John Zedazneli

John Zedazneli, founder of the Zedazeni Monastery, Syrian church figure. He came to Georgia from Antioch in the middle of the 6^th century, bringing with him many disciples.

At first he lived in Mtskheta. Subsequently, he built a monastery near Mtskheta, on the other side of the Aragvi River, on Mount Zedazeni, from where he sent his disciples to the regions of Kartli and Kakheti to strengthen Christianity and establish churches and monasteries.

From the moment he arrived in Georgia, John Zedazneli was assisted and patronized by the Catholicos of Kartli, Evlale I. The life and work of John Zedazneli were described in the 6^th–7^th centuries, but the work has not reached us. In the 10^th century, his life was described by Catholicos Arsen II, who used an old text. The Life of Shio of Mgvime contains information about him. John Zedazneli is buried in the Zedazeni Monastery, near the cathedral. The Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates St. John Zedazneli on May 7 (20) along with his twelve disciples.

 

Source: ასურელ მოღვაწეთა ცხოვრების წიგნთა ძველი რედაქციები, ილ. აბულაძის გამოც., თბ., 1955; ცხორებაჲ და მოქალაქობაჲ წმიდისა მამისა ჩუენისა იოვანე ზედაძნელისაჲ და მოწაფეთა მისთაჲ, წგ.: ძველი ქართული აგიოგრაფიული ლი­ტე­რა­ტუ­რის ძეგლები, წგ. 1, ილ. აბულაძის რედ., თბ., 1963.

 

B. Lominadze