Serapion of Zarzma

Venerable Serapion of Zarzma lived in the ninth century, died around the year 900, and is one of the great fathers of Georgian monasticism. He was the son of a lord of Klarjeti, known for wealth and good deeds; he was orphaned of his mother when small, and his father soon died. From childhood he longed for the life of a hermit and set out with his younger brother John for Parekhi monastery, asking the guidance of the "spiritual father and teacher of orphans", the great wonderworker Michael of Parekhi. The eldest brother stayed at home to continue the family tradition of caring for wanderers and the poor. Michael saw in Serapion zeal for divine service and blessed him to receive the priesthood.

Once, while praying, Michael was instructed in a vision to send his disciples Serapion and John to Samtskhe to found a monastery. Serapion was alarmed at so great a responsibility, but submitted to his spiritual father's will and set off for Samtskhe with several companions, taking a wonderworking icon of the Transfiguration. The monks climbed to the peak of a very high mountain and wanted to begin building there, but the villagers chased them away; the fathers found the exact place Michael had seen in the vision. In that region ruled a faithful nobleman, George Chorchaneli. One day, while hunting, he saw smoke above the dense forest and sent a servant to find out; he was told that two remarkable monks had settled there. He went at once, greeted them humbly, venerated the icon and asked their blessing. Overjoyed and inspired by Serapion's preaching, the prince fell on his knees and promised to help him in every way to found the monastery; he donated the land and gave a deed assigning to the future monastery all the territory the monks could cover on foot in one day.

The brothers walked over unexplored land, through dense forests and rocky paths, accompanied by two God-⁠fearing local men, Ia and Garbaneli. Not all received them warmly: the people of Tsiskvili met them with hostility. That same night a miracle occurred: an earthquake split the rocks holding back Lake Satakhve and washed away the whole village of Tsiskvili; only two brothers survived. The place has been called Zarzma since (the word "zari" is often used for a tragic event). Venerable Serapion fell asleep around the year 900. George Matskvereli was a close companion of his and contributed to the writings on his life. He is commemorated on 29 October (new style).