Apr 17, 20235 min read

Noravank Monastery

We've lived in Armenia for just over a month now and one thing I love about Armenia is its beauty, resilient history, and Christian roots... Okay, I guess that wasn't one thing. It was three but they are all true. Saturday, the PC volunteers and I had the opportunity to visit one of Armenia's famous monasteries in the Amaghu Valley, the Noravank Monastery.

Upon arrival in country, you quickly learn that Armenia prides itself on being the first country in the world to adopt Christianity as a state religion. It was adopted in 301 A.D. (thanks to the work of Gregory the Illuminator, which is a story for another time), and has had an immense role in the shaping of Armenia and its people for over 1,700 years. But its Christian roots date back as far as 40 A.D.

The Noravank Monastery that we were privileged to visit was built during the 13th century. As we walked around observing the architecture, it felt like we were transported back in history. It was both amazing and humbling to imagine the time and effort that must have gone into making such detailed stonework that has lasted about 800 years.

One of our instructors Rima attended with us. She was a great tour guide. Giving us all the little details of legends, myths, and history that accompany the monastery. Supposedly the architect Momik was promised the hand of one of the Orbelian prince's daughters if he built the church. However, after he laid the last stone and presented the work to the prince, he was pushed to his death. Which is why they say the mountain rock walls are now red with his blood. Who knows if the story is true or not? It was over 700 years ago...

Besides the potentially gruesome story, the monastery is absolutely B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L and is full of symbolism and hope. The Monastery served/serves as a place of worship, where people go to feel closer to God and pray.

There were so many details all over the church but this was one piece in particular that caught my attention (pictured above). It is placed above the door on the lower half of the church. In the center is Mother Mary with Christ on her lap. To the left of her is archangel Gabriel and on her right archangel Michael. Both are important figures in Christianity for being prominent messengers of God and defenders of the truth.

This Khachkar is stationed on the front right side of the monastery. Khachkars are unique cross-stone monuments that express the faith of the Armenian people. They can be found all over Armenia. Each one is different and unique but follows similar themes and symbols. One theme I love is that the cross is not just a symbol of Christ's death, but is a symbol of the living Christ. You will often see a pattern of trees, vines, and leaves around/through the cross which represents the 'Tree of Life'. Which is a connection between the Earth and Heaven. So that through Christ we can be victors over death and have eternal life. This Khachkar in particular resonated with me because I feel that it aligns with my own belief in eternal progression. We are on this Earth now as children of God. Through His Son Jesus Christ and His atonement, we can be forgiven of our sins and made perfect. Through Him, we can return to our Father in Heaven and live with our families forever.

This next photo was interesting to me. It was on the ceiling inside the church and represents the four gospels. Each symbol represents one of the authors: Mathew (Angel), Mark (Lion), Luke (Ox), and John (Eagle).

Inside and outside the church you will see stones on the ground with carvings and names written on them. These stones are gravestones for prominent figures (bishops, princes, etc.). This particular gravestone is for Elikum, son of Prince Tarsayich Orbelian who was said to fight like a lion.

Because of the numerous gravestones surrounding/throughout the church, it was near impossible not to stand on them. Many of us volunteers wondered if it was appropriate for us to walk/stand on them. Rima our instructor informed us that in Armenia they believe that our ancestors want to help us. So that standing on them isn't a matter of disrespect but is a way that they can help lift us up in this life.

I love this idea! I also believe that our ancestors are always with us and want to help us in our journey.

This next image was another one that was intriguing to me. It's located above the entrance to the second chapel. In the center is God the Father. In His left hand, He is holding Adam the first man that God breathed life into. On his right-hand side is His beloved Son Jesus Christ on the cross, fulfilling his mortal mission and 2nd part of the atonement. On the left side of God is the dove which symbolizes the Holy Ghost. I don't know if you can see, but it was explained to me that the hand gesture that God is making represents the unity of God, Christ, and the Holy Ghost.

I don't want to interpret the Armenian meaning incorrectly so I won't try to explain the meaning behind this image in their context. But I can share some scriptures that I thought of when looking at it and invite you to ponder on the meaning of this sculpture. If you want to discuss it further, I'd love to do so via messaging. Let me know if you think of any other scriptures.

New Testament, Bible: John 17:6-23, Acts 7:55-56

Book of Mormon: Mormon 7:5-7

Doctrine and Covenants 76: 20-24, and Doctrine and Covenants 130:22.

Just a little way down the road from Noravank is another bucket list-worthy quick stop. It's the Areni-1 Cave. It cost $1,000 dram to explore and is an interesting addition to your trip if you're in the area. What makes this place so special you might wonder?...well it's the oldest known winery in the world. I don't drink wine, but even I can appreciate the work that goes into winemaking. The cave is a short hike up some stairs and takes you back to B.C. times. In the photos below you can get a brief idea of what it's like and see the preserved urns that were used to store wine and various other herbs and grain. The cold and dry conditions helped with the preservation so that with some items there was minimal damage. Also, another cool fact is that in this same cave, a shoe was discovered in excellent condition that dates back almost 6,000 years. (The shoe is currently located at the History Museum of Armenia)

It was all such a fun trip and I probably could have spent more time exploring but I'm grateful for all that I was able to see. I would encourage anybody with a bucket list to add both the monastery and the cave to theirs. The drive itself was gorgeous with winding roads going higher in elevation, just be careful not to look down on some of the turns if you're not a fan of cliffs.

Here are a few more pictures that I really enjoyed but with the length of the blog post won't have time to go into detail about them all. Feel free to reach out with any comments, questions, or thoughts about them.