2186) "Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin", Armenia: A 30,100 Armenian Dram Silver Coin issued by the Central Bank of Armenia: Project Coordinated by Coin Invest Trust AG (CIT), Liechtenstein: Coin minted by B.H.Mayer's Kunstprageanstalt GmbH at their facilities in Munich, Germany: Year of Coin issue: 2020:
About the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin, Armenia:
Etchmiadzin Cathedral is the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church, located in the city of Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin), Armenia.
The Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin is the first official cathedral of the Christian world, which was built in 301-303, initiated by and through the efforts of St. Tridates III, Great Armenian King and St. Gregory the Illuminator, following the adoption of Christianity as a state religion by King Tiridates III.
The original church was built over a pagan temple, symbolizing the conversion from paganism to Christianity.
The temple was built based on the vision of St. Gregory the Illuminator, according to which the "Only Begotten Son of God", Jesus Christ, descended to the Ararat Valley, the capital of Armenia "Vagharshapat", and ordered that the temple of God – “the house of prayer and supplication of all believers, the seat of the priesthood” be built right there.
Mount Ararat is also the place, where Noah's Ark is believed to have landed after the catastrophic flood.
Links to some interesting posts on Noah's Ark on this blog:
The core of the current building was built in 483/4 by Vahan Mamikonian after the cathedral was severely damaged in a Persian invasion.
From its foundation until the second half of the fifth century, Etchmiadzin was the seat of the Catholicos, the supreme head of the Armenian Church.
Although never losing its significance, the cathedral subsequently suffered centuries of virtual neglect.
In 1441 it was restored as catholicosate and remains as such to this day.
Since then the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has been the administrative headquarters of the Armenian Church.
Etchmiadzin was plundered by Shah Abbas I of Persia in 1604, when relics and stones were taken out of the cathedral to New Julfa.
Since then the cathedral has undergone a number of renovations. Belfries were added in the latter half of the seventeenth century and in 1868 a sacristy was constructed at the cathedral's east end.
Presently, it incorporates styles of different periods of Armenian architecture.
Diminished during the early Soviet period, Etchmiadzin revived again in the second half of the twentieth century, and under independent Armenia.
As the main shrine of Armenian Christians worldwide, Etchmiadzin has been an important location in Armenia not only religiously, but also politically and culturally.
The Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin is the first cross-domed church in world ecclesiastical architecture.
A comprehensive renovation of the Mother Cathedral began in 2012, scheduled to be completed in 2021.
A major pilgrimage site, it is one of the most visited places in the country.
Along with several important early medieval churches located nearby, the cathedral was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000.
Adds the book titled "TREASURES OF THE WORLD - A UNESCO publication" in my personal Library:
"The Cathedral of Holy Echmiatsin built in 301-3 is Armenia's most ancient Christian place of worship. Together with other religious buildings and archaeological remains in Echmiatsin and Zvartnots, it bears witness to the founding of Christianity in the country.
It symbolises the development of the Armenian central-domed cross-hall type of church, which exerted a profound influence on architectural and artistic development in the region".
The Coin:
On the Obverse of the 30,100 Dram Silver Coin is depicted the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin.
On the Reverse of the 30,100 Dram Silver Coin is depicted the altar of the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin against the background of the inner part of the dome.
The specifications of the Silver Coin are:
Country of issue: Armenia; Date/Year: 2020; Coin Theme: "Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin"; Denomination/Face Value: 30,100 Drams - Armenian; Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 1,000 grams or 1.0 Kilogram; Diameter/Size: 100.00 mm; Coin Quality: Proof (P); Edge: interrupted, ribbed, numbered; Minted By: B.H. Mayer's Kunstprageanstalt at their facilities in Munich, Germany; Project/Coin co-ordinated by: Coin Invest Trust AG (CIT), Liechtenstein, on behalf of Central Bank of Armenia; Special Technique: Pad-printing, Smartminting© Technology; Mintage: 301 pieces; Thickness: 13.00 mm; Presentation Box/Case: Yes; Certificate of Authenticity (COA): Yes.
Links to other interesting posts from Armenia on this blog:
Links to other interesting posts on Noah's Ark on this blog:
Santosh Khanna has commented:
ReplyDelete"Very informative post. Thanks for sharing."
Thank you so much, Khanna sahab.
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