History

The New Shuamta Monastery,

the Repository of the Khakhuli Icon of the Most Holy Virgin in Kakheti

Sources dated before the 16th century speak only of the Gelati Khakhuli icon of the Most Holy Virgin. After the establishment of the New Shuamta monastery in the 16th century, however, it is widely recognized as its patron and protector. No­tably, the New Shuamta monastery is the on­ly one to be dedicated specifically to the Khakhu­li icon of the Most Holy Virgin.

The fall of Constantinople in 1453 directly affected Georgia, heralding times of trials and tribulation, and leaving the country clamped helplessly between two Muslim superpowers, Persia and the Ottoman Empire.

In 1555, Persia and the Ottoman Empire signed the Treaty of Amasya, dividing Georgia between themselves without so much as informing the then kings and princes of the country. The Eastern Georgian Kingdom of Kakheti under King Le­van (1520-1574) was the only bright spot, an is­land of peace and stability, in the otherwise devastated country in shambles. Levan’s wife, Queen Tinatin, brought the Khakhuli icon of the Most Holy Virgin to Kakheti and dedicated to it the newly established Shuamta monastery. Most scholars agree that it is the only surviving copy of the Gelati Khakhuli icon of the Most Holy Virgin. Divided into three kingdoms in the 16th century, Georgia was spiritually united by the two Khakhuli icons of the Most Holy Virgin, each in western and eastern parts of the country.

A chiseled gold cover adorned with precious gem­stones like sapphires, turquoises, diamonds, and pearls was commissioned by King Levan and Qu­een Tinatin for the Khakhuli icon of the Most Ho­ly Virgin, which was placed in front of the right wing of the iconostasis in the main church of the New Shuamta monastery. On the back the icon contains 44 holy relics, though no particular saints have been identified, and an inscription aro­und them that reads:

“The prophets foretold you as the cooling furna­ce, the mountain, the lad­der, the ark, and the Holy of Holies, and the rod that budded forth, O Mother of God, Virgin All-Pure; we confess thee to be the true Mother of God, who didst spring from the root of Jesse. Do thou beseech the King Who was born of thee: “O Jesus my Son Most Sweet, for the sake of Thy love, show mercy to King Le­van and his righteous spouse, Queen Tinatin, who have adorned my icon, and punish them not when Thou shalt come to judge all men”.

The brick building of the Church of the Mother of God in Shuamta is adorned with murals depic­ting scenes from both the Old and the New Testaments, also King Levan and Queen Tinatin with their son and heir.

The bell-tower in the northwest section of the mo­nastery’s courtyard was commissioned by Qu­een Tinatin’s nanny in the 16th century. Later nun Thekla, daughter of King Levan and Queen Ti­natin, built the Chapel of the Archangels next to the main church, by her own means. About that time, a procession path – the narthex, must ha­ve been built around the church. It was badly damaged during the invasion of Shah Abbas in the 17th century, and most likely demolished later, under Russian rule. In 2018, the Shuamta monastic community launched restoration work.

The rich library of the New Shuamta Monastery boasted myriad manuscripts, documents, and co­pied materials. For example, monk Nikoloz (Vach­nadze) of the Davit Garedji Monastery, in 1801, copied and donated to the monastery a sermon by Saint Andrew of Crete, On the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God, Our Lady Ever-Virgin Mary. The manuscript is currently preserved at the National Archives of Georgia.

The builder and main sponsor of the monastery, Queen Tinatin,  is laid to rest in the main church of the complex dedicated to the Most Holy Virgin. Many prominent Georgians and members of the royal family are buried at the monastery complex.

In 1899-1900, the New Shuamta Monastery was renovated under the supervision of Saint Hiero­mar­tyr Kirion (Sadzaglishvili), the then Metropo­li­tan of Alaverdi and future Catholicos-Patriarch of All-Georgia, who ordained that a memorial ser­vice should be served on September 9(22) eve­­ry year for the salvation of the soul of Queen Tinatin. This tradition, after a long pause under Soviet rule, was restored by Metropolitan of Alaverdi David. The day earlier, September 8(21), the parish feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God is celebrated.