John the Iberian
Georgian monk

John the Iberian

The basics
Quick facts
Intro
Georgian monk
Gender:
Male
Places:
Is:
Work field:
Birth:
(Georgia)
Death:
12 July 1002(Mount Athos)
The details
Biography

John the Iberian (Georgian: იოანე, Ioane; died c. 1002) was a Georgian monk, who is venerated as a saint. His name refers to the Caucasian Iberia, not to the Spanish peninsula, and he is also known as John the Georgian, John the Hagiorite, and John Iweron. A member of the Georgian nobility, he was married and served as a military commander. However, he later became a monk in Bithynia and then traveled to Constantinople to rescue his son, Euthymius the Illuminator (Euthymius Opplyseren). Euthymius had been held as a hostage by the emperor.
John and his son attracted many followers, so they both retired to the monastery of Saint Athanasius on Mount Athos. They founded Iviron monastery with the help of John’s brother-in-law, John Thornikos, a retired general. John served as the first abbot of Iviron.