26/05/2023
Etchmiadzin Cathedral (301)
Consecrated in 301 AD, the Etchmiadzin Cathedral is believed to be the oldest Christian cathedral on Earth, and the Vatican of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
The original church was built over a pagan temple at a time when Christianity became the state religion as enforced by King Tiridates III but later fell into disrepair. It has been rebuilt several times throughout different centuries – therefore showcasing a mixture of several styles of Armenian architecture.
Today, the main cathedral is tucked within manicured hedges and lawns surrounded by more modern buildings from the 19th-century. The cathedral itself consists of a central cupola adorned with glorious, glittering frescoes, and a Treasury where a series of holy relics such as the Holy Lance and a remnant of Noah’s ark can be found.
The cathedral hosts the Catholicos, the administrative head of the Armenian Church, and served as a refuge for Turkish Armenian refugees during the Armenian Genocide. Today, a Genocide Monument can be found within the cathedral’s beautifully landscaped gardens.