Ancient Christianity in the Caucasus A Journey through... THE MOUNTAINS AND VINEYARDS OF GEORGIA AND ARMENIA June 2nd - 14th, 2020 www.JohnGrahamTours.com (+995) 599 365-372 [email protected] Page 1 Tour Summary: Map & Program........... 3 Arrive-Depart Tbilisi (airport designation TBS) Historical View............ 4 Accommodation in quality boutique hotels specially vetted Itinerary........................ 7 for comfort and location. Accommodation........ 12 The package tourincludes 12 nights accommodation, 3 meals every day unless specified otherwise, a glass (or two!) of Kazbegi Extension..... 13 wine-beer with dinner, primary transportation in chauffeured Trip Details................. 14 minibus, additional 4x4 vehicles with drivers for day trips in the mountainous region, airport transfers, guides, entertain- Registration................ 15 ment, museum entrances, tips for local folks, and all snacks and coffee. There are no hidden fees. All you are responsible for is international airfare, trip insurance (required), tips for St. Elijah church (facing page); Armenian our guides and drivers, and any souvenirs you decide to bring seminarians (below). back with you. Fees: See registration Description: This tour is designed for those that enjoy history, natural beauty, sites of historic importance, culture & civili- zation, local cuisines, wine, traditional singing, and learning about and exploring new places. Travel visas are not necessary for Georgia or Armenia (for US or EU passport holders) - other nationalities check your coun- try’s visa requirements. John Graham Tours St. Meinard tour: “Ancient Christianity in Georgia & Armenia” June, 2020 Page 2 TRAVEL PROGRAM... This newly developed tour program focuses on the most important Christian sites in Armenia and East Georgia. Our tour begins and ends in Tbilisi, the thriving cultural and business capital city of Georgia. Our accommodation in the heart of the rejuvenated Old City places us within easy walking distance of many sites including churches, mosques, synagogues, carpet shops, and boutique cafes. We will visit several newly reopened museums featuring high quality exhibits on pre-Christian gold jewelry, medi- eval Christian embroidery, and the Soviet occupation. The middle of the tour will feature six days (five nights) in Armenia. We will tour the house museum of the avant garde film-maker Sergei Parazhanov, the Matenadaran manuscript museum, the outdoor carpet market, and other sites. The focus of our travels outside of the cities will be the UNESCO-recognized world heritage sites. Two of the most important medieval Christian churches are the Echmiadzin cathedral and seminary -- the spiritual center of Armenian Christianity, and its Georgian counterpart -- the cathedral of the Life-Giving Pillar in Mtskheta. Some of the finest architectural masterpieces in the Caucasus take time to find: many are hidden in remote locations. Of these, the rock- hewn churches of Geghard and the monastery of Goshavank in Armenia, and the ridgetop monastery of Nekresi in Georgia are among the highlights. No trip to the Caucasus is complete without indulging in some of the delicious homegrown wine. Indeed, in the Alazani Valley, where we will stay for three nights at the end of the trip, viti- culture is still visibly the culture of the land: many local villagers produce their own wine from their own grape varietals (more than 430 varietals exist in Geor- gia alone). We’ll visit some local vintners, try their vintages, and take home the best. Every day is www.JohnGrahamTours.com (+995) 599 365-372 [email protected] Page 3 a feast of local cuisine with local and Armenia (a featured site on wine. And as on all of our tours, this tour), serves as a microcosm we prioritize cultural experienc- of these vast military move- es that feature local music. ments as its temporary Geor- HISTORICAL VIEW gian or Armenian occupants The southern slopes of the Great were besieged by Alexander the Caucasus range, stretching Great, the Mongols, the Safavid south to the headlands of the Ti- Persians, and the Seljuk Turks, gris and Euphrates in the East- among others. ern Anatolian Plateau, are the CHRISTIANITY: lands historically inhabited by Christianity played a decisive Georgian and Armenian tribes. role in the parallel histories of Herodotus and Xenophon de- Armenia and Georgia. Both were scribed their cultures, and many among the first states to convert great civilizations have coveted to Christianity (309 and 326 re- their mountain rivers and lush spectively). In the fifth and sixth valleys. The list of conquerors centuries, their religious paths includes the Hittites, Greeks would split along theologi- under Alexander, Romans un- cal differences, the Armenians der