In the refectory.
Five lines set in a tabula ansata. Round Georgian uncial script (asomtavruli),
ႸႤႼႤႥႬႨႧႠႵ˜ჁႱႨႧႠႣႠႫ
ႤႭႾႤႡႨႧႠႼႫႨႣႨႱႠႧ˜ႤჂႱႨႧႠ
Ⴘ˜ႬႠႬႲႭႬႨႠႡႠჂႣႠႨႭႱႨႠႫႭ
ႫႱႾႫႤႪႨႠႫႨႱႱႤႴႨႱႠჂႣႠႫႠ
ႫႠႣႤႣႠჂႨႭႱႨႠჂႱႨႠႫႤႬ
შეწევნითა ქ(რისტ)ჱსითა და მ|ეოხებითა წმიდისა თ(ეოდორ)ეჲსითა |
შ(ეიწყალე)ნ ანტონი აბაჲ და იოსია მო|მსხმელი ამის სეფისაჲ და
მა|მა დედაჲ იოსიაჲსი ამენ
Translit.: šetsevnit’a k(rist)eisita da m|eoxebit’a tsmidisa t’(eodor)eisit’a | š(eitsq’ale)n
antoni abai da iosia mo|mskhmeli amis sepisai ma|ma dedai iosiaisi amen
By the help of Christ, and with the intercession of St. Theodorus, (Lord) have mercy
on Abba Antonius and on Iosiah who laid this mosaic and on Iosiah’s father and
mother. Amen.
Georgian dedicatory inscription of Abbot Antonius, 6. c. CE.
According to Tarchnišvili, the monastery was dedicated to St. Theodorus Tyron, a popular holy martyr, and to identify the founder of the monastery with Abbot Antonius, known from the Vita Marthae: a Jerusalemite monk of Georgian origin who brought to St. Simeon the Stylite the Younger the relicts of the True Cross in the year 552 CE, and later stayed in Syria, where he became a Bishop of Seleucia. Earlier he was staying for some 20 years in the Holy Land and hence, the monastery seems to have been established in the years 532-552. This date is in accord with Corbo's archaeological finds. Many other scholars tend to associate the monastery with Petrus the Iberian. For references see Tchekhanovets, op. cit.