A Blog on the Road (to Monasteries)

As I've been on the road a couple days now, I figured I'd let people know how my wonderful adventure's been going.  First, I'll lead up to it with the last few days here in Ch'ik'aani:

On the last day of school, the younger grades had a New Year's party and the older grades didn't have lessons (i.e., didn't have classes, in American English--the small differences in American and British English/Georgian (which uses transliterations of a few of the involved words) can cause a little confusion until you get used to the local usage--at least, for an American like myself), so I had plenty of time to take care of a few last things in the computer lab before (at least, potentially) losing my computer access for a month.  The weekend went well, and on Tuesday morning I headed to Tbilisi to begin my monastic pilgrimmage, if it can be thus called.  It was surprisingly warm and sunny (though also windy) in Tbilisi, and to start out, I wanted to check the Patriarchate's ecclesiastical supply stores--I found out from Mama Davit where they were (nicely, all on one street).  Assuming I wouldn't have time to go to Betania (the first monastery on my list) until the next day, I was somewhat wehimsical and carefree as to my path, and went to as many churches as I could along the way (it's not difficult to find a lot of opportunities for this in Georgia).  (By the way, it turns out the church at which you can see the woman prostrating herself in the middle of the night in my first photojournal entry is actually Sioni Cathedral (that is, Zion Cathedral, of course) (obviously no longer the episcopal see church of Tbilisi, at least since Sameba was consecrated, if not before then).)  When I finally got to Leselidze, the street with all the ecclesiastical supply shops (it's near the glass bridge on the West bank, for anyone who wants to know), I was surprised by how many there actually were.  It took me a good while to look through them all.  (I was doing this to see if I could, reasonably within my budget, get anything that might be useful for any of the churches or monasteries I know in America--alas, most of it was (as expected) a good bit out of my price range.  On the other hand, everything was beautiful, and a good bit cheaper than you'd probably find in the states--if any of my reaers to whom this applies knows of anything they want/need and wants to use me as an intermediate to get it, just let me know--from handpainted Georgian icons, priest or stavrophore/schema crosses, gorgeous vestments of all types, all the way up to mitres and full-size iconographic crucifixes for use in the Church (though don't ask me to transport that last example)--you name it, they've probably got it.)  After that, seeking a quiet place to do some prayers (i.e., not one of the churches in the middle of the city, crowded with pilgrims going in and out), I decided to see if I could get up to a church I saw up on a hill.  Turns out, it was quite far up, this hill, and perhaps couldn't be called part of Tbilisi at all (eventually the road cuts off to a footpath/trail).  It also turns out it was a monastery--holy Transfiguration Monastery--and a perfect place to do my prayers (the Church itself was unlocked, so, since I didn't see anyone I could ask, I simply went into the empty sanctuary and began).

The Church was quite beautiful, and very Georgian in its iconography, iconostasis, and general structure (truly Georgian-style churches have quite a different feel than that of a Russian or Greek church, having that characteristic peculiar Georgian quality that seems to pervade all things traditionally Georgian).  As I later learned, the monastery is only about ten years old.  Eventually, a novice came in, and as he happened to speak English quite well, we spoke for a while.  At 7:00, they had a Vigil, but through there are about 12 people staying at the monastery (three monks, three heiromonks, and otherwise guests and students of a small school of some sort (I don't think it was a seminary proper) which is either attached to, or at least very close to, the monastery itself), because of illness, abscences, and infirmities, it was just me, the aforementioned novice, and his spiritual father, who are both visitors from a smaller monastery, staying to study at the school.  This heiromonk also knew some English, and we ended up doing some parts of the service in Georgian, and some in English--a first for me in Georgia.

After Vigil, the aforementioned priest invited me to his cell, and we talked for a while before I went back to prepare for a midnight liturgy there.  The liturgy consisted of me, this novice,a guest at the monastery (who served in a sticherion in the altar and chanted), a heiromonk, and me.  It was absolutely wonderful.  Glory to God for all things!  I had no plan, really, for what I was doing, yet He in His infinite Knowledge, Love, and Mercy, brought me to a wonderful little monastery I would otherwise not have even known existed, and even granted me to end the day (or, more properly, begin the new day, in Orthodox reconing of the day's beginning at sunset) by partaking of His Very Body and Precious Blood!  Glory to God, who works in ways past human understanding.

