Armenia : Exploring the Medieval Town of Echmiadzin
It was a very cold morning welcome in Yerevan, our water heater was not working! And I cannot imagine going out on my first day in Armenia without taking a shower hahahahha! Napaka-vanidosa! It really was an extremely freezing cold shower, I literally couldn't breathe when the water from the nozzle hit me on the head. Ughhh! Winter blues.....why did we come during winter time????
The free breakfast laid out for us more than compensated for the cold shower. The hotel (City Hotel Yerevan) we were staying in was really a good steal, fantastic location (everything is within walking distance but not so central that it gets noisy), and a fabulous hotel staff.
The night before, we already pre-booked a car for a trip to Echmiadzin (Descent of the Only Begotten Son of God) --- a medieval town full of old churches and the site of the Vatican of the Armenian Apostolic Church. If you have a very limited time in Armenia, a trip to Echmiadzin is a must.
While on the way to Echmiadzin, we chatted with our guide about the different places to visit in Armenia and somehow we touched on the very sensitive topic of the Armenian Genocide (he told us that every family in Armenia has a family member who has died in the genocide or sometimes a whole family was wiped out and they will never forget why and how it happened) and the ownership of the holy Mount Ararat, a national symbol of Armenia depicted in almost souvenir items which is now Turkey after the annexation during the aftermath of the 1920 Turkish-Armenian War.
As the world's first Christian country, more than 1700 years ago, Armenia has retained its religious and ancient culture. Echmiadzin is the largest city in the province of Armarvir located in the central region.
Our first stop was the Surp Hripsime Church, originally built in 618 AD to replace a chapel built on the same site where Hripsime was stoned to death after she refused to marry a king and chose instead to be true to her faith.
Such fantastic medieval architecture! I feel as if I was transported back in time. Walking towards the church, it reminded me of the descriptions in the Philippa Greogory novels of popes and kings, of wars and medieval plots. The church was eerily beautiful from afar, the early morning mist gave it a romantic shroud that creates an even more dramatic backdrop to an already perfectly beautiful building.
In a city filled with ancient and beautiful churches, the Surp Gayane Church is really a standout for me. Saint Gayane was said to be the prioress of the 32 maidens who accompanied Hripsime to Armenia. The present-day church is a newer building (oh well, if it is not at least 800 years old it probably can be considered "newish").
While on the way to Echmiadzin, we chatted with our guide about the different places to visit in Armenia and somehow we touched on the very sensitive topic of the Armenian Genocide (he told us that every family in Armenia has a family member who has died in the genocide or sometimes a whole family was wiped out and they will never forget why and how it happened) and the ownership of the holy Mount Ararat, a national symbol of Armenia depicted in almost souvenir items which is now Turkey after the annexation during the aftermath of the 1920 Turkish-Armenian War.
As the world's first Christian country, more than 1700 years ago, Armenia has retained its religious and ancient culture. Echmiadzin is the largest city in the province of Armarvir located in the central region.
Our first stop was the Surp Hripsime Church, originally built in 618 AD to replace a chapel built on the same site where Hripsime was stoned to death after she refused to marry a king and chose instead to be true to her faith.
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| At the entrance of the church are some of the tombs of the priests who were once resident priests of this church. |
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| Even ancient churches have their own small vineyards.......the priests do love their wines lol |
In a city filled with ancient and beautiful churches, the Surp Gayane Church is really a standout for me. Saint Gayane was said to be the prioress of the 32 maidens who accompanied Hripsime to Armenia. The present-day church is a newer building (oh well, if it is not at least 800 years old it probably can be considered "newish").
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| The arched entrance beautifully captures the Church.....such perfection! |
One thing you notice though is how simple these churches inside. No ostentatious displays of wealth or church artifacts laden with too much gold or brass as was usual in most Catholic churches of my youth.
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| We went down on the lower level of the church where the grave of Saint Gayane is located, this is part of the original structure of the 6th-century chapel built over her grave |
The outdoors of the church is a courtyard filled with tombs and khatchkars. Khatchkars are very common in Armenian grave sites as it is often erected as a symbol for the salvation of the soul of the departed person entombed in the grave next to it.
In my opinion, the entire city of Echmiadzin should be placed under UNESCO World Heritage Site watchlist and not just the churches. The city is just unbelievably beautiful littered with so many historical gems. Oh well, the remnants of its Soviet past and reminders from previous wars are there marring the beauty of the city.
The last of the religious triumvirate is the Holy See of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Main Cathedral (for Catholics, Echmiadzin will be like our Vatican) which was originally built in 301-303 AD and was rebuilt again in 480-483 AD.
Despite its status as the main basilica and the heart of the Armenian religion, it is surprisingly very modest and simple inside the church. You can feel the piousness and the sanctity of the place through its deafening silence, the lack of lavishness (the only gold- or brass- plated items I saw where some ancient relics in the main altar) ......its simplicity is so profound.
The grounds of the cathedral is very well-laid out, with a seminary, museum, bookshop attached next to the entrance area.
Last stop is the ruins of the Zvartnots Cathedral, built in 641-661 AD to house the relics of St Gregory (the patriarch of the Armenian Church). The church ruins is set amidst the farmlands and orchards just 4kms from Echmiadzin on the way back to Yerevan.
Winter really creates a different kind of beauty, the profusion of colors or in some instance the lack of it, creates an ethereal kind of atmosphere.
Only the arch of beautifully carved pillars and the massive stone floor is what remained of the original structure after it collapsed during an earthquake in 930 AD.
And I said earlier, a visit to Echmiadzin is a MUST! Twas a short but historical-filled trip....
Winter really creates a different kind of beauty, the profusion of colors or in some instance the lack of it, creates an ethereal kind of atmosphere.
Only the arch of beautifully carved pillars and the massive stone floor is what remained of the original structure after it collapsed during an earthquake in 930 AD.
And I said earlier, a visit to Echmiadzin is a MUST! Twas a short but historical-filled trip....
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