Tamaroba: Feast of Saint Queen Tamar in Georgia

Georgians are a nation that cherishes the preservation of the heritage and the memory of their ancestors. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are many holidays in Georgia associated with rulers, kings and ancient rituals. One of them, Tamaroba, will be discussed in this article.

Where did the tradition of celebrating Tamaroba come from

The Tamaroba festival itself is celebrated in honor of Queen Tamar. She was the only woman who headed the throne in the entire history of the country's existence and made a huge contribution to its formation and development. Georgia has never flourished so much as under Queen Tamara.

The century of her reign fell at the beginning of the XI century . It was not immediately possible for her to win the trust and love of citizens. Many took up arms against her, since before that the throne was headed only by male warriors.

After the death of Tamar's father, the army also did not immediately allow her to take command. Only after marrying a Russian prince, she was able to fully rule the country. However, a couple of years later she dissolved her marriage with a Russian and married the love of her life and childhood friend of the Ossetian prince. In the second marriage, the queen gave birth to two children.

Georgians associate great victories in battles, the enlightenment of the inhabitants and the spread of Christianity to all regions of modern Georgia with the reign of Tamara. She managed to unite the peoples of Abkhazia, Kakheti and Imereti, established dominance over almost the entire Caucasus and successfully repelled the attacks of the Turks.

She chose the cave city of Vardzia, which was also built during her reign, as her favorite place to live. And the bridges that she came up with have managed to preserve their appearance and purpose to the present. They were so durable and of high quality.

With such wise and sensitive leadership, Tamara won the love of the people of Georgia and forever remained in the memory of her ancestors as the main Queen of the country. Later, the Georgian Church canonized her and approved the day of her commemoration on May 14. Since then, the Tamaroba holiday has been celebrated annually in Georgia.

National customs on Tamaroba

This is a church holiday, so on May 14, a prayer service for St. Tamara is held in all Georgian churches. The main events are held in the church where the queen herself was married at the time – the Church of the Didubian Mother of God.

Also, extensive celebrations are held in the city of Akhaltsikhe, which is rightfully considered the city of the formation of Queen Tamar. The largest monument in Georgia has been erected here in her honor.

Orthodox Christians on this day ask for blessings and help from the Holy Blessed Tamara, offer prayers for the healing of the soul and body, as well as for protection from natural destruction.

How other holidays are celebrated in Georgia. What days are officially declared days off and what traditions are observed by residents, read in the Madloba catalog! Already today you can get to know the amazing customs of the most hospitable country in the world!