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Life of St Nino

tr. Wardrop, 1900

The Conversion of King Mirian, and of All Georgia with Him, by Our Holy and Blessed…

Her festival is held on the fourteenth of January.

Let us tell the story of our holy and blessed Mother, the enlightener of all Georgia, the apostle Nino, as she herself, at the time of her death, related it to the believer Salome of Ujarma, daughter-in-law of King Mirian, who wrote it down.

Now in those days when Saint George the Cappadocian¹ bore witness for Christ, there was in a city of Cappadocia a certain ruler, pleasing unto God, called Zabulon, who set out for Rome to serve before King Maximian² and to carry gifts to him. In those same days there was in Colastra³ a man who had two children: a son named Iobenal and a daughter, Sosana; and he and his wife died, leaving the brother and sister orphans. The children arose and set out for the holy city Jerusalem, trusting in the hope of all Christians, the holy Resurrection. There they tarried; Sosana’s brother, Iobenal, obtained the office of steward⁴, while she served the Niamphori Sarra⁵ of Bethlehem.

Now the Cappadocian youth Zabulon, whom we have already mentioned, arrived before the king when the Branji⁶ had revolted against the Romans on the field of Patalani⁷. The Lord gave power invincible to Zabulon, who went forth with countless hosts against the Branji and put them to flight, capturing their king and all his chiefs. Then he led them before the king (of the Romans) who decreed that they should all be put to death. The Branji began to weep, and entreated Zabulon, saying: ‘First let us be partakers in your religion, and let us be led into the temple of your God; then may we meet death, for we have been taken captive by thee. Do thus unto us, and thou shalt be guiltless of our blood, O hero!’ Now when Zabulon heard this, he went hastily and secretly to the patriarch⁸, and told him what they had said. They were baptized by Zabulon; they were led into the temple of God, where they partook of the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, and the glory of the holy apostles was declared unto them.

On the morning when they were to meet their doom, the Branji rose very early, and, being clothed in the garments of death, were led away unto the place of execution, praying and praising God for His baptism and sacrament which they had received, saying: ‘In this our death we are immortal, for God has esteemed us worthy to see His glory, and to receive the inexhaustible provision for the journey, to wit, the body and blood of the immortal God Christ, who is higher than all heights and deeper than all abysses and depths, who is blessed through eternity. But, alas for our kinsfolk, born in bitterness, inheritors of darkness!’ They then handed themselves over to the executioner. Now when Zabulon saw this, he was much moved, and wept bitterly, for they were as sheep led to the slaughter, and for their children they mourned grievously, as for lambs. Seized with pity for them all, Zabulon went in to the king and entreated him that he would pardon them. The king granted them their liberty.

The Branji begged Zabulon to go with them to their land and teach the gospel of Christ, baptizing with water all the people. He hearkened to their prayer, and asked the patriarch for a priest. Then he obtained leave from the king, and they went away joyfully. When they were within a day’s journey of the land of the Branji, the news that their king was coming in safety, with all his chiefs, travelled before them, and there came forth to meet them ten erist’havs⁹: Khozamai, Khozaba, Zakai and Khenebagi, Timgaragi Dazakai¹⁰, Gazai, Zargai, Zarda, Zamrai and T’hmonigoni¹¹, and all the kingdom with them, and they met at a great deep river¹². The king divided the people, and placed half of them on each side of the river, and the priest blessed the water. Then all the people went down into the river and were washed, and rose together, and the priest¹³ laid his hands upon them all. Ten days tarried they there by the river, and they pitched tents. The priest offered up the bloodless sacrifice, and the people partook of the sacrament of Christ. Priests instructed them in all the doctrines of Christianity. When Zabulon had said farewell he left them in peace, and went away with great gifts to Rome.

He resolved to go to Jerusalem, and when he arrived there he divided his gains among the poor, according to the commandment of God. He saw the steward Iobenal, who had become patriarch, and Zabulon and the patriarch became great friends. Then Sara Niamphori said to the patriarch: ‘Since this Zabulon is father and baptizer of the Branji, a man full of wisdom and constant in the service of God, give him thy sister Sosana to wife.’ The advice of Sara seemed good unto the holy patriarch¹⁴.

