Razhden the Protomartyr

Razhden (, also transliterated as Ražden or Rajden; died ) was a 5th-century Persian nobleman in the service of the Georgian king Vakhtang I of Iberia and a convert to Christianity who was executed by the Sassanid military in Iberia. He was canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church as St. Razhden the Protomartyr (რაჟდენ პირველმოწამე, razhden pirvelmotsame), with his feast day marked on August 16 (O.S. August 3).

History The earliest mention of Razhden is found in the History of King Vakhtang Gorgasali, part of the medieval Georgian historical compendium, composed in the 8th or 11th century and traditionally attributed to Juansher Juansheriani. The source relates Razhden's death as a martyr during the war of Sassanids against Vakhtang I.

Razhden was a guardian or tutor (მამამძუძუ, mamamdzudzu) of Balendukht, a daughter of the king of the Persians, whom he accompanied to Iberia on the occasion of her marriage with Vakhtang. Razhden converted to Christianity and entered Vakhtang’s service, proving himself an able soldier. He was eventually taken captive by the Persians and tortured to death for refusing to reject Christianity. Vakhtang later built the church of Nikozi at the site of Razhden's burial and installed a bishop there. According to the "History of King Vakhtang Gorgasali", Vakhtang also built a church in St. Razhden's honor in the suburb of Ujarma. Thea Chkeidze / Encyclopædia Iranica notes:

The sources on Razhden were compiled by Mikhail Sabinin into his account of the saint's life, embedded in the "Paradise of Georgia" (საქართველოს სამოთხე, sakartvelos samotkhe) published in St. Petersburg in 1882.