After Liturgy, I was given a blessing to spend the night at the monastery.  In the morning, I headed off for the marshutka station to see which I needed to get me to Betania.  This wild goose chase of being redirected from station to station lasted four or five hours.  Eventually, I called my friend Giorgi in the hopes that he would know how I could get there.  He instead came and picked me up, preceeded to call his manager and get the day off, and announced that he was taking me to Betania that very day.  Georgians really are a rare people, let me tell you that.  Long story short, because of weather, we instead went to a different monastery in a car belonging to his cousin (a priest, I might add), and accompanied by him.  It is dedicated to the Iveron ("Iberia") Icon of the Theotokos, and also had a wonderful and warm brotherhood--and is also one I would have never known existed if I was following my own plan for this trip.  God seems to have his own plan for my travels, which is great--He knows which monasteries will be better places for me to stay.  When we don't constantly, actively try to impose our own wills, but try a little to live in obedience to the will of our loving neighbors (and simply of God Himself, as much as we can discern It), His Will is made manifest in ways most obvious.

Anyway, we had Vigil and then some tea, before a short devotional service for the welfare of Georgia, or the Georgian Church, as best I could discern it to be, before heading off to our cells for the night.  As there's a 6:00 Liturgy tomorrow morning, I suppose I should probably finish up writing.  Overall, I can simply say, my journey had been going miraculously well so far.

In Christ,

Teopile/Theophilos Porter

A Few Last Pictures

Hello, all.

I have been asked to share some pictures of the house at which, and family with which, I am living here in Georgia.  I took a few pictures to that extent today, and thought I'd share them for all to see.  Unfortunately, my host mother was not available when I was taking them, so you'll have to wait until later to see her, I guess.  Enjoy!

The house, as seen from the street.

The front door, as from just inside the gate.

The side of the house, from the same place.

The inside of the house, just after entering the front door.  My room is out of sight on the right, and my host sister's is out of sight on the left.  My host brother's room is on the left, and a study room on the right, before the bath room (I don't say "bathroom," but "bath room," because in American English this usually includes a toilet, whereas this is a room with a sink and an adjoining room with a tub).  The doors straight ahead lead into the living room, where the family spends most of its time (it's the only room with a woodstove).

My host brother, Lasha.

Looking left from the doors previously mentioned, the living room.

From the side of the living room the last picture was of, the rest of it.  The doorframe you can see on the left before the woodstove goes to the balcony outside, while the door you can see with come tape over broken glass goes into the kitchen.  The table you see here is where we eat, and we've been eating in this room since winter set on (as opposed to on the balcony).  Note the van seats on the left and right.  They essentially are used as ledges to put stuff on.

My host father, sister, and brother.  This was taken on our balcony.

The steps up to the balcony and the recessed floor near the basement.  Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of the basement (we mostly just store food stuffs there) and the literal pigsty (and cowsty) ahead.

The steps up to the balcony.

My host uncle's dog.

Well, that's about it, I guess.  I probably won't be putting up anything else until after the winter break.  I will probably have a lot to write then, though, so hopefully that makes up for it.

In Christ,

Teopile/Theophilos Porter

My New Computer Situation

Note:  this blog is primarily for people who would be in the situation to Skype with me, but could also be useful as an example for new volunteers in Georgia of some of the computer difficulties in the villages, if you don't bring your own computer and internet capabilities.

Sometimes language barriers can be quite troublesome.  I'd been starting to get a sense at school that using the computers late was not something particularly looked upon fondly by those in charge, but because of the language barrier, mixed with a little Georgian hospitality, I was not able to actually substantiate this thought until today.  In the past week, they have been mentioning something about being afraid people would steal the computers, but this made no sense to me, since the room was locked until I got there (the night guard would have a key), and was again locked right after I left.  Apparently, however, usually the director is the only one with a key, and she had to (at least, as best I understand it, which is somewhat tentative) leave it in the night guard's office until he got there on these days--which seems to be what they're worried about, having a key unattended.

