Ude Monastery

The Historical Significance of Ude

Ude is a village with a long history that makes it especially attractive to tourists. A number of medieval churches have been preserved in Ude and its surroundings, with the largest of these being the Dormition of the Virgin Monastery Complex in the centre of the village.

The church there was built around the 9th century and has been damaged during invasions numerous times. In 1904-1906, the Catholics living in Ude built a beautiful, grandiose church instead of the old damaged church.

When the communists were in power, they banned worship at the church, imprisoned the Catholic priest, and turned the church into a storehouse. Only the statue of the Virgin Mary was left in the village, which the residents of Ude would secretly pray to in the dark of night.

In the 1970s, the church was turned into a museum of local lore for the village.

Ude Monastery Today

In 1992, the government transferred the church to the Georgian Orthodox church, and now services are conducted there according to Orthodox rites.