RESTORATION OF ARMENIAN CHURCH IN LVOV NOT COMPLETED YET

PanARMENIAN.Net
17.11.2009 16:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In 2009, reconstruction activities in Lvov were
mostly directed at restoring facilities having vital importance for
the town, as we didn’t have enough means because of crisis, said
Lilya Onishchenko, Head of Lvov Municipality’s Historical Monument
Preservation Department.

One of the most important facilities restored this year was the
Armenian church which now has a tower, chime and aisle. Mural painting
on church’s southern part continue, "Komsomolskaya Pravda" in Ukraine
reports. According to Onishchenko, repairs in Armenian church are
over; only certain nuances are left. "But that doesn’t mean the
entire complex is completed. Churchyard and cathedral restoration is
scheduled for next year. Restoration of Golgotha sculptural complex
is a separate issue in the plan. That’s a wooden composition situated
in the churchyard. In May next year, restorers will dismantle the
construction to build a new one. Sculptural composition will be
taken to one of the town’s repairs shops. We didn’t want to move it
from Armenian church as the repair shops of Armenian national museum
are situated there. But they didn’t have enough room to house the
construction," Lilia Onishchenko said.

Restoration is funded by Polish Ministry of Culture.

Church complex lies in historical Lvov, territory formerly settled by
Armenians. The cathedral is the architectural centre of the complex
surrounded by other constructions, with three close yards lying between
them. Cathedral construction began in 1363. One of the most ancient
monuments of Lvov, it was built by architect Doring (Dore, Dorko)
due the donations of Armenian merchants Jacob from Kafa (Theodosia)
and Panos from Haytsarats. Many researchers believe construction was
carried out by Armenian masters since monument shares a lot of common
features with the cathedral of Ani.

As the Soviet rule banned activities of Armenian Catholic Patriarchate,
Armenian cathedral was closed. It first served as a depository of Lvov
Picture Gallery. Later – in 1953 – the depository of Lvov Museum after
V. I. Lenin was housed there. In January 2000, monastery passed under
the control of Armenian Apostolic church, as there were practically
no Catholics in the town at that time. The first liturgy was served
on January 6, 2001, after a long interval.