The Monk Anthony, Pillar-Dweller of Martkops
Commemorated on August 16, January 19
The Monk Anthony,
Pillar-Dweller of Martkops, – one of the thirteen Cappadocian holy
fathers, the founders of Gruzian / Georgian monasticism (the account about them
is located under 7 May), arrived in Gruzia in the VI Century. According to
tradition, he brought to Gruzia the first copy on "tile" from the
Edessa original of the Saviour Image Not-made-by-hand. He settled on a solitary
mountain, called in his honour Martkops – which means "solitary",
and there founded a monastery and constructed a church in honour of the Saviour
Image Not-made-by-hand. For the last 15 years of his life the monk Anthony
pursued asceticism upon a pillar, wherefore he received the name Pillar-Dweller
of the Iversk Church. (This pillar, destroyed by time, was still preserved in
the last century, and the monastery founded by the Monk Anthony existed until
the middle of the XVIII Century).
At the end of his
earthly life, the Monk Anthony was buried in the church built by him; at his
tomb there thronged a crowd of believers, and miracles of healing occurred. His
memory is celebrated by the Georgian-Gruzian Church on 19 January, and on the day
of 16 August is the temple feast of the Anchiskhat Church in Tbilisi, wherein
is preserved the wonderworking icon of Saviour Image Not-made-by-hand, brought
by the monk.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.
