Blessed Kristesia

Blessed Kristesia, called in Georgian sources the Blessed Kristesia and, after his tonsure, Christophore, was in fact a man, an ascetic of the desert of Saint John the Baptist at Gareji, who died in 1771. He came from Samegrelo in western Georgia and from childhood wished to serve God in solitude. At his lord's command he married and had a son. After some time his wife and son died. The lord wanted to marry him again, but Kristesia did not obey; he went to his spiritual father, told him his trouble and asked advice. The spiritual father urged him to leave the deceptive world and take shelter in the Gareji desert. Encouraged by the father's words, he left everything and withdrew to the desert of Saint John the Baptist.

Father Kristesia spent many years in obedience: he carried water and wood to the monastery, doing everything with submission and diligence. He was old when he was tonsured a monk and given the name Christophore. In his hermit life his rule was this: seven kilometres from the monastery in the desert he had a jar which he filled daily with water, beside a small hut; a small jug hung on its threshold, visible from afar, and travellers quenched their thirst at the old man's jar. He also kept a small garden for wayfarers. Whatever he was given he shared with others: with the honey and wheat offered he made koliva every Saturday in three vessels, one for the dead of the giver, a second for the fathers reposed in the monastery, and a third for all the Orthodox. When he heard of any quarrel or hatred he went to the quarrelling and urged them with sweet words to reconcile. He is commemorated on 11 May (new style; 24 May on the Julian calendar of Georgia).