Krtsanisi Day Celebrated on Monday

On Monday, the administration of Tbilisi’s Krtsanisi district organized a traditional celebration of Krtsanisi. Deputy Mayor Ilia Eloshvili and Krtsanisi District Governor Levan Japaridze both attended the festivities.

Eloshvili addressed the crowd, first thanking the Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Ilia II, for laying the foundation for the event. "The 300 Aragveli are a symbol of courage, determination, and victory. Despite the fact that we lost Krtsanisi's fight, in reality, the 300 Aragveli won this fight, and left an example for our children for. They showed us that no fight is truly lost if you fight, if you fight bravely, with courage,” said Eloshvili.

The 300 Aragveli were a group of highlanders from the Aragvi River basin who fought in the Battle of Krtsanisi in 1795, making their last stand against the invading Qajar army in an attempt to defend the capital Tbilisi. In 2008, the Georgian Orthodox Church made canonizes the soldiers as martyrs.

At the site of the memorial to the 300 Aragveli in Krtsanisi, a symbolic funeral was held for the martyrs. Later, there were folklore, martial arts, and theatrical performances. Performances were organized to reflect the diversity of Georgia, and included dances and songs from various regions.

By Samantha Guthrie

Photo: Tbilisi City Hall