▁the ▁Madonna ▁House ▁Apost olate ▁web ▁site ▁The ▁P oust in ik ▁Madonna ▁House ▁Apost olate ▁Herm it ages ▁at ▁the ▁Red empt or ist ▁Ret re at ▁House , ▁O conom ow oc , ▁W I , ▁USA ▁▁▁ ▁* ▁Category : Rel ig ious ▁buildings ▁and ▁structures <0x0A> </s> ▁Pet ra ▁() ▁was ▁a ▁fort ified ▁town ▁on ▁the ▁eastern ▁Black ▁Sea ▁coast , ▁in ▁Laz ica ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁western ▁Georgia . ▁In ▁the ▁ 6 th ▁century , ▁under ▁the ▁By z antine ▁em peror ▁Justin ian ▁I , ▁it ▁served ▁as ▁an ▁important ▁Eastern ▁Roman ▁out post ▁in ▁the ▁C au cas us ▁and , ▁due ▁to ▁its ▁strateg ic ▁location , ▁became ▁a ▁battle ground ▁of ▁the ▁ 5 4 1 – 5 6 2 ▁Laz ic ▁War ▁between ▁Rome ▁and ▁S as an ian ▁Pers ia ▁( I ran ). ▁Main stream ▁scholar ly ▁opinion ▁ident ifies ▁Pet ra ▁with ▁a ▁ru ined ▁settlement ▁of ▁Late ▁Anti qu ity ▁at ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁Ts ik his d zi ri ▁in ▁Ad j ara , ▁south western ▁Georgia . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Foundation ▁ ▁Pet ra ▁is ▁first ▁referred ▁to ▁in ▁the ▁Nov ella e ▁Constitution es ▁by ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Roman ▁em peror ▁Justin ian ▁I , ▁dated ▁to ▁ 5 3 5 . ▁It ▁was ▁built ▁to ▁rein force ▁the ▁Roman ▁authority ▁in ▁the ▁kingdom ▁of ▁Laz ica , ▁located ▁on ▁the ▁sout he astern ▁sh ores ▁of ▁the ▁Black ▁Sea ▁and , ▁with ▁the