“The use of
traveling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how
things may be, to see them as they are.”
Samuel Johnson
A tour to
Sarke of St. George Monastery. It was
April, Palm Sunday, a week before Easter Day. A tour was planned to Khintsvisi.
They would attend the liturgy, receive the Eucharist and then they would go on
their way to Sarke monastery.
Khintsvisi
Cathedral (12th-13th century) is located on a picturesque
mountain slope of Kartli region. The domed cross-planed church of St Nikolas
I accepted
the invitation and next morning I joined the group. We set off early morning
next day to attend the liturgy and receive the Eucharist. There were twenty of
us in our group. I had met some of them before so everything started wonderfully.
On the way
we bought some food and vodka.
When we
reached Khintsvisi the liturgy had already finished. So we said some prayers,
lit candles, took some photos and continued to walk to Sarke monastery.
The
monastery of St. George of Sarke is located about 3 km from Khintsvisi, in the
middle of the forest. According to the legend three monks came to this place,
built a church of
St. George village
of Sagholasheni St. George was found. The icon was placed on the oxen and
on the place where the oxen stopped a church would be built…
Photo is taken by Avto
Although the
monk had informed us about the difficulties of the route, we wanted to visit Sarke monastery so much,
that bravely went on our way.On the way we were told much about the monastery.
The one, who
likes walking will easily understands me how beautiful it is walking through
the forest, breath fresh air…the road leading to the monastery is hardly
detectable at first, while soon it grows into beautiful landscape with multiple
colors, resembling heaven on earth…The earth covering with violets and
snowdrops looked like a carpet…
Suddenly we
noticed snow. We were so exciting that started playing snowball. The spring sun
was shining up in the sky and on the earth in the forest snow was reigning…
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The first
excitement of seeing snow soon disappeared as we found out that we had to walk
in the snow. It was really hard.
It was 5
o’clock and we hadn’t reached our destination yet .
It became
more unpleasant when we found out we didn't know where to go. Snow was around
us. Two or three members were in panic. They were afraid of staying in the
forest the whole night. However we had a little girl of 11, “Tsitsila” (a Chick),
as her mother called her, who bravely watched the fussiness around her. She was
afraid of neither wolves nor staying overnight in the forest.
Fortunately
there were two brave men in our group. So they went to different direction to
see the Monastery. We followed them, though we had to cross the stream. Some of
us used a “bridge” a tree put over the stream. Gia jumped in a cold stream and
helped women to go on the other side dry and safely…
Photo is taken by Bela
Everything
ends happily in every story and in ours too. It was six when we saw the church
and really felt happiness. Evening bells started ringing. When we entered the
monastery evening prayers were reading…
The monk
gave us candles and icons of St. George and blessed our way back to Tbilisi
We had to
walk about 5 km
back to Khintsvisi. Fortunately the
girls in our group, who were afraid of wolves, had called to their friends and
a lorry, which was used to transfer wood, was waiting for us…It was another
exciting adventure…
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The journey
had a happy end. We spoke much about the tour then and later…everybody admits
that it was the most remembering tour they had ever had….
“All travel
has its advantages. If the passenger visits countries, he may learn to improve
his own. And if fortune carries him to
worse, he may learn to enjoy it.”
Samuel Jonson
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