From the Prologue of Ochrid
In the wilderness of David-Gareja in Georgia there were twelve monasteries, in which many monks had labored ascetically through the centuries. In the year 1615 Shah Abbas I attacked Georgia and laid waste to all of it, and slaughtered countless Christians. Once, going out to hunt at the very dawn of Pascha, he beheld in the mountains numerous lights. These were monks from all twelve communities in procession around the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, with candles in hand. When the Shah learned that these were monks, he asked with astonishment: "Has not all of Georgia yet been put to the sword?" and he ordered the soldiers to go at once and cut down all the monks. An angel of God appeared at that moment to Abbot Arsenios and announced to him their imminent death. Arsenios communicated this to all the brethren. Then all partook of the Most Pure Mysteries and prepared themselves for death. At that moment the attackers arrived, and hacked to pieces first the Abbot, who came out first before them, and then all the rest. All suffered honorably, and were crowned with unwithering crowns in the year 1615. Thus ended the history of these renowned monasteries, which for more than a thousand years had served as a hearth of spiritual enlightenment for the Georgians. Today only two remain: that of Saint David and that of Saint John the Forerunner. The Georgian King Archil gathered all the relics of the martyrs and reverently buried them. Those relics to this very day exude a healing myrrh and heal the sick.
“Having heard of these threats, many fell away from the faith and worshiped the idols.”
