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Independent online, South Africa
Nov 16 2014
Holy beginnings in rugged region
November 16 2014 at 09:00am
By Myrtle Ryan
Yerevan - Monasteries dot the landscape of Armenia. Many are austere,
but each is in a stunning setting.
Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as the state
religion in 301AD and the Armenian Apostolic Church is still the
official place of worship. Services are usually packed to capacity.
And it's not just the elderly; the young are there in their droves.
Just across the border, in Turkey, Mount Ararat crouches beneath a
snowy mantle. Once it fell within Armenia, before the country was
carved up: a slice to Azerbaijan, a swathe to Turkey.
Armenians have not forgotten the genocide of 1.5 million people in
1915, when many were killed in their villages in north-eastern Turkey
(adjoining the then Russian-controlled Armenia).
More Armenians live in other parts of the world than within their own country.
The manuscripts are a visual feast. Picture supplied.
The Genocide Memorial on a hillside above the capital city, Yerevan,
is a stark reminder of the genocide.
While Yerevan cannot be described as beautiful, it has a certain
vibrancy along the main boulevards. The outskirts, though, are less
salubrious. Here Soviet-style apartment blocks line the hills around
the city bowl, a reminder that the country was part of the Soviet
Union until 1991.
According to our young Armenian tour guide, Rafik (or Rafi as he
preferred to be called) Santrosyan, his father and grandfather's
generation look back with longing to those days.
"They did not have freedom, but they had jobs and security, good
health care and education, which is not the case now," said Rafi.
"Many young people now seek work in Russia or America."
Decaying, partly completed houses, can be seen everywhere in Yerevan
suburbia and, to a lesser extent, in the rest of the country.
Apparently, many of their owners had to abandon their building
projects when the Russians left and the locals' finances took a knock.
Several factories closed or now operate on a shoestring. An eyesore,
many belch out pollutants, but it is difficult to be an
environmentalist when the factory is a town's only source of income.
SUPPLIED
While many do not seem affluent, they are not in rags, and the
countryside is beautiful, especially when carpets of wild flowers
blanket the hillsides. Being mountainous helps add to the grandeur.
The only flat area, the extensive Ararat plain, is agriculturally
rich.
During our travels, we gained insight into how, before Christianity,
paganism reigned. Later, the two existed in tandem - for instance, at
Garni a Christian church was built alongside a pagan temple. During an
earthquake (prevalent in this region) the Christian church collapsed
into the canyon below, while the pagan structure survived and is still
standing.
At Garni, we had our first sighting of women selling paper-thin dried
fruit rolls, often with crushed walnuts inside, or "fly strips"
(walnuts dipped in syrup and dried).
At the Geghard monastery, below towering cliffs, we heard the
phenomenal acoustics, amid beautiful singing and chanting. Here, as
with monasteries throughout the country, the roof is shaped like an
umbrella sheltering the church and the windows are just slits letting
in light - a protective measure from more dangerous times.
At Geghard a monk, dressed in black silk hooded robe, was blessing a
bowl of salt as a family gathered around. According to Rafi, such a
ceremony is a reminder that when Christianity could not wipe out pagan
beliefs, it incorporated some.
"Instead of bringing a sacrifice, people bring salt. After it is
blessed, they take it back and use it to preserve the meat of the
animal that would have been brought as a sacrifice, but is instead
slaughtered at home," said Rafi.
Over the week in which we covered large distances, we were introduced
to famous characters from Armenian history, such a Gregory the
Enlightener - the instigator of the building of many of the
monasteries. These acted not only as places of worship, but also as
universities (many still do) and scriptoria - where manuscripts were
painstakingly copied and stored (an art no longer practised).
Legend has it Gregory spent 13 years imprisoned in a pit filled with
spiders and scorpions. Somehow he survived, some say due to his
prayers and holiness, while others say that a noble woman who fell in
love with him dropped food and water into the pit every day. The
monastery of Khor Virap, one of the holiest in Armenia and with a
fabulous backdrop of Mount Ararat, is built above the pit where
Gregory was kept captive.
At Khor Virap, vendors cage doves, then offer them to tourists who pay
a price to set them free. This practice is based on the story of Noah
releasing a dove to see if the waters had receded after the great
flood, when the ark settled on Mount Ararat. The doves have been
trained to fly back to their owner.
