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| According to the 5th-century chronicler ], Surp Grigor Lusavorich (]) at the start of the 4th century founded a church in what was to become Amaras monastery. | According to the 5th-century chronicler ], Surp Grigor Lusavorich (]) at the start of the 4th century founded a church in what was to become Amaras monastery. | ||
| Amaris was the burial place of his grandson, ] (died in 338), the ] of |
Amaris was the burial place of his grandson, ] (died in 338), the first patriarch of the ]. A tomb built for his remains still survives under the 19th-century church. At the beginning of the 5th century ], the inventor of the ], established in Amaras the first-ever school that used his script. <ref>Viviano, Frank. "The Rebirth of Armenia", '']'', March 2004, p. 18.</ref> | ||
| The monastery was plundered in the 13th century by the ], destroyed in 1387 during ]'s invasion, and destroyed again at an unknown date during the 16th century. It underwent radical restructuring in the second quarter of the 17th century when the surviving defensive walls were constructed. | The monastery was plundered in the 13th century by the ], destroyed in 1387 during ]'s invasion, and destroyed again at an unknown date during the 16th century. It underwent radical restructuring in the second quarter of the 17th century when the surviving defensive walls were constructed. | ||
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| ==Tomb of Grigoris== | ==Tomb of Grigoris== | ||
| St. Grigoris was originally buried at the eastern end of the now vanished St. Gregory church. In 489 King Vachagan III the Pious renovated Amaras, restoring the church and constructing a new chapel for the remains of St. Grigoris. In later centuries a church was built over this chapel-tomb. | St. Grigoris was originally buried at the eastern end of the now vanished St. Gregory church. In 489 King Vachagan III the Pious of ] renovated Amaras, restoring the church and constructing a new chapel for the remains of St. Grigoris. In later centuries a church was built over this chapel-tomb. | ||
| Under the altar of the St. Grigoris church is a tomb chamber reached at its western end by twin flights of steps. A blocked passage at its eastern end indicates there was originally an entrance from that direction as well. The barrel-vaulted tomb chamber is 1.9m wide, 3.75 long, and 3.5m high. The upper half of the structure originally projected 1.5 to 2m above ground level, but it is now entirely underground. Carved details date it stylistically to the 5th century. <ref>M. Hasranyan, " |
Under the altar of the St. Grigoris church is a tomb chamber reached at its western end by twin flights of steps. A blocked passage at its eastern end indicates there was originally an entrance from that direction as well. The barrel-vaulted tomb chamber is 1.9m wide, 3.75 long, and 3.5m high. The upper half of the structure originally projected 1.5 to 2m above ground level, but it is now entirely underground. Carved details date it stylistically to the 5th century. <ref>M. Hasranyan, "Amaras", Yerevan 1990.</ref> | ||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 00:58, 16 January 2009
Amaras Monastery (Template:Lang-hy) is one of the oldest Christian sites in Nagorno-Karabakh, and is an Armenian Apostolic monastery located near the village of Sos in the Martuni county of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. According to the 5th-century chronicler Faustus Byuzand, Surp Grigor Lusavorich (St. Gregory the Illuminator) at the start of the 4th century founded a church in what was to become Amaras monastery.
Amaris was the burial place of his grandson, Saint Grigoris (died in 338), the first patriarch of the Church of Caucasian Albania. A tomb built for his remains still survives under the 19th-century church. At the beginning of the 5th century Mesrop Mashtots, the inventor of the Armenian Alphabet, established in Amaras the first-ever school that used his script.
The monastery was plundered in the 13th century by the Mongols, destroyed in 1387 during Tamerlane's invasion, and destroyed again at an unknown date during the 16th century. It underwent radical restructuring in the second quarter of the 17th century when the surviving defensive walls were constructed.
It was later abandoned, and in the first half of the 19th century the monastery served as a frontier fortress for Russian troops.
The Armenian Church regained possession of the monastery in 1848. The monastery's church appears to have been severely damaged during the military occupation, to the extent that a new church had to be constructed on the site of the old one. This new church, dedicated to St. Grigoris, was built in 1858 and paid for by the Armenians of Shusha. It still survives and is a three-nave basilica constructed from white stone.
The monastery was abandoned during the Soviet period.
In 1992 Azerbaijani troops briefly occupied the site during the Nagorno-Karabakh War.
Tomb of Grigoris
St. Grigoris was originally buried at the eastern end of the now vanished St. Gregory church. In 489 King Vachagan III the Pious of Caucasian Albania renovated Amaras, restoring the church and constructing a new chapel for the remains of St. Grigoris. In later centuries a church was built over this chapel-tomb.
Under the altar of the St. Grigoris church is a tomb chamber reached at its western end by twin flights of steps. A blocked passage at its eastern end indicates there was originally an entrance from that direction as well. The barrel-vaulted tomb chamber is 1.9m wide, 3.75 long, and 3.5m high. The upper half of the structure originally projected 1.5 to 2m above ground level, but it is now entirely underground. Carved details date it stylistically to the 5th century.
References
- Khatcherian, Hrair. Artsakh: A Photographic Journey. Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, 1997, p. 6. OCLC 37785365
- Viviano, Frank. "The Rebirth of Armenia", National Geographic Magazine, March 2004, p. 18.
- M. Hasranyan, "Amaras", Yerevan 1990.
External links
39°41′02″N 47°03′25″E / 39.684°N 47.057°E / 39.684; 47.057
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