January 27 is celebrated Memorial Day of Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina, educators of Georgia. All her life, this fragile woman preached the Gospel and worked miracles of healing. Nowadays, her relics are kept in the Bodbiya monastery near the town of Sighnahi and recognized as its main shrine.

Nina was born in Cappadocia around 280. Her family came from a noble family, and her mother’s brother was the Patriarch of Jerusalem. Since childhood, the girl enjoyed listening to stories about the life of Jesus Christ. At the age of twenty, she came with her parents to Jerusalem, where her upbringing was entrusted to the pious Nianfora. From this woman, Nina learned that Christ’s tunic is kept in the Caucasus in the city of Mtskheti. But the inhabitants of those lands are pagans who do not know the Gospel preaching. After this conversation, the Blessed Virgin appeared to Nina. She ordered the girl to go to Georgia and gave her a vine cross.

Crossing great obstacles, cold and hunger, Nina reached the country of Iverska, where she began to spread the teachings of Christ and perform miracles. Soon she had female students who, after her mentor’s death in 335, continued to carry out her mission.