Saint Nina (Nino), Equal-to-the-Apostles and the Enlightener of Georgia
(January 14/27)
(†335)

Saint Nina was the only child in a well-respected Christian family.  On her father’s side, she was related to St. George, on her mother’s – to the Patriarch of Jerusalem.  When Nina was a young girl, her father became a monk, and her mother was appointed a deaconess.  Nina was raised by an old Christian woman, Nianphora, who treated the girl as her own daughter.

From Nianphora Nina heard a story about Christ’s tunic.  She learned (узнала) that the resting place of the tunic was Iberia, a far-away land in the Caucasus.  Iberia was an old name for Georgia.  Nina felt sorry for the people who lived in darkness there and did not know the love of the true God.  She wanted to preach the Gospel in that distant country.  Nina prayed to the Lord to show her the way.  The Holy Virgin heard the girl’s prayers and came to her in a vision.  The Theotokos gave Nina a grapevine cross and said, “Go to Iberia and tell the people there about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

With the Patriarch’s blessing, Nina started her long and dangerous journey to the Kingdom of Iberia.  Finally, she reached Mtskheta, the capital.  There, Nina began to preach the word of Christ.  Many people listened to her and accepted the Christian faith.  They also came to Nina when they were sick, because she had the gift of healing.  Saint Nina helped everybody, and the people loved her.  Nana, the Queen of Iberia, who was very ill, also came to Nina and received divine healing.

Afterwards (потом), Nana was baptized and became a devout Christian.  Many Iberians followed her example.  King Mirian did not believe in Christ until he witnessed a miracle.  Once, when the king was hunting, darkness covered the forest, and he could not see anything.  King Mirian and his servants became very afraid and started asking their gods for help.  It became even darker.  When the king prayed to the Lord, the darkness disappeared, and he could see again.  Soon after the miracle, Mirian was baptized, and Christianity became the religion of his kingdom.

When Saint Nina finished her mission in Iberia, she went to the mountains of Kakhetia and preached the Gospel there.   Saint Nina died surrounded by her followers.

Caucasus  [ˈkɔːkəsəs]
Iberia  [aɪ′ bɪ: rɪǝ]
Georgia  [ˈdʒɔːdʒə]

Словарь к тексту

equal, adj.  [ˈɪːkwl]  равный; equal-to-the-Apostles   равноапостольный    
enlightener, n.  [ɪn ′laɪt nǝ]  просветитель
relate to, v.  [rɪˈleɪt]  быть в родстве
Patriarch, n.  [ˈpeɪtrɪaːk] Патриарх
appoint, v.  [əˈpɔɪnt]  назначать
deaconess, n. [ˈdɪːkənɪs]  диаконисса
raise, v.  [reɪz]  растить, выращивать
tunic, n.  [ˈtjuːnɪk]  хитон
grapevine, n.  [ˈgreɪp vaɪn]  виноградная лоза
divine, adj.  [dɪˈvaɪn]  божественный, небесный
surround, v.  [səˈraund]  окружать
follower, n.  [ˈfɔləuəʳ]  последователь