Holy King Vakhtang Gorgasali (†502)

Memory  13 December

The Life and Legacy of the Holy and Right-Believing King Vakhtang Gorgasali

The holy and right-believing King Vakhtang I, known as Gorgasali, ascended the throne of Kartli at the tender age of fifteen, during a time of great turmoil. The kingdom was under constant threat from Persian invaders to the south and Ossetians to the north. In western Georgia, the Byzantine Empire had seized the lands stretching from Egrisi to Tsikhegoji. The challenges facing the young king and his nation were immense, but his unwavering faith and God-given wisdom guided him through these trials.

At his coronation, King Vakhtang addressed his court with profound spiritual insight, declaring that the hardships endured by the nation were a reflection of divine chastisement for the sins of the people and their rulers. He called upon his people to repent, unite, and dedicate themselves selflessly to the defense of their Faith and homeland.

By God’s grace, King Vakhtang led a victorious campaign against the Ossetians, rescuing his captive sister and forging alliances with the mountain tribes. He then turned his attention to western Georgia, where he liberated the region from Byzantine domination, reinstated the authority of King Gubaz, and returned in triumph to Kartli. Through these acts, he displayed not only his military prowess but also his devotion to the protection and unity of the Georgian nation under God.

King Vakhtang’s life was a shining example of Christian virtue. Renowned for his piety, he spent countless nights in prayer, distributed alms to the poor, and dedicated every aspect of his reign to the glory of God. His physical strength and valor in battle were matched only by his humility and wisdom. It is said that, vested in armor, he could carry a warhorse on his shoulders and outrun a deer, feats that inspired awe and respect among his people and adversaries alike. The image of a wolf and a lion adorned his helmet, striking fear into his enemies and earning him the title “Gorgasali,” meaning “Wolf-Head.”

King Vakhtang’s reign was marked by monumental achievements for the Georgian Church. He secured its recognition as autocephalous Georgian Church, elevating its independence and spiritual authority.

When the holy king banished the pagan fire-worshippers from Georgia, he also sent a certain Bishop Mikael — who was inclined to the Monophysite heresy, which had been planted in Georgia by the Persians — to Constantinople to be tried by the patriarch. The bishop had disgracefully cursed the king and his army for rising up against the Monophysites. In fact, he was so infuriated that when King Vakhtang approached him to receive his blessing, he kicked him in the mouth and broke several of his teeth. The patriarch of Constantinople subsequently defrocked Bishop Mikael and sent him to a monastery to repent.

The holy king fulfilled the pious will of his predecessor, Holy King Mirian, by founding the Georgian Holy Cross Monastery in Jerusalem and building a stone cathedral in Mtskheta to replace the wooden church of St. Nino’s time. He established new dioceses, constructed numerous fortresses, monasteries, and churches, and laid the foundations of Tbilisi, which would become Georgia’s capital. His reign was guided by a creed of unity: the harmonious relationship between the Georgian and Byzantine Churches, national independence, and the inseparable bond of Church and nation.

In 502, King Vakhtang faced his final earthly trial, defending Georgia from Persian aggression. Mortally wounded by a poisoned arrow, he gathered his family, clergy, and court to deliver his final exhortation. He urged them to remain steadfast in the Orthodox Faith, to embrace martyrdom for Christ if necessary, and to seek eternal glory in the Kingdom of Heaven.

His passing was mourned by all of Georgia, and his holy relics were laid to rest in the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta, which he himself had built. His legacy as a defender of the Faith and protector of his people endures, inspiring generations of Christians.

In modern times, with the blessing of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II, King Vakhtang’s memory has been honored with the establishment of churches dedicated to his name, including an addition to the Sioni Patriarchal Cathedral in Tbilisi and a cathedral in Rustavi.

O Holy and Right-Believing Vakhtang Gorgasali, pray to our merciful God for the remission of our sins and the salvation of our souls!