MONASTÈRE DE CHIO-MGVIMÉ

The Chio-Mgvime monastery is said to have been founded by Chio, one of the thirteen Assyrian missionary fathers who came to evangelize Georgia. This ascetic is said to have seen this place in a dream and to have come here to retreat. Thanks to St. Chio's miracles, the monastery soon became the seat of the country's largest monastic community: over 2,000 monks lived here. The site thus became the most important cultural and spiritual center in Georgia. King David the Builder (1089-1125) made it a royal estate. Over the following centuries, the monastery fell prey to successive destructions perpetrated by the armies of Persian and Ottoman invaders, before being closed down in Soviet times. The monastery consists of 3 buildings. Downstairs, the small church of St. John the Baptist dates back to the 560s. Its original structures have remained virtually unchanged to the present day. It is a cruciform church. Its interior is austere, despite the beautiful frescoes. Behind the church is the refectory, built in the ^12th century and converted in the ^17th century. The refectory communicates with the Grotto of Chio, which is not accessible to the public. Finally, the main monument is the Church of the Assumption at the summit of the site. The church dates back to the 12th century, but was subsequently destroyed by successive invasions. The current structure dates back to 1678. The interior is superb, with a fresco of Saint Nino. On the church ceiling, you can see the "Eye of God".