5/5 Arman K. 4 years ago on Google
Etchmiadzin
Cathedral
is
the
mother
church
of
the
Armenian
Apostolic
Church,
located
in
the
city
of
Vagharshapat
(Etchmiadzin),
Armenia.
According
to
most
scholars
it
was
the
first
cathedral
built
in
ancient
Armenia,
and
is
often
considered
the
oldest
cathedral
in
the
world.
The
original
church
was
built
in
the
early
fourth
century
-
between
301
and
303
according
to
tradition—by
Armenia's
patron
saint
Gregory
the
Illuminator,
following
the
adoption
of
Christianity
as
a
state
religion
by
King
Tiridates
III.
It
was
built
over
a
pagan
temple,
symbolizing
the
conversion
from
paganism
to
Christianity.
The
core
of
the
current
building
was
built
in
483/4
by
Vahan
Mamikonian
after
the
cathedral
was
severely
damaged
in
a
Persian
invasion.
From
its
foundation
until
the
second
half
of
the
fifth
century,
Etchmiadzin
was
the
seat
of
the
Catholicos,
the
supreme
head
of
the
Armenian
Church.
Although
never
losing
its
significance,
the
cathedral
subsequently
suffered
centuries
of
virtual
neglect.
In
1441
it
was
restored
as
catholicosate
and
remains
as
such
to
this
day.
Since
then
the
Mother
See
of
Holy
Etchmiadzin
has
been
the
administrative
headquarters
of
the
Armenian
Church.
Etchmiadzin
was
plundered
by
Shah
Abbas
I
of
Persia
in
1604,
when
relics
and
stones
were
taken
out
of
the
cathedral
to
New
Julfa
in
an
effort
to
undermine
Armenians'
attachment
to
their
land.
Since
then
the
cathedral
has
undergone
a
number
of
renovations.
Belfries
were
added
in
the
latter
half
of
the
seventeenth
century
and
in
1868
a
sacristy
was
constructed
at
the
cathedral's
east
end.
Today,
it
incorporates
styles
of
different
periods
of
Armenian
architecture.
Diminished
during
the
early
Soviet
period,
Etchmiadzin
revived
again
in
the
second
half
of
the
twentieth
century,
and
under
independent
Armenia.
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