Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-30

/ wealth and power and influence IN TINS
land caused 1t to be called Dedakha-
lakhy. which. being translated into Eng
lish, means The Mother CITY,"
Christianity introduced.
Christianity was introduced among the
Georgians by st. Nina during the reign
| OF King Miriam. in the years 322-32a
| A. D.. and she persuaded them TO teal
down their pagan affairs. to abandon
their human sicrtfces and to accept the
gospel Of peace and love. although they
have not always lived up to IL very
closely. or all the nations In the world
the Georgians have been the most con-
sstent sinners.
church wherein to deposit the seam
less garment of our Savior. which was
bought at the crucihxion by a Jew
named Elioz. He purchased IL Of a sol
der who won il by lot at the foot Of the
cross. II was kept In that church for
many centuries. and in 1855 was present
ed by the King Of Georgia to the Car
Boris Godunof of Russia. who placed II
In the Cathedral of the Assumption, In
the Kremlin. at Moscow. where it may
be seen today.
In the sanctuary where this precious
relic was once formerly kept Is pillar
called the samyrone, Georgian word
meaning whence issues sacred oil,
WHICH possesses the MIRACULOUS power
of supplying the Holy Chrism with blood
that oozes through its pores. This mira
Gle occurs every year or two, and al
though the Georgians are not noted for
their piety thousands come every year to
worship and to touch the pillar with their
fingers. In that way they can cleanse
themselves from all diseases Of the body
and the soul.
This old church was the burial place
OF the kings OF Georgia for centuries,
a vnA al - h.
we'll kept and are neglected in a
shameful manner. many OF them are
still splendid specimens of the art of
carving. In front Of the tabernacle.
where the robe of the Savior was
kept is a reliquary containing what is
believed to be a monks habit worn
by the Prophet Elias. Tradition claims
that he was q native OF Mtskheta, al
though there is no documentary evil
dence Of that fact.
Georgia Coded to Russia.
The dust Of the last King Of Georgia
lies in a beautiful marble sarcophagus
bearing the following inscription:
Here rests the Tar George: born
in 1850: assembled the throne OF Georgia
in 1898. Desiring the welfare Of his
subjects and to secure them forever In
peace. he coded Georgia to the Russian
For the purpose OF preserving to
future generations the memory of the
last Of the Georgian tzars. the Marquis
Paolucci, commander-in-ch ief OF the
to be erected in the name of his males
ty. the Emperor Alexander /. in the
year 1872"
The remuneration OF the crown
and the cessicn OF the ter
ritory Of Georgia to Russia. az
k4I oh mr. 0nnRnVAd
his family or his subjects. His queen
accused him Of cowardice and de-
nounced him to the people. When the
Russians attempted to take her to Mos
cow to prevent her from raising q re-
bellion she drew a dagger from her
breast and drove 1t into the heart Of
Gen. Ivan Petrovitch Lazaren, who ex-
pired Immediately.
While she was being conveyed to
Russia by Gen. Toulthkoff. an attempt
pass and nearly every one OF her es-
cort was killed in the Tight.
Among the ton,bs is one bearing
the following touching inscription:
Queen of Georgia. have taken possession
OF this little tomb. You who look upon
II, remember me in charity and pray
for me. for the love OF Jesus Christ"
Mysterious Prester John.
One Of the early Christian kings OF
Georgia, named Ivane. who. in 1l22 de-
livered his country out Of the hands OF
the Moslems, is identified as the mys-
terious Prester John. who attracted q
great dea1 of attention during the crusade
and was the subject OF much speculation
and frequent discussion. He was first
brought to the notice Of Europe by Pope
Eugene III. as having been the savior
and defender Of Christianity in this part
of the world, but from the indefinite in
formation II was impossible to identity
the original among several petty SOW
ereigns in the east.
Sir John Vaudeville. knight. In his
Narrative OF Marvels." written in 1882
tells us more about this mysterious char
acter than we have from any other
source. He says:
The Emperor Prester John has been
christened and a great part OF his land
also. They believe we'll In the Father
the Son and the Holy Ghost. The En-
peror Prester John. when he goeth to
battel hath no banner born before him
but he hath born before him three Crosses
of fine Gold. large and great. and thickly
set with precious stones. And when ne
hath no battel. but rideth to take the
air, then hath he born before him a
~ a