cathedral armenian mother church located city armenia according scholars cathedral church built ancient armenia considered oldest cathedral world original church built early fourth century according tradition armenia patron saint following adoption christianity state religion replaced temple conversion christianity core current building built cathedral severely damaged persian invasion foundation second half fifth century seat supreme head losing significance cathedral subsequently suffered centuries virtual neglect restored remains day administrative headquarters plundered persia relics stones taken cathedral effort undermine attachment land cathedral undergone number renovations added half seventeenth century constructed cathedral east end today incorporates styles different periods armenian architecture diminished early soviet period revived second half twentieth century independent armenia main shrine religious christian worldwide important location armenia politically culturally major pilgrimage site visited places country important early medieval churches located nearby cathedral listed history foundation etymology according tradition cathedral built near royal palace armenian capital city location pagan temple country world adopt christianity state religion according history armenia patron saint vision jesus christ descending heaven striking earth golden hammer cathedral built patriarch gave church descent linking element translates descent son god come use 15th century earlier sources cathedral simply literally cathedral celebrated days easter special hymn sung written 8th century telling vision cathedral construction archaeological excavations cathedral led architectural historian remains original 4th century building discovered including levels pillar bases current ones narrower altar present based findings asserted original church vaulted similar scholars rejected view held original church form dome supported pillars suggested original building canopy erected cross plan architecture researcher suggests extreme view according cathedral essentially form today reconstruction decline according cathedral city completely destroyed invasion persian king circa armenia bad economic conditions cathedral renovated partially armenia eastern armenia located remained rule armenian vassal kings subject persia dissolved attempt impose built fire temple inside cathedral fire temple unearthed altar east excavations 1950s quarter 5th century cathedral dilapidated according rebuilt foundations governor persian armenia country relatively stable following struggle religious freedom persia researchers concluded church converted church took current form new church different original consisted hall built dull grey stone containing free standing cross shaped pillars support stone new cathedral form square greek cross contains east according design new church mixture design fire temple classical antiquity seat transferred cathedral lost significance remained greatest known renovations 15th century according cross cathedral reportedly removed arab centuries neglect cathedral condition deteriorated badly prompted prominent archbishop write notable poems lament behalf cathedral poem tells consequences invasions armenia portrays woman mourning contemplating children return homeland restore glory revival following fall experienced decline disarray locally influential bishops enhanced importance region general council religious figures met voted cathedral restored time control iran gained control parts armenia including granted privileges 16th 17th centuries armenia suffered location persia conflicts concurrently persia earth policy war ottoman_empire plundered wanted armenian hopes returning homeland moving religious center iran order provide persia strong armenian presence wanted destroy cathedral remains brought event important stones altar stone jesus christ descended according tradition right arm gregory moved central iran incorporated local built offered cathedral pope 17th 18th centuries cathedral underwent major renovation moses dome ceiling roof foundations paving repaired time cells monks structures built cathedral additionally wall built cathedral making fort like complex wrote premises surrounded high wall flanked circular towers externally appearance fortress city miniature wrote convent cathedral large fortified enclosure claimed time resisted attacks renovation works interrupted cathedral remained intact renovations resumed built new cells monks renovated roof century added armenian churches started construction western wing completed according bell origin buddhist inscription probably long forgotten gift khan decades later constructed smaller bell towers red turrets southern eastern northern wings renovations continued 18th century took actions preserving cathedral established publishing house near armenia reign monastery completely walled separated city continued renovations russian takeover russian influence gradually penetrated region early 19th century located arena rivalry russian persian russo persian war twice captured russian troops led general russia returned persia treaty april russo persian war captured russian general troops fight formally annexed russia persian controlled parts armenia roughly corresponding territory modern republic armenia known according treaty cathedral prospered russian rule despite suspicions imperial russian government possible center armenian nationalist sentiment formally religious center living russian_empire statute constitution major alteration cathedral adding east end established seminary theological school college located cathedral premises undertook restoration interior cathedral 20th century russian government issued properties including treasures russian policemen soldiers entered occupied cathedral popular resistance personal defiance canceled armenian genocide cathedral surrounding major center turkish armenian refugees end refugees district hospital cathedral grounds established maintained armenian near east relief spring cathedral danger attack turks prior battle took place miles away cathedral civilian military leadership armenia suggested leave security purposes refused armenian forces eventually repelled turkish offensive set foundation soviet suppression years independence armenia december february uprising briefly april taken nationalist dominated pre soviet armenian government december southern cathedral collapsed restored supervision case restoration architectural monument great purge radical state policies late 1930s cathedral besieged institution campaign underway religion murdered april august year decided close cathedral central soviet government seemingly approve measure isolated outside world cathedral barely continued function administrators reduced people reportedly church seized communist government anti soviet armenian diocese wrote great cathedral hollow monument religious importance slowly recovered second world war holy official magazine resumed publication seminary reopened september elected seven year vacancy position number conducted rose greatly cathedral role communist official circles ecclesiastical belongs past monastery cathedral occasionally scene impressive ceremonies including election new little importance communist point view wrote revival revived period known mid-1950s following death archaeological excavations held cathedral underwent major renovation period wealthy financially assisted renovation cathedral provided underwent renovation prior celebrations anniversary anniversary cathedral celebrated issued january february declared year holy september year academic conference held residence latest renovation cathedral began focus strengthening restoring dome roof architecture today plan central free standing piers projecting interior exterior central piers section divide interior space equal square compartments exterior design cathedral external appearance described massive cube cone simple cylinder writes largest beautiful armenian churches overall impression presented ensemble inspiring hold building great reverence wrote cathedral small compared fame importance writing times expressed similar view cathedral european standards immensely important wrote new_york_times article like ancient armenian churches cathedral characterized naive minimum building solid stone construction arches sober curves declared holds unique position armenian non armenian architecture history features different periods armenian architecture despite fact cathedral renovated times centuries alterations 17th 19th centuries retains form building constructed 5th century building core cathedral stone turrets rear extension later additions engraved exterior decorative geometric floral patterns blind arcades depicting saints portions northern eastern walls original building survived greek northern wall cathedral contains depict paul cross arms equal length greek inscriptions paul represented conversation paul shown seated cross legged dated authors sixth centuries suggested created invention armenian alphabet art historian believed fifth sixth century analysis wrote insist created beginning according earliest cathedral walls earliest items christian armenian sculpture art ornaments western main interior design early inside cathedral restored 18th century stephen poland illustrated 18th 19th centuries armenian painters created scenes old testament armenian saints painted parts interior paintings dome painting mother god altar survived day members prominent family created paintings 18th century work continued succeeding generations family 19th century wooden doors cathedral carved paintings moved cathedral order kept museums armenia including armenia inside cathedral restored 1950s stone floor replaced marble influence armenian architecture design classified square called type armenian architectural historiography common armenia early medieval period destroyed dating known church significantly similar plan structure period 19th century architectural revival looked armenia past plan began directly copied new armenian churches notable examples period include northern iran dating dating european architecture art historian european thoroughly study armenian architecture placed armenia center european architecture suggested volume book titled der und architecture europe churches western_europe influenced similarities found plans according examples churches influenced 9th century church france built probably armenian milan italy view later supported suggested armenian church architecture spread western_europe 8th 9th centuries migrated armenia suppressed byzantine government period added medieval churches europe list churches influenced byzantine decorative arts according design spread europe byzantine_empire served model church constantinople churches greece significance centuries national political center armenian people considered soil way similar jews cathedral complex called armenian vatican armenian major pilgrimage site religious worldwide cathedral important development sense identity pilgrimage ethnic religious experience american journalist historian described cathedral possession armenian nation source strength held centuries persecution warfare massacre royal_navy captain highlighted immense role armenian people book writing monastery cathedral described heart armenian nation foundation official designation capital western sources emphasized political significance book prepared historical section british foreign office acknowledged regarded national capital deprived political head political capital armenian people years looked home people centre looked guidance sympathy practical aid wrote welsh journalist politician book armenia italian historian traveler wrote cathedral critical phase history looked guidance church close sixteen years beacon hope visit enables understand people devotion faith better library books medical director near east relief wrote cathedral longevity changes temporal affairs beaten walls sixteen centuries like little waves granite cliff fallen soviets come soviets endure years centuries day soviets temporal governments stand notable visitors early european visitors gave cathedral included august prominent individuals visited including russian diplomat playwright russian poet english composer russian singer songwriter russian american poet visited cathedral 21st century major religious figures like pope patriarch moscow visited gave prayer cathedral june called cathedral witness history people centre spirituality presidents countries russia france georgia royalty visited cathedral state private visits armenia heritage designation added churches ruined list cathedral complex monuments including cross stones graves located cathedral listed government armenia list historical cultural monuments cultural depictions weekly official periodical founded features cathedral cover page newspaper logo film directed french armenian director actual footage cathedral shown main character son armenian genocide survivors questioned faith catholic school soviet_union armenia issued postage stamps depicting cathedral respectively cathedral depicted artistic depictions academic articles published books specific general
Etchmiadzin Cathedral