ARTIFACTS UNEARTHED AT CONTROVERSIAL CHURCH CONSTRUCTION SITE

hetq
13:57, April 21, 2011

Shards of pottery have been unearthed at the controversial planned
religious complex now being built at the St. Katoghike chapel located
in downtown Yerevan.

The discovery was made on April 7 during a site inspection conducted by
specialist from the Ministry of Culture’s Agency for the Preservation
of Historical and Cultural Monuments and the National Academy of
Sciences’ Antiquities and Ethnographic Department.

After research is conducted on the artifacts, including stones
discovered from the original St. Astvatzatzin Church, dating back
to the 13 century, they will be transferred to the Yerevan History
Museum and eventually exhibited.

On July 4, 2009, a ground blessing service was conducted by Catholicos
Karekin II for the construction of the St. Anna Church and Complex
nearby St. Katoghike church. The complex will also serve as the
Yerevan residence of the Catholicos.

The church and the pontifical residence are being financed by Hrair
and Anna Hovnanian of the United States; thus the unique name for
the new church.

Garik Chilingaryan, Director of Chilingaryan Design Construction,
the firm who won the contracting bid for the complex says that the
project has passed all the requirements put forth by the Urban Planning
Department and the Cultural Preservation Committee.

Many have argued that the grandiose project in the center of Yerevan is
superfluous and that the money could have been better spent elsewhere.

From: A. Papazian