St. Hripsime Church (Armenia) – description, history, location. Exact address and website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.
The temple of Surb Hripsime, built in the 7th century, stands at the entrance to the city of Vagharshapat and is part of the Echmiadzin monastery. Here rest the relics of Saint Hripsime, who, according to legend, did not renounce the Christian faith and was killed by pagans.
This temple is considered a masterpiece of Armenian architecture and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Every year under the vaults of its churches Echmiadzin monastery receives thousands of pilgrims from all over the world.
The history of Saint Hripsime is inseparably connected with the construction of this very temple. In 301 A.D. 37 Christian girls came to Armenia from the Roman monastery of St. Paul, and were led by the prioress Gayane. Hripsime was one of them, and was so beautiful that she captivated the Roman emperor with her beauty, who wanted to take her as his wife. The girl refused him and took refuge with her friends in Alexandria. There the Virgin Mary appeared to them and showed them the way to blessed Armenia. The Armenian king Trdat III, having heard about the adventures of the girls and the beauty of Hripsime, was as eager as the Roman governor. But he, too, heard the maiden’s rejection, claiming that she belonged to Christ. This answer made Tiridates III furious, after which he ordered to kill all the 37 girls, which was carried out. The execution did not relieve Tiridates’ soul; on the contrary, after these events he became possessed by demons. Gregory the Illuminator, whose relics are now kept in the monastery, healed him of his madness. Tiridates III was baptized and his people were baptized after he believed in the power of the Christian faith so he made Christianity the state religion in Armenia.
And Gregory the Illuminator had a dream in which the Son of God showed him a place to build a temple in honor of Saint Hripsime. Thus the Echmiadzin monastery arose.
Every year under the vaults of its churches the monastery receives thousands of pilgrims from all over the world. This is no wonder, since such relics as a part of Noah’s Ark, Longinus, the spear that pierced Christ, and the hands of St. Gregory the Illuminator are buried here. In addition to the temple of St. Hripsime on the territory you can see the ancient basilica of Gayane (630), Shokagat Church (1694) and museum with a collection of medieval arts and crafts.
Address: Armavir region, Vagharshapat.
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