Nino
Saint Nino was a woman credited with preaching Christianity in the Kingdom of Iberia, leading to its Christianization. She is revered for her missionary work and miraculous healings, particularly her conversion of the Georgian queen Nana and King Mirian III. Her efforts established Christianity as the state religion of Iberia, making it one of the earliest Christian nations.
- Feast Day
- 14 January
- Century
- 4th century
- Country Or Region
- Georgia
Key Facts
- ›Nino preached Christianity in the Kingdom of Iberia, now Georgia.
- ›She belonged to a Greek-speaking Roman family from Kolastra, Cappadocia.
- ›According to tradition, she received a vision of the Virgin Mary who gave her a grapevine cross.
- ›She performed miraculous healings and converted Queen Nana and King Mirian III of Iberia.
- ›King Mirian III declared Christianity the official religion of Iberia around 326 AD.
- ›Her tomb is venerated at the Bodbe Monastery in Kakheti, eastern Georgia.
St. Nune, St. Nina, St. Ninny, ts'minda nino, Surb Nune, Hagía Nína, Christiana, Theognosta
Grapevine Cross
About Nino
Saint Nino
Saint Nino, also known as Saint Nune, Saint Nina, or Saint Ninny, was a pivotal figure in the Christianization of the Kingdom of Iberia, located in present-day Georgia. Her missionary efforts are credited with transforming Iberia into the second Christian state in the world, following Armenia.
Life and Historical Context
Traditional accounts suggest Nino hailed from a Greek-speaking Roman family in Kolastra, Cappadocia, and was a relative of Saint George. She arrived in Iberia from Armenia. At the age of fourteen, she fled persecution under Emperor Diocletian with her Christian mistress and attendants, surviving by hiding. According to hagiography, she then received a vision from the Virgin Mary, who bestowed upon her a grapevine cross and instructed her to travel to Iberia to spread the Christian faith.
Nino traveled through the Javakheti mountains and established herself in Urbnisi, initially living within the Jewish community to understand local customs. She quickly learned the Georgian language and began her preaching. Her missionary activity was marked by miraculous healings, which led to the conversion of Queen Nana. Her husband, King Mirian III, initially persecuted Christianity but, after a blinding incident during a hunt, prayed to "Nino's God" and was miraculously healed. This event led to his conversion and the official declaration of Christianity as the state religion of Iberia around 326 AD.
Legacy and Veneration
Following King Mirian's conversion, clergy were sent from the Roman Empire to baptize the population. Nino continued her missionary work among the Georgians until her death, living her final years in Bodbe, Kakheti. Her tomb is venerated at the Bodbe Monastery, where King Mirian initiated the construction of a monastery shortly after her death.
Saint Nino is one of the most venerated saints of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Her iconographic symbol, the grapevine cross, remains a prominent emblem of Georgian Christianity. Her parents, Zabulon and Susanna, were also canonized in 1997. The name Nino and its variations continue to be popular for women and girls in Georgia.
Source: Wikipedia ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Saint Nino?
Saint Nino was a woman who preached Christianity in the territory of the Kingdom of Iberia, in what is now Georgia. Her preaching led to the Christianization of Iberia.
What is Saint Nino known for?
She is chiefly remembered for her missionary work in Georgia, where she converted the Georgian queen Nana and King Mirian III, leading to Christianity becoming the state religion of Iberia.
Where did Saint Nino come from?
According to most traditional accounts, she belonged to a Greek-speaking Roman family from Kolastra, Cappadocia, and came to Iberia from Armenia.
What is Saint Nino's attribute?
Her attribute is the grapevine cross, which she received from the Virgin Mary in a vision and which has become a symbol of Georgian Christianity.
Where is Saint Nino's tomb?
Her tomb is venerated at the Bodbe Monastery in Kakheti, eastern Georgia.
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