St. Nino¹⁵, the enlightener of Georgia, was born of them. She was their only child, and her mother brought her up in the service of the poor¹⁶. When Nino was twelve years old, her parents sold all they had, and went away to Jerusalem. On reaching the holy city, Zabulon, having been blessed by the patriarch, left his wife. He clasped his daughter St. Nino to his breast, wetting her face with the torrent of tears which flowed from his eyes, and said: ‘My only daughter! I leave thee an orphan, and confide thee to thy Father who is in heaven, the God of all beings, for He is the Father of orphans, the Judge of the widow. Fear not, my child, imitate the love of Mary Magdalene and of the sisters of Lazarus for Christ. If thou lovest Him as they loved Him, He will give thee all thou askest of Him.’

When he had spoken thus, he gave her a kiss of eternal farewell, and went away beyond Jordan, with men who had become savage for God’s sake, and who dwelt apart from the world, but God the omniscient Creator knew the place of their sojourn.

The patriarch appointed the mother of Nino to serve poor and infirm women, and St. Nino served the Armenian Niaphori of Dvini two years, reading continually of Christ’s sufferings on the cross, of His burial, resurrection, and garments, of His linen, shroud, and cross. She learned everything, for there had been and there was no one in Jerusalem equal to the Niaphori in knowledge of the ancient law and the new; she excelled all. The Niaphori thus instructing her said: ‘I see, my child, thy strength, like the strength of the lioness, whose roar is louder than that of any four-footed animal, or like the female eagle, which, soaring in the highest air, beyond the male, and, with the pupil of her eye, seeing all the country, tiny as a pearl, stops, searches, and like lightning perceiving her prey—she plumes her wings and immediately swoops upon it. Even thus may thy life be by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Now will I declare unto thee everything: When to this earth of mortal man the immortal God came to call in the heathen, for He Himself wished to deliver the world, He began to do good to the Jews, to raise the dead, to give sight to the blind, and healing to the sick. The people were envious against him, and, taking counsel together, they sent soldiers (? couriers¹⁷) to ask the Jews to come to Jerusalem quickly, saying: “Come, let us gather together and destroy Him.” Then, from all parts, came numerous wise men, learned in the law of Moses, who resisted the Holy Spirit, and Him that was the Christ they did slay. They crucified Him and cast lots for His raiment, and it¹⁸ fell to the lot of a citizen of Mtzkhet’ha, in the North. The Jews buried Christ, and guarded and sealed His tomb, but He rose again, as He had said from the beginning. And they found the linen early in Christ’s tomb, whither Pilate and his wife came. When they found it, Pilate’s wife asked for the linen, and went away quickly to her house in Pontus, and she became a believer in Christ¹⁹. Some time afterwards, the linen came into the hands of Luke the Evangelist, who put it in a place known only to himself.

‘Now they did not find the shroud (sudari), but it is said to have been found by Peter, who took it and kept it, but we know not if it has ever been discovered. The crosses are buried in the city of Jerusalem, though no man knows in what place; when it shall please God they also shall appear.’

When St. Nino heard all this from Sara the Niamphori she offered thanks and blessing to God, and asked: ‘Where is that northern land whence the Jews came and whither they took the raiment of our Lord Christ?’ Sara answered: ‘²⁰ There is in the East, in the land of Kart’hli, a town called Mtzkhet’ha, near Somkhet’hi and Mt’hiulet’hi, and now it has become a part of the empire of the Uzhiks²¹, and is a land of idolators.’

Now in those days a certain woman came from Ephesus, to worship at the holy places, and Sara Niamphori asked her if Queen Elene was still in error and darkness. And the woman answered: ‘I am their servant, a sharer in all their counsels both open and secret, and I know that she has now a great desire for the law of Christ and baptism.’ When St. Nino heard this, she said to the Niamphori: ‘Send me, and I will go before Elene the Queen; shall not I appear in her presence and speak for Christ’s sake?’ The Niamphori told the patriarch what Nino desired and intended, and the patriarch, Nino’s uncle, called his niece, and placed her on the steps of the holy altar. He laid his holy hands upon her shoulders, sighed towards heaven from the depths of his heart, and said: ‘O Everlasting Lord God, I entreat Thine aid for my sister’s orphan child, and I send her to preach Thy divinity. May she spread the good tidings of Thy Resurrection; wherever it pleases Thee may her course be; may this wanderer become, O Christ God, a haven of rest, a leader, wise in speech, since she goes forth in Thy name.’ And her mother gave her a farewell kiss, and made the sign of the cross upon her²², and thus, with prayers to God, and blessings, they parted.

