Sourb Astvatzatzin Church :: ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Sourb Astvatzatzin Church 19 c․

Georgia / Kakhet / Telav / Telav

Location
19 c․

It is situated in the city’s old Armenian cemetery.

Samvel Karapetian, Kakhet Armenians, Yerevan, 2004, p. 79. The original in Armenian.

Historical Introduction
1861 y․

A record of 1861 states that “Telav Armenians wanted to rebuild the existing Holy Virgin Church in the city’s old grave-yard into a larger one with their own means, since they could not always go to St. George and Dzvel Galavani’s churches for their divine ceremonies, due to the long distance separating them..”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 56, list 1, file 4129, p. 4. The original in Armenian.

1870 y․

By 1870 “all the money necessary for the re-foundation of the Holy Virgin Church had been spent.”

National Archives of Armenia,fund 53, list 1, file 3857, pp. 64-65. The original in Armenian.

1870 y․

Another archive document of 1870 confirms the accomplishment of the work, which was followed by the consecration of the building.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 56, list 1, file 5374, p. 16. The original in Armenian.

1879 y․

In 1879 4.000 roubles were spent on the construction of the church dome.

“Meghu Hayastani”, 1880, N 100, p. 3. The original in Armenian.

1894 y․

On the night of 10 December 1894, the church was plundered, in the aftermath of which, probably, the diocese leader ordered that ramparts be built around it.

“Nor-Dar”, 1894, N 213, p. 2; ibid, 1895, N 176, p. 3; “Mshak”, 1894, N 145, p. 3. The originals in Armenian.

1923 y․

On 31 March 1923, the Holy Virgin Church closed, reopening on 11 August.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 409, list 1, file 3146, p. 7; ibid, fund 57, list 3, file 525, p. 16. The original in Armenian.

Before its reconstruction in the 1860s, Sourb Astvatzatzin was a cemetery church, but after its dedication in 1870, it turned into a parish one.

Samvel Karapetian, Kakhet Armenians, Yerevan, 2004, p. 79. The original in Armenian.

1840 y․

The exact date of its foundation is unknown. The archive documents mentioning it as the cemetery’s stone church date back to 1840, but indeed, it was built earlier.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3798, p. 29. The original in Armenian.

Repairs
1897 y․

At the end of the century, Sourb Astvatzatzin Church was in a state of collapse and needed repairs.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3348, p. 2. The original in Armenian.

20 c․

The present-day standing monument is among those very few Armenian churches in the territory of Georgia that was restored in the 1970s through the means of the Historical Monuments Preservation and Use Department of the country’s Ministry of Culture.

“Sovetakan Vrastan”, 1981, N 85, p. 3. The original in Armenian.

Priests
1872 — 1896 yy․

Priest Hovsep Ter-Harutiuniants. In 1896 he was buried in the church yard. A record portrays him as a person “...through whose indefatigable endeavours the fine Holy Virgin Church was built. Throughout the 24 years of his priesthood, he was held in high esteem and appreciation by his flock... .”

“Ardzagank”, 1896, N 111, p. 2. The original in Armenian.

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Aleksandr Arutyunov
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1969 y․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Sargis Darchinian
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1976 y․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1988 y․