Now, I should here note that they have reason to worry a bit--they once had thieves cut a hole in the roof and ceiling of the computer lab and steal a few computers through it.  Unfortunately, it is either not possible or not permitted to make a copy of the key, so their solution is that, since the computer lab is normally only open until 5:00, Monday to Friday, the director will come one day a week when I need to use Skype in the evening, and stay until I'm done--which is really quite horrible, because it means that if I ever want to Skype with anyone in America (at least, with anyone who doesn't want to get up at four in the morning), I have to horribly inconvenience her in the process.  I would forego Skype altogether, but it's really a much better medium than any other that I have for confessions with my priest in America--I don't know what I'll end up doing.  Mostly, however, this means I will not generally be available to Skype, and when I can, I'm going to limit it to what's really necessary.  Essentially, I've lost all recreational Skype access.  So, if you want to get ahold of me, email's really the best bet now.

[I must note, after it having been a couple months, that this has not actually been the case.  For whatever reason, things seem to have worked out well, and it's generally no problem if I need to use the computers after 5:00; I ask the school director (principal), and makes sure the key is left with the night watchman.  I have not had it happen even once as they described here, that someone would have to come, out of their way, to open the doors and be here while I work.  I don't know why everything resolved itself so easily (it's possible I misunderstood what they were saying earlier, but I asked a few different times and ways to make sure I understood the situation correctly), but whatever reason it might be, glory to God that he gave me the trial to test my patience and my love of His will over my own, and glory to Him that He resolved it easily, that I may work and confess with priest in America without causing such an inconvenience to anyone. I just thought I should let you all know how things turned out.]

In Christ,

Teopile/Theophilos Porter

A Few Pictures and the Feast of Nek'resoba!

I figured I would share what happenned yesterday, since in my last blog I mentioned the feast of St. Abibus Nek'resshi.  Since I took a couple pictures (only a couple, sadly; I hoped to be able to find more of the event itself online, but I haven't had much luck so far), and wanted to share them now, I figured first I would show the pictures I've taken since my last photo-post and now as well.

November 23:

 Unfortunately, the camera focused on my window; this was taken in the morning, before school, out my window to show a couple of the ox and cow-herders at work

November 24:

 Some children out playing in the...snow, snow snow snow SNOW!!! (think Irving Berlin).

November 25:

November 26:

 The small garden next to our main yard, and the rest of the view, from the balcony.

November 29:

 The mountains, as viewed from our yard.  Note the banana trees (cut for winter) with snow on them, as I mentioned in my "Have you ever..." blog entry.

November 30:

 The mountains at sunset.

December 12:

So in the morning, Fr. Davit came and picked me up, and to my surprise (though it would explain why we started out so early (7AM; it was still dark and cold)), we went first to the monastery (convent) he serves and held Liturgy.  After that, we went to Q'vareli, and joined the processional, which couldn't have started off much before we got there (as they were only perhaps half the way out of Q'vareli from the Church) as it went off toward Nek'resi:

 The processional, as seen from ahead.

The processional, as seen from near the very front.  For the non-Orthodx, the banners have icons on them.  Fr. Davit is on the right, and another very wonderful priest, whose name I unfortunately cannot recall, is on the left with the cross.  Behind me is a large reliquary being carried by four men.

We walked there, the choir behind chanting, until we got to Nek'resi.  Along the way, I met someone who speaks English and learned more about St. Abibus' life.  I also found out that, unlike what I wrote a couple days ago, we were not going all the way up to the top (though they have done it before in other processionals) because the Church dedicated to St. Abibus is at the bottom of this monastery-on-a-hill.  It's pretty awesome to see as many people in processional as there were.

