New Discoveries In the Main Cathedral of St. Etchmiadzin

Restoration works continue in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, during which experts have made several remarkable discoveries.

According to the architects-restorers of the oldest Christian cathedral in the world, over the course of the restoration, the point of view that the shrine had been originally built in a quadrangular or rectangular layout – that is, a basilica layout – was refuted. Architects from across centuries have widely supported the original point of view.

Another discovery relates to the columns of the cathedral which date back to the 4th century. Upon removing a thick layer of plaster, architects discovered unique images carved in the stone.

“There was no evidence or even assumptions that we could have similar capitals decorated with sculptural images in the form of floral ornament first used in Christian architecture,” Armenian television channel Shoghakat quoted restorer-architect Amiran Badishyan․

It is noted that the images found are examples of Armenian Christian architecture, which may belong to the 4th or 5th century.

Once the restoration of the cathedral is over, architect Amiran Badishyan intends to present all these discoveries in a separate monograph.

Earlier, in connection with the restoration of the Etchmiadzin Cathedral, the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II issued a Kontakion, urging believers to contribute to the restoration of the main shrine of the Armenian people.

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