Hilarion of Ube

Venerable Hilarion of Ube (first half of the ninth century) was the founder and first abbot of the Ube Monastery (today Ubisi), in western Georgia, near the Tsipa pass. He is venerated as a saint in the Synaxis of the Venerable Fathers and Mothers of Klarjeti of the Orthodox Church of Georgia, canonized in October 2002 (by other data in 2003); he is commemorated on 5 October (old calendar).

News of him is in the Life of Venerable Gregory of Khandzta, written by George Merchule in 951. The author describes him as an old man "worthy of trust" and shows that, struggling in Jerusalem, most probably in the Lavra of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified, where a Georgian school of scribes then existed, he "wrote good books." Then he settled in the Khandzta monastery, founded by Gregory. When Gregory's disciples Theodore and Christopher left the monastery secretly, wishing to raise new monasteries, Hilarion followed them, though old. Gregory set out after the disciples and found them in the kingdom of western Georgia (Abkhazia), with King Demetrius II (825-861). Theodore and Christopher the teacher took back to Khandzta, but Hilarion he allowed to remain at Ube, in the monastery made at the king's request with Gregory's blessing, where Hilarion later became abbot. The Life also says that Gregory gave this monastery the books he had with him, and King Demetrius "was filled with joy at the building of the monastery, gave much for its construction, gave Father Gregory and his friends ten thousand drams and filled them with all good things."