Holy places of Abkhazia: what to visit?

Rest in Abkhazia is more familiar to the representatives of the older generation of our country. Literally several decades ago Pitsunda, Gagry or Sukhum were almost the limit of the dreamer's dreams. Now the country again returns to the resort sky, cordially opening its borders to travelers. A variety of tours to Abkhazia are offered, including visiting Orthodox shrines.

Ancient monasteries, small churches, healing springs and miraculous icons - all this is worth seeing with your own eyes. You can use combined tours or individual tours, or make an independent itinerary and slowly go round the most amazing and interesting corners of the country. Pay special attention to the famous holy places of Abkhazia, which will be discussed below.

Kamany village

Located just 15 km from the resort of Sukhum, the settlement is called thrice holy. Removed from the worldly bustle and hidden in a beautiful gorge near the confluence of two rivers, the village lives a quiet and measured life. However, there is something in these parts that makes every year thousands of pilgrims and tourists return to it.

Perhaps in every country you can find holy places where grace and peace descend on people. First they try to get into them, and then they will certainly return. For Abkhazia, Kamany village is one of the main places of this kind. In its small territory there are several sacred places at once: the source of St. Basilisk and the temples. Everyone will find here what he seeks: healing, truth, the meaning of life.

Holy spring and the temple of St. Basilisk

The healing spring from the land is located to the right of the country road to the village. Legend has it that the Holy Basilisk for confession and devotion to the Christian faith was locked up in prison, brutally beaten and tortured. However, he did not refuse faith, and for his adherence to Christ he was sent into exile. On the way to Kamany, his guards stopped and threw a martyr near a dry tree under the scorching sun. Roman soldiers refused him even in the throat of water. Basilisk began to pray and suddenly the tree began to tremble and revived, and from the ground a source was hammered. All this led the guards into a rage, and the Basilisk was executed. In 308 a temple was built on this place, which has not survived until our days, unfortunately.

Many tours to Abkhazia include this place in their programs. Thousands of pilgrims come to the old chapel to worship the saint and get healing by drinking water from a spring that hits a rock.

Cave

According to legend, the third acquisition of the head of I. Forerunner occurred after the priest Inkentiyu had a prophetic dream. In it, he clearly saw that she was hidden in the Kamans, at the foot of a high scenic mountain. The delegation was sent to the Abkhazian land by Emperor Michael III. It was here in 850 that the third acquisition of the head of John took place, which was later transferred to Constantinople. The grotto, in which it was hidden by monks, has survived to this day and is sacred to the entire Christian world.

Church of St. John Chrysostom

The third shrine of a small village is the oldest temple. John Chrysostom received his name due to the outstanding eloquence, which easily comforted the suffering and turned the pagans into the Christian faith. His story is very similar to the life of St. Basilisk. It was in these places that he finished his earthly journey. In honor of the saint the church was erected. It was also found during the construction of the sarcophagus with the relics of Zlatoust and kept his shroud, which was abducted during the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict.

Mokva Temple

The Mokvin temple, or the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is one of the oldest in the country. It was erected in the second half of the 10th century. This is not only a holy place, but also a unique architectural monument. In Abkhazia, the temple is the only one that has a five-nave cross-domed church. According to scanty written records, the cathedral had a very rich interior with magnificent fresco paintings on the walls. From the end of the 17th century, he was abandoned and came to desolation. The church officially opened the doors to the parishioners in 2002.

Drand Cathedral

The holy places of Abkhazia can not be imagined without this medieval temple. Supposed date of its erection is 6-7 century. It was severely damaged during the Turkish invasion and subsequently rebuilt, but, according to historians, frescoes on the walls were lost. The cathedral has a cross-domed structure with characteristic features of Byzantine architecture. In the period from 1880 to 1928 there was a male monastery in it. At the moment, thanks to large-scale restoration works, the temple returns to its original appearance.

The monastery is located just half an hour from the city of Sukhum, in the village of the same name. The temple is functioning and is accessible for visiting believers.

New Athos Monastery

Another object that each guide includes in the route "Holy Places of Abkhazia" is the Novy Afon Monastery. Its history began in 1874. It was then with the assistance of Emperor Alexander III that monks of the Panteleimon Monastery were allocated not only land for a new church, but also an impressive monetary subsidy. However, the choice of the place was not accidental. According to one of the legends, in the first century AD in this territory, at the hands of Roman soldiers, the apostle Simon Kananit was killed, who preached Christianity among the peoples of the Caucasus.

The monastery consists of six temples. At the moment, restoration work is being actively carried out to give the object its original appearance.

To visit this amazing, hospitable and beautiful country and not to see the holy places of Abkhazia would be absolutely unforgivable. Even if you are not a pilgrim, it still makes sense to look at these amazing places, where the pristine nature harmoniously combines with the creation of the hands of man.