Sioni Cathedral in Tbilisi – A Rare Historic Church

The Oldest Churches in Tbilisi, Georgia

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• Sioni Cathedral in Tbilisi – A Rare Historic Church

One of Georgia’s most important historic cathedrals, once the center of Georgian orthodoxy. Although invaders repeatedly destroyed it, the Georgians rebuilt it, Sioni preserves the memory of early Georgian Christianity and the layers of sorrow it has endured. The church honors Saint Nino with a Grapevine Cross, traditionally connected with Georgia’s conversion to Christianity, as well as one of the skulls of the twelve disciples.

A visit to this active church will give any visitor insight into the history and current mood of the people toward Christianity. The lower-level area where the church is located shows how old its first church was. Underneath the 13th-century current building lie traces of a sixth-century church.

Interior Gems to Sioni Cathedral

Two relics that predate even the first church are stored at both ends of the stone iconostasis wall. The cross of St. Nino, who brought Christianity to the Georgian people, sits clothed in green from vine branches. She prayed for the healing of Queen Nana of Iberia, who, when healed, came to Christ. The queen’s husband, King Mirian III, came to Christ and declared Faith in Christ as state policy around 326-337.

On the right side of this wall, held within a niche, is the skull of Thomas the disciple. How did a disciple who served and died in India come to have his skull in Tbilisi? According to Christian tradition, Thomas died as a martyr in India, and his remains were preserved until they were transferred to Edessa (in modern-day Şanlıurfa) in 385 AD, which became a major center of devotion to Thomas in the early Byzantine Empire. This connection to India likely came because Edessa early on influenced preaching in Persia, Central Asia, and China. There, the School of the Persians formed and sent many missionaries East toward Central Asia and India. This connection was genuine.

Later, at least, the skull was moved to Constantinople, approximately 490–518 AD, during the reign of Emperor Anastasius, when a church dedicated to Thomas was built (during this time, the Persians invaded the city of Edessa, so the church’s safety was under threat). As the fall of Constantinople neared, someone smuggled out the skull, which now appears in this church at Sioni.^[1]On this mystery, the church in Chios, Greece, has stated provenance that Thomas’s relics came in 1258, but on this issue, they have skull fragments rather than a full or partial skull.

One of the oldest Churches – Sioni Cathedral

Before we continue discovering the treasures in this old church, if you’re visiting Tbilisi, please check out my walking tour map of these churches.

Biblical Themes in Sioni Cathedral

One of my favorite Byzantine images is Christ breaking the doors of Hades. This is often called the “Descent into Hell.” You can find this in multiple countries in old churches. In the Sioni church, both the south and north sides of the building feature this depiction, showing Christ breaking the doors of Hades and unlocking hell, pulling Adam out of the grave. In the picture below, Satan is bound in the blackened area.

In the north-side room, a very interesting item is on display that looks like a flying object. The depiction is from Ezekiel chapter one where the divine moves in a wheel within a wheel. This depiction gives thought to what Ezekiel saw, showing Jesus as the divine presence within the wheel.

The Dark Persian History of Jalal Al-din

On the southern wall, the beheading of 100,000 believers is shown in an icon picture. The beheaded heads float upon the water. Jalal al-din’s name means the glory of religion, and he, in his attempt to honor his religion, killed many in Tbilisi. This ruler brought division and death to other regions of Persia and Punjab. He was a poor ruler, never united a region, and died fleeing the Mongol armies. Today, no known grave honors him. Quite unfortunate that he came to Tbilisi, and this church remembers the thousands who were martyred for their faith in Christ.

Join me on Exploring with Nakhati Jon as we discover the remarkable history of Sioni Cathedral in the heart of Tbilisi, Georgia. Through these many other exploring videos, we look beyond the surface to uncover centuries of Christian heritage, ancient architecture, and the stories that shaped these historic places.

Discover Georgia’s faith, history, and hidden treasures as we explore its churches and historic sites together.

Exploring with Nakhati Jon | Searching Below the Surface