St. Nino set out with the woman who had come from Ephesus. When they arrived in the kingdom of the Romans, in the house of that woman who had travelled with her they saw a certain queen²³ (? royal princess), by name Riphsime, and her foster-mother Gaiane²⁴. They dwelt in a nunnery for virgins, longing to confess Christ, and waiting for baptism from Jerusalem. The woman came to St. Nino, and told her about queen Riphsime, and when Nino heard how Riphsime loved Christ, she also went to dwell with her, with the woman who was her fellow-pilgrim. In the same year St. Nino baptized Riphsime, who had longed much for this, and, with her, her foster-mother Gaiane and others of her household, to the number of fifty²⁵ souls; and St. Nino lived in the nunnery²⁶ with them two years.

²⁷ In those days the emperor sent forth to seek a maiden good and beautiful who might be to him a worthy wife. When the messengers arrived at the convent of virgins they saw Riphsime, and learnt that she was akin to kings. They were greatly pleased with her beauty, for nowhere could be seen one like unto her in loveliness. They drew her fair face and made a portrait of her on wood, and sent it to the emperor. When he saw it he was exceeding glad, and, filled with joy, he resolved to celebrate the wedding with splendour and great pomp. So he hastened and sent messengers and rulers to all in his kingdom, ordering them to collect gifts; with great rejoicing they came, at his summons, to the imperial nuptials.

Now when those saints saw the secret cunning of the enemy, and the fiery darts he hastened to shoot at Christ’s holy ones, they were afflicted, for the king was a tool of wrath—like the serpent which spake in Paradise, even so was this heathen who was given over to the profane worship of unclean, abominable idols. When the blessed Riphsime and Gaiane, and others of the nuns saw this temptation which had come upon them, they remembered their vows of chastity which they had made. Woefully they wept that the pagan king had learnt of the beauty of St. Riphsime from the picture. They inflicted severe penance on themselves, fervently praying and entreating God without ceasing; and, being of one mind, they secretly fled from that land—fifty and three souls. The fugitives arrived within the borders of Somkhit’hi (Armenia), at the place which is called Akhalkalaki, outside which is Dvini, the royal residence (?).

They entered into wine-presses which were built to the north and east, and they kept themselves by selling their handiwork.

Now when the emperor saw that St. Riphsime and others with her had escaped from his hands, and from his wicked love, he was full of bitter discontent, and sent men forth into all places to seek them. And the imperial envoys came before Trdat, king of the Somekhi (Armenians), and delivered to him the emperor’s letter, which was as follows:—

‘I, the emperor, greet my beloved brother sovereign and friend, Trdat. Be it known to thee, my brother and ally, that the sect of Christians, from whom formerly we have suffered, have again insulted our majesty and outraged our kingdom. They serve a certain dead man who was crucified, and worship a piece of wood, esteeming it a glory to die for their Lord; they fear not the Jews, but they fear Him who was slain and crucified by them; they insult kings and contemn the gods, and they even venerate not the sun, moon and stars, but say all was created by the Crucified; and they flee from the world, fathers and mothers forsaking one another, separate while yet living. Although I have threatened and tortured them they increase more and more. But it came to pass that I saw the portrait of one of this sect, a young maiden, and I resolved to take her to wife; but her heart had no desire even for the love of the king. She looked upon me as loathsome and unclean, and fled secretly from me; and they are come into the bounds of thy land. Therefore, be it known unto thee, my brother, that thou shouldst seek for her and find her; and let those who are with her die the death, for they led her into error, but as for her who is so fair of face, Riphsime by name, send her to me. Yet, if she please thee, take her for thine own, for thou canst not find in the world of the Ioni (? Ionians, Greeks) a fairer—and mayst thou be kept alive in the service of the gods.’

When Trdat had read this command of the emperor, he immediately made haste to search, and when he found them in the wine-presses and saw Riphsime, love’s desire wounded him, and he was filled with great joy, and resolved to take her to wife. Riphsime would not consent to this, therefore he martyred her, with Gaiane her foster-mother and many others with them, as is written in the book of their martyrdom; and we know of the miracles performed at the time of their martyrdom in the conversion of the Armenians, and by God’s providence King Trdat through them was converted.

