Orthodox Icon of St. Grigol of Khandzta

Saint Grigol of Khandzta

October 5th
Troparion
Thou didst receive the yoke of Christ, carry His Cross on thy shoulders, and bear in thy flesh His divine suffering. For the sake of thy holy labors thou didst partake of His divine glory and acquire the reward of His grace, O Holy Father Grigol!

St. Grigol was the son of a noble family and received an education fitting his societal rank. His family wished him to become a priest, but St. Grigol delayed saying that his pride would be a stumbling block for him in taking such a role. Shortly after he consented to be ordained as a priest, the surrounding princes sought to consecrate him as a bishop. The responsibility seemed too great, so he fled to southwestern Georgia with three companions and presented themselves at the Monastery of St. John the Baptist in Opiza. They labored there for two years in prayer and fasting. St. Grigol went to visit Khvedios the monk in Khandzta. Khvedios had had a vision that a priest by the name of Grigol was to build a monastery there. The monk showed St. Grigol the area and he was filled with the desire to indeed build a monastery there. The ground was difficult to build on, so St. Grigol when to a neighboring aristocrat and requested his help in the building of the monastery. The aristocrat, Gabriel Dapanchuli, donated stone, labor, and food to the project of building the first monastery church in Khandzta. Gabriel told King Ashot Kuropalates about St. Grigol's efforts and the king was so pleased that he invited St. Grigol to the palace to inquire about his work in more detail. St. Grigol stayed there for a time and served as King Ashot's spiritual father, confronting him when he took a mistress. When the construction of the monastery was complete, each monk's cell contained only a small bed and a pitcher for water. No candles or fires were lit inside the cells. So, it was particularly alarming when a monk would pass by the saint's cell and see light coming from inside. When St. Grigol stood at prayer, light emanated from his body in the form of a cross. St. Grigol foresaw a plot against him, by a follower of the Tbilisi emir Sahak named Tskir. Despite this foreknowledge, St. Grigol went out to greet Tskir when he drew near the monastery. When Tskir was still afar off, he saw a light enveloping the saint and was frightened. His fear froze him and his murderous hand withered immediately. Only through the prayers of St. Grigol was his hand restored to him and he returned home. Tskir fled to the emir and sent an army to destroy Khandzta Monastery. As the army approached the monks went out to meet them in meekness and asked that they be able to finish the Sunday Liturgy. The monks prayed fervently for the preservation of the monastery during the Liturgy. Before the end of the service, they received word that Tskir had died suddenly. Toward the end of his life, St. Grigol spent most of his time at the monastery he built, Shatberdi Monastery. He helped build several others across Georgia and present day Turkey. He received a sign that his end was drawing near. He distributed candles throughout all of the monasteries of the Klarjeti Wilderness and asked that all save the candle for prayer for him on the day of his passing. On the day he reposed, October 5, 861, many holy fathers gathered to receive a blessing from the saint. At his last breath, a voice from heaven was heard giving words of comfort and assurance of St. Grigol's place amoung the saints. He was 102 years old.

Please note that Grigol is the Georgian for Gregory.

This icon is by the hand of an anonymous Georgian iconographer. The inscription is in Georgian.

Order # pdi-26