PLACES OF WORSHIP

1835-1842,1971-1976

State index: 1.6.75

1835-1842, reconstructed in 1971-1976

Аuthor of the reconstruction project and architect: Rafael Israelyan

It is considered a prelacy church of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church. It is located in the district of Dzoragyugh, at 19th Israelyan Street, on the left bank of the Hrazdan River. The foundation date is not known. It was the parish church of Dzoragyugh hermitage, afterwards primacy of the Diocese of Yerevan. It was destroyed because of the Ararat Valley earthquake in 1679 and was rebuilt during the rule of the Catholicos of All Armenians Nahapet I Edesatsi (1691-1705). In the XIX century a Bishop Hovhannes Shahkhatunyants, head of the Ararat Pontifical Diocese, demolished the ramshackle church by order of Catholicos of All Armenians Hovhannes VIII Karbetsi (1831-1842), and constructed a church with a style of four-gabled domed basilica. 

During the Soviet years, 1971-1976, due to the initiative of Catholicos of All Armenians Vazgen I, it was rebuilt, while preserving the original layout plan (author of the project: Honored Art Worker of the USSR, Honored Architect of the USSR, Rafael Israelyan). The façades are covered with orange, smooth tuff. Inside, on the western side, an attic was added for the choir, the dome was replaced with a new, higher and luxurious dome. The main western façade has been luxuriously decorated, on the main façade stone of the entrance is the sculpture of the Virgin Mary and on the wall are installed sculptures of Gabriel and Michael archangels (sculptor: National Artist of RA Artashes Hovsepyan). Inside, the symbols of the four evangelists were sculpted on the spherical arches under the dome.

In the territory of St. Sarkis Church are located the building of the prelacy of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese (1980-1981, author of the reconstruction project: architect Hamlet Khachatryan), the fountain built according to national traditions (1996, architect: Baghdasar Arzumanyan), khackars (cross-stones) and sculptured tombstones of the XVI-XVII centuries moved from other places (some of them have inscriptions). In 2000 the construction of the belfry crowned with a four-columned rotunda adjunct to the church was completed (architect: Romeo Julhakyan).

“Scientific Research Centre of Historical and Cultural Heritage” SNCO

Yerevan Municipality