Near Kutaisi, former capital of Colchis, is the famous Gelati Monastery, dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God, and built in the eighth century by Saint David, king and founder of Iberia.
By far the most remarkable holy object in this ancient church is the Khakhuli Icon of the Theotokos, written by the Holy Evangelist Luke. The face of the Most-holy Theotokos is depicted in dark tones, and without the preeternal Infant; it is identical to the icon which is in the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. On it is a riza of pure gold, decorated with precious stones. Many of these stones were donated by the renowned Queen Tamara. Tradition states that once, as Tamara was arranging precious stones in her coiffure in preparation for Divine Liturgy at the Gelati monastery, word came to her that at the door of her chamber stood a poor woman begging alms. The queen directed that the beggar wait a bit. Upon leaving her chamber, the queen intended to give the poor woman alms, but the woman was nowhere to be found. Tamara became very upset, for she recognized that in turning away that poor woman, she had turned away the Lord Himself. To punish herself, she removed the royal headband, which had been the cause of her delay, and placed it on the crown of the Mother of God.
In that same church is another holy and venerated icon: the Gelati or Atskura icon. The Gelati icon, like the Vlachernae icon, is not written, but is embossed in silver-gilt. The icon, in a rich silver shrine of exquisite craftsmanship and decorated with precious stones, was transferred from the city of Atskura by King Bagrat and brought to the Gelati Monastery by King Bagrat and Queen Helen. According to tradition, the Atskura icon of the Mother of God had been brought to Georgia by the St. Andrew the Apostle.