. John who settled in the arid wilderness southeast of Tbilisi with his companions Lukiane and Dodo, the deer that fed them, the pilgrimage toward Jerusalem and the three stones. The second treats what his solitude founded: the David Gareji lavra and the many monasteries of the Gareji desert, one of the most important monastic landscapes in the Orthodox world.

Tradition: Georgian Orthodox

Contents

File Topic
The Hermit of the Desert St. David the desert-dweller: the Gareji wilderness, the disciples Lukiane and Dodo, the deer-miracle, the pilgrimage toward Jerusalem and the three stones
The Gareji Monastic Desert The lavra and the many monasteries of Gareji; the complex’s growth and its later importance in Georgian Christian life

How to Use

  • Read The Hermit of the Desert for St. David himself and the eremitic foundation.
  • Read The Gareji Monastic Desert for the monastic landscape his solitude seeded — the David Gareji complex as a whole.

Cross-References