Story of Ketevan

Brief history of the St. Queen:

Queen Ketevan was the daughter of a major ruler from the Bagrationi royal family of Georgia. She was married to Prince Davit, heir to the throne of Kakheti. Davit’s father, King Alexander II (1574-1605) had two other sons, Giorgi and Constantine. However, according to the law, the throne belonged to Davit. Constantine was converted to Islam and raised in the court of the Persian Shah Abbas I. Several years after the marriage of Davit and Ketevan, King Alexander stepped down from the throne and became a monk at Alavardi (an ancient Church in Kakheti region). After four months, in the year 1602, the young king Davit died, and was survived by his wife, Queen Ketevan, and, two children including a son, Teimuraz and daughter, Elene. His father (i.e. Alexander II) ascended the throne once again.

Upon hearing of Davit’s death, Alexander's youngest son, Constantine-Mirza traveled to Kakheti, murdered his father and the middle brother Giorgi, and, seized the throne of Kakheti. As instructed by Shah Abbas, Constantine Mirza beheaded his father and brother and sent their heads, as precious gifts, to him. Their headless bodies were sent to Alaverdi (since the beginning of 11th Century, Alaverdi had been the resting place of the Kakhetian Kings). Queen Ketevan’s Son Teimuraz I took over the throne, but, in return, had to send his two sons Alexander and Levan, and, his mother Queen Ketevan, as hostage, in 1614 to Shah Abbas I of Iran (Persia) who was the suzerain ruler of Georgia. At last, Shah summoned King Teimuraz, attacked and defeated him at Kakheti, and plundered all of Georgia. The Royal palace was razed, and, Churches and Monasteries were destroyed. Shah Abbas insisted Ketevan to renounce the Christian faith, convert to Islam, and marry him. The Queen firmly refused, and commenced preparation for martyrdom. She was robed in festive attire and marched to a crowded square, where her persecutors subjected her to indescribable agony. They placed a red–hot copper cauldron (handi) on her head, cut out her breasts with heated tongs, pierced her body with glowing spears, tore off her fingernails, nailed a board to her spine, and finally split her forehead with a red hot spade. Thus, was she brutally assassinated in the year 1624, after 10 years of imprisonment. Portuguese Catholic Missionaries of St. Augustine denomination, who, at that time were in Iran, and were eye witnesses of her martyrdom, took a portion of her relics surreptitiously to Georgia, where they were interred at the Alaverdi Monastery. The rest of her remains were said to have been brought and buried at the Church of St. Augustine in Goa, India during Portuguese rule at Goa. From contemporary accounts, it was known, that her right arm had been brought to Goa in 1627, to be interred in the St. Augustine complex.

Importance of the Holy Relics to Georgia, and subsequent loaning of the Relics to the Georgian Government:

These relics have great emotional, historical and religious significance for Georgian people. Therefore, several meetings were organized, and correspondences exchanged, between the officials of MEA, India and Govt. of Georgia, in this regard.

On request of the Georgian Government, an Agreement was signed on the 30th of August 2017, between the D.G., ASI on behalf of the Government of India and Hon’ble Ambassador of Georgia, after approval from the Ministry of Culture. As per the Agreement, the Relics of St. Queen Ketevan were given to the Georgian Government, for its display on loan for 6 months, from September 2017 to March 2018, and, on their request, this loan period was further extended for six months. The Relics were finally brought back to Goa, India on 30th September 2018.

Aftermath of the loaning and exhibition process:

Georgia, after the expiry of the loaning period, requested that, the relics of Saint Queen Ketevan are an integral part of Georgian history and identity, and, she invokes much devotion and respect. The great Martyr is canonized by the Orthodox Church, and, is worshipped for her steadfastness in the face of inconceivable torture. It was pointed out that in the past, the relics of St. Queen Ketevan as distributed by Augustinians were available in different towns of Europe like Rome, Lisbon and other places, most of which have been lost today. Moreover, the relics which were kept in Georgia’s Alavardi Monastery were lost, in the 1720’s, while being moved to a safer place during an invasion. They were apparently washed away in the Aragvi river. Georgia appreciated that it is due to tireless efforts put in place over the decades by the ASI that the Holy Relics were finally discovered in 2005.

With this, Georgian people, requested that the Relics should, in whole or in part, be shared with Georgia as eternal gift.

Handing over the part of relics to Govt. of Georgia:

After considering the request from Govt. of Georgia, as a goodwill gesture, Indian Government decided to handover the smaller part of the two-piece reliquary as a gift to people of Georgia from people of India.

Accordingly, the Minister of External Affairs Sh. S. Jaishankar visited Georgia along with relic on 09th July, 2021. A small function was arranged at Tbilisi airport by local Government to welcome the Holy relics of St. Queen Ketevan.

After the customary offerings by the clergies of different Churches at the airport, the Holy Relics were taken to the laboratory at the National Museum, Georgia in a procession, for examination of condition and change of container before the experts of ASI.

Thereafter, next day i.e. on 10th July, a ceremonial function was organized in the Trinity Church, wherein the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Hon’ble President, Hon’ble Foreign Minister of Georgia, Hon’ble Foreign Minister of India, a large number of Georgian citizens, officials and clergies were present to formally accept the relic of martyred Saint back to her homeland after centuries. It was an emotional moment for the citizens of the Georgia, for whom the Saint Queen had sacrificed her life in the face of persecution and refused to abandon the faith of Cross. She epitomized by her actions her role as protector of her personal and religious integrity and the integrity of her country, suffering unspeakable anguish in the process.

In his speech, Foreign Minister of India stated that it is gift from people of India to people of Georgia.