Venerable Kozman the Hieromonk of Mravalmta — July 18 / July 31 (Julian Calendar)

On this day, July 18 according to the Julian Calendar (July 31 civil calendar), the Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates the Venerable Kozman (Cosmas), a hieromonk and head scribe, who was slain by Persian invaders at Mravalmta Monastery in the year 1630.

The Venerable Kozman was a learned monk and ecclesiastical scribe who served at the great monastic community of Mravalmta — the ‘Many-Peaked Mountain’ — in Georgia. He devoted his life to the copying and preservation of sacred texts and to the spiritual life of the monastery.

In 1630, Persian forces invaded Georgia under Shah Abbas I, bringing devastation to the country’s monasteries and churches. During this terrible invasion, the monks of Mravalmta refused to abandon their holy place. Venerable Kozman was among those who chose to remain and were martyred by the Persian soldiers for their faith in Christ.

His memory is honored among the Georgian martyrs who gave their lives to preserve the Christian faith in Georgia during one of the most difficult periods of the country’s history. He is venerated as a confessor and martyr of the Georgian Church.