I went to church yesterday here in the village, and it was very wonderful. Ts'minda Toma Ek'lesia (Saint Thomas (the Apostle) Church) is a small church, and simple, but very beautiful. The choir is very good for such a small town (I wasn't expecting much, to be honest), and the priest is a good chanter and a very good man. His son, at either six or sixteen years old (I got mixed responses from my limited Georgian and their limited English) died some years ago and he, then a more secular man, began to more seriously go to Church. Long story short, he was transformed by the grace of God through this family tragedy and became a priest. He has helped especially the young people of the village to be more concerned with their actions and words--not to swear, for example, which I understand was formerly all too frequent for the youth of the village. He also gained permission to renovate the church, because of which there is currently (unfortunately) some scaffolding inside it.
After Church, he took me to Mtskheta and Rustavi with a few other men. I was able to go to the church which houses the burial robe of Christ and a convent, at which St. Nino received her first vision from God. It's amazing, some of the holy sites of this land. After this, we went to a couple supras held by friends and family of Fr. Davit (that's the name of the priest here in Ch'ik'aani), where I learned all of this about his past. Also, through a nearly fluent relation of Fr. Davit's, I was able to understand that he wants me to join the choir and to spend more time with me talking about all things Orthodox, to which news I was very glad.
It is easy to see the holiness of the history and people of this place. I believe these next few months will be for me truly transformative.
In Christ,
Teopile/Theophilos Porter
After Church, he took me to Mtskheta and Rustavi with a few other men. I was able to go to the church which houses the burial robe of Christ and a convent, at which St. Nino received her first vision from God. It's amazing, some of the holy sites of this land. After this, we went to a couple supras held by friends and family of Fr. Davit (that's the name of the priest here in Ch'ik'aani), where I learned all of this about his past. Also, through a nearly fluent relation of Fr. Davit's, I was able to understand that he wants me to join the choir and to spend more time with me talking about all things Orthodox, to which news I was very glad.
It is easy to see the holiness of the history and people of this place. I believe these next few months will be for me truly transformative.
In Christ,
Teopile/Theophilos Porter
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