St. Gevorg Church Church :: ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

St. Gevorg Church Church

Iran / Western Atrpatakan / Salmast / Mahlam

Location

St. Gevorg Church is situated across St. Zoravar (N 38 07 45.13; E 044 44 16.23), at an altitude of 1,408 metres.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 336.

Historical Introduction

The first historical mention of the church is from 1606: “Say again God have mercy for Avet, Kheraypet, who received this holy Gospel and put it in St. Gevorg the Commander, in Salmast country, in Mahlam Village. Nobody will dare take this holy Gospel away from St. Gevorg Church. In the year 1055 (1606).”

Colophons, 17th century, vol. 1, p. 215.
See also Main List of the Armenian Manuscripts of Mesrop Mashtots Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts (Matenadaran), vol. 2, p. 38, ms. 313.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 336.

The church was more often remembered in the 19th century bulletins (1864, 1875, 1882).

National Archives of Armenia, fund 429, list 1, file 100, p. 102.
Ararat, no. 3 (1876), p. 110.
Տէր-Աստուածատրեան Կ., Դավրէժ, [K. Ter-Astvatzatrian, “Davrezh”], «Մեղու Հայաստանի» [Meghu Hayastani], no. 27, 19 March 1882, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 336.

In early March 1915, after the retreat of the Turks: “They kept sheep in the Mahlam Church.”

Sam., “Salmast in Ruins,” Areg, no. 3, 26 March 1915, p. 4.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 336.

On 6 May 1930, the church became loose by the earthquake, but as it seems, it continued to serve the purpose.

Masis, “Additional Information,” Haraj, no. 1277, 31 May 1930, p. 1.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 336.

In 1950, Armenak Manaserian from Mahlam allocated a total of 1,500 rials to repair the church of St. Gevorg. By the way, in addition to the financial support, he also dedicated a table cloth and a chalice veil, while Qnarik Arakelian dedicated a handmade chalice cover.
On 5 November of the same year, the repairs of the church were completed and were followed by a ceremonial liturgy (for that were spent 2,835 rials of which 1500 had been donated by fellow-villager Armenak Manaserian; 450 rials were from the income of the church field; and 885 were given by the priest of the village Mesrop Minassian).

Alik, no. 222, 4 October 1950, p. 3; no. 260, 21 November 1950, p. 3; no. 266, 28 November 1950, p. 4.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 336.

In 1958, Qochar Khachaturian donated to the church 500 rials, while Hovhannes Barseghian a velvet curtain.

Alik, no. 98, 11 May 1958, p. 4.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 336.

In 1969, W. Kleiss, the German researcher, published the plan of St. Gevorg Church, and in 1976 the construction was studied and measured thanks to the efforts of the Italian expedition.

Kleiss, W. “Report on Two Exploratory Journeys in North-Western Iran.” Archaeological Reports from Iran. Vol. 2 (Berlin, 1969).
Research on Armenian Architecture: Iran, vol. 1 (17), p. 66.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 336.

In February 1980, Satenik Nazarian donated to the church 5,000 rials in memory of her husband Yenok.

Alik, no. 32, 13 February 1980, p. 6.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 336.

In 2011, we were also lucky enough to do some certain study in the church, which was already fairly decayed due to the lack of a caring hand.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 336.

On 16 May 2013, during the visit of Archimandrite Grigor Chiftjian, the Prelate of the Armenian Diocese of Atrpatakan, the church’s condition was much worse due to rains and treasure-hunting. What is more, the actions of treasure-hunters (while looking for caches in the walls) revealed some frescos in the church. According to the Prelate: “These images flanking the altar, despite being covered with plaster for many years and despite the moisture of those long years, have maintained the clarity and authenticity of the colors.”

Artaz, no. 5 (May 2013), pp. 3-4.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 336.

Architectural Description

Lapidary Inscriptions

There is one-line inscription in embossed letters on the lintel: Dn, Yn, 1885.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 336.

Direction From the north-east
Author Armen Hakhnazarian

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

Author Armen Hakhnazarian
Date 1980 y․

Author Samvel Karapetian
Date 2011 y․

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

Author Samvel Karapetian
Date 2011 y․

Type Measurement
Author Ashot Hakobian
Date 2011 y․

Plan of St. Gevorg Church