Around Yerevan, part II: Khatchkars and Chats
Trip Start
Mar 21, 2005
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272
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Trip End
Ongoing
Echmiadzin,
Armenia
Friday, February 8, 2008
The Old Testament was translated into Armenian from the Greek Septuagint, the one Jesus read, which includes the books of Tobit, Judith, Baruch, considered apocrypha by some other churches. The Armenian Orthodox and Apostolic Church, however, who call their Bible, the Asdvadzashunch or the "Breath of God", says that if Jesus quoted from that version of the holy text, it should be treated as accepted
Belltower Detail, Echmiadzin
. Another point of distinction was the nature of Christ, which the Council of Chalcedon established as consisting of two natures: full humanity and full divinity. The Armenian Church believed that these two aspects were present, but were of one nature, thus the churches disagreed and split into sects. Still, Pope John Paul II visited Echmiadzin, with a monument there commemorating the event.
During this time, the Celtic state of Galatia--part of the Roman Empire--existed next to Armenia. The apparent cross-pollination of cultures is potent in the Celtic-knot carved crosses of stone khatchkars found in the grounds of Echmiadzin and the many other Armenian churches I visited (though I am not sure who was influencing who). Armenian churches have their distinctive style, carved out of volcanic basalt, but overall, I felt that the ever-present khatchkars and their intricate knotwork were a more potent symbol of Armenian Christianity (if you had to pick just one).
Returning to Anahit's homestay after each day around Yerevan or on a day trip, I would sit on the couches surrounded by Vernissage art and chat a little, here and there. George was a Georgian-Armenian whose family settled in Georgia after fleeing from the Van region now in Turkey. He was visiting Armenia with his brother to see friends from when he lived by Lake Sevan, meditating on the shores near Sevanavank Monastery. We talked about his visit and his hopes to one day return to his family's home (he is allowed to go to Turkey--but not Azerbaijan--though the borders between Turkey and Armenia are tightly sealed).
On another day, a friendly man was fixing the lock of the apartment
Echmiadzin Khatchkar, part I: Cross with Angels
. We talked; he was from Baghdad and left because the situation has deteriorated. His wife and children are now in California, he said. He described the situation. "When the Americans arrived, people were cheering and kissing the troops," but he continued by saying it all went wrong from there, beginning when the troops dismantled the Iraqi police, army, border guards, and more. "These people knew who how to tell the bad people from the good people. The Americans had no idea." After that, the terrorists came from the now-porous borders and sectarian tensions flared. We talked about the two women who just blew up their fellow countrymen in the name of jihad, with the concensus that killing civilians in a Baghdad bazaar was not at all jihad but senseless slaughter. He predicted Bush would win again in 2008, somewhat jokingly and hoped to get a visa to visit his family in America: "it will take a year."
Some evenings, Anahit would return from a dinner party and play piano in her room, its sweet sounds filling the apartment after a good day of walking around bustling Yerevan exporing streets, churches, museums, and more.
