Saint Shio of Mgvime

St. Shio was born in Antiochia in the 6th century. At the age of 12 he went to visit St. John of Zedazeni; he promised to receive Shio as a disciple, provided his parents agreed to his decision. But when Shio returned home he said nothing to his parents. Time passed and Shio's parents entered the monastic life. He sold all his possessions, distributed the profits to the poor and returned to St. John of Zedazeni. He was tonsured a monk and labored together with St. John for 20 years. After a divine revelation St. John together with 12 disciples(with Shio) traveled to Georgia and preaced Christian faith. They were settled on Zedazeni Mountain. St. Shio settled in the Sarkineti caves near Mtskheta and began to lead a strict ascetic life. Once St. Shio prayed to God to reveal to him the place where He desired a church to be built. He placed a lump of hot coal in his hand and sprinkled incense on it, as though his hand were a censer. Then he followed the smoke as it swirled up from the hot coal. In the place where it rose straight up like a pillar, he took his staff and marked the ground where the church would be built. When the construction of the church was complete, a monastic community began to grew up on its grounds. St. Shio spent 15 years in praying and fasting at his monastery. He died peacefully. His feast day is on May 9.