While I was still intrigued to see what was on top of the pillar, Kellerdashvili, another tourist visiting the pillar, had a different perspective. “I don’t really want to climb to the top. Just looking at it from below is heaven on earth for me,” she told me, looking up at the top of the pillar in awe.
Monk Amirani, another monk from Katskhi Monastery, believes such rules are important to preserve Georgia’s history and culture. “When I first climbed to the top of the pillar in 1992, I realized it was a special and very important place for Christianity,” he said. “It is important that the rules of this pillar are preserved. It is a place to pray and for troubled men to find peace of mind and solitude.”
But for Father Iliarion, whether or not you can climb to the top, everyone can find inner peace and solace here. “The world has many beautiful places, but the main thing about this pillar is the serenity it offers,” he said. “Before the limestone pillar existed, this whole area was sea. Somehow I can still feel the calming presence of the sea in this place today, although it is miles away, making it the perfect place to get closer to God.”
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