Jvaris Mama (Father of the Cross)

Jvaris Mama is a 16th-century domed church. Its name is associated with the Georgian Monastery of the Cross in Jerusalem, as the church served as an ecclesiastical centre under its jurisdiction and supported the monastery for centuries. In written sources, Jvaris Mama is first mentioned in a charter of King George dating to 1678.

The present church dates to the 16th century. The earlier structure was destroyed during Timur’s campaigns at the end of the 14th century, and a new church was subsequently built on the site. In 1795, during Agha Mohammad Khan’s capture of Tbilisi, the church was again severely damaged. It was restored in 1825, and an extension was added to the western side. This extension was demolished in the 20th century and reconstructed in 1999–2000.

The architectural appearance of the church is simple, although its façades are decorated with cross motifs executed in brick. The church is particularly significant for its historical connection with Georgian monastic life in Jerusalem: until 1921, it belonged to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

The church’s earlier wall paintings were whitewashed during the Soviet period, as a result of which most of the original frescoes are no longer discernible. Traces of the earlier paintings survive only in the conch and are presumably dated to the 19th century. The present frescoes were executed by the contemporary artist M. Chakvetadze.