Aghjots Vank
Encyclopedia
Aghjots Vank is a 13th century monastery
situated along a tributary
of the Azat River
Valley in the Khosrov Reserve located near the villages of Goght
and Garni
in the Ararat Province of Armenia
. Not far from this location and also within the reserve is the fortress of Kakavaberd
and the monastic complex of Havuts Tar
.
According to local folklore, the monastery was founded by Grigor Lusavorich
upon the site of the martyrdom of Stepanos (Stephen), a supposed companion to S. Hripsime
during the time of Armenia's conversion to Christianity in the year 301 AD. The fifth century Armenian historian Agathangelos
wrote that the young and beautiful Hripsimé who at the time was a Christian nun in Rome
, was to be forcefully married to the Roman
emperor Diocletian
. She and the abbess Gayané among other nuns fled the tyrant emperor and left to Armenia. The pagan Armenian King Trdat received a letter from Diocletian in which he described her beauty. Trdat discovered where the nuns were hiding, and fell in love with Hripsimé and later Gayané. After her refusal of his advances, Hripsimé was tortured and martyred at the location of Saint Hripsime Church, while Gayané was tortured and martyred at a separate location where Saint Gayane Church was later built in the year 630. The remaining group of thirty-eight unnamed nuns were martyred at the location where the church of Shoghakat
is today. During the time that Hripsimé was being tortured, Gayané told her to "be of good cheer, and stand firm" in her faith. King Trdat was to be later converted to Christianity and made it the official religion of the kingdom.
The complex of Aghjots Vank consists of the church of Surb Stepanos (Saint Stephen
), a church of Surb Poghos Petros (Saints Peter and Paul), and a gavit
adjacent. S. Stepanos was built during the early 13th century and is the main church within the complex. It has a cruciform plan, four portals and a vaulted church of S. Poghos Petros attached to the northern wall. Poghos Petros was built in 1270 and has remarkable bas-relief carvings of Saints Peter (left) and Paul (right) that flank the portal. A gavit that has since partially fallen down the hill, was added to the western end of S. Stepanos in the second half of the 13th century. Its construction was funded by Ivane Zakarian as well as by the local Prince Grigor Khaghbakian.
S. Stepanos Vank was sacked by the Persians in 1603 and restored soon after. It was destroyed again in the Earthquake of 1679
that destroyed the nearby monastery of Havuts Tar and the pagan temple of Garni
. The monastery was despoiled again in the 18th century and permanently ruined during the Armenian–Tatar massacres of 1905–1907. It now sits in ruin within the Khosrov Reserve.
Numerous inscriptions may be seen on the churches and gavit. The site has several khatchkars dating from the 12th–17th centuries, some of which were built into the walls of the structures. There is a cemetery from the 7th–17th centuries located approximately 150 meters west of the complex upon a hill.
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
situated along a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Azat River
Azat River
The Azat is a river in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. Its source is on the western slope of the Geghama mountains. It flows through Garni, Lanjazat and Arevshat. It flows into the Aras near Artashat.-See also:*Rivers and lakes in Armenia...
Valley in the Khosrov Reserve located near the villages of Goght
Goght
Goght is a village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia, known from 13th century manuscripts as Goghot. It is located near Garni and sits along the road leading to Geghard Monastery...
and Garni
Garni
Garni is a village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia, situated approximately 28 km southeast from Yerevan.- History :...
in the Ararat Province of Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. Not far from this location and also within the reserve is the fortress of Kakavaberd
Kakavaberd
Kakavaberd or Kaqavaberd - Site :The fortified walls of Kakavaberd are well preserved and crown a ridge within the Khosrov Reserve. It is inaccessible from three of its sides because of the steep terrain. Towers at the northeastern side are 8 to 10 meters tall...
and the monastic complex of Havuts Tar
Havuts Tar
Havuts Tar is a 11-13th century walled monastery in the Azat River Valley across from the villages of Goght and Garni in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. It can be reached easily from the Khosrov Reserve which it is situated within, located across the Garni Gorge. A trail leads directly from the...
.
