Our last companion of the year is St. Nino (or Nina) of Georgia, who persisted through a long and dangerous journey to bring the nourishment of the Gospel to a new land.
Thorns, brambles, and grapevines - throughout her life, St. Nino’s interactions with the natural world were deeply intertwined with the spiritual. After her parents devoted themselves to religious life, Nino of Georgia was raised by a woman who belongs in the line of Orthodox Influencers, Sara Niaphor. Sitting at the feet of this elder of the faith, Nino learned the stories of Christ’s life and His suffering on earth. It was also from Sara that Nino learned how Christ’s robe had arrived in Georgia. As she grew older, Nino began to pray to the Theotokos, asking for her blessing to travel to Georgia and venerate the Sacred Robe that she had woven for her beloved Son.
One night, St. Nino received a vision that granted this gift, and left her with a cross to seal the reality of the vision. When she awoke, Nino was holding the cross in her hands, woven of grapevines. She carried this cross with her on her journey, a mystical and yet earthy reminder of her great task as a member of Christ’s vine.
St. Nino’s long pilgrimage to Georgia involved danger as well as the opportunity to encourage and baptize others. When pursued while passing through Rome during a time of persecution, she escaped death by hiding in a rose bush. We can imagine her emerging from that bush, pierced by dozens of small thorns, clutching her cross in gratitude. Did she think then of the One who had been pierced by thorns for her sake, of the robe that she sought to venerate which He wore on that day? Did it strengthen, perhaps even test, her resolve to carry her journey through until the end?
After she finally arrived in Georgia, one source tells us that St. Nino made her home “beneath a bramble bush in the garden of the king, with the family of the royal gardener.” It is fascinating that she again finds herself encircled by the reminders of the natural world in her spiritual search - that upon arriving at the end of her outward pilgrimage, she is placed with a grapevine in a garden, and given the opportunity to “transplant” it and to bear fruit.
In the course of time, St. Nino preached to many in Georgia and persisted through initial persecution until many came to faith. She also located the location of Christ’s tunic - said to be buried and from which a great cedar tree grew. St. Nino is sometimes called Equal-to-the-Apostles because of her work in preaching the gospel and baptizing those who had not yet heard the good news. She accompanies us now as a reminder that the source and end of our pilgrimage is Christ - that we are all members of the same Vine, on a journey to bear fruit together and seek to create places of flourishing and life.
Holy mother Nino, pray to God for us!
Troparion — Tone 4
O handmaiden of the Word of God, / who equaled the first-called Apostle Andrew in preaching, / and emulated the other Apostles; / enlightener of Iberia and lyre of the Holy Spirit, / Holy equal of the Apostles Nina, pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.
Kontakion — Tone 2
Come, all of you, let us sing praises today to the one chosen by Christ, / the equal of the Apostles, the preacher of God's Word, / the wise bearer of good tidings, who brought the people of Kartli to the path of life and truth; / she is the disciple of the Mother of God, / our zealous intercessor and unsleeping guardian, / the all-praised Nina.
As we wrap up Axia’s end-of-year fundraising, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you for walking with us! It has been a gift to journey with you in the company of women of courage and strength, mothers of the faith both named and unnamed, who have gone before us. Thank you for joining us on this pilgrimage to build up women in the Orthodox Church!
