On 14 May the Church venerates memory of St. right-believing Queen Tamara the Great.

St. Tamara was the descendant of Bagratuni dynasty, which, according to Georgian version, was descended from King David himself. In 1178 Tamara’s father King George declared her as his joint ruler. Seven years leter, when father had died, Tamara became the Queen of Georgia.

On a dawn of her reign she had assigned worthy persons for important posts and made the Church free of taxes.

Young queen was natively beautiful, intelligent and charming, so she was the desired bride for a lot governors around the world. But Tamara since her childhood wished to remain in celibate. The Kingdom needed a heir, thus Tamara married to prince of Ossetia David. The marriage was fortunate and soon their firstborn son George was born.

Queen Tamara has done much for recommence of greatness of Georgian Kingdom, and for wide spreading of Christianity across that entire area; she built a lot of churches and monasteries. Neighbor nations were in prosperity together with Georgia. According to historians, the power of Kingdom during Tamara’s reign was the greatest throughout its history. That time is called «the Golden Age of Georgian history».

The governor took a lot of care for improvement of churches and for fulfillment of the church discipline for everywhere. A Divine Liturgy and prayer services were celebrated in her palace for every single day.

St. Tamara was inexhaustible good person. For three decades of her rule nobody was punished for her order.

The unknown sickness of Tamara was found shortly before her death. Prayers for her healing were raised all across the country. God summoned the righteous governor in 1213.

The holy queen was canonized by Church and in hagiography she called Tamara the Great.

Queen Tamara bequeathed to bury her in secret. Ten squads with coffins went out of palace in different directions, so it is unknown where her relics are.