In 301 Masehi, King Tiridates III The Agung proclaimed Christians as the official religion of the country throughout his power region and made Armenia to become the first Christian state in the world, and while removing the previous ancestor religion.
The most influential figure of the decision was Santo Gregory Sang Pencerah (St Gregory the Illuminator), the figure was previously pursued the king because it refused to break the ancestor religion. Gregory Sang Pencerah managed to cure the disease of the king after being released from prison for 13 years in the monastery Khor Virap, a underground prison near the city of Artashat.
Tiridates III then asks to be baptized in Christians along the entire temple’s nobles as well as proclaiming Christians into official religions. A year later Gregory Sang Pencerah was appointed as a Christian religious leader in the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Virap Khor Monastery with the background of Mount Ararat.
Lukisan Santo Gregory Sang Pencerah (St Gregory the Illuminator) which is in the underground prison as deep as 8 meters in the Khor Virap Monastery.
Currently Khor Virap monastery is one of the favourite sights for tourists in Armenia with the background of Mount Ararat that pamperes the eyes. Local population believes that Ararat mountains protect the monastery from the earthquake that once homes.
Virap’s Khor in Armenian means underground prison, is a monastery complex that is closest to the Turkish border. From that complex, the view of Mount Ararat, which is part of its peak is always covered by the lasting snow to become a symbol for the country of Armenia, clearly visible.
Despite being in the Turkish region, Mount Ararat has become a symbol of the country of Armenia and almost all public activities are always connected with the mountains that are considered the crowd.
The substitute of Santo Gregory Sang Pencerah in the monastery Khor Virap.
Novarank people built in the 13th century, the Novarank Monastery or Monasteri in the Armenian language means a new monastery.
According to the history, the biara complex or church is more than just a place of worship, but also serves as a center of science, where those who are targeting science should be protected from the outside attack.
Another interesting monastery is the Novarank monastery complex built in the 13th century located 122 km from Yerevan and was in the Amaghu River valley, near the city of Yeghegnadzor.
At that time the atmosphere in the biara complex seems to be deteriorated by about 50s of children who are traveling. They are tourists from the United States who are the descendants of Armenia’s diaspora, the children of Armenia’s descendants visited their ancestor’s land.
The number of primary school children are photographed together in the children of Novarank Monastery.
Jemaat burning candles before praying in the Novarank Monastery.
Novarank Monastery is famous for two-level buildings equipped with stone stairs on the front side of the wall. In the stairs that ordinary tourists take pictures together in the position of standing jerky.
Khor Virap and Novarank is just one of the hundreds of relics of Catholic religious travel history Apostolic in Armenia. In addition there is also the Monastery of Garni Temple, Geghard, the Church of Etchmiadzin, Zvarnot Catedral, Haghpat, Tatev, Sanahin, Sevanavanavank, Odzun, and more.
So many historic biara complex buildings were built since hundreds of years ago and most still remain functioning as a home of worship, Armenia also fell by the nickname "Open Field Museum" or "The Legend of Legends".
The Haghpat Monastery, also known as Haghpatavank is a medieval monastery complex established by Ratu Khosrovanuysh, the wife of the king of Ashrat III Bagratid, about 976.
The Garni candle was founded to be dedicated to Mythra sun goddess, the Greek-style temple of the first century.
Armenia not only harms historical tourism but also has other natural tourist destinations that are not less exotic, among the Tskadzor resort areas that become favorite for ski lovers in winter, or Sevan Lake that has a five percent area of a total area of 29,743 km of Armenia.
Photo and Text: Hermanus Prihatna
The congregation of worship in Etchmiadzin Catedral, which was built in the beginning of the 4th century, located in the city of Vagharsapat, Armenia.
The sound pad when worship in Saint Sarkis Cathedral, in Yerevan, Armenia.
Suasana worship in Saint Sarkis Cathedral, in Yerevan, Armenia. Saint Sarkis is the place of the Araratian Diocese in the Armenian Apostolic Church built in 1842, on the left edge of the Hraz River in Kentron District, Yerevan. The Sanahin Monastery was built in the 10th century, located in the Province of Lori, Armenia.
The woman shows the painting of Sanahin Monastery on the outside of the monastery, the painting was sold to tourists who came to Sanahin Monastery.
The Sevanavank street located adjacent to Lake Sevan tourism area located approximately 62 km from Yerevan city.
Tatev's monastery looks from a distance.
The Zvartnots cathedral literally 'angel heavenly cathedral' is the 7th century designed Armenian cathedral built by the authoros Nerses the Builder of 643-652 years.
