Childhood and youth of Saint Nino
Nina was born in 280 AD in Cappadocia (modern Turkey). Her family was distinguished by wealth and piety. The girl’s father, Zabulon, a distant ancestor of St. George the Victorious, was a Roman commander. Mother, Susanna, is the sister of the Patriarch of Jerusalem.
Both parents thought about monastic life. When the girl was 12 years old, the whole family went to Jerusalem, where they began to serve Christ, and their daughter was given to the elder Nianfora to be raised. After 2 years, Nino knew the Holy Scriptures by heart and followed all the rules of faith. From the lips of Nianfora, Nina heard various stories and absorbed the truths of the Christian faith. The girl was so inspired by the feat of Christ that she decided to find his Chiton (Christ’s robe, sewn by his mother), lost in the capital of Iberia.
Nino dreamed of bowing to him, and after Nianfora’s story about the pagan faith in Georgia, also of converting this country to Christianity. She prayed for the fulfillment of her dream, and one day she dreamed of the Holy Virgin, who blessed her for this mission by giving her a cross made of grapevine. According to her, he will protect Nino throughout the dangerous and long journey. In the morning, the girl discovered a cross clenched in her palm. Nino braided it with her hair, thereby showing that she was devoting herself to serving Christ. Having told the Patriarch of Jerusalem about what happened, she received a blessing for the apostolic mission.
Georgian cross on the car. What means
If you see a car on the road with a cross depicted in a round frame, this means that the owner of the car is a believer, usually of Georgian nationality. Most likely, the car was consecrated in the Church, since when a car is consecrated in Georgia, an image of the Bolnisi cross is pasted onto it. There may also be an option that the owner of the car simply buys a sticker with a Georgian cross and sticks it on himself, as a sign of his faith. In any case, this sign does not carry any malicious intent. It should not be confused with sectarian symbols - it has nothing in common with them. A Georgian cross for a car can be purchased at a Georgian church shop or ordered online.
It is also possible, of course, that the car was purchased and the new owner simply did not remove the sticker for some reason. In this case, the Bolnisi cross on the car may have nothing to do with the faith of its owner.
Apostolic mission
On her path, Saint Nino faced many obstacles and trials. King Tiridates III of Armenia subjected her companions to a painful death (cut them with swords), and Nino only miraculously escaped, hiding in the wild rose bushes. The frightened girl saw an angel who gave her courage and strength.
Overcoming hunger, cold and fear, the girl reached Georgia in 319. There she began to study the customs, traditions and language of the Iberian people.
In Mtskheta, the capital of the future Georgia, Nina was sheltered by the king's gardener and his wife Anastasia. At her request, the family set up her tent near a blackberry bush in the garden; later they would build the Church of St. Nina there. In the future, this family will be the first in Georgia to accept Christianity, since Nino’s prayer cured the gardener’s wife of infertility.
The fame of the wonderful girl quickly spread throughout the country, her name was on everyone’s lips, as her sermons were supported by miracles and signs. During a holiday in honor of the pagan god Armazi, through Nino’s prayer, the idol of Armazi collapsed, and a strong storm broke out on a clear day.
Nino resurrected dead children, healed diseases, including healing the Queen of Iveria, who became a zealous Christian. Despite this, her husband, the king of this country, decided to execute Nino. While preparing a plot, Mirian III suddenly became blind, but prayers to the pagan gods did not help, then he prayed to the God about whom Nina spoke. Having regained his sight, the king immediately converted to Christianity (May 6, 319).
While waiting for priests from Constantinople, Nino prepared the people of Iberia for holy baptism.
The first temple was erected on the site of an old cedar indicated by Nina, where, according to legend, there was the grave of Sidonia, who held the Robe of Christ. Nowadays the Svetitskhoveli Temple (translated as life-giving pillar).
In 326, Georgia finally turned into a Christian state, but the outskirts of the country remained pagan. Nino spent the rest of her life converting them to the Christian faith.
Venerable Martyr Nina (Shuvalova)
XX century was marked by persecution of faith, which many, not without reason, compare with the persecution of Christians during the Roman Empire, when Equal Apostle lived. Nina. It is symbolic that among the many new martyrs of recent times there are also saints bearing the name of the enlightener of Georgia.
Nun Nina
The Venerable Martyr Nina (Shuvalova) was killed by atheists solely for her monastic life. She was not a politician and was not interested in revolutionary events.
Born in the Lower Volga, in a village, she apparently decided early on to devote herself to God. According to documents, Neonila (the secular name of the saint) retired from the world and became the nun Nina before 1917. The documents did not preserve the name of this monastery. But after the Soviet government closed the monastery, the nun left for Kazakhstan, the city of Chimkent, where she led the same monastic life, but in the middle of the world.
Here, apparently, she met Archimandrite. Gabriel (Vladimirov), tonsure of St. Mount Athos, an ascetic who was arrested more than once by the Soviet authorities. The last arrest of Fr. Gabriel took place in Chimkent. Many believers were involved in one “case of a counter-revolutionary organization.” Among them was St. Nina.
