The text of the publication is based on the only autograph of the work of the Hieromonk Iona Khelashvili – “Explanation of the Book of Jonah”, which is preserved at the National Manuscript Center under the number S 301 (72 pages).

Hieromonk Iona Khelashvili was born in 1779 and died in 1837.

Scientific work was carried out by Georgi Kalandadze.