The Life of Saint Sidónia
Saint Sidónia (᛭33 AD; commemorated 1/14 Oct.) is among the first documented Georgian saints. Until recently, however, her name was passed down only through oral tradition, with early written accounts simply referring to an unnamed virgin and sister of St. Oziel (also called Elioz in many sources), whom we will soon introduce.
Jewish settlers had arrived in Georgia during the Babylonian captivity, and Saint Sidónia’s forebears were among them. Though they found themselves far from their God - given homeland and the holy city of Jerusalem, like all faithful Jews, were traveling to Jerusalem for worship, sacrifice, and the high holy days. Thus, Saint Sidónia’s family maintained a living link with both the worship of the Temple and with their fellow Jews over the centuries.
In the days of Christ’s public ministry, news of Him was spreading far and wide, including to the Jewish diaspora. People were traveling to Jerusalem to investigate the stories about this Man named Jesus calling Himself the Son of God. The Georgians were represented by Saint Longinoz of Charsani and St Sidónia’s brother, Saint Oziel of Mtskheta. Before their departure for the Holy City, Saint Oziel’s mother, Sarra, prophesied about the Messiah’s crucifixion, telling her son not to take part, and she and Saint Sidónia asked him to bring a relic from the Messiah.
Saints Oziel and Longinoz witnessed Christ’s Passion, including also the soldiers’ casting of lots and parting of Christ’s garments, and they acquired His seamless [ made by the hands of His All - Holy Ever - Virgin Mother MARY ], Robe from the soldier to whose lot it had fallen. Meanwhile, at the time of the Crucifixion, Saint Oziel’s mother in Georgia miraculously heard, the blows of the hammer, lamented the plight of Israel, and died of grief. She became the first Martyr, confessed Christ, and prepared the way into Paradise for the Good Thief, who would soon follow her. When Saint Oziel returned to Georgia, his sister, Saint Sidónia, told him of their mother’s death, and he told her of the events in Jerusalem, showing her Christ’s Robe. Saint Sidónia kissed it, embraced it tightly, and, full of reverence, joy, grief, and longing, passed from this life to the next.
No one was able to remove the Robe from Saint Sidónia’s embrace, and thus this important relic was buried along with her. Miracles were taking place at the spot, and soon thereafter, the Apostle Andrew brought Christianity to Georgia. With time and pagan pressure, faith in Christ faded in people’s memories, however, and the location of Christ’s Robe, too, was forgotten.
Nearly three centuries later, a very young Saint Nina asked her teacher where Christ’s seamless Robe had gone and was told that it was in Georgia. At this same time, the Mother of God appeared to Saint Nina in a vision, informing her that God had called her to evangelize Iberia, as Georgia was then known, giving her a Cross made of grapevine, which she fastened with her hair, to be her strong protection and an earnest of the Mother of God’s love and care. This Cross, known as Saint Nina’s Cross or the Grapevine Cross, is venerated to this day in Sioni Cathedral in Tbilisi, Georgia. It has a distinctive bent - armed appearance deriving from the supple grapevine, and one version of it is found on the cover.
After many and great trials, Saint Nina arrived in Georgia alone. She directed her steps to the Jewish Synagogue, as she spoke Hebrew well. The Jewish community helped her gain her bearings, and she got to know many of the faithful Jews. Among them was a Jewish priestly descendant of Saint Sidónia's family, Abiatar – whose daughter was also named Sidónia – who recounted the above story of Saints Oziel and Loginoz’ journey to Jerusalem, their witnessing of Christ’s Passion, their acquisition of His Robe, their return to Georgia, and the repose of Saint Sarra and her daughter Saint Sidónia. Yet, no one remembered where Saint Sidónia was buried.
Saint Sidónia and the Lord’s Robe were finally revealed by a miracle. A large cypress tree grew in the royal garden in the city of Mtskheta, and people came there for healing. It was from this tree that the pillars were cut to build the first church, but no one was able to move the last of these, which remained rooted to the ground. Saint Nina prayed during the night, and an angel came, telling her that the Robe was buried beneath, and moving the pillar. Healing myrrh flowed from the pillar’s foundation, and thus, this church, built on that same spot, is called Life - giving Pillar, in Georgian Svet’itskhoveli. Today this church is a grand cathedral, guarding in its embrace the spot where the Pillar stood, over the resting place of Saint Sidónia, just as the Saint still holds Christ’s Robe in her embrace. A piece of the Life - giving Pillar, which an Angel revealed to Saint Gabriel the Confessor and Fool for Christ (᛭1995 AD; commemorated 20 Oct./2 Nov.), is venerated in the nearby Samtavro Convent.
