Gerhard
Trip Start
Sep 28, 2005
1
4
18
Trip End
Oct 03, 2005
Gerhard Monastery, Armenia
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Rounding another corner, our driver Artur stops our van and we clamber out to look at the valley view. It takes a moment to spy the spy the grey stone monastery with conical roofing on the turrets. It's well concealed by the valley.
Our first Armenian church - it's so exciting! Gerhard dates back to the 4th Century when it was built to house a relic, a spear of Jesus' body. Hence it's name os Spear Monastery.
Before this time, monks lived here in caves. The church however, is not without a bloody history. It was destroyed by Arabs in 9th century and rebuilt in 12th and 13th centuries
1. Gerhard Valley
. It's now a UNESCO listed building. While we snap away with awe, Naira points out the unique features of the Armenian Church. Notably the gavid, an room between the doorway and church held up by columns, usually four columns. The gavid is where the unbaptised can partake in the service.
We enter the church and Naira points out that it's shaped like a cross ... this shows how many churches I've been in, let alone Armenian ones: I'd never have noticed!
Another key feature of an Armenian church is the space cut into the top of the cupola, like a block has fallen from the centre of the dome. Light shines through, illuminating the church. It's impressive architecture.
Armenian churches have high altars stone altars to conduct services from this lofty height. A font is also built into the church wall, touchingly simple.
Further inside Gerhard are little alcoves, including a fresh water spring running through a room
2. Valley and Gerhard
. This is water with miraculous properties but only Mark is brave enough to take on this belief. The dim light within this grey stone church reveals sculptures and carvings into the walls and roof: Armenian symbols of lion and eagle. There are also many stones carves with crosses.
The significance of these cross stones will become clearer when we travel to the countryside.
We follow a narrow passage that slopes downwards into the earth. Another surprise awaits us: an enormous underground cathedral. This huge cavern with gravestones inlaid in the floor has a domed roof with that small block of light shining through the centre.
The choir has also travelled from Garni and stand in the centre of the room. Their voices resound even more magnificently here. They've swapped folk ditties for heart-rending church music and they are utterly mesmerising. An amazing place to worship and such beautiful sound, it's a glimpse as to why Armenian faith has survived for so long.
We are humbled after these first glimpses of Armenian faith and culture and amid a light rain our journey back to Yerevan is contemplative.
