Stepane Mtbevari Stephen of T'beti, was a 10th-century hierarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church and religious writer. Mtbevari, "of T'beti", is the title indicating his holding of the diocese of T'beti, centered on the eponymous monastery in Shavsheti (now in eastern Turkey

Turkey

Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

). He is praised by the contemporary hagiographer

Hagiography

Hagiography is the study of saints.From the Greek and , it refers literally to writings on the subject of such holy people, and specifically to the biographies of saints and ecclesiastical leaders. The term hagiology, the study of hagiography, is also current in English, though less common...

 Giorgi Merchule

Giorgi Merchule

thumb|Icon of Giorgi MerchuleGiorgi Merchule was a 10th-century Georgian monk and writer who authored "The Vita of Grigol Khandzteli", a hagiographic novel dealing with the life of the prominent Georgian churchman St. Grigol Khandzteli .Giorgi was a monk at the Georgian Orthodox monastery of...

 as a writer in The Life of Grigol of Khandzta

Gregory of Khandzta

Gregory of Khandzta was a prominent Georgian ecclesiastic figure and a founder and leader of numerous monastic communities in Tao-Klarjeti, historic southwest Georgia....

, but beyond a translation of a commentary to the Psalms

Psalms

The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...

, the Passion of Gobron

Gobron

Gobron also known as Mikel-Gobron or Michael-Gobron was a Christian Georgian military commander who led the defense of the fortress of Q'ueli against the Sajid emir of Azerbaijan. When the fortress fell after a 28-day-long siege, Gobron was captured and beheaded, having rejected inducements to...

is his only—and best known—extant work.

The Passion of Gobron is a piece of original hagiography, commissioned from the author by the Georgian Bagratid

Bagrationi Dynasty

The Bagrationi dynasty was the ruling family of Georgia. Their ascendency lasted from the early Middle Ages until the early 19th century. In modern usage, this royal line is frequently referred to as the Georgian Bagratids, a Hellenized form of their dynastic name.The origin of the Bagrationi...

 prince Ashot Kukhi (died 918) and relating heroic defense of the fort of Q'ueli by Christian Georgian noble Gobron and his eventual death as a martyr

Martyr

A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...

 at the hands of the Muslim

Muslim

A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...

 emir

Emir

Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...

 Yusuf Ibn Abi'l-Saj

Yusuf Ibn Abi'l-Saj

Yusuf ibn Abi'l Saj was the Sajid amir of Azerbaijan from 901 until his death. He was the son of Abi'l-Saj Devdad.-War with Armenians and Georgians:...

 (Abu l'Kasim) in 914. "The Holy Father Stepane Mtbevari" and his work are also mentioned by the 11th-century anonymous Chronicle of Kartli, part of the Georgian Chronicles, while the 11th-century historian Sumbat

Sumbat Davitis-Dze

Sumbat Davitis-Dze , or Sumbat, son of David, in modern English transliteration, was the 11th-century Georgian chronicler who described in his The Life and Tale of the Bagratids the history of the Bagrationi Dynasty of Georgia from the beginnings until c. 1030. The Georgian scholar Ekvtime...

 reports Stepane's installment by Ashot Kukhi as the first bishop of T'beti.

The Passion of Gobron opens with edifying quotations from the Book of Job

Book of Job

The Book of Job , commonly referred to simply as Job, is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. It relates the story of Job, his trials at the hands of Satan, his discussions with friends on the origins and nature of his suffering, his challenge to God, and finally a response from God. The book is a...

 and Saint Paul. It then continues, condemning the Armenians

Armenian Apostolic Church

The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...

 for their "heresy

Heresy

Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...

", a reference to Armenia's rejection of the Council of Chalcedon

Council of Chalcedon

The Council of Chalcedon was a church council held from 8 October to 1 November, 451 AD, at Chalcedon , on the Asian side of the Bosporus. The council marked a significant turning point in the Christological debates that led to the separation of the church of the Eastern Roman Empire in the 5th...

. While describing the Muslim invasion and Gobron's defense of Q'ueli, Stepane shows a talent for epic storytelling.

External links

Tsagareishvili, Elene (2010). სტეფანე მტბევარი (Stepane Mtbevari). ქართველი ისტორიული მოღვაწენი (Georgian Historical Figures) by Georgian National Center of Manuscripts

Georgian National Center of Manuscripts

The Georgian National Center of Manuscripts is a research and educational institution dedicated to studying old manuscripts and historical documents. The Center is based in Tbilisi . Was founded as Institute of Manuscripts on June 30, 1958...

. Accessed November 29, 2011. Martyrium Gobronis TITUS

TITUS (project)

TITUS is a project of Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main, maintained by Professor Dr...

Old Georgian hagiographical and homiletic texts: Part No. 22. Accessed November 29, 2011.