On this day, June 1 according to the Julian Calendar (June 14 civil calendar), the Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates the holy venerable fathers Shio the New, David, Gabriel, and Paul of Gareji — monks cut down by the Lekians (1696–1700).
The Monastery of David Gareji always stood apart for the abundance of its monks and the strictness of its ascetic life. Those who had turned away from the vanity of the world found peace for their souls in this holy habitation. In the sacred monastery, monks who had fled from wealth and honor lived side by side with those who had come from the depths of poverty.
The venerable Shio was from the village of Vedzisi in Kartli. His parents, Papuna and Tamari, were well known in that region for their wealth. They had eight children — five sons and three daughters. After the death of their parents, Shio’s brothers fell into quarreling, cursing one another with foul words, until the eldest killed the youngest with a knife.
When the blessed Shio heard of this, filled with grief and sorrow, he resolved to depart from this tempting world, whose love could drive a brother to kill his brother and a son to kill his father. “I no longer wish to remain in this world,” he confided to his spiritual father. His father advised him to go to the Monastery of David Gareji and take monastic vows. At that time the abbot of Gareji was the elder Onophre Machutadze, who had already several times invited the blessed Shio: “Come, brother Shio, to my monastery, and let us spend our remaining days together.”
Onophre received with joy the Shio who was known among the people for his integrity and faithfulness, assigned him a separate cell, and established for him the rule of obedience.
The tireless asceticism, humility, and brotherly love of the blessed Shio bore fitting fruit — many came to him for counsel, and often he would oversee the affairs of the monastery with the blessing of the abbot.
One day the abbot Onophre left the monastery on monastery business, entrusting the brothers and the monastery to the blessed Shio. After vespers and the trapeza, while the brotherhood rested from labor and prayer, a raiding band of Lekians fell upon them. Together with the hieromonk Shio, the monks David, Gabriel, and Paul were seized and slain by torture. At the sound of the attack, some managed to flee and hide, but the lawless ones caught even those who fled and cut them down mercilessly with swords. Blood filled the church and the cells. The Lekians then plundered the slain, smashed and burned the sacred vessels, carried off some of the priestly vestments and threw others into a well, and hacked the holy icons with axes.
King Erekle and Catholicos Ioann were grieved, and marveled: “How did the Lekians reach even here?” By the blessing of the Catholicos and the command of the king, the hewn remains of the holy martyrs were buried to the south of the grave of Saint David of Gareji.
May the intercessions of the holy venerable fathers Shio the New, David, Gabriel, and Paul of Gareji be with us all.