International Relations
St. Queen Ketevan’s Relics: Georgia
- 15 Jul 2021
- 3 min read
Why in News
Recently, India has gifted one part of the holy relics of 17th century St. Queen Ketevan to the Georgian government.
- These relics were gifted on the first ever visit of India’s External Affairs Minister to independent Georgia.
- Georgia is a strategically important country situated at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia.
Key Points
- About:
- Queen Ketevan was from Kakheti, a kingdom in eastern Georgia.
- It is believed that, she was killed in 1624 in Shiraz (modern day Iran) for not converting to Islam.
- The parts of her remains were brought to Goa by Augustinian monks in 1627.
- The relics of the martyred Queen Ketevan were found by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in 2005 in the ruins of the Church of St. Augustine in Goa.
- Many historical, religious and spiritual sentiments of the Georgian people are attached to St. Queen Ketevan.
Church of St. Augustine
- Church of St. Augustine is a ruined church complex located in Goa.
- The church was completed in 1602 by Augustinian monks who landed in Goa in 1587.
- The church was abandoned in 1835 after the Portuguese government of Goa began evicting many religious orders in Goa under its new repressive policies.
- The subsequent neglect caused the vault of the church to collapse in 1842.
- It is a part of the Churches and convents of Goa, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- India-Georgia Relations:
- Historical Background: Fables from India’s Panchtantra are believed to have influenced the Georgian folk legends.
- Those links were further strengthened in medieval ages by missionaries, travelers, and traders.
- Recent Visit: India was willing to do more in terms of investment in Georgia, which ranks highly in the ease of doing business index.
- Georgia has also applied for EU (European Union) membership, which, if accepted, would give India another gateway to Europe, and a foothold in the Caucasus.
- There is also a political significance of this visit, given the hostile relations between Russia and Georgia.
- India has given clear signals to Russia that it was not happy with the recent visit of Russia’s foreign minister to Pakistan.
- Historical Background: Fables from India’s Panchtantra are believed to have influenced the Georgian folk legends.
Caucasus
- Mountain system and region lying between the Black Sea (west) and the Caspian Sea (east) and occupied by Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia.