While still at his mother’s breast, Mourvanoss regularly observed the fasts, refusing to suck the breast on Wednesdays and Fridays. Hardly had he learned to talk when he earnestly began to commit to memory what he had heard in the church and gradually as he grew older instructed himself always more and more in the holy scriptures.
When Varaze-Bakarr died, Mourvanoss and his brothers and sisters were children, and as guardian over them they chose the uncle Trdat, having also handed over to his administration the kingdom until the coming of age of the children of Varaze-Bakarr and his daughter, who had already died, while, however, the younger son of Varaze-Bakarr, Faremanne, from his second wife, was being educated at the home of the kristav of Sammeshvillde. Notwithstanding his very advanced age Trdat reigned most wisely; he was a thoroughly God-fearing, sensible and cautious man. Thanks to his extreme wisdom the Persians were completely conquered, the righteous state of affairs again introduced into the country and many churches restored and newly erected.
Under him died the well-known Bishop Yovv and was superseded by Tlia. Although he of course paid tribute to the Persians, yet he understood how to get back from them Rousstave where he then triumphantly built a church. He also finely restored Nekreziy.
Mourvanoss was already fifteen years old, when the Greek Emperor, Theodosius the Younger, came upon the throne and the relations between Greece and Persia became worse and worse.
The new Emperor fearing that other nations might unite and make common cause with his enemies, offered Trdat an alliance, to assure which he demanded some one of the children of Varaze-Bakarr as hostage. Good Trdat, who equally loved all his grandsons, was in the greatest confusion, while reflecting whom he should select, when to him appeared Mourvanoss and energetically announced that he was going to Greece, where he had long desired to be, as it was the centre and capital of the whole Christian world, and with general consent and approbation he started off for Constantinople. There he devoted himself to fasting, praying and preaching, rebuking the tremendous worldly splendor with which the Emperor constantly surrounded him.
To drown unnecessary gossip he clothed himself in a vlassianitsa of most ordinary goat wool. To the general astonishment of the people he soon acquired a complete and perfect knowledge of the Greek and Syrian languages and ardently studied philosophy. The Lord now rewarded him with the exceptional gift of being capable of healing the sick. Thanks to his petition the remains of the martyrs, who had suffered torment and death in Persia, were safely transported into old Georgia. Once upon a time, on the eve of the Most Holy Baptism of the Lord, intending to pass the whole night in devotion and prayer, Mourvanoss ordered his servant to bring him some butter for the little lamp.
But he brusquely answered him: “Thou art a royal son and, instead of reigning as it becomes one of thy rank, thou livest as a monk without eating a morsel from one Sunday to another,” and he did not go for the desired butter. But the Tsarevitch filled the little lamp with water instead of butter, and, lighting it, accomplished with this marvellous light his holy, holy prayers. Seven whole days and nights the wonderful light did not once go out, and during that period our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to the Saint to invisibly accompany and protect him everywhere. With the help and favor of God the Tsarevitch carried out many wonders, healing the sick with the water of his little lamp. The Emperor namely had a eunuch who used to like to come and pray together with the Saint.
The Tsarevitch thought of leaving the Imperial Court accompanied by the eunuch, but Theodosius, having heard of the plan, sent a guard to watch them. Nevertheless through the almighty mercy of God they succeeded in avoiding being closely observed by them and during the night ran away. An all-shining holy pillar went in front of them, guiding them and illuminating their road.
Upon the appearance of the pillar the following words were heard coming out of it: “He who doth follow me will never fall into the region of darkness and unbelief!”
Finding a respectable vessel, they after a few days arrived in a port then unknown to them, where they were immediately locked up in the local prison. But that same night a terrific earthquake with perfectly awful noise took place there and many, many people perished through it. To the commandant of the city appeared a perfectly unknown man, the very voice of whom reminded one of tremendous rolls of thunder.