History, Archaeology, Ethnography

D. Kldiashvili.

Chronology of the Father-Superiors of the Holy Cross Monastery in Jerusalem According to the Sinai Synodikon (15th C.)

Several layers of commemorations of the Father Superiors of the Holy Cross Monastery in Jerusalem, from the 11th including the 15th century, are preserved in the Synodikon of Georgian church on Sinai (Sin. 77). The commemorations of the Father Superiors of the Holy Cross monastery are introduced into special section of the main text as well as into the other sections and commemorations of Synodikon.

The section intended for Patriarchs of Kartli and Abkhazeti contains commemoration of the builder of the Holy Cross Monastery and its first Father Superior Giorgi-Prokhore (fol.197r), inserted in the Synodikon on purpose. The fact confirms once more the importance and the leading role of Holy Cross Monastery in the life of Georgian community in Palestine and the Sinai. As for the hegumenoi that succeeded Phrokhore beginning from the 11th to the 13th-14th centuries, there is a special section for their commemoration in the chronicle under the title: "For the Commemoration and for Departed Father Superiors of the Holy Cross Monastery" (197v). Besides, there is a commemoration of 14th-century Father Superior of the Holy Cross Joseph inserted to the main text after the commemoration of Archbishops (196v). This commemoration seems to be the contemporary to the commemorations of Pimen Matq'vereli (bishop of Atsq'uri, later hegumenos of the Holy Cross monastery) and the circle of his relatives. Basing on these and other material I dated the Synodikon of Sinai as back as the first decade of the 15th century.

There are the commemorative records of the Father Superiors that were introduced after the chronicle had been written into the Synodikons of various layers. They contain the information concerning the Hegumenoi of the Holy Cross Monastery by the turn of the 15th-16th cc. Kaikhosro/Christephore Zedgenisdze (195v-196r) and Daniel Nikozeli (Bishop of Nikozi) (198v).

Due to the luck of the historical sources the chronology of the Father-Superiors of the Holy Cross Monastery was not fully established in the scholarly literature (E. Metreveli, E. Mamistvalashvili). In the chronological order of the Holy Cross Monastery Hegumenoi of this period presumably dated are: Ioane (sedcond quarter of the 15th c.), Christephore Zedginisdze (mid-15th c.), and Daniel Nikozeli (second half of the 15th c.)

Taking into view the given historical sources on the Father Superiors of the Holy Cross monastery in the 15th century, we assume that Daniel Nikozeli must have become the Abbot after Pimen Mastq'vereli, in the 20ies of the 15th century (the upper time boundary is the beginning of the 60ies); The epigraphic and documental data played a decisive role in defining the years of the activity of the Father Superior Ioane succeeded Pimen and preceded Christefore. The data mentioned above are the painted inscription of the donor portrayal of Father Superior of the Holy Cross monastery and Archibishop of Kartli Ioane Kvitasshvili in the church of the Virgin in Betlevi in Racha dated 1493, and the document given by George as a reward to the Oralelidze-Kvitashvilis – hieromonk Ioane and his brothers in the last times of the existence of the united Georgian kingdom, in 1463 (Qd-9021). Depending on these data, the eleven-year-long period of Ioane Kvitasshvili's activity as the Father Superior of Holy Cross monastery in Jerusalem is supposed to embrace the period of the 70s to 80s of the 15th century up to the beginning of the 1490ies. It follows that Daniel Nikozeli could have become the Father Superior of the Holy Cross monastery after Pimen Matsq'vereli in the period that followed the 10s of the 15th century (or, at the latest, at the be beginning of the 60ies). As for Kaikhosro/Cristephore Zedgenisdze, he must have been the hegumenos of the Holy Cross monastery before Beena Choloq'ashvili or after him; so Christephore Zedgenisdze could have been the Father Superior of the monastery on the turn of the 16th century or the first third of the 16th century.

 

K. Kekelidze Institute of Manuscripts
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