Now some of those holy women escaped, among whom was St. Nino, who hid in a briar bush which had not yet put forth its flowers. And while St. Nino was thus hidden, she saw the form of an archdeacon²⁸ descending from heaven, clad in a stole of light, holding in his hands a censer from which arose sweet smelling smoke, concealing the heavens; and with him were many celestial beings. The souls of the holy martyrs were set free from their bodies, and were united to the host of shining ones, and together they mounted to heaven. When St. Nino saw this, she cried aloud: ‘O Lord, O Lord, why leavest Thou me here among asps and vipers?’ Then she heard a voice from heaven saying: ‘Thou too shalt be led away into the kingdom of heaven before the throne of God at the time when this thorn which is around thee shall be sweet with the scent of rose-leaves²⁹; but now arise and go into the land of the North where the harvest is great but of labourers there is none.’

Then St. Nino went thence, and arrived at Orbant’hi³⁰, on the bounds of Somkhit’hi; and after four months—from March till June—she set forth and came to the mountains of Javakhet’hi³¹ [where was the great lake which is called P’haravan. When St. Nino reached this place, and saw the northern mountains in summer covered with snow, and felt the coldness of the air, she trembled, and spake thus: ‘O Lord, O Lord, receive my soul!’ She tarried there two days, and begged nourishment from the fishermen who fished in the lake. There were also shepherds there, and when they watched their flocks by night they called upon their gods Armaz and Zaden to help them, and promised them sacrifices when they should come before them in peace. This they spoke in the Armenian tongue, which St. Nino had formerly studied a little with Niaphora, and she spake to one of the shepherds, and asked him: ‘Of what village are you?’ And he answered, saying: ‘We are from³² Kindzari, Rabati and the great city of Mtzkhet’ha, where these gods reign and kings rule³³.’ St. Nino asked them: ‘Where is that city of Mtzkhet’ha?’ They answered her: ‘On the river flowing from this lake lies Mtzkhet’ha.’

When St. Nino saw how terrible was the length of the way, and how fearful the mountains, her spirit was seized with trembling. She placed a great stone for a pillow, and slept by that river flowing from the lake. And as she slept, there came to her in a vision a man of exceeding tallness, whose hair fell down on his shoulders(?)³⁴; and he gave a sealed scroll to St. Nino, saying: ‘Bear this swiftly to Mtzkhet’ha and give it to the heathen king.’ But St. Nino began to weep, and entreated him, saying: ‘O Lord, I am a stranger woman and unskilled, and I know not how to speak their tongue. How can I go into a strange land, among a strange people?’ Then the man undid the book, on which was the seal of Jesus Christ, and in it were written, in the Roman tongue³⁵, ten sayings, as on the tables of stone delivered to Moses, and he gave them to St. Nino to read, and these were the sayings:

1. Wherever they preach this gospel, there shall they speak of this woman. Matt. xxvi. 13.

2. Neither male nor female, but you are all one. Gal. iii. 28.

3. Go ye and make disciples of all the heathen, and baptize them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Matt. xxviii. 19.

4. A light to shine upon the heathen, and to give glory to thy people Israel. Luke ii. 32.

5. ³⁶Preach the good tidings of the kingdom of heaven in all the world. Mark xvi. 15.

6. Whoever receiveth you receiveth Me, and whoever receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent Me. Matt. x. 40.

7. Now Mary was greatly beloved of the Lord, so that He always hearkened to her truth and wisdom.

8. Be not afraid of those who can destroy your bodies, but are not able to destroy your soul. Matt. x. 28.

9. Jesus said to Mary Magdalene: ‘Go, O woman, and tell the good news to My brethren.’ John xx. 17.

10. Whithersoever ye go, preach in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

When St. Nino had read through these words, she began to pray to God, and perceived plainly that this was a vision from on high. And she raised her eyes to heaven and besought the aid of the all-preserving God, established in the highest³⁷.] Then she set out and came to the other side of the river, to the part which flows westward, where she met many difficulties and trials on the road, fearful wild beasts and many troubles, until she reached the place where the stream begins to flow eastward, and then she was consoled, for there she found travellers, with whom she arrived in the suburbs of the city which is called Urbnisi, where she saw the worship of strange gods, for they worshipped fire, stones and wood. This grieved the soul of St. Nino. She entered the quarter³⁸ of the Jews, with whom she talked in the Hebrew tongue (wherein she was skilled); and she tarried there a month and learned the habits and customs of that land.