Etymology
The etymology of Aghjots Vank is derived from the nearby abandoned village of Aghjots.According to local folklore, the monastery was founded by Grigor Lusavorich
Gregory the Illuminator
Saint Gregory the Illuminator or Saint Gregory the Enlightener is the patron saint and first official head of the Armenian Apostolic Church...
upon the site of the martyrdom of Stepanos (Stephen), a supposed companion to S. Hripsime
Rhipsime
Rhipsime, sometimes called Hripsime , Ripsime, Ripsima or Arsema was an Armenian virgin and martyr of Roman origin. She and her companions in martyrdom are venerated as the first Christian martyrs of Armenia....
during the time of Armenia's conversion to Christianity in the year 301 AD. The fifth century Armenian historian Agathangelos
Agathangelos
Agathangelos , appropriately so named, was a supposed secretary of Tiridates III, King of Armenia, under whose name there has come down a life of the first apostle of Armenia, Gregory the Illuminator, who died about 332. It purports to exhibit the deeds and discourses of Gregory, and has reached us...
wrote that the young and beautiful Hripsimé who at the time was a Christian nun in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, was to be forcefully married to the Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
emperor Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
. She and the abbess Gayané among other nuns fled the tyrant emperor and left to Armenia. The pagan Armenian King Trdat received a letter from Diocletian in which he described her beauty. Trdat discovered where the nuns were hiding, and fell in love with Hripsimé and later Gayané. After her refusal of his advances, Hripsimé was tortured and martyred at the location of Saint Hripsime Church, while Gayané was tortured and martyred at a separate location where Saint Gayane Church was later built in the year 630. The remaining group of thirty-eight unnamed nuns were martyred at the location where the church of Shoghakat
Shoghakat
The Church of Shoghakat was erected in 1694 by Prince Aghamal Sorotetsi during the time of Catholicos Nahabed I in the present day city of Vagharshapat , in the Armavir Province of Armenia...
is today. During the time that Hripsimé was being tortured, Gayané told her to "be of good cheer, and stand firm" in her faith. King Trdat was to be later converted to Christianity and made it the official religion of the kingdom.
History and Site
The exact date that the monastery was founded is unknown. What is known is that the majority of the monastery was funded by Princess Zaza during the 13th century.The complex of Aghjots Vank consists of the church of Surb Stepanos (Saint Stephen
Saint Stephen
Saint Stephen The Protomartyr , the protomartyr of Christianity, is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox Churches....
), a church of Surb Poghos Petros (Saints Peter and Paul), and a gavit
Gavit
A gavit or zhamatun is often contiguous to the west of a church in a Medieval Armenian monastery. It served as narthex , mausoleum and assembly room.-History:...
adjacent. S. Stepanos was built during the early 13th century and is the main church within the complex. It has a cruciform plan, four portals and a vaulted church of S. Poghos Petros attached to the northern wall. Poghos Petros was built in 1270 and has remarkable bas-relief carvings of Saints Peter (left) and Paul (right) that flank the portal. A gavit that has since partially fallen down the hill, was added to the western end of S. Stepanos in the second half of the 13th century. Its construction was funded by Ivane Zakarian as well as by the local Prince Grigor Khaghbakian.
S. Stepanos Vank was sacked by the Persians in 1603 and restored soon after. It was destroyed again in the Earthquake of 1679
1679 Armenia earthquake
The 1679 Armenia earthquake was a tremor with a magnitude of 7.0, that took place in 1679 in the Yerevan region of Armenia .- Buildings destroyed :...
that destroyed the nearby monastery of Havuts Tar and the pagan temple of Garni
Garni Temple
Garni is a temple complex located in the Kotayk Province of Armenia, situated approximately 32 km southeast from Yerevan.The first traces of human occupation date back to the 3rd millennium BC and are concentrated in an easily defensible terrain at one of the bends of the Azat river. In the 8th...
. The monastery was despoiled again in the 18th century and permanently ruined during the Armenian–Tatar massacres of 1905–1907. It now sits in ruin within the Khosrov Reserve.
Numerous inscriptions may be seen on the churches and gavit. The site has several khatchkars dating from the 12th–17th centuries, some of which were built into the walls of the structures. There is a cemetery from the 7th–17th centuries located approximately 150 meters west of the complex upon a hill.