Church of Saint Alexander Nevsky

Why is it significant?

Pause before the charming red-brick facades of the Church of Saint Alexander Nevsky, nestled quietly on Marjanishvili Street.

Key Facts

Open the walk

Pause before the charming red-brick facades of the Church of Saint Alexander Nevsky, nestled quietly on Marjanishvili Street. Constructed in 1864 by the Russian Orthodox community of Tiflis with contributions from local military regiments and Viceroy Mikhail Vorontsov, this five-domed temple was built in the classic Russian Revival architectural style. Its ornate brick patterns, corbelled arches, and gilded onion cupolas stand in delightful contrast to the traditional conical stone domes that characterize Georgian ecclesiastical architecture.

Step into the warm, candlelit sanctuary to admire the historic iconostasis and nineteenth-century oil wall paintings depicting Orthodox saints and military protectors. The church possesses a sacred relic: a particle of the holy relics of Saint Alexander Nevsky, the thirteenth-century Grand Prince of Novgorod. Notice the delicate wrought-iron icon stands and beeswax candles flickering before the revered icon of the Mother of God of the Sign, which survived several periods of civil disturbance intact.

During the twentieth century, this church became internationally renowned as the spiritual home of Schema-Archimandrite Vitaly Sidorenko, one of the most beloved and clairvoyant elders of the Orthodox world. Father Vitaly lived in monastic poverty in the parish house, receiving thousands of pilgrims, intellectuals, and suffering people who traveled from across the Soviet Union seeking his prayers, spiritual counsel, and miraculous healing. Following his death in 1992, Father Vitaly was buried in the churchyard, where his grave remains an active pilgrimage site blanketed with flowers and prayer notes.

The tranquil garden courtyard surrounding the church is a sanctuary of profound spiritual warmth and gentle prayer. The soothing fragrance of burning frankincense and the soft melodic chanting of liturgical hymns create an oasis of timeless devotion amidst the bustling urban streets of Chugureti. Saint Alexander Nevsky Church stands as a revered haven of unbroken spiritual tradition in modern Tbilisi.

Walk south along Egnate Ninoshvili Street to reach the vibrant creative cluster of Fabrika.