Saint Sarkis Cathedral, Yerevan
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Saint Sarkis Cathedral ( hy, Սուրբ Սարգիս Մայր Եկեղեցի (''Surp Sarkis Mayr Yekeghetsi'')) is an Armenian cathedral in
Yerevan Yerevan ( , , hy, Երևան , sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Y ...
,
Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
. It is the seat of the
Araratian Pontifical Diocese Araratian Pontifical Diocese ( hy, Արարատյան Հայրապետական թեմ ''Araratyan Hayrapetakan t'em'') is the largest diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church and one of the oldest dioceses in the world, covering the city of Yereva ...
of the
Armenian Apostolic Church , native_name_lang = hy , icon = Armenian Apostolic Church logo.svg , icon_width = 100px , icon_alt = , image = Էջմիածնի_Մայր_Տաճար.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , a ...
. It was built in 1842, on the left bank of the
Hrazdan River The Hrazdan ( hy, Հրազդան գետ, ) is a major river and the second largest in Armenia. It originates at the northwest extremity of Lake Sevan and flows south through the Kotayk Province and Armenia's capital, Yerevan; the lake in turn is f ...
in Yerevan's
Kentron District Kentron ( hy, Կենտրոն վարչական շրջան, translit=Kentron varčakan šrĵan), is one of the Districts of Yerevan, 12 districts of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It comprises the downtown, the commercial centre of the city. As of ...
.


History

Standing against the upper part of the village of Dzoragyugh, and facing the old
Erivan Fortress Erivan Fortress ( hy, Երևանի բերդը; ''Yerevani berdë''; fa, قلعه ایروان, ''Ghaleh-ye Iravân''; russian: Эриванская крепость ''E'rivanskaya krepost' '') was a 16th-century fortress in Yerevan. History ...
on the left bank of the River Hrazdan, a hermitage-monastery was functioning since the earliest Christian era. This spacious complex, surrounded by a high, fortified wall, was made up of the churches of Saints Sarkis, Gevork and Hakob churches, of the buildings of the patriarchal offices and school, of an orchard and of other buildings. Saint Sarkis Church was the official seat of the Patriarch, whereas the monastery was the patriarchal inn for the guests. Saint Sarkis Church, with the hermitage-monastery, was destroyed by the large earthquake of 1679 but was rebuilt on the same site during the rule of Edesatsi Nahabet Catholicos (1691–1705). However, the current building of the church was constructed between 1835-42. During the rule of
Vazgen I Vazgen I also Vazken I of Bucharest, (), born Levon Garabed Baljian ( hy, Լևոն Կարապետ Աբրահամի Պալճյան; September 20, 1908 – August 18, 1994) was the Catholicos of All Armenians between 1955 and 1994, for a total of 39 ...
Catholicos of Armenians, the church underwent basic renovations and improvements. Based on a plan drawn up by architect
Rafayel Israyelian Rafayel "Rafo" Israyelian ( hy, Ռաֆայել Իսրայելյան; 8 September 1973) was a Soviet Armenian architect. Seen as a follower of Alexander Tamanian, Israyelian designed some of Soviet Armenia's most prominent structures, including t ...
in 1972, the reconstruction works of the St Sarkis Church began and the character of the old building of the church was basically preserved. The face was covered with
Ani Ani ( hy, Անի; grc-gre, Ἄνιον, ''Ánion''; la, Abnicum; tr, Ani) is a ruined medieval Armenian city now situated in Turkey's province of Kars, next to the closed border with Armenia. Between 961 and 1045, it was the capital of th ...
orange tufa rocks and engraved with triangular niches. After Israyelian's death, the construction works were taken over and continued by the co-author, architect Ardzroun Galikian. From 1971-76, the interior look of the church was significantly improved. On the eastern part of the church, a gallery was added for the church choir. As a result of such additions, it was found necessary to remove the old dome and the old drum and to replace them by a much higher dome with polyhedral fan-shaped spire. The construction of the bell tower of the St Sarkis Vicarial Church was completed in 2000. The rebuilding process of Saint Sarkis Cathedral was realized through the donation of Armenian benefactors ''Sarkis Kurkjian'' and his sons, residing in
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
. A 2 kW
photovoltaic power system A photovoltaic system, also PV system or solar power system, is an electric power system designed to supply usable solar power by means of photovoltaics. It consists of an arrangement of several components, including solar panels to absorb and co ...
was installed on the roof of the cathedral in 2009.Sohigian: Listening to the Wind of Change: Renewable Energy in Armenia
armenianweekly.com, 30 January 2010.


Gallery

File:St Sargis and vicinity.jpg File:13 Feb, wedding ceremony at church (1).jpg


References


External links


About Saint Sarkis Cathedral

Araratian Patriarchal Diocese website
{{Yerevan landmarks Armenian Apostolic church buildings in Yerevan Churches completed in 1840 Church buildings with domes Armenian Apostolic cathedrals in Armenia