Mourvanoss was the first saint in our highly honorable royal family,
later on so abundant in holy martyrs, preachers and leaders. In the
year three hundred and ninety-three A.D. the Georgian King Varaz
(ovenne)-Bakarr was favored with the birth of a son Mourvanoss,
the birth of whom had been predicted to his mother by angels. This
mother was namely the grand-daughter of Revv, the son of Mirian
and daughter of Trdat, that is to say third cousin of her husband
the Tsar Varaze-Bakarr, the grandson of Bakarr the First and son to
Mirdat the Third. Bakarr the First loved very much his dear nephews,
especially the younger of them, Bakourious. The son of Bakarr the
First, Mirdat was almost the same age as Trdat and the cousins
frequently passed the time together, their children grew up under
the shelter of this friendship and did not notice how their childish
friendship went over into love. Although the parents had absolutely
nothing against the marriage, yet the youthful Tsarevna was always
tormented by the thought that they were not acting in accordance
with the holy laws of the church, which strictly forbade marriage
between two third cousins. Most honorable, good, simple, merciful,
helping everybody in case of need or unhappiness, she as Tsaritsa
still went on tormenting herself with the acknowledgment of her sin
and, see! the Lord really wished to quiet and comfort her and as a
sign of forgiveness sent angels, who announced to her that He blessed
her marriage by the birth of a saintly baby.
While still at his mother's breast, Mourvanoss regularly observed the
fasts, refusing to suck the breast on Wednesdays and Fridays. Hardly
had he learned to talk when he earnestly began to commit to memory what
he had heard in the church and gradually as he grew older instructed
himself always more and more in the holy scriptures.
When Varaze-Bakarr died, Mourvanoss and his brothers and sisters
were children, and as guardian over them they chose the uncle Trdat,
having also handed over to his administration the kingdom until the
coming of age of the children of Varaze-Bakarr and his daughter, who
had already died, while, however, the younger son of Varaze-Bakarr,
Faremanne, from his second wife, was being educated at the home of
the kristav of Sammeshvillde. Notwithstanding his very advanced age
Trdat reigned most wisely; he was a thoroughly God-fearing, sensible
and cautious man. Thanks to his extreme wisdom the Persians were
completely conquered, the righteous state of affairs again introduced
into the country and many churches restored and newly erected.
Under him died the well-known Bishop Yovv and was superseded by
Tlia. Although he of course paid tribute to the Persians, yet
he understood how to get back from them Rousstave where he then
triumphantly built a church. He also finely restored Nekreziy.
Mourvanoss was already fifteen years old, when the Greek Emperor,
Theodosius the Younger, came upon the throne and the relations between
Greece and Persia became worse and worse.
The new Emperor fearing that other nations might unite and make common
cause with his enemies, offered Trdat an alliance, to assure which he
demanded some one of the children of Varaze-Bakarr as hostage. Good
Trdat, who equally loved all his grandsons, was in the greatest
confusion, while reflecting whom he should select, when to him appeared
Mourvanoss and energetically announced that he was going to Greece,
where he had long desired to be, as it was the centre and capital of
the whole Christian world, and with general consent and approbation he
started off for Constantinople. There he devoted himself to fasting,
praying and preaching, rebuking the tremendous worldly splendor with
which the Emperor constantly surrounded him.
To drown unnecessary gossip he clothed himself in a vlassianitsa of
most ordinary goat wool. To the general astonishment of the people he
soon acquired a complete and perfect knowledge of the Greek and Syrian
languages and ardently studied philosophy. The Lord now rewarded him
with the exceptional gift of being capable of healing the sick. Thanks
to his petition the remains of the martyrs, who had suffered torment
and death in Persia, were safely transported into old Georgia. Once
upon a time, on the eve of the Most Holy Baptism of the Lord, intending
to pass the whole night in devotion and prayer, Mourvanoss ordered
his servant to bring him some butter for the little lamp.
But he brusquely answered him: "Thou art a royal son and, instead of
reigning as it becomes one of thy rank, thou livest as a monk without
eating a morsel from one Sunday to another," and he did not go for
the desired butter. But the Tsarevitch filled the little lamp with
water instead of butter, and, lighting it, accomplished with this
marvellous light his holy, holy prayers. Seven whole days and nights
the wonderful light did not once go out, and during that period our
Lord Jesus Christ appeared to the Saint to invisibly accompany and
protect him everywhere. With the help and favor of God the Tsarevitch
carried out many wonders, healing the sick with the water of his
little lamp. The Emperor namely had a eunuch who used to like to come
and pray together with the Saint.
The Tsarevitch thought of leaving the Imperial Court accompanied by
the eunuch, but Theodosius, having heard of the plan, sent a guard
to watch them. Nevertheless through the almighty mercy of God they
succeeded in avoiding being closely observed by them and during the
night ran away. An all-shining holy pillar went in front of them,
guiding them and illuminating their road.
Upon the appearance of the pillar the following words were heard
coming out of it: "He who doth follow me will never fall into the
region of darkness and unbelief!"
