Georgian orthodox Christians celebrate the day of Svetitskhovloba-Mtskhetoba today. Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi Ilia II is serving Holy Liturgy at the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta.
Georgian Christians are also marking the Day of the King Mirian and Queen Nana. The original church of Svetitskhoveli was built in IV century A.D. during the reign of Mirian III. St. Nino is said to have chosen the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers as the place of the first Georgian Church.
According to Georgian hagiography, in the first century AD a Georgian Jew from Mtskheta named Elias was in Jerusalem when Jesus was crucified. Elias bought Jesus' robe from a Roman soldier at Golgotha and brought it back to Georgia. Returning to his native city, he was met by his sister Sidonia who upon touching the robe immediately died from the emotions engendered by the sacred object. The robe could not be removed from her grasp, so she was buried with it. The place where Sidonia is buried with Christ`s robe is preserved in the Cathedral.
The celebrations also include various activities - concert shows, sport competitions, exhibitions and presentation of various development projects of the city.
