The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1878-01-10
Monastery Of Etchmiadrin.

Village of Vagarshabad, thirteen miles
west of Erivan, the Capital of Russian
Armenia, is situated the famous Monas-
terry of Etchmiadzin, which claims to
be the oldest monastic institution In
existence. According to tradition. st.
Gregory the Illuminator founded the
first Christian church in Armenia at
Vagarshabad; and, In the year S2O,
Etchmaijzin-an Armenian term signi-
flying "The only begotten descended"
became the ecclesiastical metropolis
of the Armenian nation. A century
and half later, the monastery was
degraded from its high place, but recov-
cred it again in l44l, and has since
been the seat of the Armenian Patriarch
who is the spiritual head of all true
Armenians. In 49l the Armenian
Church severed itself from the Orthodox
Eastern Church, and has remained to
the present day an Independent ecelesi-
astical body at whose head is the
Patriarch, intrusted with the admins
trative power of Pope, and chosen by
the Armenian Bishops convoked for the
purpose from all parts Of the world.
Etchmiadzin stands in hot plain,
destitute of trees, and on the banks OF
small stream, which, exhausted by the
drain upon it for the irrigation Of the
bordering land loses itself in fever
breeding marshes. The site is lonely
and unhealthy, but it has a glorious
view of Ararat, A" which" according to
Mr.. Bryce, from whose description of
Etchmiadzin we gain our acquaintance
with it-"rises full in front in indescrib-
able majesty, covered on this side with
snow for a good way down.
Except in the large convent garden
just outside the walls, which borders
the magnificent stone-faced fish-pond,
or reservoir, formed by the late Patri-
arch, there are no trees anywhere near;
the landscape is bare and open all the
wry from the glens of Ala Coz and the
brown mountains of the Karabagh, in
the east, to the hills of Kars, far on the
western horizon"
The buildings Of the monastery are
inclosed by lofty, battlemented wall
which has repelled frequent assaults
from bands of marauding Tartars and
Persians. Only twenty or thirty monks
belong to the establishment; but their
cells, bazaar, seminary. and many
subsidiary buildings, make up quite a
title town within the walls which are
a mile in circuit. The monastery has
been many times destroyed or injured
by invaders who have in successive
hordes swept over the land, and has as
many times been restored. The church,
or cathedral, is said to contain portions
of wall dating from the fourth century.
The two refectories are the next Oldest
and most interesting Of the buildings.
One of these, says Mr.. Bryce, used in
long, low-vaulted room,
with one narrow table rnnning down
the midst between stone benches,
throne under canopy for the Patriarch
and sort of pulpit, whence reading
goes on during meals, appears from
Its style to be not later than the twelfth
century," The library contains about
2 1000 books, most of which are Armen-
ian, and a store of ancient manuscripts.
The treasury boasts of many priceless
relics, such as the head of the spear
with which Christ was pierced on the
crucltx. fragment Of Noah's ark, and
the mummied hand of st. Gregory in
cased in silver, with which each Patri-
arch is touched in the ceremony of con
secration.
The revenues of the monastery,
accruing from the contributions Of all
the Armenian churches, from landed
and from the sum especially
devoted to the maintenance of tho
monastery, amount to nearly $4,000
A portion of this sum is
used in the support of school at Etch-
for the education chiefly of
Armenian youth with particular refeI
ence to their entrapg 'nto the priest
hood. About eighty es .mg students
we're in attendance at the time of Mr..
Bryce's visit, in 1876. The Armenian
Archbishop of Tlflis, an able and accom-
pllshed prelate, was Director of the
school, but the institution suffers from
a want of competent teachers. The
pupils come from all parts of the world,
and are, on their arrival, generally
utterly destitute of learning. A num-
Der of textbooks for use In Armenian
schools are published at Etchmadzin,
and a magazine entitled Ararat has re-
Gently been established.
In former times, Etchmiadzin was
resorted to by immense numbers Of
pilgrims; bnt, like other once popular
shrines, 1t has lost Its prestige, and Is |
seldom visited save by those who have |
ONE affair Of business calling them
within Its walls, or by the curious tour
ist who pauses at the sanctuary on his
route through Armenia. The Village |
of Vagarshabad, which Is said TO have |
10000 houses In the days of |
It's greatest prosperity, Is now an insig- |
nlflcant place, with but single mass of |
brick buildings giving evidence Of Its
former pretensiOns. !