Once we got there, we found that three bishops were there to serve (one was Metropolitan Sergi, the other two, judging by their pectoral adornment, were normal bishops), and there were a ton of priests and monks.  Unfortunately, as some of the priests do not always wear their pectoral crosses, it can sometimes be difficult to tell who's a priest and who's a monk.  Anyway, the liturgy there was good, though a bit difficult to hear (except for the choir, which was quite large and loud) because there were so many people between the clergy and where I was standing.  We did it all outside the small church, because of its size, except for the deacon, who went in and out quite a few times to cense, and when the priests likewise needed to go behind the altar.  Afterwards, we venerated the relics from the reliquary we brought, and after that went to a small cultural festival they arranged (i.e., Georgian polyphonic singing, churchkhela, et cetera) before going into the restoraunt for a supra.  Many of the priests and monks went instead to the trapeza for a meal (I was among them, taken under wing by Mama Davit) before coming out to receive blessings from the bishops before they left (luckily, I was able to receive a blessing from them as well--or at least, from the metropolitan and one of the other bishops), and then continue in the supra that had been going on in the resauraunt.  I came back to home after it all (by car) overstuffed and quite tired, but happy with a day well spent.

Well, today's been a normal day at school--other than showing up in my fifth grade class to find that they had all gone home for the day (probably a teacher got mixed up on the schedule and excused them a period early).  I probably won't blog again until near the Christmas break, unless something exciting comes up, but I will try to send off one blog before I leave, just letting everyone know about any last updates.  Hope you enjoyed the pictures!

In Christ,

Teopile/Theophilos Porter

An Update

It's been quite a while since I posted anything, so I figured I'd better try and come up with something to write.  Not much has changed here.  I've been working on a side-by-side Georgian-English horologion (or at least Vigil book, as that's mostly all the information I have to draw from in the Georgian), and have finished the Liturgy portion, though I'll need to have some basic instructions translated into Georgian and have the Georgian half thoroughly proofed for typing errors.  I've been spending a lot of time at the school computer compiling and typing it, but I think it's worth it.  Perhaps when I'm done I can see if someone might be interested in printing it, for the the English-speaking Orthodox in Georgian and vice-versa.

Today is the first Sunday that I haven't been invited to a supra after Church, or at least, the first one in a very long time.  When I do have spare time here (reasonably often, if I'm not working really late at school or something) I end up reading a lot, and am subsequently going through my stash of books here (reasonably large) pretty quickly.  It's kind of nice to have the time to read those books I've been meaning to get around to--I'm sure everyone has them, but now I've finally got the time.  Unfortunately, I'm going through them a little too quickly; but if need be I can ask for a few books I had to leave at home (due to wieght constraints in travel) that would take a bit longer for me to get through.

Tomorrow is the feast day of Heiromartyr Abibus, bishop of Nek'resi and one of the Assyrian fathers, and thus is a big feast in the nearby monastery there (I think this saint might be their patron, or perhaps that of the monastery church, but I'm not completely sure).  We're going to Q'vareli, then walking (it's sounds like a full processional) to Nek'resi, about 2 or 2.5 miles away--but with the very end being up a very steep road.  Nonetheless, I'm really looking forward to it.  Mama Davit also grabbed me after Church today and had be try on a sticharion--apparently I am going to be chanting with the choir (as before) and serving in the altar at the necessary times.  This could be interesting since I've only served in tha altar a few times, for small parts of services, and in the Greek tradition (which in the smaller aspects of some of its outward liturgical traditions can vary a good bit from those of the Slavic Churches).  The Georgians can also be like the Russians in their strict adherence to certain of the physical liturgical traditions--not that this is bad, but it could certainly make it a bit more difficult for me.  Meh; I'm sure I'll get the hang of it all reasonably quickly.

The time's going by very quickly; it's only a couple weeks, and I'll be heading off to start my tour of Georgia's monasteries (or as many as I can reasonably get to, I should say), which will be much (or all) of my break--depending on how long it ends up taking.  I'd rather spend any remaining time I have in monasteries instead of simply being idle at home and going through all of my books--though I could perhaps look  into a way of working on this horologion project at school during the break, if I come back much earlier than I expected.  (A quick note to those who know me personally:  I won't be on Skype or email (or blogging) much, if at all, during this period, because of the obvious restrictions of travel.)

