PUTIN VISITS ECHMIADZIN

RIA Novosti, Russia
March 25 2005

ECHMIADZIN (ARMENIA), March 25 (RIA Novosti) – Russian President
Vladimir Putin arrived at Echmiadzin, the See of the Armenian Apostolic
Church located in Vagarshapat, Yerevan’s suburb.

Putin is to meet with Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and
attend his residence and the Echmiadzin Cathedral.

The Echmiadzin monastery is the administrative and spiritual center of
the Armenian Apostolic Church. In the II-V centuries AD Echmiadzin was
the capital of Armenia named after its founding father, King Vagarshak.

The Echmiadzin Cathedral was built in Vagarshafas following Armenia’s
adoption of Christianity in 301. This is one of the first Christian
cathedrals in the world. Echmiadzin is the Catholicos’ See, residence
and treasury.

The name Echmiadzin derives from the legend, which says that Jesus
descended from Heaven to show the first Catholicos where the cathedral
should be built. There are many stones in the shape of a cross on
the Cathedral’s territory.

The Cathedral dates back to the V century AD. In the XVII century
it was seriously damaged when Armenians were forced to settle in
Persia and Shakh Abbas wanted to remove the Cathedral to Nor Djugha.
However, the most significant parts of the Cathedral were taken away.
Restoration works began in the XVIII century but were completed
in 1955-1967.

The Echmiadzin treasury founded in 1955 contains art relics brought
from various Armenian centers, Ani, Constantinople, Van, etc.