Ejmiatsin Cathedral Compound, Armenia

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Ejmiatsin is the center of the Armenian Church. It is where the Catholicos Of All Armenians lives, and the location of Ejmiatsin Cathedral. The cathedral, built in 480, is located in a walled compound with gardens and various structures. Ejmiatsin means The coming of the only-begotten because it was built were people said Jesus Himself descended from heaven to show where He wanted a church built. It is a scenic place to visit. The main church structure is pretty large, however the majority of the interior is dedicated to uses other than worship and the area you enter is much smaller than the size of the entire building. It is a traditional Armenian design with a belfry and a number of rotundas. Most of the exterior is plain until you make it around to the entrance which is intricately carved and very beautiful. You must not leave until you get into the Manougian Museum. (Entrance through the large arch across from the cathedral entrance) This structure contains numerous cool paintings, souvenirs, religious artifacts, and illuminated manuscripts so insist on seeing it. Another secret is a fire pit beneath the altar. This is where pagans worshipped fire before Christianity. It is in the small museum in the main cathedral, with the entrance to the right of the altar. There are some religious artifacts in display cases, but you usually need to ask to be shown the fire worshipping pit, at which time a small donation is hinted at. Above the door which descends into the fire pit area is the lance ("Geghard") which is said to have pierced Christ's side. The original structure was added to so much over the years that not much remains now. There was an even earlier church on the same site which was supposed to have been built when Armenia was converted to Christianity. Ejmiatsin was however the oldest church in the USSR. Make sure to wander around the gardens to get a look at the carvings and khatchkars. There is a nice gift shop by the entrance to the compound. The traffic square adjacent to the compound is ringed with very nice models of some Armenian churches throughout the country.

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