Armenia20 Echmiadzin museum2

1. 20 ARMENIA Treasures of Echmiadzin 2

2. The Museum "Treasures of Echmiadzin" is situated in the southeast section of the Echmiadzin Cathedral,  the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church, located in the city of Vagharshapat. Unique holy relics and religious art are now housed in the museum. Among the many treasures are: the Holy Lance (Geghard) which pierced the side of Christ, housed in a silver reliquary; the relics of Noah's Ark in a reliquary that was created in 1698 and other valuable pieces of art. In addition to the pieces displayed, during archaeological excavations which were conducted due to renovation work of the Holy Altar, remnants of the original Holy Altar, founded by St. Gregory the Illuminator, dating back to 301-303 AD, were discovered.

3. Collection of Echmiadzin museums consists of the subjects of Christian culture created during the period from IX to the XX century in the regions of Ararat, Vayots-dzor, Erzruma, Van, Constantinople. The collection of Echmiadzin treasures was formed for a long time. In it there are rescued subjects, and also gifts and the donations brought during different historical eras

4. St. George Slaying the Dragon altar curtain 1799 The tradition of using altar curtains in the Armenian Church is almost as ancient as the church itself. 

5. wooden panel, the 9th-10th century Amenaprekich (All Savior) of Havuts Tsar represents Christ's descent from the cross

8. The forearm of the Apostle St. Thaddeus, one of the First Enlighteners of the Armenian Church, a most important spiritual relic

9. Altar curtains also became an important element of Armenian Christian art. This curtain is part of a set of four altar draperies made for the Cathedral of Holy Echmiadzin in 1791. It was imported from Madras, India—a city famous for its printed cloth in this period—where the curtain was likely completed by Indian artisans under the supervision of the local Armenian community. Yellow curtain 1761

10. Chalice, XVIII c

11. Chalice, XVIII c

12. Censer, XVIII c

13. Alex & Mary Manukyan Donation In 1982 Alex and Marie Manoogian donated funds for the construction of a museum in their name, the Treasury House Museum, on the grounds of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in Armenia

14. Interior view of Alex and Marie Manoogian Treasury Museum

15. Urn for chrism, 1883, Aghtamar

19. Russian icon

22. Reliquary of the Thorn of Christ Receptacles for myuron 1815

29. Incensory, XVIIc

33. Right Hand of John the Baptist Relic

34. Catholicos Gevork IV built this museum as an addition on the eastern side of the mother cathedral in order to have a secure place to store the most precious relics of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

35. Like all ancient churches, the Armenian Church renders great homage to sacred objects, relics of the saints, the Cross of our Lord, etc. While Armenians do not worship these items, nevertheless the faithful are encouraged to visit and to venerate them because of the sacred and sanctifying reality which exists behind them

36. Cross altar XVIII century, Silver, wood, coral, colored stones

38. Of great significance is the large silver cauldron located in the south west part of the museum, which contains the holy muron or chrism, from which the sacred oil is occasionally drawn according to need

40. All-Armenian CatholicosVazgen A is lighting the myuron in Holy Echmiadzin painted by MeruzhanKhachatryan (born 1980 in Yerevan, in a painter’s family)

41. Ceiling Silver cauldron

49. Armenian Reliquary 1293 AD, Cilicia. – Hermitage Museum, Russia Gold Khatchkar on marble, embellished with gems, 1978

50. Gold Khatchkar 1978