Georgian Orthodox Church marks 100 000 martyrs day

Georgia, Tbilisi - 2011-11-13 15:53:00

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The Georgian Orthodox Church celebrates today on November 13 the commemoration day of 100 000 Georgian martyrs. In this connection congregations from all Churches in Tbilisi gathered to marsh towards the Metechi bridge. At the bridge Cathalocos Patriarch of All Georgia will serve a divine service on this occasion.

This is a second year as the Georgian Church conducts such marsh under the headship of youth movement "Davitiani" established in Georgian Patriarchy.

In XIII century 100 000 Tbilisi dwellers became victims of invasion of Jalal Edin. On March 26 he assaulted unexpectedly the capital of Georgia. Mongols with support of Persians took the city. They decided to force all Christians to change its religion to the Muslim one. Invader took out the icons of Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ from the Sioni Cathedral to the Meteckhi bridge and ordered to Tbilisi dwellers to walk over them and to deny its confession. 100 000 people who refused to do this were beheaded and thrown to the river from Metekhi bridge.