19
November
1937
Nun Nina (Shuvalova) was shot, her burial place is unknown.
The end of life's journey
Bodbe.
Church of St. George In recent years, Nino lived in Eastern Georgia in the settlement of Bodbe, where Bishop John arrived, accompanied by the King of Georgia, to see off the Saint on her last journey.
She asked to be buried in the tent that had served as Nino’s home for a long time. On January 14, 335, Nino died, they wanted to transfer her remains to the Svetitskhoveli temple, but the saint’s coffin did not move from the indicated place. At the grave, the Georgian king will build a temple in honor of St. George the Victorious. At the moment there is a convent of St. Nino there. Next to it flows the St. Nino spring with healing water, and there is also a miniature church dedicated to her parents.
All the miracles and signs that took place at Nina’s tomb, her righteous life and preaching of Christianity prompted her to be canonized.
Why do you need to bless your car?
When consecrating a car, you need to understand that this ritual is not usually perceived as some kind of magical action that can protect the car from an accident and other troubles. Although undoubtedly, people pursue precisely these goals. The consecration of any thing is necessary in order to show that a person devotes it, as well as his thoughts and deeds to God. When consecrating a car, you need to realize that it is just a means of transportation. When you come to the priest for this requirement, it is you who come to God, first of all, and not a mountain of iron.
True faith can work miracles, and it will help you avoid accidents on the road. If the ritual is carried out simply as a tribute to fashion, it will be of little use. The Church does not engage in magic and conspiracy of things. It is impossible to “talk” a car or any other property. That is why it is necessary to consciously approach this issue so that the consecration of the car does not become just a ritual.
Saint Nina Equal to the Apostles - enlightener of Georgia
Saint Equal to the Apostles Nino
Saint Equal to the Apostles Nino is rightfully the protector and patroness of Georgia, thanks to her Christianity became the state religion in this country. She helps everyone who asks for intercession, as well as people who received her name at baptism.
January 4 is St. Nino’s day and every resident of Georgia pays tribute to the memory of St. Nino. In the capital, 5 churches are dedicated to her, and in the Zion Cathedral there is a cross of St. Nino, to which everyone can venerate.
Martyr Nina Kuznetsova
This martyr Nina is a native of what is now the Vyatka region, the city of Lalsk. From her youth she was especially religious. The only daughter of pious parents, Nina did not always meet with their understanding. But the girl devoted herself to prayer for hours, knew many psalms by heart, and loved spiritual books.
Gradually, the parents reconciled and made a cell out of the barn for their daughter. Perhaps the path of a nun would await the young ascetic. But after the revolution, brutal persecution began, which changed all plans.
First, in 1932, Nina’s parents, already elderly, were arrested. Unable to withstand the hardships of prison, they soon died. After all these events, the girl herself remained paralyzed and had difficulty moving for the rest of her life.
Left alone in her large parental home, Nina led a pious life, full of prayer and helping people. Whole families of those arrested for their faith found shelter with her. After the closure of the Koryazhemsk monastery, some of its monks also began to live with Nina. Among them was the abbot of the monastery, abbot Pavel, an ascetic, and a man of prayer.
From then on, the saint, not being a nun, began to live according to monastic rules - she devoted most of her time to prayer, sleeping no more than 4 hours. Contemporaries note the saint’s complete fearlessness: at the height of the authorities’ attack on Orthodoxy, she was not afraid to write strong letters protesting the closure of the cathedral church of Lalsk.
In 1937, the saint was arrested along with many believers. But the only accusation was her active church activities. For this, the saint was sent to a camp, where she died on May 14, 1938.
Icon and prayer of Saint Nino
The icon of St. Nina is a miraculous image. It helps in spiritual enlightenment, heals diseases and illnesses.
Prayer to Saint Nina helps you find your purpose in life.
“Oh, righteous Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina, we turn to you and we beg you: hear our prayers (names) and protect our lives from all misfortunes, passions and sorrows, show our enemies the true path that lies in Christ, and punish all opponents of piety. We beg you, convey our words to the Lord, may he grant the Orthodox people peace, prosperity and well-being in all their endeavors. May the Almighty lead us into the Kingdom of Heaven, while all who now live in faith glorify His name. Amen".
The Cross of St. Nina is one of the main relics of the Georgian Orthodox Church
As already mentioned, according to legend, the cross of Saint Nino was given to her by the Mother of God herself. This cross can always be recognized among others, it has a special shape, and is made from vines and the hair of St. Nino. The ends of the crossbars are lowered down. Thanks to such differences, the cross of St. Nina is always easy to recognize and distinguish from others. He is also depicted on all icons with the image of St. Nina. The cross of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina is kept in the main church of Tbilisi - Sioni.
Cross of Saint Nino
Flower meanings and symbolism
The red five-cross composition of the flag on a white background has Christian symbolism. White color is a symbol of purity and purity, red color represents courage and courage. The large rectangular cross in the center is the personification of the Son of God Jesus Christ, and the smaller crosses located in the corners are the four evangelists.
