Sourb Astvatzamor Church :: ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Sourb Astvatzamor Church 1843 y․

Georgia / Javakhk / Akhalkalak / Toria

Foundation
1843 y․

Sourb Astvatzamor (Holy Virgin) Church was founded in 1843: “Toria—dedicated to the Holy Mother of God and built of stone in 1843...”

«Արձագանք», 1885, N 26, էջ 368: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 207.

Earthquakes
1899 y․

The earthquake of 19 December 1899 inflicted “...severe damage upon the ancient church [it was shaken to its very foundations].” It was only in 1905 that the villagers were financially able to embark upon the reconstruction of the destroyed monument, which was on the verge of final collapse (the inscriptions carved on its southern and western entrance facades come to substantiate this). In 1995 the roof of Sourb Astvatzamor Church was in process of renovation.

Мушкетов И., Материалы по ахалкалакскому землетрясению 19-ого декабря 1899 г., “Труды Геологоческаго комитета”, Новая серия, вып 1, СПБ, 1903, էջ 34-35: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 207.

Repairs
1893 y․

In 1893 the sanctuary underwent major reconstruction.

«Օրացոյց եւ պատկեր տօնից», Թիֆլիս, 1916, էջ 83: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 207.

Priests
1915 y․

In 1915 Priest of Ujmana Hovhannes Darbinian started serving the parish of Toria.

«Օրացոյց և պատկեր տօնից», Թիֆլիս, 1915, էջ 83: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 208.

Inscription, Armenian, Engraved, Construction 1905 y․

Engraved on the western entrance of the church:
1905 | ԱՅՍ ԱՐԵՒՄՏԵԱՆ ՈՐ|ՄՆ ԿԱՌՈՒՑՒԱՒ ԾԱԽ|ԻՒՔ ՏԷՐ ՄԻՔԱԷԼ ՔՈԹԱՆ|ՃԵԱՆԻ ՅԻՇԱՏԱԿ Է ՆՈՐԱ: Transl.: 1905. This western wall was [re]built through the means of Father Michael Kotanjian in his memory.

Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 208.

Inscription, Armenian, Engraved, Construction

Carved on the southern entrance of the sanctuary:
ԿԱՌՈՒՑԱՒ Ս(ՈՒՐ)Բ Ա(ՍՏՈՒԱ)ԾԱՄՕՐ ԵԿԵՂԵՑԻՆ Տ(Է)Ր | ՄԻՔԱԷԼ ՔՈԹ(ԱՆ)Ճ(ԵԱՆ)Ց ԾԱԽԻՒՔ ԵՒ ԱՇԽԱ|ՏՈՒԹ(ԵԱՄ)Բ ԹՈՐԻՈՅ ԺՈՂՈՎՐԴՈՑ: Transl.: Sourb Astvatzamor Church was built with the means of Father Michael Kotanjiants and through the efforts of the people of Toria.

Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 208.

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․