ArmenPress
Nov 29 2004

KHOR VIRAP MONASTERY REPAIRED

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS: An Argentinean Armenian family
of Derdzakians has made a donation to the Armenian Church to help it
improve the territory near Khor Virap Monastery and restore a wall
that may collapse. Also six rooms will be built for the monks there
Khor Virap is situated on the hill and is one of the sanctuaries
of the Armenian Apostolic church and a pilgrimage site. According to
church lore, this is the location of the municipal jail of the
capital of Armenia Artashat, where upon the orders of king Trdat III,
they threw Gregory the Illuminator who was accused of professing
Christianity. Gregory spent there 13 years.
In 642 Catholicos Nerses III built a chapel over the jail. The
monastery also includes the church of St. Astvatsatsin (Saint Virgin)
built in the end of the 17th c, fragments of the wall that once
surrounded the monastery, the refectory, the cells of the monks. A
most magnificent view of mount Ararat opens from the hilltop of the
monastery.