PLACES OF WORSHIP

Saint Gregory the Illuminator Church is the mother Cathedral of Yerevan, built in 1996–2001, designed by architect Stepan Kyurkchyan, to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the proclamation of Christianity as the state religion in Armenia.

Saint Gregory the Illuminator Church is located in the southeastern part of the Ring Park, opposite the "Russia" cinema, on an elevated site.

This complex structure consists of a church, the chapels dedicated to the Armenian King Trdat Arshakuni and Queen Ashkhen, who adopted Christianity as the state religion in 301, the narthex and the atrium attached to the church from the west. There is also a monastic building.

The church houses part of the relics of the first Catholicos of All Armenians, St. Gregory the Illuminator, brought from the St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in Naples (San Gregorio Armeno), which were presented to Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II by Pope John Paul II on November 11, 2000, in the Vatican.

The St. Gregory the Illuminator Church was built with the donation of Richard and Louise-Simon Manoogian, in memory of their parents, Alex and Marie Manoogian. The two chapels were built with the donations of Nazar and Artemis Nazarian, Gevorg and Linda Gevorgian, and the bell tower was built with the donations of Eduardo Eurnekian.

The Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator, while having a characteristic features of classical Armenian architecture, is at the same time modern and unlike medieval Armenian churches.