L’adoption du christianisme en Georgia est liée à Sainte Nino. Elle était originaire de Cappadoce et son père, Zabilon, était commandant militaire romain.
Nino's parents devoutly believed in Christianity to the point where, when Nino turned 12, they sold all their possessions, gave their money to the poor, and moved to Jerusalem. There the girl received her education from old Nianfora. This lady often mentioned to Nino the existence of Iberia (present-day Georgia). At that time, the country was still pagan. The young girl, learning that Iberia was not a Christian, began to pray day and night for her salvation.
One day, Nino had a dream in which the Virgin gave him a cross woven in the vineyard, and called him to go to Georgia to preach Christianity. Nino set off on a journey and arrived in Mtskheta (the ancient capital of Georgia), where she was taken in by the family of the king's gardener. Nino began to preach Christianity, and many began to follow her. After a while, Queen Nana fell ill and Nino prayed for her. Following this prayer, Queen Nana heals.
Malgré la guérison de sa femme, le roi de l’Iberia antique, Mirian, ne voulu pas renoncer au paganisme et accepter le christianisme. Cependant, un jour, alors que le roi chassait, il fut frappé par la foudre et devint immédiatement aveugle. Suite à cet événement, il promit d’accepter le christianisme s’il recouvrait la vue grâce à Nino. Et comme prévu, Nino pria et Nino guérit le roi qui déclara le christianisme comme religion d’Etat en Géorgie en l’an 337. Nino ne guérit pas seulement des rois, mais elle sut, à travers ses prières où était caché la Sainte tunique de Jésus, qui fut transmis de Jérusalem et enterré à Mtskheta.
This is exactly where the first Christian church in Georgia was built, the present-day Svetitskhoveli Cathedral.