Section 08: Veneration
How the Thirteen Fathers are honored in the Georgian Orthodox Church. The first file treats the cult itself — the common commemoration on 7 May, the individual feasts of the Fathers, and the great monasteries as the living shrines where their relics are kept and their memory prayed. The second treats the Fathers’ place in Georgian Orthodox memory and national identity — the founders of the monastic civilization that Georgians count among the deepest marks of their Christian nationhood.
Tradition: Georgian Orthodox
Contents
| File | Topic |
|---|---|
| The Feast and the Cult | The common commemoration of the Thirteen (7 May); the individual feasts; the monasteries as living shrines and reliquaries; the shape and antiquity of the cult |
| The Fathers in Georgian Identity | The Fathers’ place in Georgian Orthodox memory and national identity — the founders of monastic Georgia and a fixture of the Church’s self-understanding |
How to Use
- Read The Feast and the Cult for the liturgical veneration and the monasteries as shrines.
- Read The Fathers in Georgian Identity for their meaning in the wider Georgian Orthodox and national memory.
Cross-References
- For the monasteries as reliquaries, see St. Shio of Mgvime and St. David of Gareji
- For the veneration set against the source-critical disputes, see History and Hagiography
- For later Georgian saints in the same tradition, see St. Gabriel of Georgia and St. Ketevan of Georgia
- For the assessment, see Assessment