St Nune and St Mane were two of the companions of St Hripsime, who, being persecuted by the King Dioklethianos, left Rome with the Abbess Gayane and her order of nuns, and reached Armenia where she was martyred. However, Nune and Mane were not destined to die together with their companions.
Reaching Armenia together with Abbess Gayane and her companions, St Mane left them and went to the area of Mount Sebouh, where she remained isolated in a cave and lived an ascetic life. St Mane lived an “angel’s life”, strengthened by means of prayers and divine consolation, and later the cave was called by her name, “Mane’s cave”.
During that same period, St Gregory the Illuminator, in his old age, also wished for solitude and wanted to live his last days in seclusion. He chose a cave on Mount Sebouh, near Erzindjan. Approaching the cave, he heard the voice of the St Mane asking him to return to the cave three days later. Respecting the wishes of the nun, St Gregory returned to the cave three days later and finding the nun dead, buried her body in the cave.
The nun St Nune (or Nino), escaped the persecutions of the Armenian King Tiridates (Drtad) and left for Georgia’s capital city of Mtskheta. There she continued to live a prayerful life and preached the Gospel, converting the entire nation to Christianity. She became famous for the miracles she worked and for her philanthropic activity. Hearing of her miracles, Nune was taken to the royal palace, where she healed the sick queen. Refusing all gifts, Nune continued preaching the Gospel. The Georgian King Mihran, feeling the presence of God, converted to Christianity. The Gospel was preached throughout Georgia. Upon the advice of Nune, a delegation was sent to the Armenian Pontiff St Gregory the Illuminator and the Armenian King Tiridates asking them to send clergy to perform baptisms and Holy Mass. Thus, St. Nune became the apostle of Georgia.
