Chapel :: ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Chapel

Iran / Western Atrpatakan / Salmast / Zevajuk

Location

A chapel called Hazaraprkich stands on a small elevation (N 38º 06°46.38°°; E 044º45°34.80°°) at the south-western extremity of Zevajuk.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 540.

Other Names

It is also known by the names of Amenaprkich, Prishat (coming from Pir Shahad, which means Holy Martyr) and Brishat.17

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), pp. 55-56.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 540.

Architectural Description

The chapel is a simple trapezoid (outer dimensions: 9.18 x 8.34 metres) built of stone and plastered with clay. It has a roof of wood, its only entrance opening from the west.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 540.

Historical Introduction

It has been traditionally considered to have healing power especially for those suffering from leprosy and ear-ache.

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), pp. 138, 180.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 540.

Pilgrims generally visited the chapel on Red Sunday.

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), pp. 179-180.
See also Hayrapetian, “Salmast,” Alik, no. 211, 22 September 1969, p. 5.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 540.

As in many other churches and chapels in Salmast, bell ringing was banned here.

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 56.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 540.

There was a nearby mineral spring that was especially visited by the leprous and those fever-stricken.

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 56.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 540.

In 1955 Aram Khalatian donated an altar cloth to Hazaraprkich Chapel. Besides, it also received some chalice veils (three of them given by Gohar Manukian, Hayrapetian and Mrs. Shushanik) and a covering cloth for the font.

Alik, no. 119, 6 June 1955, p. 3.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 540.

As of 1957, a pilgrimage was made to the chapel on the feast of the Ascension. In 1958 the road leading to the sanctuary was mentioned as having been repaired.

Tghtakits, “A Brief Report,” p. 4.
Alik, no. 97, 9 May 1958, p. 4.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 540.

In the same year, Hakhverdi Manaserian and Hovhannes Bakmazian donated 3,100 and 500 rials respectively for whitening its walls.

Alik, no. 98, 11 May 1958, p. 4.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 540.

In 1966, on the annual pilgrimage day of Hazaraprkich Chapel—19 May—Arshavir Manaserian (also referred to as Manukian), who lived in Tabriz, donated 6,500 rials for its overhaul. In addition, the chapel also received 1,000 rials from a Women’s Union and 4,000 rials from a lottery, these donations helping it acquire a new door a year later: “The pilgrimage site of Brishat (Hazarprkich), located near Mahlam Village of Salmast, has been repaired and its door has been replaced with a new iron one with the financial assistance of Mr. Arshavir Manukian, a native of Salmast who lives in Tabriz.”

Մ. աւ. ք. /Մեսրոպ ավագ քահանա Մինասյան/, Համբարձման տօնը, [Archpriest M. /Mesrop Minassian/, “The Feast of the Ascension”], «Ալիք» [Alik], no. 117, 5 June 1966, p. 5.
See also Տէմիրճեան Վ. եպիս., Դիւան Ատրպատականի հայոց պատմութեան, հ. Ա [Bishop V. Temirjian, Documents Relating to the History of the Armenians of Atropatene, vol. 1] (Beirut, 1980), p. 255.
Minassian, “Travel Impressions,” p. 8.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, pp. 540-541.

In 2011 we learnt that the chapel had again undergone renovation, this time through Michael Margarian’s daughter Shoghik’s efforts.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 541.

Description

Senior Archimandrite Grigor Chiftjian, who visited the monument on 21 March 2013, writes that it is a structure of the 18th century. “It does not differ at all from the nearby houses, which are outwardly coated with mortar of hay and alumina (brick is also used, but only in recently-erected structures). A building with a wooden roof and thick walls of unburnt brick, Sourb Amenaprkich [Holy Saviour] Church is 4.5 metres high and covers an area of 7 x 8 metres.... In order to consolidate the 1.5-metre high entrance to the church, ... three blocks of stone have been placed on both sides of the door and above it. The eastern wall has two windows (40 x 60 cm) placed immediately below the ceiling. Besides, each of the other three walls has a window on its upper part (all the windows have the same dimensions). In recent years, both the windows and the door have undergone renovation during which iron shutters adorned with crosses were added to them. Also, the church floor was paved with flagstones.... The soil spread on the roof has been covered with a modern roof to prevent the collapse of the structure. The inner walls of the church have been whitened and coated with special water-proof oil paint.”

Artaz, no. 3 (March 2013), p. 9.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 540.

Direction From the west
Author Samvel Karapetian
Date 2011 y․

Direction From the south-west
Author Samvel Karapetian
Date 2011 y․

Direction From the north-east
Author Samvel Karapetian
Date 2011 y․

Type Measurement
Author Ashot Hakobian
Source Sketch

The plan of the chapel of Hazaraprkich (Prishat, Sourb Amenaprkich, Holy Saviour): measurement by A. Hakobian, 2011 Chapel plan first published in: Research on Armenian Architecture: Iran, vol. 1, p. 141

Name	Year/Century	Etymology
Hazaraprkich
Amenaprkich
Pir Shahad