In 1614 Shah Abbas sent envoys to King Teimuraz and demanded that he send him his sons Alexander and Levan, and his mother, Queen Ketevan, as a sign of loyalty. The king knew the enemy's treachery, but, nevertheless, he obeyed for the sake of the country which was already divided. After this the shah "invited" Teimuraz to his court. It was clear that his plan was to gather the entire royal family and annihilate it all at once. Teimuraz acted without hesitation, rebelled and defeated the Persian garrison at Jaleti. This event marked the beginning of one of the most devastating periods in the history of Georgia. Shah Abbas invaded Kakheti (Eastern part of Georgia), leveled the royal palace to the ground, destroyed monasteries and churches, and devastated entire villages. The whole country was plagued with violence and starvation. More than three hundred thousand Georgians were forcefully moved to Persia, and in place of them infidels settled in the deserted country.

In five years after their exile Ketevan and her grandsons were separated. Shah Abbas had the young princes castrated. Alexander could not endure the torture and died and Levan became insane. They tried to keep all this from Ketevan. The queen spent ten years in her "honorary" imprisonment in Iran in the house of Imam-Kuli-Khan Undiladze, a Georgian who had accepted Islam. Her body became exhausted through fasting, prayer, and nights spent on cold stone floors. Still, she remained vigorous and cheerful, taking care of her small flock-her retinue numbering about twenty Georgians.

Finally, Shah Abbas decided to force Queen Ketevan to renounce Christ and accept Islam. He even offered her to become a member his harem. (All this took place on the same day when she learned the story of her grandsons' sufferings). Undiladze and other Georgians begged her to confess Mohammad to satisfy the shah, and remain a Christian in her heart. She refused and prepared for martyrdom.

The reverend queen followed by mourning Georgians was brought to the city square full of spectators. The executioners set up copper pots, lit the fire, prepared their tortures, and placed Ketevan dressed in festive garments in front of the fire. The queen asked them to grant her only request not to disgrace her by stripping her bare.

The infidels tortured Ketevan with indescribable cruelty: they placed a red-hot pot on her head, tore off her breasts with iron pincers, drove spits through her body, removed her fingernails, cut out pieces of her flesh, nailed her on a board, and, finally, struck her in the forehead with a hot spade. The soul of the saint left her tortured body. The furious executioners left the queen for wild beasts to disgrace her, but God sent a radiant light to rest over the martyr's relics.

Some French Roman Catholic missionaries were present at the place of St. Ketevans's execution. They placed her body in linen cloth saturated with incense and spices, took it with them to Rome, where the holy relics rest to this day in St. Peter's Cathedral. Later they sent her head and an arm of the martyr to her son, King Teimuraz, who buried the holy relics in the Alaverdi Temple of St. George.

Troparion:

Being wounded by divine zeal thou didst receive many wounds and endure multifurious tortures with boldness having acquired the Kingdom of Hevan instead of the transitory crown of a queen. O thrice-holy Ketevan, intercede with Christ God to have mercy on our souls.

Kontakion:

The Queen of Heaven, the daughter of David, immaculate Mary receiveth today the blessed Ketevan, the descendent of the seed of David, and giveth her sweet rest, who through her deeds proved to be worthy of the crown, and now standeth before the Holy Virgin interceding for us all.

Prayer to St. Ketevan:

Thou didst renounce the transitory glory uniting thyself with the Queen of Heaven and Earth, O Queen Ketevan, thou who didst suffer bodily for thy bridegroom, intercede with Him for us thy servants, the Georgian people.