Otherwise, I really don't know what else to say.  It's getting colder and colder here, and without the normal, well-heated houses, schools, cars, and everything else we have in the West, I have a new appreciation for those who live in the cold--it's a perpetual, relentless condition you have to be able to put up with, to lesser or greater extent, to do just about anything.  That being said, I don't want to worry you; I'm fine--just very bundled most of the time.

Since I can't think of much else, until next time.

In Christ,

Teopile/Theophilos Porter

Have You Ever...

This will be a short little blog.  I was thinking about a month ago that I had experienced quite a few new, interesting (or humorous) things here that likely many of you have not experienced (as many of these are noted, of course, precisely because I had never before experienced them in all my life in America).  This is the culmination of all those little jots here and there over the past month:



Have you ever...


...had to walk through a flock of turkeys to get to the bathroom at school.  (This one is a fairly common occurence for me.)

...had a flock of geese hiss at you as you walked to school or Church?  (I didn't even know they could hiss.)

...had to eat bread every time you ever sat down to eat, period?

...seen two monasteries, an ancient king's castle, a seminary, and a metropolitan in one day?

...been repeatedly, if mildly, irritated (though you do get adjusted to it, to some extent) at extreme over-hospitality (forgive me, host family and other Georgians, but you worry too much)?

...used an appliance where the plug is two bare wires?

...drank a liter or two of (strong) wine all at once out of an ox or goat horn?  (It hasn't happened to me yet, but I've seen it, and will bet it happens to me before I go on break in December.)  [I can now note in irony that on the same day I wrote this one, I was offered a goat horn.]

...seen a real live shepherd tending his flock (and had to avoid hitting said flock while driving to town)?

...been in a country where it's rude not to say hello when you see someone, but also rude (or "not beautiful," as my host sister explained it) to say hello to someone more than once in a day?

...had tarragon-flavored soda?  (It's quite good.)

...had to bundle up the most before getting into to bed (i.e., so that you could convince yourself to get up in the morning)?

...seen seven chickens sitting on top of each other in a tree (for warmth)?

...had a cake with onion as the flavoring?  (Surprisingly, very delicious.)

...had pigs feet? or lamb vertebrae (you eat them like ribs)? or chicken butt?  (The last two were quite good--pig's feet, pig skin, et cetera, however, is a bit too chewy, gelationus, and tasteless for me.)

...had candy with only two ingredients:  grape juice and flour?

...seen a banana tree with snow on it?  (And remember, this is November--a few weeks ago, it was still growing fruit!)



Anyway, those are just a few things that caught my eye as a bit odd or strange--you may or may not find them humorous, but some of them certainly made me step back and chuckle.  Of course, the really hilarious things are culture differences, trying to communicate when you each only know a tiny bit of the other's language, and so forth--but most of those, you just have to experience for yourselves.

In Christ,

Teopile/Theophilos Porter

Things are Slowing Down...

I'm noticing that lately I've had a lot less going on that I felt was noteworthy, as things have been slowing down and settling into a normal rhythm.  Probably the blogs will begin to shorten, too.  This weekend was the first really quiet, stay-at-home weekend I've had--it was nice to just relax and read and so forth.  On Saturday, a couple of the more fluent English speakers (and readers in the Church) and I spent some long hours over my horologion and theirs to translate the liturgy and note the small differences in liturgical traditions, so I can now begin working on a side-by-side horologion (we'll translate the rest of the services on subsequent weekends).  I noticed a few small differences the next day between what we translated and what was actually done in this particular Church, but as I have a copy of the text and format we use in Church, I can note them later.  Otherwise, Sunday was pretty normal:  Church, then Mama Davit's--where, for the first time, we watched a little TV (starting with what appeared to be an "Orthodox Channel," or at the least a channel on Georgian culture with an emphasis on the Church) before eating.

