Saint Sargis Church, Tbilisi
Encyclopedia
Saint Sargis Church is an Armenian church in Harpukh Sulfuric Baths district of Old Tbilisi
, Georgia
. Destroyed by Lavrentiy Beria
order in 1930s.
church. Armenian catholicos Simmeon Yerevantsi (1763-1782) thoroughly listing Armenian churches of Tbilisi mentions: "there is one more church in the fortress, called Cathedral, originally belonged to the Holy Throne, but now the fortress in being settled by Muslims who occupy the church as well. Since then the church is empty, is deprived of the parish; even the fact it belonged to the Holy Throne is being forgotten".
In 1795 Agha Mohammad Khan forces enter the city and completely destroy the district of Sulfuric Baths.
After entering Russian Empire
Tbilisi became governmental center and started rapidly develop. In 1831 Manuel Kyumushkhanetsi from Crymea was appointed the Archpriest of the church and started complete reconstruction and restoration in short time entering list of functioning Armenian churches.
St. Sargis church celebrated St. Sargis day after Arachavorats lent usually in January or February. On those days church bells rang, liturgy were held and the church was especially crowded. The youth in couples or alone came for blessing.
St. Sargis church as the whole Tbilisi Armenian community was in a rise. The church was tall, richly decorated from inside with delicate frescoes. There was a pre-church parochial school beside. In 1910s Tirayr Ter-Hovhannisyan, famous Armenian churchman, poet, philologist and translator served as vicar here.
order along with 11 other Armenian churches in Tbilisi. Firstly the domes were destroyed, later for the wall destruction dynamite was used, but the church was not destroyed till the end and the lower part remained, which was later reconstructed as a residential building. During the destruction two workers fell down to death.
The parochial school moved to a new address - 79 Ortachala. Its building later was used as antenatal clinic.
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...
. Destroyed by Lavrentiy Beria
Lavrentiy Beria
Lavrentiy Pavlovich Beria was a Georgian Soviet politician and state security administrator, chief of the Soviet security and secret police apparatus under Joseph Stalin during World War II, and Deputy Premier in the postwar years ....
order in 1930s.
History
The construction started in 1737 by Ter-Sukias, Archpriest of NorashenNorashen Church, Tbilisi
Norashen Holy Mother of God Church or Norashen Sourb Astvatzatzin Church is a 15th century Armenian church in Old Tbilisi, Georgia. It was founded in 1467 and renovated in 1650. It also underwent renovations later in 1795, 1808, and 1875...
church. Armenian catholicos Simmeon Yerevantsi (1763-1782) thoroughly listing Armenian churches of Tbilisi mentions: "there is one more church in the fortress, called Cathedral, originally belonged to the Holy Throne, but now the fortress in being settled by Muslims who occupy the church as well. Since then the church is empty, is deprived of the parish; even the fact it belonged to the Holy Throne is being forgotten".
In 1795 Agha Mohammad Khan forces enter the city and completely destroy the district of Sulfuric Baths.
After entering Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
Tbilisi became governmental center and started rapidly develop. In 1831 Manuel Kyumushkhanetsi from Crymea was appointed the Archpriest of the church and started complete reconstruction and restoration in short time entering list of functioning Armenian churches.
St. Sargis church celebrated St. Sargis day after Arachavorats lent usually in January or February. On those days church bells rang, liturgy were held and the church was especially crowded. The youth in couples or alone came for blessing.
St. Sargis church as the whole Tbilisi Armenian community was in a rise. The church was tall, richly decorated from inside with delicate frescoes. There was a pre-church parochial school beside. In 1910s Tirayr Ter-Hovhannisyan, famous Armenian churchman, poet, philologist and translator served as vicar here.
Destruction
St. Sargis church was destroyed in 1937-38 by Lavrentiy BeriaLavrentiy Beria
Lavrentiy Pavlovich Beria was a Georgian Soviet politician and state security administrator, chief of the Soviet security and secret police apparatus under Joseph Stalin during World War II, and Deputy Premier in the postwar years ....
order along with 11 other Armenian churches in Tbilisi. Firstly the domes were destroyed, later for the wall destruction dynamite was used, but the church was not destroyed till the end and the lower part remained, which was later reconstructed as a residential building. During the destruction two workers fell down to death.
The parochial school moved to a new address - 79 Ortachala. Its building later was used as antenatal clinic.
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