St. Shio Church

St. Shio Church

location

A small ravine passing through Sagarejo is called Topeshauri. It originates from the southern slopes of Mount Elias, then joins “Tvaltakhev”. The name of this valley indicates that the someone Topeshashvili once lived in the middle of it. A basilica type church located on the left of the ravine. There are numerous settlements that are scattered on the southern slope of Mount St. Elias; Once upon a time, during the relatively peaceful times of the Middle Ages, these slopes were densely populated. The road connecting Ninotsminda and Sagarejo also passed here.

St. Shio

The king tried to persuade Evagre to return to his position, but he refused. Then the king visited the miracle-working monk Shio, who made such an impression on him that he took off his crown and knelt in front of the monk. King Farsman was fascinated by the monk’s miracle-working qualities and donated a great deal of wealth, including four villages to St. Shio. Thanks to the king, a large monastery was built near the cave, where 2000 monks worked. When he got old, St. Shio refused himself to lead the monastery, he gave this position to Evagre, and he himself remained in a lonely cave, where he prayed day and night for the happiness of his flock and the whole of Georgia, and performed a great miracle. He tamed a wolf that caused great damage to livestock. According to one of the hagiographical works, St. Shio was “one of the thirteen Assyrian fathers”, who was brought by Ioane Zedaznel and they lived in different places of Kartli-Kakheti. Saint Shio chose a desert and waterless place for his ministry. Once, when one of the nobles of Kartli, Spaspeti Evagre, came here to hunt, he saw this recluse with his amal, asked him the reason for coming here, Evagre was so enchanted by his speech that he decided to become his disciple. He became a monk and began to pray in a nearby cave. People tried to come to him and receive his blessing, and then they prayed and St. The church was built there and when St Shio died, he was buried in the Shiomghvim monastery according to his will.