Echmiadzin
Situated some 18 km to the west of the Armenian capital, Echmiadzin (meaning 'Descent of the Only Begotten Son of God') is Armenia's equivalent of Canterbury, being the seat of the Catholicos (head) of the 1700 year old Armenian Apostolic Church. It's official name is Vagharshapat. The Mother Church (Mayr Tachar) was originally built by St Gregory the Illuminator (who converted the pagan king of Armenia to Christianity in the early 4th century) and is at the heart of a huge compounds of churches, seminaries, museums, memorials and residences, including that of the current patriarch, Karekin II. This photograph shows the ceiling of the mid-17th century porch at the entrance of the church, which was covered in scaffolding when I visited it in September 2015.
Echmiadzin
Situated some 18 km to the west of the Armenian capital, Echmiadzin (meaning 'Descent of the Only Begotten Son of God') is Armenia's equivalent of Canterbury, being the seat of the Catholicos (head) of the 1700 year old Armenian Apostolic Church. It's official name is Vagharshapat. The Mother Church (Mayr Tachar) was originally built by St Gregory the Illuminator (who converted the pagan king of Armenia to Christianity in the early 4th century) and is at the heart of a huge compounds of churches, seminaries, museums, memorials and residences, including that of the current patriarch, Karekin II. This photograph shows the ceiling of the mid-17th century porch at the entrance of the church, which was covered in scaffolding when I visited it in September 2015.