One day a great multitude of people set forth from that town to the great royal city³⁹ of Mtzkhet’ha, to buy what they needed, and to offer sacrifice to their god Armaz; and with them went St. Nino. When they reached the city of Mtzkhet’ha they took up their quarters near the bridge of the Magi⁴⁰. And when St. Nino saw the magicians, fire-worshippers, seducers of the people, she wept for their doom, and mourned their strange ways. And, behold, on the next day there was a great noise of trumpets and shouting, and a fearful tumult, and people without number, like the flowers of the field, rushing and crowding, waited for the king and queen to come forth. Then came Queen Nana, and after her coming the people went quietly, and adorned all her path, and enclosed it with hangings of every colour, and strewed her way with leaves of trees, and flowers, and all the people began to praise the king. Next came King Mirian, terrible and in great pomp. St. Nino asked a certain Jewess: ‘What is this?’ She replied: ‘It is their custom to go up before their god of gods, like whom is no other idol.’ When St. Nino heard this, she ascended with the people to see the idol Armaz, and the mountain-sides were beautified with standards and ornaments like flowers of the field. And St. Nino hastened up to the fortress of Armaz, and placed herself near the idol in a crevice of the rock, and noticed the incomprehensible and inexpressible strangeness of the rites. There was a great noise, and the king and all the people trembled and were afraid before the idol. St. Nino saw standing a man made of copper, whose form was clad in a golden coat of mail, and he had on his head a golden helmet, and his shoulder-pieces and his eyes were of emeralds and beryls, and he held in his hands a sword bright as the lightning flash, which was turned in his hand, and none dared touch the idol on pain of death. And they spake thus: ‘If here there be any who despise the glory of the great god Armaz, of those who agree with the Hebrews, who hearken not to the priests who teach sun-worship, or of those who adore a certain strange god and Son of the God of heaven—if here among us be any of these wicked ones, may the sword of him whom all the world fears strike them down!’ When they had thus spoken, they each, one by one, worshipped the idol with fear and trembling. At its right hand was another idol, of gold, with the face of a man, and its name was Gatzi⁴¹, and at its left hand was an idol of silver, with the face of a man, and its name was Gaim⁴², which were the gods of the Kart’hlian people.

When the blessed Nino saw this, she began to sigh and weep tears to God, because of the error of the land of the North, for the light was hidden from them, and the rule of darkness was over them⁴³. She saw their kings, with their hosts and all the princes, journeying, as it were, onward to be swallowed up alive in hell, for they had left their Creator, and worshipped gods of stone, of wood, of brass and of copper, and these they regarded as the creators of all. Then St. Nino remembered those words which her mother’s brother Iobenal, the patriarch, had spoken to her: ‘As a hero I send thee forth, for thou goest into a strange land, to those of the race of Dargevel, Zevel, Barcidul⁴⁴,’ which is in the Branjian language: ‘men who are enemies and adversaries of God.’ She raised her eyes to heaven and said: ‘O Lord, by Thy great power overturn these Thine enemies, and by Thy great longsuffering may this people become wise, and all Thy foes disappear from the earth like dust and ashes, but do not despise man whom Thou hast made in Thy likeness, and for whom One of the Trinity became man and gave life to all in the world. Look down upon their race, and deliver their souls from the wicked and invisible ruler, the prince of darkness, and grant, O Lord God of my father and mother, unto me Thy handmaiden, born to serve Thee, that Thy salvation may be seen in all corners of Thy earth, that the north with the south may rejoice, and that all the people may worship the only God, through Jesus Christ Thy Son, to whom it is fitting to give glory with thanks for ever.’

When St. Nino had finished this prayer and praise, immediately God sent forth west winds and hurricanes, with clouds fearful and ominous to look upon, and the noisy roar of thunder was heard, and at the setting of the sun there blew a wind with a bitter, ill-smelling, noxious odour. The multitude, perceiving this, began hastily to run and flee towards their dwellings in the town. God gave them but little time, and when they were all safe at home, suddenly His wrath burst forth fiercely from the cruel cloud, and hail fell, like stones the size of two hands⁴⁵, piercing, hard and strong, on the house of the idols, and broke them in little pieces, and the walls were destroyed by the terrible wind, and cast among the rocks⁴⁶. But Nino stood unharmed, watching from the same place where she had stood at the beginning.

