Krtsanis Tsiranavor Surb Astvatsatsin
Encyclopedia
Geghardavank or Krtsanis Tsiranavor St. Astvatsatsin is a 13th century Armenian church in Old Tbilisi
, Georgia
. It was founded in 13th cent. Currently is not functioning as church.
According to Sargis Jalalyants, current citizens moved here from eponymous village beside town-fortress Samshvilde. If it took place indeed, it must have been in second half of 13th century - first half of 14th century, because the document dated from 1392 mentions the village as belonging to Mtskheta Catholicos House having "merchant of the city". By that time the village had a number of Armenian population based on the fact there was already an Armenian church in it. Armenian manuscript colophon dated 1436 says: "This [book] is written in Armenian summer
of 885 [1436 AD] in the country of Georgia closest to capital Tpkhis [Tbilisi] village Krtsanis, in the shade of Cathedral of St. Virgin". Here catholicoses of Armenia
, Albania are mentioned (Constantine and Matheos), Archimandrite (the leader of the Armenians of Georgia) Iezekiel and Georgian king Aleksander I.
According to the writer it was "hard and painful times" when "evil truthless Shahrukh and the country has caused great destruction. Based on words of Tovmas Metsopetsi in the 15th century Armenian population of Ararat Valley
had to leave and moved to Georgia to Beshken Orbelyan, who treated them well. The second stream of emigrants is supposed to arrive then. Tovmas Metsopetsi himself was a refugee from Gandzak
, who after return from Jerusalem pilgrimages moved to his home town to see his brother and relatives. Together with him "a number of caravans" of refugees moved, who in Agstev had been ruined by "cavalry of Jagataians
". The local inhabitants met the newcomers, "Christians came forward and covered our nakedness", so they arrived the place of the new settlement, where Tovmas started copying of the manuscript received from Tbilisi Holy Virgin Cathedral monk Sargis. In Krtsanis church he had his brothers beside - monk Jordan and priest Stepanos Krtsanetsi.
In XVI-XVII the village population rapidly decreased and the church was almost ruined. It was reconstructed in 1778 again. The Register of Armenian churches of Tiflis Krtsanis St. Astvatsatsin was mentioned number 33 with the following description: "Built funded by city population in Armenian summer
of 1227 [1778] and renewed by daughter Anna of Amiran Sulents from Krtsanis funded by city budget".
The only known note on the church walls is found on the side baptismal: in the center part the scene of baptism is shown with the following note in the sides: "This baptismal is in memory of Gregoriy Mamulyan in Geghardavank of Tsiranavor. 1861"
Old Tbilisi
Old Tbilisi is an administrative district in Tbilisi, capital of Georgia. Although the term "Old Tbilisi" has long been used to denote a historical part of the city, it was only in 2007 that it became a distinct administrative entity to incorporate several historical neighborhoods formerly...
, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
. It was founded in 13th cent. Currently is not functioning as church.
History
Among Tbilisi Armenians Krtsanis St. Astvatsatsin church was also called Tsiranavor and Geghardavank. First was an epithet referring to Holy Virgin (porphyry carrier) and second refers to great spear, which was brought here and stayed for some time. Krtsanisi village was close to Tbilisi, which greatly contributed its economic development.According to Sargis Jalalyants, current citizens moved here from eponymous village beside town-fortress Samshvilde. If it took place indeed, it must have been in second half of 13th century - first half of 14th century, because the document dated from 1392 mentions the village as belonging to Mtskheta Catholicos House having "merchant of the city". By that time the village had a number of Armenian population based on the fact there was already an Armenian church in it. Armenian manuscript colophon dated 1436 says: "This [book] is written in Armenian summer
Armenian calendar
The Armenian calendar is the traditional calendar of Armenia. It is a solar calendar based on the same system as the ancient Egyptian model, having an invariant 365-day year with no leap year rule...
of 885 [1436 AD] in the country of Georgia closest to capital Tpkhis [Tbilisi] village Krtsanis, in the shade of Cathedral of St. Virgin". Here catholicoses of Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, Albania are mentioned (Constantine and Matheos), Archimandrite (the leader of the Armenians of Georgia) Iezekiel and Georgian king Aleksander I.
According to the writer it was "hard and painful times" when "evil truthless Shahrukh and the country has caused great destruction. Based on words of Tovmas Metsopetsi in the 15th century Armenian population of Ararat Valley
Ararat plain
The Ararat plain is one of the largest of the Armenian Plateau, stretches west of the Sevan basin, at the foothills of the Gegham mountains. In the north the plain borders on Mount Aragats, and in the south, on Mount Ararat...
had to leave and moved to Georgia to Beshken Orbelyan, who treated them well. The second stream of emigrants is supposed to arrive then. Tovmas Metsopetsi himself was a refugee from Gandzak
Ganja, Azerbaijan
Ganja is Azerbaijan's second-largest city with a population of around 313,300. It was named Yelizavetpol in the Russian Empire period. The city regained its original name—Ganja—from 1920–1935 during the first part of its incorporation into the Soviet Union. However, its name was changed again and...
, who after return from Jerusalem pilgrimages moved to his home town to see his brother and relatives. Together with him "a number of caravans" of refugees moved, who in Agstev had been ruined by "cavalry of Jagataians
Chagatai people
The Chagatai are one of the Tajik peoples of Uzbekistan. The Chagatai live in the Surxondaryo Province in south-east Uzbekistan and in southern Tajikistan. They numbered 63,500 in 1924-25. Together with the Kharduri, the Chagatai are one of the ethnographic groups of Tajiks who maintain a...
". The local inhabitants met the newcomers, "Christians came forward and covered our nakedness", so they arrived the place of the new settlement, where Tovmas started copying of the manuscript received from Tbilisi Holy Virgin Cathedral monk Sargis. In Krtsanis church he had his brothers beside - monk Jordan and priest Stepanos Krtsanetsi.
In XVI-XVII the village population rapidly decreased and the church was almost ruined. It was reconstructed in 1778 again. The Register of Armenian churches of Tiflis Krtsanis St. Astvatsatsin was mentioned number 33 with the following description: "Built funded by city population in Armenian summer
Armenian calendar
The Armenian calendar is the traditional calendar of Armenia. It is a solar calendar based on the same system as the ancient Egyptian model, having an invariant 365-day year with no leap year rule...
of 1227 [1778] and renewed by daughter Anna of Amiran Sulents from Krtsanis funded by city budget".
The only known note on the church walls is found on the side baptismal: in the center part the scene of baptism is shown with the following note in the sides: "This baptismal is in memory of Gregoriy Mamulyan in Geghardavank of Tsiranavor. 1861"
Current status
The church is rebuilt to a residential house. Currently no talks about church history reopening is held neither by Armenian nor by Georgian church.See also
- Armenians in TbilisiArmenians in TbilisiArmenians in Tbilisi are ethnic Armenians living within the city of Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. Armenians are the second largest ethnic minority in Tbilisi at 7.6% of the population. Armenians formed the majority in the city until the early 20th century...
- List of Armenian Apostolic Churches in Georgia