Saint Sarkis Church (), is an Armenian church in Harpukh Sulfuric Baths district of

Old Tbilisi Old Tbilisi ( ka, ძველი თბილისი, ''dzveli t'bilisi'') refers to the historical parts of Tbilisi. Although the term "Old Tbilisi" has long been used to denote the oldest part of the city, it was only in 2007 that it became a ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

. It was destroyed by

Lavrentiy Beria Lavrentiy Pavlovich Beria ka, ლავრენტი პავლეს ძე ბერია} ''Lavrenti Pavles dze Beria'' ( – 23 December 1953) was a Soviet politician and one of the longest-serving and most influential of Joseph ...

's order in the 1930s.

Name

The church was located on Saint Sarkis street (curr. Griashvili) and got its name from it.

History

The construction started in 1737 by Ter-Sukias, Archpriest of Norashen church. Armenian

catholicos A catholicos (plural: catholicoi) is the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and, in some cases, it is the title of the head of an autonomous church. The word comes from ancient Greek ( ...

Simmeon Yerevantsi (1763–1782) thoroughly listing Armenian churches of Tbilisi mentions: "there is one more church in the fortress, called Cathedral, originally belonged to the Holy Throne, but now the fortress in being settled by Muslims who occupy the church as well. Since then the church is empty, is deprived of the parish; even the fact it belonged to the Holy Throne is being forgotten". In 1795 Agha Mohammad Khan forces enter the city and completely destroy the district of Sulfuric Baths. After entering

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

Tbilisi became governmental center and started rapidly develop. In 1831 Manuel Kyumushkhanetsi from the

Crimean Peninsula Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrai ...

was appointed the Archpriest of the church and started complete reconstruction and restoration in short time entering list of functioning Armenian churches. Saint Sarkis Church celebrated the feast of Saint Sarkis day after Arachavorats lent usually in January or February. On those days church bells rang, liturgy were held and the church was especially crowded. The youth in couples or alone came for blessing. Saint Sarkis Church as the whole Tbilisi Armenian community was in a rise. The church was tall, richly decorated from inside with delicate frescoes. There was a pre-church parochial school beside. In 1910s Tirayr Ter-Hovhannisyan, famous Armenian churchman, poet, philologist and translator served as vicar here.

Destruction

Saint Sarkis Church was destroyed in 1937-38 by

order along with 11 other Armenian churches in Tbilisi. Firstly the domes were destroyed, later for the wall destruction dynamite was used, but the church was not destroyed till the end and the lower part remained, which was later reconstructed as a residential building. During the destruction two workers fell down to death. The parochial school moved to a new address - 79 Ortachala. Its building later was used as antenatal clinic.

References

* Армянские церкви Тбилиси
Св. Саргис
{{Georgian Churches Armenian Apostolic churches in Tbilisi Old Tbilisi Destroyed Armenian churches in Georgia (country)

Name

History

Destruction

See also

References