Finding a respectable vessel, they after a few days arrived in a port
then unknown to them, where they were immediately locked up in the
local prison. But that same night a terrific earthquake with perfectly
awful noise took place there and many, many people perished through
it. To the commandant of the city appeared a perfectly unknown man,
the very voice of whom reminded one of tremendous rolls of thunder.
"Deliver thou this minute the true servants of God!" he called out,
"otherwise this wicked town will be turned to ashes."
The frightened official immediately had the prisoners led out and
freed and they started off for Jerusalem, where at that time there
lived the runaway from Rome captive, Tsar Pipinoss, with his wife
Malienoss. They were very religiously inclined, had entirely given
up all worldly habits and pretensions, became monks and lived at
Jerusalem in two different monasteries, which they themselves had
erected. They caressingly received the newcomers. Having rested a
little, the saints went to the tomb of the Lord, where they also
became monks. Mourvanoss was named Peter and the eunuch John.
Who can possibly describe their charitable deeds! They shone like
illuminators, instructing and converting all and everything simply
by the splendid example of their own lives! They constructed two
monasteries and connected with these a house of refuge of strangers
for Georgians and Greeks, where the Tsarevitch humbly waited upon
travellers, and while occupied with such actions he reached his
twenty-fifth year. This monastery was named after the most Holy
Virgin. At this time the devil suddenly pounced down upon him in the
disguise of a stranger and began to argue with and insult the Saint
for having renounced all his rights to the crown and for having humbly
served his own servants, but the righteous hermit Peter soon found
out with whom he had to do and angrily chased him out of the hospice
of strangers. Then our Lord Jesus Christ for a second time appeared
to him and drew his attention towards the sky, where the Saint now
beheld a temple, in which fully fifty tsars of indescribable beauty
were singing hymns unto God and glorifying His Holy Name. In the
number of these select Christian worshippers the Lord also promised
to add the Tsarevitch Mourvanoss.
He was sixty-five years old when the patriarch of Jerusalem,
Anastasius, made him a full priest. He went off into a desert, where
on the banks of the Jordan he founded yet another monastery.
John accompanied him everywhere. Here he successfully healed a man
possessed with the devil, and delivered John from a tumor which
had formed itself on his face and threatened to deprive him of his
sight. When, however, John once more fell ill and suffered from some
deadly disease, the Saint implored that his life might be prolonged
for still twelve years.
He then visited and inspected all the Egyptian and Skithian
monasteries and returned to his own monastery with a hospice for
travelling strangers. At the time of hunger, he by the strength of
his righteous prayers filled the monastery dwellings with bread and
berries and the cellars with butter and wine.
In that year good John peacefully died and he was solemnly interred in
the monastery of the most Holy Virgin, which is to this day known under
the designation of "the monastery of the Georgians." Soon afterwards
the Bishop of Mayum died and the inhabitants having called together
a meeting, unanimously chose Peter the Georgian to be bishop in the
place of the deceased, and the patriarch fully approved their choice,
but the most humble Peter, not knowing how to avoid such a high honor,
thought of throwing himself down from an elevated spot in order
to break either a hand or a leg and so appear disqualified for the
election unless he should possibly succeed in hiding himself by flight.
Then the Lord appeared to him a third time with a quantity of angels
and ordered him to accept the bishopric. Many a time the good and
God-fearing people in Mayrounne heard the voice, which before had
announced various news to the Saint. At the time of a great dryness the
holy prayers of the Bishop brought down innumerable wonders. Fruitless
parents were comforted by the birth of children; the sick were healed
and recuperated, fruitless trees were instantly covered with fruit;
fishermen who until then had always been unsuccessful in their
attempts, now pulled out of the water laden nets. The Lord besides
all this favored him with the exalted gift of becoming a prophet and
enabled him thus to see the saintly souls in Heaven. Bishop Peter was
already eighty-one years old, when the all-holy fathers Tsaya and
Zenomme died and the ever-fortunate Bishop saw their sacred souls
rising to Heaven. The all-reverent Peter had been obliged to stand
much in the course of his life from the monophysites, through whose sly
proceedings he was for a short time deprived of his righteous pulpit,
to the great grief of the true believers. Emperor Leo Frakiisky had
hardly ascended the throne, when he hastened to restore the Mayioun
bishop in his rightful position. But he did not long keep his throne,
for he soon felt the approach of his death and announced these solemn
news to all those who belonged to his parish.
At that time Father Athanasius was favored with a superb vision: the
saints were praying to the Lord that he should order them to bring
up to their heavenly abode the all-holy bishop Peter, who had done so
exceedingly much in converting thousands and thousands of unbelievers
to the one True and Holy Faith!
Within ten days the wish of the saints was carried out. The Saint
passed these ten days in constant prayer, on the tenth day he conducted
a communion service, communed himself and also many true followers,
blessed the enthusiastic crowd and having tenderly parted with all
his dear folks he returned to his cell, where he serenely died and
was borne to Heaven by the mercy of the Almighty God on the second
day of December.
Many righteous and holy followers saw his soul carried by saints
preceded by the holy martyr Peter of Alexandria, and heard their
praises and songs of "Glory to God." Many till then incurable were
healed simply by being brought up to and placed against his holy
body. The holy Roman Pope Gregory Diologue dedicated a magnificent
funeral oration to his precious memory in his all-famous book.