Venerable (Monastic) 6th century

Anthony of Martqopi

6th century

Also known as Anthony, Founder of Monasticism in Georgia · one of the 13 Syrian Fathers

One of the Thirteen Syrian Fathers who came to Georgia in the sixth century and planted monastic life there, ending his days as a stylite at Martqopi.

Feast Day

January 19

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Commemorated as

Our Venerable Father Anthony the Stylite of Martqopi

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Missionary Work

Life

Anthony of Martqopi was one of the Thirteen Syrian Fathers, a group of monastic missionaries who, by tradition, came from Mesopotamia to Georgia in the sixth century to strengthen the Christian faith and establish monastic life throughout the land. According to the synaxarion he originated from Edessa and traveled to Georgia together with Saint John of Zedazeni, the leader of the fathers. He settled in the region of Kakheti to preach the Gospel, and is counted among those credited with founding monasticism in Georgia.

By tradition Anthony carried with him an icon of the Savior 'Not-Made-By-Hands' (the Acheiropoietos), which he brought from Edessa. He withdrew into the wilderness to live in solitude, where, the synaxarion relates, deer visited him in the evening and nourished him with their milk. As people came to know of him and sought him out, he constructed a monastery for the faithful; but finding the attention burdensome, he fled the world for the peak of a mountain.

There Anthony spent the last fifteen years of his life as a stylite, preaching from the top of a pillar. From this secluded manner of life the place and its monastery took the name Martqopi. When his death drew near, by tradition he gathered his disciples and blessed them, and died on his knees before his beloved icon; he was buried in the monastery he had founded. He is commemorated on January 19, and also on August 16; the Thirteen Syrian Fathers as a group are commemorated together as a movable feast.

Contributions & Legacy

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The Thirteen Syrian Fathers

The Thirteen Syrian (also called Assyrian) Fathers were monastic missionaries who, by tradition, arrived in Georgia in the sixth century under the leadership of Saint John of Zedazeni to deepen and spread the Christian faith. They founded monasteries across the country and are remembered for establishing the monastic life in Georgia. The number 'thirteen' is understood to be largely symbolic, as tradition names a larger company of monks active in this mission.

Among the fathers commemorated alongside Anthony are David of Gareja, Shio of Mgvime, Joseph of Alaverdi, Abibus of Nekresi, and Jesse of Tsilkani, several of whom are also venerated individually on their own feast days. Anthony's labors were concentrated in Kakheti and the surrounding mountains.

Life as a Stylite

The defining feature of Anthony's life in the tradition is his withdrawal to the top of a pillar, the ascetic practice of stylitism. Having founded a monastery and drawn a community around him, he sought greater seclusion and ascended a pillar on a mountain peak, from which he continued to preach for the final fifteen years of his life. The epithet associated with this secluded life gave its name to Martqopi.

Notes

Among the Thirteen Syrian Fathers, whose common commemoration is a movable feast.

Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Jan 19