According to tradition, the Metekhi church holds the remains of the martyr St. Shushanik, which, after the schism between the Armenian and Georgian churches, were translated from Tsurtavi with the blessing of the Catholicos of Georgia. Also by tradition, the Metekhi cliff is thought to have been the place of martyrdom of Abo (8th century), the patron saint of Tbilisi. A small church in his name is now under construction at the foot of the cliff.