St. Sargis Church :: ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

St. Sargis Church 1840 y․

Georgia / Javakhk / Akhalkalak / Khojabek

Historical Introduction
1840 y․

The original building of St. Sargis Church was erected in the 1840s without permission by the spiritual authorities. With this regard, in 1848 Echmiatzin Consistory submitted a report to the Catholicos, particularly stressing that the Armenians of Khojabek were eager to see their church consecrated: “So far with the approval of their Consistory and spiritual leaders, the inhabitants of Khojabek, Bzavet, Trkna and Korkh Villages of Akhaltskha Province have erected churches of medium dimensions which are built of stone and have wooden roofs. When they were asked about the motives making them construct these sanctuaries, they answered that they had completed them with their scanty means, guided by piety and fervent love. If now the church is not consecrated, all their endeavours will prove absolutely futile...” Most probably, the sanctuary, which was completed with the meagre means of the local people, was consecrated in due time and served its community until the construction of the new church. The latter was built between 1882 and 1884 and was accomplished as “...a magnificent vaulted church of finely-dressed stone which has been blessed by His Eminence the Primate on the 28th of the current month...” An inscription carved on the western facade of the monument commemorates its construction and blessing.

Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան, (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 56, ց. 6, գ. 5, թ. 5: «Արձագանք», 1885, N 3, էջ 41: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, pp. 243-245.

1995 y․

In 1995 the 165th anniversary of the foundation of Khojabek and the 110th anniversary of the construction of St. Sargis Church were celebrated in the village with great festivity.

Սանոսյան Տ., Հանդիսություն Խոջաբեկ գյուղում.– «Էջմիածին», 1995, Ը-Թ, էջ 130-131: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 245.

Architectural Description

St. Sargis Church (exterior dimensions: 18.68 x 11.02 metres) represents a monument entirely built of finely-finished stone, with its only entrance opening from its western facade. Its western pediment is surmounted by a double-floor belfry.

Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 245.

Repairs
1990 — 1993 yy․

In the early 1990s, renovation work commenced in the church, after the completion of which, it was consecrated in a solemn ceremony held on 13 November 1993: “After an interval of half a century, Reverend Father Yeghia Tazayan conducted the first divine service in the newly-blessed church of St. Sargis.”

Աբրահամյան Վ., Բոգդանովկայի Ս. Սարգիս եկեղեցու օծումը.– «Էջմիածին», 1993, ԺԱ-ԺԲ, էջ 17: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 245.

Inscription, Armenian, Engraved, Construction 1882 y․

Sixteen lines in the Armenian original carved on the tympanum of a window opening above the western entrance of the church:
ՅԻՇԱՏԱԿՈՒԹ(ԵԱ)Ն | ԿԱՌՈՒՑԱՒ ԵԿԵՂԵՑԻՍ | ՍՐԲՈՅՆ ՍԱՐԳՍԻ, ԱՐԴԵԱՄ(Բ)Ք | ԵՒ ԾԱԽԻՒՔ ԼՈՒՍԱՒՈՐՉԱԴԱՒ|ԱՆ ՀԱՅԱԶԳԻ ԺՈՂՈՎՐԴԱ|ԿԱՆԱՑ ՂՕՃԷԲԷԿ ԳԻՒՂՆ | 1882 ԱՄԻ Է ԹԻՒՆ ՀԱՅ(ՈՑ) ՌՅԼԱ, | Ի ՀԱՅՐ(Ա)ՊԵՏ(ՈՒ)ԹԵ(Ա)Ն Տ. Տ. Դ ԳԷՈՐԳ | ԿԱԹՈՂԻԿՈՍԻ ԱՄ(ԵՆԱՅՆ) Հ(Ա)Յ(Ո)Ց ԵՒ ՕԾԵ|ՑԱՒ 1884 ԱՄԻ, ՅԱՌԱՋՆՈՐԴԷ Հ(ԱՅՈ)Ց | ԿՈՆՍԻՍՏՈՐԻԱՆ ԻՄԷՐԷԹԻ ԵՒ ՎՐ|ԱՍՏԱՆԻ ՍՐԲԱԶ(Ա)Ն | ԱՐԻՍՏ(Ա)Կ(Է)Ս | ԵՊԻՍԿՈՊ|ՈՍԷ: Transl.: This church dedicated to St. Sargis was built through the efforts and means of the Armenian adherents of the Enlightener’s faith living in Ghojebek Village in the year 1882 and 1331 of the Armenian calendar, in the days of Catholicos of All Armenians His Holiness Gevorg IV. It was consecrated in the year 1884 by the Leader of the Armenian Consistory of Imeret and Georgia, Right Reverend Bishop Aristakes.

Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, pp. 245-247.

Type Photo
View Exterior
Direction From the south-east
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1988 — 1989 yy․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Direction From the south-west
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1988 — 1989 yy․

Type Photo
View Detail
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1988 — 1989 yy․

The double-floor belfry surmounting its western pediment

Type Photo
View Detail
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1988 — 1989 yy․

A window opening from the western facade

Type Photo
View Detail
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1988 — 1989 yy․

The only entrance of the sanctuary