Yesterday was the annual commemoration of St. Ilia (Elias/Elijah) the writer and martyr under the communists.  He helped the poor and wrote about their condition, and about life in general, under the communists, and was not afraid to speak out against them.  I'm not sure if it's his day of commemoration in the Church (he's not in my St. Herman's Press Calendar for that day, but whether that's because he's on a different day or because his canonization (assuming he has been officially canonized by now, as I understand is the case) isn't well known outside Georgia, I don't know), but they celebrate it on Nov. 16 every year in Q'vareli, where he lived.  As this is very near to my village, a lot of teachers and students went.  It was the grand opening (though it's not 100% finished yet) of the man-made Ilia's Lake.  We got to listen to some great Georgian folk music and see awesome traditional dances in the afternoon before a concert in an outdoor ampitheatre at night, capped off by a visit and speech by the president of Georgia, Mikheil (commonly shortened to Misha) Saak'ashvili.  I probably could have met with and talked to him shortly (he speaks very good English), but I didn't feel like fighting through the crowds, and wasn't too particularly worried about it.  There were a few different camera crews there, and it was on the news when I got back home.

Well, that's the update--everything else has been pretty much the same as usual.  Like I mentioned, this will probably be more of the norm until my break in December, so expect less blogging, for the most part.

In Christ,

Teopile/Theophilos Porter

A Note to Future TLGers on the TLG Phones

Warning:  this will be entirely useless for anyone not coming to Georgia as a TLG participant.

Hello, future TLGers.  I just wanted to let you know a little about TLG's phones, as I am just now learning a bit more about the setup.  You will get your phones near the end of the orientation week in Tbilisi--they're fairly basic, but work well, and hold a charge for ever.

However, during orientation you will not receive a thorough rundown on the costs of things with your phones.  My (mis)understanding was that it was about 5 lari per month for all your (non-international) calls and texts, and thus that if there actually was a set price to individual calls and texts, it must be so miniscule so as not to be noticeable.  While it is free, as the TLG staff will explain, to call and text TLG staff and other volunteers, it can be quite expensive for anyone else.  For any message you send to any non-TLGer in Georgia, it costs 6 tetri, whether they're Geocell (the company TLG uses), Magti, Bali, Beeline, Bani, or Lailai (all the other phone companies in Georgia).  For a phone call to a Geocell phone, it's 6 tetri for the first minute and 1 tetri for every minute after that.  To a non-Geocell phone, however, it's 15 tetri for the first minute and 10 tetri for each minute after that.  You can also but packages of 50 text messages for 1.5 lari--these last for 30 days.  It is furthermore possible to get cards (I believe here, they meant SIM cards) to make calling with the other companies cheaper, but this involves getting another number and more complexities, and I decided to just call people less.  You can also call 928 at any time to get the Tbilisi Geocell office, where you can get whatever other information you need, free of charge, in English (or pseudo-English, at least).

This seems to be expensive by Georgian phone standards as well, as my host family's policy (Bali) is a good bit cheaper, especially with texts.  But, it is what it is.  You're certainly being paid enough that, as long as you don't eat out a lot or splurge on things a lot, you can afford it--you have very few expenses, really.  In the villages, there's not much to buy, anyway--food, I suppose, but you're certainly fed enough not to need to buy any more for yourself.  Just letting you know in advance, though, so you don't waste too much money without realizing the cost--and subsequently get a text saying they're going to turn off your phone in 3 days if you don't pay more.  (By the way, it's free, of course, to receive texts and calls, even from international numbers.)  So, have fun here in Georgia--it's awesome!

In Christ,

Teopile/Theophilos Porter

A Photojournal of My Time in Georgia

Well, as I have taken quite a few photos while I've been here (though not nearly as many as I thought I would), I thought I would share them with you.  I will tell you what each of them is, and note whenever the date changes.  Enjoy!

October 1:

This is in a monument in Freedom Square (or Tavisuplebis Moedani; write this down, if you are ever going to Tbilisi; it's a good place to be able to get to) to St. George slaying the dragon.  Not only is this the most common event seen in icons of St. George, it is also a very common national symbol of Georgia.