What is said to be the oldest winery in the world is nearby. A 5
500-year-old shoe, found in the area, is apparently the oldest in the
world.
The Holy See of Echmiadzin, a short distance from Yerevan, is to the
Armenians what The Vatican is to Catholics. Echmiadzin was the capital
of Armenia from 180 to 340AD.
The entrance gate reflects the first meeting between Gregory and King
Trdat the Great, who adopted Christianity when the monk allegedly
cured him of a demon.
The church here is said to house the spear that a Roman soldier used
to pierce Christ's side after the crucifixion.
The many legends are fascinating. Like the one of Saint Hripsimé, a
nun who came to Armenia along with a group of 33 virgins. She was
fleeing Emperor Diocletian in Rome who had fallen in love with her.
When the vengeful emperor told the Armenian king of Hripsimé's
incredible beauty, he sought her out, also fell in love and offered
her marriage. When she refused, he had her stoned to death.
Then there is the tale of a king who promised his daughter in marriage
to any man who could design a spectacular church. When one duly
produced such a masterpiece, the king had him flung from the turret of
one of the towers, so as not to have to keep his word.
The monasteries pass in a religious parade of splendour. Noravank, set
in a rocky gorge, is a masterpiece of 13th century sculptor and
manuscript artist Momik. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1840 and
restored between 1988 and 1999.
Tatev Monastery, perched on the edge of spectacular Vorotan canyon,
can be reached via a steep winding road, or an aerial cableway. The
view, as you soar above the serpentine canyon, is spectacular.
The 14th century Selim caravanserai is a "forest" of khachkars (about
1 000 carved stone crosses that incorporate pagan and Christian
symbols).
Eventually, we found ourselves in the lush alpine region of northern
Armenia, where the 12th century Haghartsin Monastery (Dance of the
Eagles) built by two brothers, is in a forest. We wandered the
restored streets of Dilijan, where artisans have set up trade; and
walked through a Molokan village. The Molokans are a sect of Russians
who broke away from the Russian Orthodox Church in the 16th century.
Sometimes we stayed in small family-run hotels. Close to the border of
Georgia, our final calls were Haghpat and Sanahin monasteries.
We all agreed the latter was probably the most evocative. Its ruined
scriptorium and cloisters open on to the forest.
Many of the monasteries have Unesco protection, deservedly so.
National pride even finds its way on to the country's Dram bank notes.
They depict famous poets, writers, activists; images of old Yerevan,
and nature in abundance. The 50 000 Dram, for instance, carries
Echmiadzin Cathedral, along with Gregory and King Trdat.
As for our guide, Rafi, he got his PhD when he was just 23. Not only
was he a specialist in linguistics; he could identify different kinds
of architecture with ease. His sense of humour was delightful. By the
time we left the country, our group had almost deified him.
Where to stay
Regineh Hotel in the ancient quarter of Yerevan has fabulous views of
Mount Ararat and pretty gardens. E-mail [email protected]
Nork Residence in one of the suburbs of Yerevan includes breakfast in
its tariff. It offers international, Armenian and Persian food and a
free shuttle twice a day to the city centre.
Info from: [email protected] or visit to their website
http://www.norkresidence.am/
Marvel medieval manuscripts
When the famous library of Alexandria burned down, many of its
manuscripts could have been lost forever; but help was at hand.
In Armenia, monks had, for generations painstakingly been copying
Greek manuscripts into the Armenian alphabet. Now they and their Greek
counterparts were able to copy this back into the original Greek -
saving priceless works.
The modern visitor learns such snippets at the Mesrop Mashtots
Institute of Ancient Manuscripts in Yerevan (or Matenadaran), which
holds one of the world's richest depositories of medieval manuscripts
and books.
Covering history, philosophy, medicine, literature, art history and
cosmography, these beautifully illustrated manuscripts come from all
parts of the world, often donated by wealthy benefactors or people who
had them in their family for generations.
Some were carried on foot through dangerous areas in the Middle East
or Turkey. Hiding them in innovative ways, they were brought to
Yerevan, Armenia, their journeys sometimes taking years. Web:
www.matenadaran
Sunday Tribune
http://www.iol.co.za/travel/world/europe/holy-beginnings-in-rugged-region-1.1780501#.VGkMNMYcRMs
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Nov 16 2014
Holy beginnings in rugged region
November 16 2014 at 09:00am
By Myrtle Ryan
Yerevan - Monasteries dot the landscape of Armenia. Many are austere,
but each is in a stunning setting.
Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as the state
religion in 301AD and the Armenian Apostolic Church is still the
official place of worship. Services are usually packed to capacity.
And it's not just the elderly; the young are there in their droves.
Just across the border, in Turkey, Mount Ararat crouches beneath a
snowy mantle. Once it fell within Armenia, before the country was
carved up: a slice to Azerbaijan, a swathe to Turkey.
Armenians have not forgotten the genocide of 1.5 million people in
1915, when many were killed in their villages in north-eastern Turkey
(adjoining the then Russian-controlled Armenia).
More Armenians live in other parts of the world than within their own country.
The manuscripts are a visual feast. Picture supplied.
The Genocide Memorial on a hillside above the capital city, Yerevan,
is a stark reminder of the genocide.
While Yerevan cannot be described as beautiful, it has a certain
vibrancy along the main boulevards. The outskirts, though, are less
salubrious. Here Soviet-style apartment blocks line the hills around
the city bowl, a reminder that the country was part of the Soviet
Union until 1991.
According to our young Armenian tour guide, Rafik (or Rafi as he
preferred to be called) Santrosyan, his father and grandfather's
generation look back with longing to those days.
"They did not have freedom, but they had jobs and security, good
health care and education, which is not the case now," said Rafi.
"Many young people now seek work in Russia or America."
Decaying, partly completed houses, can be seen everywhere in Yerevan
suburbia and, to a lesser extent, in the rest of the country.
Apparently, many of their owners had to abandon their building
projects when the Russians left and the locals' finances took a knock.
Several factories closed or now operate on a shoestring. An eyesore,
many belch out pollutants, but it is difficult to be an
environmentalist when the factory is a town's only source of income.
SUPPLIED
While many do not seem affluent, they are not in rags, and the
countryside is beautiful, especially when carpets of wild flowers
blanket the hillsides. Being mountainous helps add to the grandeur.
The only flat area, the extensive Ararat plain, is agriculturally
rich.
During our travels, we gained insight into how, before Christianity,
paganism reigned. Later, the two existed in tandem - for instance, at
Garni a Christian church was built alongside a pagan temple. During an
earthquake (prevalent in this region) the Christian church collapsed
into the canyon below, while the pagan structure survived and is still
standing.
At Garni, we had our first sighting of women selling paper-thin dried
fruit rolls, often with crushed walnuts inside, or "fly strips"
(walnuts dipped in syrup and dried).
At the Geghard monastery, below towering cliffs, we heard the
phenomenal acoustics, amid beautiful singing and chanting. Here, as
with monasteries throughout the country, the roof is shaped like an
umbrella sheltering the church and the windows are just slits letting
in light - a protective measure from more dangerous times.
At Geghard a monk, dressed in black silk hooded robe, was blessing a
bowl of salt as a family gathered around. According to Rafi, such a
ceremony is a reminder that when Christianity could not wipe out pagan
beliefs, it incorporated some.
"Instead of bringing a sacrifice, people bring salt. After it is
blessed, they take it back and use it to preserve the meat of the
animal that would have been brought as a sacrifice, but is instead
slaughtered at home," said Rafi.
Over the week in which we covered large distances, we were introduced
to famous characters from Armenian history, such a Gregory the
Enlightener - the instigator of the building of many of the
monasteries. These acted not only as places of worship, but also as
universities (many still do) and scriptoria - where manuscripts were
painstakingly copied and stored (an art no longer practised).
Legend has it Gregory spent 13 years imprisoned in a pit filled with
spiders and scorpions. Somehow he survived, some say due to his
prayers and holiness, while others say that a noble woman who fell in
love with him dropped food and water into the pit every day. The
monastery of Khor Virap, one of the holiest in Armenia and with a
fabulous backdrop of Mount Ararat, is built above the pit where
Gregory was kept captive.
At Khor Virap, vendors cage doves, then offer them to tourists who pay
a price to set them free. This practice is based on the story of Noah
releasing a dove to see if the waters had receded after the great
flood, when the ark settled on Mount Ararat. The doves have been
trained to fly back to their owner.