On the next day came King Mirian, and all the people, to seek for their gods, but they could not find them. Therefore were they seized with fear and trembling, and astonishment filled their minds; and many said: ‘The idols are thus helpless and cast down because It’hrujan, the god of the Chaldeans, and this our god Armaz have always been enemies, for Armaz made the sea go over his land, and now he is envious and has done thus to him.’ Some affirmed that it was done by that God by whose power Trdat, the king of Armenia, had been turned into a wild boar, and then again from a wild boar into a man, for what other god could have done such a thing as this? Since that time when King Trdat by the power of Christ was turned into a wild boar, and by the power of Christ was again turned into a man, the praise and glory of Christ was no longer secretly spoken in Kart’hli, for in the east the grace of God began to shine.

⁴⁷ Now in that day of wrath and of the overthrow of the idols, when the hail and cruel wind were ceased, St. Nino came out from her crevice in the rock, and found the beryl eye, which she took, and went away to the edge of the precipice. In that place had been in ancient times a fortress and a city⁴⁸, and she saw standing there a tree which is called brinji⁴⁹ (acacia), very lofty, and fair to look upon, with many branches, under whose shade she set up the sign of the cross, and there she tarried six days, giving thanks and entreating God that He would look down with mercy and deliver that people from the error of the devils. And when the overthrow of the idols took place it was the fifth month from March—the sixth day of August, the day on which Christ was transfigured before the prophets and His disciples⁵⁰.

As I said, St. Nino dwelt hidden under the tree. There came to her from the court a maiden named Shroshana, who when she saw St. Nino was surprised, and asked her, by means of a woman speaking Greek, whence she came and what she did. When she learnt all from St. Nino (except about her parentage) and how she was a captive⁵¹, Shroshana, sympathetic and gracious because of her being a stranger, with tears besought St. Nino to go home with her to the palace; but St. Nino would not, and Shroshana departed.

Three days afterwards she arose, crossed the river Kura, and reached the royal garden, where is now the divinely raised column and the church of the Catholicos. There she saw the little house of the keeper of the garden, and went in. Anastos, the keeper’s wife, met her, and graciously kissed her, as if she had known her and been her friend for a long time. She bathed her feet, anointed her with oil, and gave her bread and wine. St. Nino tarried with her nine months. Now Anastos and her husband were childless, and were much grieved thereat. In sleep, St. Nino saw a vision of a man clothed in light, who said to her: ‘Go into the garden, and you will find at the foot of a cedar a little twig ready to sprout forth with sweet smelling flowers of many beautiful colours. Take the earth from that place and give it to the couple to eat, and they shall have a son.’ St. Nino prayed, and gave it to the husband and wife to eat, even as the angel had commanded, and there was born to them a son, and, afterwards, many daughters. Then they believed on Christ, and secretly became disciples of Nino⁵².

After the nine months which St. Nino spent in the house of the gardener, she found outside the walls of the city, as it were a little tent formed of brambles, by God’s providence, in that place where is now the altar of the Church of the Samt’havarepiscopozi (Archbishop), and there she took up her abode and place of rest, and there she raised her cross, which she had formed out of vine twigs, and sat up all night before it to watch, and turned night into day by her unceasing prayers and entreaties to God. Wondering at her many sufferings, the couple who kept the king’s garden served her. Whilst she dwelt thus, St. Nino often visited the Jewish quarter, that she might converse in the Hebrew tongue, and learn the whereabouts of the Lord’s tunic (cvart’hi), of which she had heard at Jerusalem from the Niamphori—how it had been carried away by the Jews of Mtzkhet’ha, who would know where it was.

She met a certain Jew, a priest called Abiat’har, and his daughter Sidonia, and preached to them the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And they accepted it, and became her disciples, with other Jewish women, to the number of six, taught by St. Nino, except baptism, for at that time there was no priest to baptize them, and secretly they were her disciples. And God, by the hands of St. Nino, performed many wonders and cures, for, by the use of herbs, she freed many incurable from their ailments.

Three years lived she thus in the city of Mtzkhet’ha, and then King Mirian and his nephew, the king of the Persians, made an expedition into Greece. Constantine, the Greek emperor, put them to flight by the power of Christ, and through His cross, which was borne before all the emperor’s armies.

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