This is a building in Freedom Square.  It's important, and I think it has to do with the government, but to be honest, I don't really remember what is it.

I also forget what this building is, but it has to do with the government.  It's in Tbilisi somewhere.

Note the pretty fountains.

A regular parish church in Tbilisi.

Here you see the common steeple that adorns every Orthodox church I've seen in Georgia so far.  Inside, they are domes, and are very often adorned with icons of the Pantocrator or the like.

This is not the dome on the inside, but merely the dome on the overhang above the entrance to the church--it's outside the church building itself, but is attached to it.  See the first picture of this church.

A confections shop in Tbilisi.  Looks good, right?

Check out the prices!  And that's in Lari.  (By the way, the few things we got were delicious.)

A McDonalds in Tbilisi.  I thought it looked pretty cool.  Though I am in general not a fan of McDonalds, I will say that there have been days (namely when I was sick, and especially when I was sick in Tbilisi) when I was really longing some American food, and really wanted to go see if the Southern Chicken Sandwich had hit Georgia yet.

A closer view.

Another random building in Tbilisi.  I have no idea whatsoever what this one is.  Helpful, aren't I?

A closer view.

Going down...  I was trying to capture how steep the escalators down to the metro station in Tbilisi are; I don't think it really does it justice.  Sorry about the graniness--it was kind of dark.

And going up...

These next few pictures are all of the view of Tbilisi from across the river (i.e., from the East bank of the river running through Tbilisi, and still in the city itself).

A statue in Tbilisi of the Georgian King Parnavazi, as I am being told as I type this by my co-teachers.  He lived in the fourth century and he printed the first book in Georgia.  Apparently, he was a good king.  There are a lot of statues of random people in Tbilisi.  It's really quite a beautiful city, for the most part.

Ts'minda Sameba (Holy Trinity) Cathedral from afar.  We noticed that we were fairly close to it, and began walking towards it.  By the way, in the foreground, that's a good example of a marshutka.  Note the sign in the window with the route number.

And we finally made it.  It was GORGEOUS!!!!!

And there's me, on a windy day in Tbilisi.  I was a very happy man.

A view back on the entrance and grounds of the church from near the church.  If you go on an online sattelite map, you can see that that bush is shaped as a cross.

I was trying to get a good view up of the complexity and imposing size of the building.  Really, though, nothing does it justice but actually standing there.

A view up at the dome from the inside.  I hope they're planning on frescoing icons on the inside of the church at some point--it would really make it a gem above all others.

A view from the front-right of the church.

The iconostasis.

A view from the back of the church.  Note that another wedding is goind on near the front.

October 3:

Carvings of Georgian (I assume) warriors on a random wall in Tbilisi.

One night when we were walking around Tbilisi, we went down a couple paths less-traveled by, and came upon an out-of-the-way church.  We stopped near it to talk a little, and I noticed an old woman in front of the church doing prostrations in the quiet secret of night (thus the bad lighting).  I put these forth for your edification, as it was for mine.

October 9:

The iconostasis of the church of Svet'itskhoveli, or "Living Pillar," in Mtskheta.  This was taken when I was out with Mama Davit and company.  Forgive the bad quality of this and the next few pictures.  The lighting was not great, and I think my camera might have been trying to adjust with long exposures.

The apse.  The frescoes are very old, for the most part.  They were covered in several layers of lime when the Russians annexed Georgia--in preparation for the arrival of the Tzar of Russia, I believe.  The Russians considered Georgian icons "primitive," and as a part of the beginning of nationalistic aspirations as above Orthodox aspirations (i.e., the beginning of the inspirations which eventually manifested themselves as atheistic, Orthodox-persecuting Communism), began to "Russify" many Georgian churches, generally including whitewashing.  Luckily, extensive efforts have been taken to remove the lime and restore them.  I believe that this particular fresco was also touched up in the late 1800s, but I could be remembering my facts incorrectly.

