1874? AD - Goghtn Region, Nakhichevan (Azerbaijan)

"Medz Astvatsatsin Church Ruins" © 2000 Raffi Kojian, All Rights Reserved

This large complex, which occupies an important place among Agulis' monuments is situated in a sunburnt and bre comfortable mountain- slope around 1, 5m towards east from Verin Agulis. From here clearly outlines the alluring panorama of Storing or Dasht Agulis, the villages next to river Araks, fields and mountains. The epithet "Mets" (large) is given to this complex for differentiating it from the twon's other Holy Virgin church.

Mets Astvatsatsin church (gr. 6), which really has a large complex, consists of a one-nave church, a two- story chapel of two pillars, a guestroom, cells, 20-22 other constructions belonging to churhc, which are enclosed in high and strong rampart. By this outline it leaves an expression of a fot from far. Now the construtions of the complex, the church, the rampart, the chapel and the spring have turned into ruins. The examination of the complex and its surroundings evidences that here religious construction existed still in pagan period. Agulisians' legend tells that instead of this church there was a heathen- temple, which in the middle of Ic destroyed Tadeos apostle and founded St. Astvatsatsin's original construction. In the coming ages, till the end of XIXc, according to witnessed Agulisians, during repairing this church and its constructions had been often found clay and metal idol statues. E. Lalayan brought detailed information about it from Agulisian Ter- Hakob's diary.

As Ter- Hakob evidences "In 1874, when Shushetsi Shkheants Karapet lord because of cholera has run away from Tavriz and came to Aguleats Dasht, from Dasht he went to Astvatsatsin as a pilgrim. For repairing Astvatsatsin he presented 100 gold pieces and ordered Sargis Sarukhanbekov to repair it under his management. At that time Astvatsatsin church was divided into two parts by the middle wall; it had a door in the middle of the wall for entering from outside; outside, above it there was a clay table, for joining ladders in its right and left sides, when the middle wall was destroyed from the clay table came out ceramic and cast-iron idols. He and his God- fatehr Ohanes Makarov... vigorously hit the stones and broke them into pieces..."

[Source: Agulis -by Argam Aivazian, 1984, Hayastan Press, Yerevan]

"Medz Astvatsatsin Church Ruins" © 2000 Raffi Kojian, All Rights Reserved

"Medz Astvatsatsin Floorplan" © 2000 Raffi Kojian, All Rights Reserved