Overview

St. Nino’s Order is a diaconal arm of the Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia that works to maintain the beneficial services that St. Nino, an important Saint in Georgian Orthodoxy, once provided. Starting in Tbilisi, the Sisters soon spread to 28 different stations across Georgia, where they took it upon themselves to care for members of the Georgian community who required help. These people are elderly and often live in poor conditions, which are detrimental to their health. To serve those in need, the Sisters collect donations in order to supply housing and food. They also provide medical supplies and assistance in cooking and cleaning. The mission of St. Nino’s Order is simple: to help wherever they can.

History

In 1992, the European Baptist Women’s Union began caring for a small group of people in need who were not directly related to the church. This was a revolutionary idea, since before this time, churches were only allowed to care for members of their congregations. The women involved in this work provided support financially while also supplying basic care, such as cooking and cleaning. With the support of the European Baptist Federation and Berlin`s Baptist diaconal order, the women in Georgia established the Order of St. Nino. Together, Karl-Heinz Walter and Sister Mechtild Schroeder (from the European Baptist Federation) trained and supported all of the Sisters needed for this project. Today, the order of St. Nino is based out of the Beteli Center on the northern outskirts of Tbilisi.

St. Nino

The name St. Nino was chosen by the order about the Georgian Saint Nino. Nino is considered to be the bringer of Christianity to the kingdom of Iberia, ancient Georgia. Around 318 AD, St. Nino arrived in Iberia from Constantinople to carry out her mission to convert the Kingdom to Christianity. It is believed that St. Nino carried the gift of healing. Using this gift, St. Nino cured Queen Nana, leading to her conversion to the Christian faith. Around 326 AD, it is believed the king, Mirian III of Iberia, converted to Christianity after calling on St. Nino’s God for deliverance after becoming lost on a hunting trip. The conversion of these two leaders ultimately led to the conversion of the kingdom. St. Nino’s symbol is a grapevine cross, which is said to have been given to her by the Virgin Mary herself when traveling to the kingdom of Iberia. This cross has now become the symbol of the Order of St. Nino in remembrance of St. Nino`s devotion to the faith and the healing of people. 

Leadership

The first leader of the Order of St. Nino was senior Sister Marina Maisashvili; however, since January 1st, 2007, the Order of St. Nino has been led by three deaconesses: Sister Liana Tschopliani, Dr. Nana Zuraschwili, and Sister Nana Metreweli. Sister Liana Tschopliani works as the lead administrator and director of St. Nino`s Order. Dr. Nana Zuraschwili is in charge of training volunteers and deaconesses, and Sister Nana Metreweli organizes the regions covered by the sisters.

Mission

When asked, Sister Liana Tschopliani stated that the mission of the Order of St. Nino is simply to help. The Sisters provide care through the collection of funds that are given to those in need. These funds are used to buy food, housing, and medical supplies. To further their mission, the Sisters go out to the homes of these people in order to provide company and basic medical examinations. The work of the Sisters provides invaluable care to all of those who come across it, whether they are those who are provided with service or the Sisters themselves.