Saint Queen Ketevan and the Theological Concept of the Soul’s Victory over the Body

Abstract

The conference report explores the tumultuous political and religious landscape of 18th -19th-century Georgia. This period is marked by the country’s struggles for survival amidst the crossfire between Iran, the Ottoman Empire, and Russia. Queen Ketevan spent ten years as a hostage of Shah Abbas. When King Teimuraz resolved to seek assistance from Russia to free his mother, Shah Abbas in response, commanded Undiladze to force Queen Ketevan to convert to Islam. Undiladze, terrified by the terrible order, pleaded with the queen to outwardly convert to Islam while remaining Christian in her heart, however, the queen’s response was firmly motivated: ’Georgians can’t see into hearts, but they will accept the verbal confession of Islam, and because of the queen is a mirror of the nation, therefore nation will become Muslim.’
Consequently, St. Ketevan remained unwavering. Before her torture, she only asked for the right to pray. „The queen was steadfast,” wrote the French Catholic missionaries at the Iranian court afterward. Her unyielding spirit left a profound impression on the people. The body of the queen, who had been tortured with unprecedented cruelty, was considered a priceless treasure by those who witnessed it. French missionaries found the holy relic, which had been specially hidden by the enemy. They wrapped it in a cloth soaked in precious ointment and took it to France, from where it was sent to King Teimuraz. However, the sacred relic, buried in the Alaverdi Monastery, was lost in 1723. The holy relics of the queen, renowned for their healing power, were taken to India (Goa Church), Rome (St. Peter’s Basilica), and Belgium (Namur Church).
The heroic sacrifice of Saint Ketevan resulted in Georgia’s awakening and a significant arousal of the spirit of freedom. This is evidenced by the battles of Martkopi and Marabda, during which the Safavid Iranian army struggled and was nearly defeated by the bravery of Georgians, inspired by the saint. The torture of the queen saved Georgia and disrupted Shah Abbas’s plan to completely Islimize „Gx urjistan”, which meant stripping the country of its ontological foundation, represented by Christianity.
In the conference presentation, we discuss the theological factors that guided the saint to endure unspeakable suffering, so that the soul might ultimately triumph over the body.