By her life and presence, Saint Sidónia became an eloquently silent spiritual mother to Saint Nina, and her coworker in evangelizing, protecting, and guiding Georgians and all Orthodox Christians to Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Jewish settlers had arrived in Georgia during the Babylonian captivity, and Saint Sidónia’s forebears were among them. Though they found themselves far from their God - given homeland and the holy city of Jerusalem, like all faithful Jews, were traveling to Jerusalem for worship, sacrifice, and the high holy days. Thus, Saint Sidónia’s family maintained a living link with both the worship of the Temple and with their fellow Jews over the centuries.
In the days of Christ’s public ministry, news of Him was spreading far and wide, including to the Jewish diaspora. People were traveling to Jerusalem to investigate the stories about this Man named Jesus calling Himself the Son of God. The Georgians were represented by Saint Longinoz of Charsani and St Sidónia’s brother, Saint Oziel of Mtskheta. Before their departure for the Holy City, Saint Oziel’s mother, Sarra, prophesied about the Messiah’s crucifixion, telling her son not to take part, and she and Saint Sidónia asked him to bring a relic from the Messiah.
Saints Oziel and Longinoz witnessed Christ’s Passion, including also the soldiers’ casting of lots and parting of Christ’s garments, and they acquired His seamless [ made by the hands of His All - Holy Ever - Virgin Mother MARY ], Robe from the soldier to whose lot it had fallen. Meanwhile, at the time of the Crucifixion, Saint Oziel’s mother in Georgia miraculously heard, the blows of the hammer, lamented the plight of Israel, and died of grief. She became the first Martyr, confessed Christ, and prepared the way into Paradise for the Good Thief, who would soon follow her. When Saint Oziel returned to Georgia, his sister, Saint Sidónia, told him of their mother’s death, and he told her of the events in Jerusalem, showing her Christ’s Robe. Saint Sidónia kissed it, embraced it tightly, and, full of reverence, joy, grief, and longing, passed from this life to the next.
No one was able to remove the Robe from Saint Sidónia’s embrace, and thus this important relic was buried along with her. Miracles were taking place at the spot, and soon thereafter, the Apostle Andrew brought Christianity to Georgia. With time and pagan pressure, faith in Christ faded in people’s memories, however, and the location of Christ’s Robe, too, was forgotten.
Nearly three centuries later, a very young Saint Nina asked her teacher where Christ’s seamless Robe had gone and was told that it was in Georgia. At this same time, the Mother of God appeared to Saint Nina in a vision, informing her that God had called her to evangelize Iberia, as Georgia was then known, giving her a Cross made of grapevine, which she fastened with her hair, to be her strong protection and an earnest of the Mother of God’s love and care. This Cross, known as Saint Nina’s Cross or the Grapevine Cross, is venerated to this day in Sioni Cathedral in Tbilisi, Georgia. It has a distinctive bent - armed appearance deriving from the supple grapevine, and one version of it is found on the cover.
After many and great trials, Saint Nina arrived in Georgia alone. She directed her steps to the Jewish Synagogue, as she spoke Hebrew well. The Jewish community helped her gain her bearings, and she got to know many of the faithful Jews. Among them was a Jewish priestly descendant of Saint Sidónia's family, Abiatar – whose daughter was also named Sidónia – who recounted the above story of Saints Oziel and Loginoz’ journey to Jerusalem, their witnessing of Christ’s Passion, their acquisition of His Robe, their return to Georgia, and the repose of Saint Sarra and her daughter Saint Sidónia. Yet, no one remembered where Saint Sidónia was buried.
Saint Sidónia and the Lord’s Robe were finally revealed by a miracle. A large cypress tree grew in the royal garden in the city of Mtskheta, and people came there for healing. It was from this tree that the pillars were cut to build the first church, but no one was able to move the last of these, which remained rooted to the ground. Saint Nina prayed during the night, and an angel came, telling her that the Robe was buried beneath, and moving the pillar. Healing myrrh flowed from the pillar’s foundation, and thus, this church, built on that same spot, is called Life - giving Pillar, in Georgian Svet’itskhoveli. Today this church is a grand cathedral, guarding in its embrace the spot where the Pillar stood, over the resting place of Saint Sidónia, just as the Saint still holds Christ’s Robe in her embrace. A piece of the Life - giving Pillar, which an Angel revealed to Saint Gabriel the Confessor and Fool for Christ (᛭1995 AD; commemorated 20 Oct./2 Nov.), is venerated in the nearby Samtavro Convent.
By her life and presence, Saint Sidónia became an eloquently silent spiritual mother to Saint Nina, and her coworker in evangelizing, protecting, and guiding Georgians and all Orthodox Christians to Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.