Sioni Cathedral

Sioni Cathedral is the historic principal church of Tbilisi and one of the two most important cathedrals of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Nestled in the heart of the Old Town on the right bank of the Kura River, it holds both architectural and spiritual significance.

The cathedral is consecrated in honor of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, commemorating the death of the Virgin Mary. According to tradition, this event took place in Jerusalem at the house of Mary on Mount Zion, where the Church of the Dormition was later built. In Georgia, however, the name “Sioni” came to refer to all churches dedicated to the Dormition, uniting the two designations in one.

Today, Sioni Cathedral is not only a striking monument of religious architecture but also a destination of deep spiritual reverence. It houses one of Georgia’s most sacred relics — the ancient grapevine cross of Saint Nino, the female evangelist who brought Christianity to the country. Pilgrims and visitors alike are drawn to the holy spring within the cathedral grounds, where anyone may collect water believed to be blessed.

Sioni Cathedral has long been entwined with the lives of significant historical figures. Notably, Russian writer and diplomat Alexander Griboyedov married Nino Chavchavadze within its hallowed walls.

Historians estimate that the original church on this site was built in the 6th century. Some attribute its founding to King Vakhtang I Gorgasali of Iberia, while others believe it was the work of the Byzantine noble Guram I. That early church stood until the 8th century, when it was demolished by the Arabs following the establishment of the Emirate of Tbilisi.

Nearly four centuries later, in 1112, the church was resurrected by the celebrated King David IV the Builder, who liberated Tbilisi from Arab rule and unified the Georgian principalities into a single centralized kingdom.

Despite its grand rebirth, the cathedral faced numerous devastations over the centuries. It was ravaged by Jalal ad-Din Mangburni in 1226, by the Khwarazmians in 1236, by Shah Ismail in 1522, and then by a powerful earthquake in 1668. Yet each time, it rose from the ruins.

In 1726, the Kingdom of Kartli fell under Ottoman control, and the Turks sought to convert Sioni Cathedral into a mosque. Their efforts were thwarted by Prince Givi Amilakhvari, a prominent statesman of Eastern Georgia, ensuring the cathedral remained an Orthodox sanctuary.

Further destruction came in 1795 when Persian forces led by Agha Mohammad Khan set fire to the cathedral. Much of the interior — including its ancient frescoes and the iconostasis — was severely damaged or entirely lost. Nonetheless, restoration soon followed. By 1817, traveler and chronicler Minay Medichi would describe the cathedral as “spacious and magnificent, painted inside with scenes from the Bible.”

During Soviet rule, attempts were made to erase this sacred monument of Georgian Orthodoxy, but these efforts ultimately failed. In the 1980s, the cathedral was granted official status once again, and a thorough restoration returned it to its medieval appearance.

Sioni Cathedral also serves as a resting place for various figures of Georgian history: Kings Guram and Ardanase, high-ranking hierarchs of the Georgian Church such as Catholicos-Patriarchs Kirion II (canonized in 2002) and David V (Devdariani), as well as other notable individuals like P. Tsitsianov, General Lazarevich, and members of the noble Orbeliani family.

Until 2004, when the Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba) was completed, Sioni remained the primary cathedral of Georgia and the official seat of the Catholicos-Patriarch, the head of the Georgian Orthodox Church.

The structure of Sioni Cathedral exemplifies the classic architectural style of Georgia’s “Golden Age.” It is a domed basilica with two supporting columns and two apsidal chapels to the north and south.

The exterior is striking in its simplicity. Unlike other Georgian churches from the 12th–13th centuries, Sioni lacks elaborate carvings and decorative elements, largely because it was resurfaced in 1710 with Bolnisi tuff. The plain, austere façades are softened only by the warm tones of the stone. The tall, narrow windows resemble fortress loopholes, evoking the cathedral’s resilience through centuries of turmoil.

The interior wall paintings — with the exception of the western wall — date to the 1850s and 1860s. These were executed during restoration efforts following the fire of 1795. Russian painter Grigory Gagarin was commissioned for the project, and though he made efforts to respect Georgian traditions, the resulting style is more Russian than Georgian, with all inscriptions rendered in Russian as well.

In the early 1980s, during another phase of restoration, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II entrusted Georgian artist Levan Tsutskiridze with decorating the western wall. His modernist frescoes introduced a somber and expressive aesthetic that added yet another layer to the cathedral’s stylistic diversity.

More recently, the two side chapels have been adorned with frescos following strict Orthodox canons. In the northern chapel, scenes such as the “Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles” and the construction of the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral were added. The southern chapel features images of Archangels Michael and Gabriel, along with other sacred motifs.

Today, the cathedral no longer has a traditional iconostasis. Instead, it features a characteristic Georgian altar screen that separates the sanctuary from the nave.

The cathedral grounds include two bell towers. One is a three-tiered structure originally built in the 15th century, destroyed by the Persians, and later rebuilt in the 20th century. The second, constructed in 1812, is a textbook example of Russian neoclassical architecture.

The most revered relic of Sioni Cathedral — and of all Georgia — is the cross of Saint Nino. Crafted from grapevine and entwined with the hair of the young woman who converted the nation to Christianity, this sacred symbol is encased in a silver frame and enshrined to the left of the main iconostasis. A carved stone plaque below reads: “Holy Cross, have mercy on us.” The faithful may venerate the cross directly on two annual feast days — January 27 and June 1. On other days, it can be viewed through protective glass.

Other treasured relics housed in the cathedral include the skull of the Apostle Thomas, one of Christ’s disciples, which was brought to Georgia after the fall of Constantinople, and the miraculous Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, whose image is said to have mysteriously imprinted itself on the glass of its case.

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