Have you ever seen dawn break at Gelati?  The Gelati monastery, surrounded by a wall that watches the passage of time.  The ruins of Gelati Academy have been standing there for years.  The Moon seems as old as time and belongs to the 12th Century.   Isn’t it a well-preserved gift from the past?  Why not?

Georgia, eight centuries ago, the time of King David IV, "David the Builder"… one of the most difficult reigns in that period of  200 years under Turk-Seljuke rule.  There was considerable rivalry in the country and the constant threat of the disintegration of Georgia…The King on one side and many noblemen locked up in their own fortresses on the other side.  A difficult road still lay ahead of them…..

Battles all year round and peace coming only with winter; preparations and forward planning still to be done,  there were no more financial contributions, always one more battle, but then a victory…peace at the expense of many sleepless nights, followed by a desire to build, rebuild and create.

The year 1106, yet another era of battles.  King David still had nineteen years left and the Didgori battle to free the capital city, Tbilisi, from the enemy awaited him.  But military strength is not the only sign of a country’s might.  A nation has it’s own soul, a protected culture,  which can be destroyed quicker than anything else.
Georgia’s King of Kings understood the importance of culture, and as soon as he could find time, he identified the "most beautiful place" for his contribution, on the left bank of the Tskaltsminda river, an open space north-west of Kutaisi, 11 km away from where the foundations of Gelati monastery were laid.  Construction of the great cathedral, named after the Holy Mother began soon after.

This construction was not only to be God’s home - a monastery - but much more; perhaps the best weapon for victory, a reliable "back-up", a centre of literary and scientific activity and education.

King David specially invited  scholars and clergy from foreign countries.  Research in geometry, trigonometry, astronomy, music and philosophy thrived there at that time.  It was here that Ioane Petritsi and Arsen Ikaltoeli dedicated themselves to science.  The Gelati Academy had its own rector or chancellor, who at different times included Anton, Saba, Ilarion and Manase.  The works of Aristotle, Joseph Flavius and Proclus Diadochus, Nemecius of Emessa were all translated here.  Original literature, the unique art of mosaics and sophisticated forms of architecture were created here.

Gelati is called "Another Athens", "New Hellas" and "Second Jerusalem" of which both time and man will be the judge.  Nobody has ever been able to resist the greatness of Gelati.

Two enormous stones, weighing no less than two and a half tons each, lie at the south-eastern base of the cathedral.  Legend has it, that these stones were brought from the Tskaltsminda river to the cathedral by David Agmashenebeli himself.  People also say that the devil tried to prevent the building of Gelati, but the King captured him, bridled him, mounted him, and tamed him forever……

People say that the King himself chose this strange place, the gateway to Gelati, as his eternal resting place.  A visitor coming to look at the monastery could not avoid looking at David Agmashenebeli’s grave stone and reading the words engraved upon it: "Jesus Christ, this is my eternal resting place, where I will remain forever".

Centuries passed and one of Georgia’s beloved poets, Ana Kalandadze, repeated the King’s will in the following words "Put your foot on me, everyone place your foot on my heart. Please, grace me with your foot..."

It was as if a miracle force was protecting Gelati. Twice it avoided being destroyed by enemies, which is perhaps why it was made the home of the nation’s jewellery and sacred artefacts. There is even a story about how the unique Virgin’s Iconostasis of Khakhuli, Atskuri and Bichvinta icons came to be there.

In the middle of the 17th century, two Russian ambassadors, Tolochanov and Yevlev,  attending the King’s Court on a diplomatic mission, visited Gelati twice.  On the two occasions they saw a rich treasury, a library and a rare gold sculptures in the form of icons. It was in the Gelati monastery that the iconostasis of Khakhuli was carved in gold. The open iconostasis is two metres wide and 1.5 metres long. The icon itself was painted by a Georgian painter in the 10th century. Its glamour and the artistic technique used make it unique.

The Gelati monastery, ruined by an enemy, was rebuilt by the King of Imereti Bagrat III. He also reopened the churches of Saint George and Saint Nicholas and that is why people call King Bagrat III the second builder of Gelati. Bagrat also founded the Bishop’s chair in Gelati.

Once you are inside the monastery the voyage through time begins. Here you don’t feel like you are in the twentieth century and perhaps you don’t even want to feel it. It is as if you’ve covered your ears with your hands so that you can hear the sound of a sermon, the chatter of scholars, the prayers of the monks, and moaning of ill from the shelter built by King David. And then you might even think to start looking for the grave of Queen Tamar.

According to Georgian scholars, Tamar was buried in one of Gelati’s niches.  Queen Tamar’s words are quoted from a 12th century literary source: "To my ancestors’ land, to the monastery of Gelati will I be taken, and buried there in an honourable grave".  There is another belief, which prevails today, that Queen Tamar was buried at the new Gelati  monastery.

It is difficult to compare the feelings you experience when you first enter Gelati with anything else. There are thousands of eyes looking at you from the walls.  When you enter the cathedral there are two wonderful examples of monumental art in front of you - mosaic and frescoes - which are recognised as artefacts of world history. On one side there are two frescoes of David Narin in civil and monastic clothing. On the other, all the attendees at ecclesiastical assemblies - mysterious faces of saints, angels and King David himself - are pictured. If you look into the King’s dark blue eyes and believe in miracles just for a moment, you  will feel a strange force flow into you.  Perhaps it is a feeling of pride if you are a Georgian and a sensation of pleasure and admiration if you are a foreigner.

But it does not matter to Gelati itself since it belongs not only to Georgia. The cathedral stands motionless awaiting new visitors, more and more new faces and enthusiastic exclamations to show admiration. It is also waiting for its faithful parishioners to come from the neighbouring villages and far-away countries.

EKA KEVANISHVILI