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Saint Shushanik


MosJan

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Saint Shushanik (Armenian: Շուշանիկ, Georgian: შუშანიკი) (c. 440-475) was a Christian woman who was murdered by her husband Varsken in the town of Tsurtavi, Georgia. Since she died defending her right to profess Christianity, she is regarded as a martyr. Her martyrdom is described in her confessor Jacob’s hagiographic work.

She was a daughter of the Armenian general (sparapet) Vartan Mamikonian and married to the prominent Georgian feudal lord (pitiakhsh) Varsken, son of Arshusha. Varsken was in opposition to Vakhtang I Gorgasali, King of Kartli, and took a pro-Persian position, renouncing Christianity and adopting Zoroastrianism.

He killed his spouse after she refused to submit to his order to

abandon her Christian faith. Varsken himself was put to death by King

Vakhtang in 482.

Shushanik has been canonized by the Georgian and Armenian churches. Her feast day is celebrated on October 17.

 

 

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Of course we know who Shusanik is.

She is the daughter of Vardan Mamikonian. In most classical portraits she is featured holding the flag and leading te boys into battle.

In this postrait by Khanjian she is featured holding a sword and a shield.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/Battle_of_Avarayr.jpg&imgrefurl=http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Battle_of_Avarayr.jpg&h=1721&w=1394&sz=812&tbnid=aH2IT6ZLM310BM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=121&prev=/images%3Fq%3Davarayr%2Bpicture&hl=en&usg=__ONj2rVexRuJAk4P9xCuyAP6Ng5g=&ei=Vtz1SsnHOcim8Abdt5DzCQ&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=3&ct=image&ved=0CAwQ9QEwAg

Edited by Arpa
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