Great Journey 🏍 Day 367
The way up to Sighnaghi (or down, as the case may be) passes a monastery. The Bodbe Monastery.
So let's go there. I admit, it wasn't the monastery that attracted us, no, it was the pilgrims' café and the accompanying toilet that made us stop quickly.
After all human needs were taken care of, the monastery surprised us: a just freshly renovated church (originally from the 18th century), a beautiful view over the plain, the view all the way to Azerbaijan, into the great Caucasus and then the magnificent monastery garden.
According to legend, the monastery was built on the tomb of Saint Nino, the one who brought Christianity to Georgia. Nino lived in the fourth century AD, so it's been a while.
At that time, the king wanted to honour Nino and bring the grave to Mtskheta (we would have to go there again, sometime). Nino's wish to remain buried right here apparently manifested itself greatly. For according to legend, the grave could not be moved a millimetre. "No 200 men made it", as the history books know. Whether a few weak men were added in each new edition of the history books, who knows?
The spring located here naturally has a healing effect again. Like all the springs in all the monasteries we visit. We don't have anything to heal right now, so we skip the bath in the holy/healing water and stroll through the garden. Until we arrive, purely by chance of course, at the pilgrims' café again and let ourselves be pampered there.
#bodbe #bodbemonastry #sighnaghi
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