New Church in Yerevan
I'm not a big fan of church-building, and yes, I know many people will think the nations other needs are more pressing, but I'm happy to see the buildings on the corner of Abovyan/Sayat Nova being torn down to reveal the beautiful 12th century church, which will then be expanded into a complex of churches. This little church (in the photo above) had a basilica added to it (18th century) which was torn down in Soviet times. The remaining structure (again, the church pictured above) was then discovered to be as 12th century, and was only spared demolition by popular demand to preserve it... a brave stand taken in Stalin's (I think) time. Now the new complex will go a little way towards bringing back some of the older architecture of the city - a number of other destroyed churches have no traces left of them besides some old black and white photos.
In other news, this April has been incredibly rainy - and the extended forecast is for rain just about every day for the rest of the month. Very depressing and unusual. Also unusual was last nights incredibly loud thunder, which kept me and others awake for a while. Quite a fitful night of sleep for man of us.
posted by Raffi K. at 9:44 AM
7 Comments:
From your text it's not clear what is being torn down - the chapel of the surounding buildings??
And what's wrong with a few more local working churches in Yerevan. People need some spiritual revival
I've reworded things so hopefully it's clearer that it's the buildings around the church that are being torn down.
Your assertion that people need some spiritual revival is just that... your assertion.
We need better schools and libraries... I feel sad to see so much money go to churches instead of funding schools and libraries. The churches are not going to help improve the social conditions of the poor, whereas good education system might...
There have been a number of cases, mostly in regions, where the schools have been torn down and the churches have been built instead.
Can you feed your child with prayers?
So that is the argument I was referring to in my post that people would be bound to make. In this specific case, however, I think the argument is much weakened by the fact that this church will serve to beautify the city, connect it with its history, and more clearly tie it to the "oldest Christian nation in the world" which we are sometimes plugging to lure in tourists. I'm happy to see it.
Isn't the building being torn down used for the Nuclear Phisics Institute?
Churches are important for the national identity and important in the new Yerevan that is being built. IM actually amazed how little churches their is in kentron ..this is probably due to the time of communist rule , When religion was condemned. Compare to European cities …Yerevan doesn’t even come close ! Whit the influx of Muslim’s to Armenia it becomes even more important for the national identity which religion this country belongs to. One other positive thing is it opens some space and gives a little space to the crowded kentron of Yerevan. And one other thing its no a new church ? Its preservation and restoration of something old !
The building that is being torn down down used to be the Academy.
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