Yeghrtud Monastery
Yeghrtud Monastery (Arm: Եղրդուտ, E Arm: Yeghrdut), also known as S. Hovhannes of Yeghrtud (Եղրդուտի Ս Հովհաննես) was an Armenian monastery in Western Armenia near the town of Mush.
Location
Located at GPS coordinates 38.752988° 41.346242°. We also have the following descriptions of the location:
Mkhitarian book on Daron-Duruperon's Monasteries (Taron-Turuberon) published in Vienna in 1953:
| “ | Located 4 to 5 hours west of Mush, in front(timats/dimats) of S. Garabed/Karapet Monastery, in "Yegherits" region (yergir), on Sim Mountain (Sim ler) or on Black Mountain (Sev sar), on the south side of Yeprad/Yeprat river.
The location of the monastery is unmatched. On four sides are cold springs and forest. The air is pure, but cold. The view is indescribable. Almost all of Mush's plain is flat like a floor, it's green worked fields open up before your eyes... The Aradzani and Meghraked rivers snake along and swallow tens of streams along their way. Etc, etc. |
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Dictionary of Armenian Place Names:
| “ | Located in a picturesque spot 20-22km west of Mush, surrounded on three sides by forested hills, and on the north side there were little gullies/canyons (dzorakner).
From the monastery the following were visible: Aradzani and Meghraget (rivers I assume), S Garabed Monastery, a few villages, Byurakn, Nemrut, Grgur, Sipan, and in the further distance, the gray top of Masis (Mount Ararat). Legends about the monastery and it's names have been preserved. One of those says that at this monastery, relics of St. John the Baptist have been preserved, and that is why the monastery is also known by his name. Another legend is that in a green bottle were brought the liquid essence (օծանելիք հյութից) of Jesus and his apostles. For that reason the monastery is also known by the name Shishyugho (Շիշյուղո - of the oil bottle). Historic stories passed down agree that the monastery construction was begun by the apostle Thaddeus, and over time it grew to a large and elaborate complex. In significance, the monastery does not yield anything to the nearby S Garabed Monastery. In the middle ages, Yeghrtud was one of the well-known centers of writing (գրչության). Of the manuscripts written or copied here, about 20 of them are well-known. Just during the 1450s to 80s, at Yeghrtud there was written 4 մատյան՝ Ավետարան, Հայսմավուրք, Գանձարան, Շարակնոց. During the middle ages, the monastery had a school of higher learning, and owned large estates. Yeghrtud has also played an important role in more recent times. In the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the monastery had extensive arable lands, pastures and forests. In 1870, it's new school opened, due to the efforts of Catholicos Karekin Srvandztyan (Սրվանձըտյան). When the school opened it had 20 students, but by 1909 it had been turned into an orphanage-school which had 40 students. The monastery cathedral in size and height was nearly the size of S Garabed Monastery of Mush. The facade was of polished stone. The կաթողիկե was oval. Aside from the cathedral, the monastery had a row of (վկայարաններ), some chapels, and other holy places. By the monastery's other cathedral of St. Stepanos was a cemetery, where the monastery's prominent clergy were buried. The monastery had an արաջնորդարան, and over 30 two story rooms. The monastery operated until World War One and the Armenian Genocide. |
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Map
<googlemap lat="38.750582" lon="41.34028" zoom="17"> 38.750582,41.34028, Yeghrtud Monastery </googlemap>