What is said to be the oldest winery in the world is nearby. A 5
500-year-old shoe, found in the area, is apparently the oldest in the
world.
The Holy See of Echmiadzin, a short distance from Yerevan, is to the
Armenians what The Vatican is to Catholics. Echmiadzin was the capital
of Armenia from 180 to 340AD.
The entrance gate reflects the first meeting between Gregory and King
Trdat the Great, who adopted Christianity when the monk allegedly
cured him of a demon.
The church here is said to house the spear that a Roman soldier used
to pierce Christ's side after the crucifixion.
The many legends are fascinating. Like the one of Saint Hripsimé, a
nun who came to Armenia along with a group of 33 virgins. She was
fleeing Emperor Diocletian in Rome who had fallen in love with her.
When the vengeful emperor told the Armenian king of Hripsimé's
incredible beauty, he sought her out, also fell in love and offered
her marriage. When she refused, he had her stoned to death.
Then there is the tale of a king who promised his daughter in marriage
to any man who could design a spectacular church. When one duly
produced such a masterpiece, the king had him flung from the turret of
one of the towers, so as not to have to keep his word.
The monasteries pass in a religious parade of splendour. Noravank, set
in a rocky gorge, is a masterpiece of 13th century sculptor and
manuscript artist Momik. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1840 and
restored between 1988 and 1999.
Tatev Monastery, perched on the edge of spectacular Vorotan canyon,
can be reached via a steep winding road, or an aerial cableway. The
view, as you soar above the serpentine canyon, is spectacular.
The 14th century Selim caravanserai is a "forest" of khachkars (about
1 000 carved stone crosses that incorporate pagan and Christian
symbols).
Eventually, we found ourselves in the lush alpine region of northern
Armenia, where the 12th century Haghartsin Monastery (Dance of the
Eagles) built by two brothers, is in a forest. We wandered the
restored streets of Dilijan, where artisans have set up trade; and
walked through a Molokan village. The Molokans are a sect of Russians
who broke away from the Russian Orthodox Church in the 16th century.
Sometimes we stayed in small family-run hotels. Close to the border of
Georgia, our final calls were Haghpat and Sanahin monasteries.
We all agreed the latter was probably the most evocative. Its ruined
scriptorium and cloisters open on to the forest.
Many of the monasteries have Unesco protection, deservedly so.
National pride even finds its way on to the country's Dram bank notes.
They depict famous poets, writers, activists; images of old Yerevan,
and nature in abundance. The 50 000 Dram, for instance, carries
Echmiadzin Cathedral, along with Gregory and King Trdat.
As for our guide, Rafi, he got his PhD when he was just 23. Not only
was he a specialist in linguistics; he could identify different kinds
of architecture with ease. His sense of humour was delightful. By the
time we left the country, our group had almost deified him.
Where to stay
Regineh Hotel in the ancient quarter of Yerevan has fabulous views of
Mount Ararat and pretty gardens. E-mail [email protected]
Nork Residence in one of the suburbs of Yerevan includes breakfast in
its tariff. It offers international, Armenian and Persian food and a
free shuttle twice a day to the city centre.
Info from: [email protected] or visit to their website
http://www.norkresidence.am/
Marvel medieval manuscripts
When the famous library of Alexandria burned down, many of its
manuscripts could have been lost forever; but help was at hand.
In Armenia, monks had, for generations painstakingly been copying
Greek manuscripts into the Armenian alphabet. Now they and their Greek
counterparts were able to copy this back into the original Greek -
saving priceless works.
The modern visitor learns such snippets at the Mesrop Mashtots
Institute of Ancient Manuscripts in Yerevan (or Matenadaran), which
holds one of the world's richest depositories of medieval manuscripts
and books.
Covering history, philosophy, medicine, literature, art history and
cosmography, these beautifully illustrated manuscripts come from all
parts of the world, often donated by wealthy benefactors or people who
had them in their family for generations.
Some were carried on foot through dangerous areas in the Middle East
or Turkey. Hiding them in innovative ways, they were brought to
Yerevan, Armenia, their journeys sometimes taking years. Web:
www.matenadaran
Sunday Tribune
http://www.iol.co.za/travel/world/europe/holy-beginnings-in-rugged-region-1.1780501#.VGkMNMYcRMs
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress