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| Sts. Anthony and Jacob of Chqondidi (Feast Day - October 13) |
Saint Anthony of Chqondidi was born to the family of Otia Dadiani,
the prince of Egrisi (now Samegrelo). Anthony’s mother, Gulkan, was the
daughter of the prince Shoshita III of Racha. There were six children in
the family: five boys and one girl. Anthony’s sister, Mariam, later
married King Solomon the Great of Imereti.
The children received
their primary education from their mother, who was raised in the
Christian Faith and transmitted the Faith to her children. Her vibrant
faith and valorous labors were an example for all who surrounded her.
After his father’s death, young Anthony was raised by his older brother
Katsia. His family was preparing Anthony for a diplomatic career, and
therefore they devoted special attention to his study of philosophy,
literature, the fundamentals of poetry and art, and foreign languages
(particularly Turkish and Persian).
From the beginning of the 17th
century, the rulers of Egrisi appointed only their own relatives to the
Chqondidi diocese. Nicholas, one of Anthony’s older brothers, was
prepared for the bishopric, but he was too attached to the world to
commit to the heavy yoke of asceticism. The young Anthony, however, was
zealous for the monastic life, and soon he was tonsured.
The new
monk Anthony sensed the imperfection of his spiritual education and
asked the monks of Martvili Monastery in Egrisi to help him make up for
his insufficient knowledge. A group of French missionaries arrived to
instruct him in the foundations of Scholastic philosophy, which was very
fashionable in Europe at that time. Anthony, however, recognized that
his foreign tutors had tainted Orthodox doctrine with the poison of
heresy. Once, during a meal, Anthony turned to a certain Frenchman and
asked, “Can you pour wine into this water-filled cup and keep it from
mixing with the water?”
The Catholic priest answered that it was
impossible, and Anthony replied, “As it is impossible to pour water and
wine into a single vessel and keep them from mixing, so it is impossible
to accommodate both Orthodox doctrine and heresy!” From that day
Anthony parted with the French missionaries.
The thirst for
learning would not give the young monk any rest. To deepen his
knowledge, Saint Anthony traveled to Tbilisi, to the court of King
Erekle II. The king’s wife, Queen Darejan, was Anthony’s cousin—a child
of his uncle, Katsia Dadiani.
In 1761 Saint Anthony was
consecrated bishop of Tsageri (in lower Svaneti). He soon became famous
for his eloquent sermons, which inspired even the Catholicos of Georgia
himself.
Grown weary from fasting, Saint Anthony’s face began to
resemble that of an angel. In accordance with his orders, a daily meal
was prepared for the poor at the Chqondidi residence. Every subsequent
bishop of Chqondidi has continued this practice.
In the 18th
century many feudal lords in western Georgia (in Egrisi especially)
began to trade slaves for profit. Bishop Anthony boldly opposed this
immoral activity, and in the years 1792 to 1794 he convened a series of
Church councils to publicly condemn the slave traders.
In 1788
Anthony approved vast land grants to the monasteries of Martvili,
Nakharebou, and Sairme. He persuaded the Dadianis to exempt these lands
from taxation.
In 1789 Anthony, now a metropolitan, left Chqondidi
for Nakharebou Monastery, which he had built. He enriched the monastery
with sacred objects, ancient icons and lands. There he spent the
remainder of his days.
Saint Anthony of Chqondidi reposed in 1815 at a very old age and was buried at Nakharebou Monastery.
Saint
Anthony’s spiritual son, devoted friend, and helper, Hieromonk Jacob,
also dwelt as a saint in this world and was received into the Heavenly
Kingdom.