Pompeus, Parthians, Sassa- choosing the non-Chalcedo- nid Persians, Arabs, Mongols, nian miaphysite doctrine, while Tamerlane, Saffavid and Qajar Georgians chose to remain al- Persians, Seljuk and Ottoman lied with Byzantine-Orthodox Turks. Even the mythological doctrine. Christianity became hero Jason and the Argonauts an extremely important factor traveled here in search of the fa- in the identities of both nations bled Golden Fleece. The history as they struggled to unite quar- 14th c. Armenian manuscript; Georgian monk (above); 9th c. Sevanavank monas- of the Debed Canyon in the reling tribes against the superior tery, Armenia (below). borderlands between Georgia forces of foreign armies. Indeed, John Graham Tours St. Meinard tour: “Ancient Christianity in Georgia & Armenia” June, 2020 Page 4 a third Christian nation in the into illuminated manuscripts. viet period. Caucasus (the Albanians) com- Within their home territories, AT THE CROSSROADS... pletely disappeared from world Christianity became an impor- The road to independence in the history during the Middle Ages, tant symbol of state identity and Post-Soviet era has been fraught presumably due to slaughter and power, with the monarchy and with the seeds of tension sown forced conversion. Both Geor- local aristocracy sponsoring the decades ago. Armenia fought a gians and Armenians main- construction of grand cathedrals war with Azerbaijan over the Na- tained active monasteries be- in the city centers and ornately gorno Karabagh region. Georgia yond their territories, such as in carved monastery churches in fought Ossetian and Abkhazian Greece, Antioch, Jerusalem, and the remotest mountain valleys. separatists supported by Russia elsewhere. These monasteries Today, Christianity is in strong over territorial disputes. To the served an important educational revival in Georgia, while in Ar- function as scribes translated menia, religiousity has been Alaverdi Cathedral (above); Abbess Tev- and inscribed Christian texts slower to rebound after the So- dora; Gremi fortress (below). www.JohnGrahamTours.com (+995) 599 365-372 [email protected] Page 5 Day 2, Tbilisi We know that you’ll be excited to explore the fascinating capi- tal city of Tbilisi, founded in the 5th century and retaining many important historical buildings. After visits to the impressive, newly renovated National Mu- seum, there will be a walking tour of Old Town, featuring vis- its to the Catholic church, sever- al Georgian Orthodox churches, Khor Virap monastery, Armenia (above); Detail, khachkar cross-stone (below); 2nd c. an Armenian church, the one re- Temple of Garni, Armenia (below right); Yerevan (below left). maining historical mosque, one north, the North Caucasus na- ITINERARY... synagogue, the historic Persian tions remain restless even while Day 1, Tbilisi baths, and the Narikala fortress. Option to attend Vespers ser- defacto truces surrounding the Guests arriving at the Tbilisi in- vice at 5pm to hear traditional 2014 Winter Olympic games ternational airport (TBS) will chanting, or go off exploring on take place on the 150th anni- be met by a chauffeur and trans- your own! versary of the annihilation of ported to a boutique hotel in the Circassian and Adyghean downtown Tbilisi. The first or- tribes on the north coast of the ganized activity will be a cham- Black Sea. Meanwhile, UNES- pagne toast at 6:30pm, followed CO and the diaspora communi- by a welcome banquet at 7pm. ties of both nations have taken an active role in protecting and rebuilding medieval Christian sites throughout the South Cau- casus. John Graham Tours St. Meinard tour: “Ancient Christianity in Georgia & Armenia” June, 2020 Page 6 Vineyards in East Georgia (above); Georgian singers and cuisine (below). Day 3, Mtskheta Day 4, Dilijan In the mid morning, we drive Departing Tbilisi, we’ll travel East to Mtskheta, the ancient south into the upland plateaus capital of Georgia where we’ll of Armenia. We’ll visit the me- tour the 12th century Samtavro dieval monasteries of Akhtala Convent, burial site of 4th cen- and Haghpat while driving tury saints Nana and Mirian, through the impressive basalt tury monasteries built on an and St. Gabriel, a 20th c. “Fool- cliffs of the Debed Canyon. island, then proceed towards for-Christ,” and a recently can- In the afternoon, we’ll travel the 13th c. Geghard monastery onized saint. We will also tour through the mountains into the complex. Some of the chapels in the monolithic 11th century forested Dilijan National Park, this complex are carved directly Cathedral of the Life-Giving where we’ll stay one night in the into the stone, and have incred- Pillar, the heart of the Geor- Paradise hotel. Time permitting ible acoustic resonance. We also gian Orthodox Church, and the we’ll