Six days in Tbilisi is more than enough and if it were just a little warmer I would have gone to the Caucasus Mountains. It is close to impossible to pack lightly when I visit cold places, sure I could have bought warm clothes there but for six days? I don't think so. In any case, Georgia's history is in the capital and I saw what I needed to see. I guess. And what did I need to see?
On my first day I went to the 18th century Betlemi Church. Lit only by small portals at the top of the church where the morning sun streamed in, and a few hundred candles, the faithful followed the liturgy, nodding, giving themselves the sign of the cross, three times, and there were no chairs, no places to sit except around the walls where benches were occupied by a few. And when my eyes adjusted I noticed in the center an open casket! With a body! Yikes, did I walk into a funeral service, apparently not, I left the church without having taken any photos and climbed to the top where Mother Georgia stands over the city with a sword and a bowl of wine. I returned to the church and most of the parishioners (I don't know what the orthodox call their own so any reference to them will be used with what I know) had left, a half dozen surrounded the casket and the man who in many ways was luckier than any of us that morning.
What do I take from this place, this city, the churches I visited create an atmosphere where the mystery of faith is strong and ironically make it quite simple to engage in the holiness of God. The icons, the incense, the candles, create an atmosphere which could be the closest experience of being in the sanctuary of the temple but in humility and fear, one approaches with confidence.
The church is the most trusted institution in the country and rightly so. At every church I saw the priests, brothers, monks, engage openly with the people.
So, here are my memories in images just in time for Easter though the day isn't celebrated by the Orthodox for another month.
On my first day I went to the 18th century Betlemi Church. Lit only by small portals at the top of the church where the morning sun streamed in, and a few hundred candles, the faithful followed the liturgy, nodding, giving themselves the sign of the cross, three times, and there were no chairs, no places to sit except around the walls where benches were occupied by a few. And when my eyes adjusted I noticed in the center an open casket! With a body! Yikes, did I walk into a funeral service, apparently not, I left the church without having taken any photos and climbed to the top where Mother Georgia stands over the city with a sword and a bowl of wine. I returned to the church and most of the parishioners (I don't know what the orthodox call their own so any reference to them will be used with what I know) had left, a half dozen surrounded the casket and the man who in many ways was luckier than any of us that morning.
What do I take from this place, this city, the churches I visited create an atmosphere where the mystery of faith is strong and ironically make it quite simple to engage in the holiness of God. The icons, the incense, the candles, create an atmosphere which could be the closest experience of being in the sanctuary of the temple but in humility and fear, one approaches with confidence.
The church is the most trusted institution in the country and rightly so. At every church I saw the priests, brothers, monks, engage openly with the people.
So, here are my memories in images just in time for Easter though the day isn't celebrated by the Orthodox for another month.
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| Holy Trinity Cathedral |
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| a national dish goes well with beer |
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| The Soviet built Academy of Sciences |
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| I stayed in three hotels, this was the first and what a view |
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| Freedom Square with St. George fighting off the Dragon |
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| Svetitskhoveli Cathedral |
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| Jvari Church |
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| A new church being built when I visited. And it's not listed in the Lonely Planet yet. |
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| St. George Armenian Church |
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| John the Baptist, tell me did you eat mushrooms? |
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| can anyone speak Georgian? The theater's listings for the week |
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| Sioni Cathedral |
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| I stayed across from the Catholic church for two nights. Imagine I think for the first time I went to church every day for six days. |
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