A BRIEF HISTORY

Armenia’s history dates back to the first millennium BC. Armenia is mentioned in the Bible as the Armenian Kingdom, historically known as Urartu. Armenia emerged as a separate country in the first millennium BC. In the first century BC, it encompassed parts of present-day Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and the Caucasus region. Armenia traces its beginnings to the first millennium BC when the Urartu empire fell to the Armens. Alexander the Great conquered Armenia around 300 BC, but its independence was restored one hundred years later. In 301 AD Armenia became the first country to declare Christianity as its official state religion. After the late 300s, Armenia was successively conquered and divided by the Romans, Persians, Arabs, Mongols, and Turks. In 1828 the Russian Empire conquered the Persian-controlled section of Armenia. In 1915 the Turks began a systematic massacre of Armenians which resulted in one and a half million deaths and mass emigration to Russian Armenia. After the Russian Revolution, Armenia formally became part of the Soviet Union, along with the Turkish republic of Azerbaijan. Armenians were able to gain independence in 1918, but the Soviets took full control in 1920. In 1988, protests by ethnic Armenians in the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh within Azerbaijan led to escalating violence between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The struggle fueled rising Armenian nationalism, and Armenia first declared its independence from the Soviet Union in August 1990. The country did not achieve true sovereignty until the break-up of the Soviet Union in December 1991. Karabakh declared its independence in 1994.

The history of Christianity in Armenia began when Noah’s Ark landed on Mt. Ararat; continued through the times when Christ’s Apostles St. Thaddeus and Bartholomew preached in Armenia around 100 AD; and the era of Illumination with St. Gregory.

When Grigor Partev, of Parthian origin and raised in Caesarea, converted to Christianity, he did so as atonement for his father’s sins. His father, Anak, is reputed to have slaved the father of the Armenian king Trdat III. Attempting to establish Christianity in Armenia, Grigor was tortured and imprisoned by Trdat, a fervent pagan under Roman protection. He spent twelve years in an underground cell at Khor Virap before the king, sick with madness, released him at the urging of his sister. In 301 AD, Grigor, now known as St. Gregory the Illuminator, cured Trdat of his madness, and converted the country to Christianity. The Roman empire did not do so until 380 AD, making Armenia the first country to adopt Christianity as a state religion.

The tours provided by LEVON TRAVEL are spiritual journeys that focus on the roots of Christianity in Armenia as well as the historical, architectural and cultural heritage of the past, and the events of the present. Features include Khor Virap, where the underground pit St. Gregory was imprisoned in still remains, five churches in Echmiadzin, including the 4th c. cathedral, "a dome of Heaven supported by four columns" which was built on the site where St. Gregory received a vision from Christ. In the vision, Jesus descended to the Ararat plain with a golden hammer in hand and indicated the site where the cathedral was to be built. The Altar of the Descent at the center of the Cathedral is the location of Christ’s appearance in the vision. Visitors will be able to see the mountain monasteries, river canyon churches, fortresses and some of the oldest universities in the world. Also included are the Hellenistic temple of Garni, the monastery of Geghard, carved from solid rock, Pagan temples converted to Christian churches, masterpieces of architecture that gave rise to the Gothic and Neo Classic style in Europe, thousands of stone crosses which resemble translucent lace, and exquisite rare manuscripts embossed in gold.

Everything you will experience promises to be interesting and enjoyable!