Cathédrale de Svétitskhovéli

"UNESCO World Heritage Svetitskhaveli Cathedral is the seat of the Georgian catholicos (leader of the country's Orthodox Church), and was built from 1010 on the site of an earlier church that was constructed soon after the country adopted Christianity in 317 According to legend, the cathedral houses the robe that Christ was wearing when he was crucified, which was apparently brought to Georgia by a native who was in Jerusalem at the time of the Crucifixion and purchased the robe from the Roman centurion who had presided over the execution. On bringing the garment to his homeland, the Georgian met his sister, who immediately died on touching the holy. cloth. She was grasping it so tightly that it had to be buried with her. A mysterious cedar grew up over her grave, and when King Mirian Ill was converted to Christianity by St. Nino he ordered the tree to be cut down ark made into seven pillars to form the base for a new church to be built on the site. The seventh pillar miraculously rose into the air and returned to earth only after St. Nino prayed for an entire night for its return, whereupon it started producing a mysterious liquid that cured any disease, "svetitskhoveli' translates as life-giving pillar" The cathedral has been sacked several times by invading armies, including those of the legendary Tameriane, as Georgia was conquered and reconquered by Persians. Muslim Arabs, Ottoman Turks, and eventually Russians under Catherine the Great. Therefore, the present structure is the result of several centuries of more or less constant restoration The original architect's presence survives, however, in the form of the sculpture of a disembodied arm and hand holding a chisel on the exterior of the church accompanied by an inscription: "The hand of Arsukisdze, slave of God. May forgiveness be his”"