Nestled high among the steep cliffs of Mount Kazbek lies a hidden, legendary monastic cave—Bethlemi, shrouded in secrecy and inaccessible to the ordinary eye. It was within this sacred grotto that the cleric Ioseb Mokheveli is said to have discovered Abraham’s Tent—an extraordinary structure standing without poles or ropes. This revered relic was later presented as a sacred gift to the last king of Georgia, Heraclius II. Inspired by this miraculous tent, a small aluminum chapel was crafted in its likeness and airlifted by helicopter to the lofty heights of Kazbek’s slopes, placed under the blessing of Patriarch Ilia II. Occasionally, monks ascend this remote site to conduct the Divine Liturgy within its humble walls.
The precise location of Bethlemi Cave is known to the monks of Gergeti Monastery and a few longtime residents of the village of Stepantsminda. According to legend, access to the cave was once only possible by climbing a hanging iron chain—a feat believed achievable only by those pure of spirit. A fragment of this ancient chain is preserved and displayed in the local museum of Stepantsminda. Another tale recounts that this isolated skete once served as a place of penance, where monks who had broken their vow of chastity were sent into exile, cut off from the world in silent repentance.
Though Bethlemi’s existence has long been whispered through generations, it wasn’t officially rediscovered until 1948. During this modern exploration, historians unearthed a trove of sacred relics and ecclesiastical artifacts, which are now safeguarded within the Stepantsminda museum. Due to its extreme altitude and difficult access—requiring advanced mountaineering equipment—Bethlemi Cave remains inaccessible to most travelers, known largely through the stories of guides and pilgrims.
Like the Trinity Church, this cave-monastery is wrapped in countless myths and legends. One such legend speaks of a hundred young highlanders who, bearing the treasures of Queen Tamar in saddle bags, climbed to the cave to hide them from invaders. After sealing the treasure within, the young men swore themselves to secrecy—so fiercely that they took each other’s lives to ensure no soul could ever betray the secret. The treasure, if real, remains lost to this day.
Another legend paints a more personal tale of temptation and spiritual fall. It tells of a monk who once offered shelter to a young shepherd girl lost in the mountains. Over time, he found himself gripped by desire, and in frustration and shame, reproached God for sending him such a temptation. The next morning, the monk attempted to resume his prayers. As he reached to place the Holy Book upon a ray of sunlight, as was his daily ritual, it slipped and fell to the ground. In that moment, he realized grace had departed from him.
During the invasions of Arabs and Persians, when Christian relics were under threat, Bethlemi became a sanctuary for Georgia’s most sacred objects. For a time, it housed the original cross-staff of Saint Nino the Equal-to-the-Apostles—crafted from a vine and braided with her own hair—as well as a fragment of the Life-Giving Cross of Christ.
It’s important to note that the entrance to Bethlemi Cave remains closed to women, preserving a centuries-old monastic tradition of sacred seclusion.