An icon near the front of the church of the 13 Assyrian Fathers who came to Georgia by the request of the king early in its Christian history to help educate the people more fully in Orthodoxy.  Forgive the man on the phone--that's not at all a norm here, to allow talking on the phone in church (although people do often forget (or just not bother--I'm not sure) to turn their phones off before going in a church).  It weren't any services going on at the time, of course.  I didn't notice it when I was taking the picture.  I would rather simply look to the positive; he's lighting a candle to the Fathers.

A Last Judgement fresco on the side of the church.

A closer view.

An ornamented reliquary at the back of the church.  It holds a piece of the True Cross.

The outside of Svet'itskhoveli.  It's undergoing some minor restorations at the moment.

Notice the scrollwork.

A view from outside the fortress protecting Svet'itskhoveli.  As Georgia has had many, many, battles and occupations by Persians, Turks, and others who loved to ransack especially the Christian churches of the land, they tried to protect the cathedral.  In at least one time of siege, it also housed the people of Mtskheta for a short time.

  

The small monastery dedicated to St. Nino in Mtskheta.  This is where St. Nino received her first vision from God.

October 12:

This is at my house in Ch'ik'aani, after the grape harvest.  We had a lot of these drums full of grapes, in the long run.  Now, they're in the basement, fermenting.

A chicken and some of the little chicks my host family owns.  They have around 25 grown up chickens at present.

The banana trees in our yard.

A persimmon tree in our yard.

A very small vineyard.  The family's main vineyard is in some little field somewhere that they own (which I have not yet been to), that apparently also has a bunch of strawberries and stuff.  (Did that make you think of "Strawberry Fields" by the Beatles, too?)

The pig and chicken food.

The grapevine on the porch.

The peppers in the garden, as seen from the porch.

More pig and chicken food.

My room, early in a state of unpacking.  Forgive the mess; I was trying to show how large it is; I was expecting something much smaller, and am quite pleased with my room.

My icon corner.

October 23:

Me doing the vakht'ang with Mama Davit at his supra.  Notice the color of the wine.  I have had very little wine that was any other color.  I've had a little really good black Georgian wine, a tiny bit of a really light Georgian wine specifically meant for selling abroad to more sensitive palates (the wine shown here, which is by far the most common type, is stronger than the wine you're used to).  Otherwise, it's been some small variation of this.

A picture of the group remaining at the very end of Mama Davit's supra.

November 4:

A view of the mountains from the second floor of the school here in Ch'ik'aani on a cloudy day.

November 5:

A view of the mountains (and the herds of cattle which the owners drive through town early in the morning) before heading off on the field trip to Bodbe.

One of my co-teachers (Lela B.) and the fourth grade class, with a scenic view of K'akheti behind.  This was taken in Bodbe.

The view from Bodbe by itself.

The grounds of the monastery.

The monastery and grounds as viewed from the entrance to the grounds.

A valley next to Sighnaghi.

Part of Sighnaghi and the view of K'akheti behind.

A closer view of one of its churches.

The view from Sighnaghi.

November 8:

Ch'ik'aani.  Note the beautiful mountains on the left and right.  The pipes are for carrying water.

A better view of the mountains.

November 10:

My icon corner now.  I got the St. Seraphim and Holy Trinity icons in Bodbe.  St. Thomas is our church's patron, and that icon was given to me by Mama Davit.

The water in the upper-right is healing holy water from the miraculous spring of St. Nino.

November 11:

A view of the mountains early one morning from the porch of the house.

Well, that's it so far.  I realize that it's really lacking in certain respects, namely in showing the people around me (my host family, for example!).  This is mostly due to the fact that I am more inclined to take pictures of beautiful things that I think I may forget than the people in my life--I'm not really worried about forgetting the people close to me here, but once I'm gone, though I may remember the effects of the beauty of something on me, I'm less likely to remember exactly what it looked like.  Unfortunately, these pictures don't do Georgia (or even these mountains near Ch'ik'aani) justice.  You'll just have to come and see them for yourselves!

In Christ,

Teopile/Theophilos Porter