Mount Ararat, Khor Virap Monastery Tour
With a breathtaking background view of Greater Ararat and Little Ararat Mountains stands the Khor Virap Monastery, originally built in 642. The Monastery is widely known for the dungeon, deep below the surface, where Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned.
When King Tiridates III of Armenia learned that one of his advisors, Christian Gregory’s father was responsible for the death of his father, he tortured and threw Gregory into the Khor Virap. However, Gregory didn’t die and miraculously survived almost 13 years in imprisonment, forgotten by the world.
Meanwhile Tiridates continued prosecuting Christionas in his kingdom. In the early 4th c. Tiridates prosecuted and killed a group of Christian young women who fled from the Roman Empire. His violent behaviour resulted in him going mad and “his face turning into a boar’s one”. Then, the king’s sister Khosrovidukht repeatedly sees a vision, in which Gregory, who should’ve been dead by that time, heals the king. Gregory was released and brought to the king. He healed Tiridates and brought him back to his senses. The king and his court asked for forgiveness for all the sins they have committed. It was then that Gregory started preaching Christianity to the court and the army.
Soon in 301 Christianity was adopted as the state religion, and Gregory the Illuminator (Grigor Lusavorich) was appointed the first bishop of Armenia at Caesarea. The Armenian Apostolic Church is also called Gregorian Church in his name.
The main church at the site that has remained to our days was built in 1662.
Price: 1 person-120$; 2prs-70$; group 10$~ each.
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