FOUNDED IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE 19TH CENTURY.

In 1829–1830, some of the Armenians who migrated from the Karin province to Akhalkalaki founded the village of Ekhtila Samsar (Pokr (Little) Samsar) in 1836, which is located 18 km northeast of Akhalkalaki.

Church Construction: In 1852, the villagers expressed their desire to build a church[1]. References to the church, named Surb Harutyun  (Holy Resurrection), can be found as early as the 1860s in archival documents. Specifically, the church is mentioned in one of the 1866 reports of the churches of the Georgian and Imereti Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, which indicates that, at that time, it was still a wooden structure[2]. The old church was rebuilt at the end of the 19th century. The construction record preserved at the western entrance of the church provides details about the renovation in 1891[3]. However, it was destroyed by the earthquake on December 19, 1899, and subsequently restored in 1900. The church still stands today[4]. There is evidence that when Khrimyan Hayrik (Mkrtich Khrimyan) left for Tbilisi on April 27, 1907, to meet with the Viceroy of the Caucasus, he passed through the villages of Javakhk on his return trip and consecrated several churches, including the Surb Harutyun (Holy Resurrection) church in Pokr Samsar[5].

Architecture: The Holy Resurrection church is built of mixed tuff and belongs to the gabled hall type. The overall dimensions are 16.94 x 9.47 m. Two ornaments are visible in the lower right corner of the southern facade. The northern and eastern walls are plastered with cement mortar. Square windows are located in the southern and northern walls. The entrance is on the western side, with an Armenian inscription on the right side and above. A cross, carved from tuff, is placed above the entrance. The belfry is built on the western side of the roof. The roof is gabled, faced with sheet metal. The interior walls are plastered and painted. The nave is divided into three sections by a colonnade. In the eastern part is the altar, with sacristies on the right and left sides[6].

Parish Priests։ Among the priests of the Holy Resurrection church were Khachatur Abgaryants[7] and Makar Harutyunyan[8]. They served as priests during the 1860s–1880s.

Cemetery։ The cemetery extends around the Holy Resurrection Church, with tombstones from the 19th century still preserved.

Church Restoration: In 2005, the church, which had been turned into a warehouse during the Soviet years, was cleaned and renovated by a village resident, Husik Abgaryan. In 2006, the renovation was continued by Hovik Abgaryan. In August 2008, with the blessing of His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan and the assistance of Rev. Father Babken Salbiyan, Prelate at Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tsalka’s General Prelacy, and the participation of the spiritual pastor, the cross and icons on the dome of the Holy Resurrection church in the village of Pokr Samsar were consecrated. The cross was prepared with the financial support of the faithful Armenians of the village, Artur and Sasun Abgaryan. After the consecration, Sasun Abgaryan placed the cross on the dome of the church’s belfry[9].

In 2009, thanks to the generosity of Sasha Gabrielyan, a khachkar (cross-stone) dedicated to the memory of the holy martyrs of the Armenian Genocide was created, consecrated, and placed at the entrance to the church.

Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia

Armenian Historical and Cultural Heritage Study Center in Georgia

[1]NAA, ֆ. 56, ց. 1, գ. 3436, թ. 8:

[2]NAA, ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3848, թ. 74-իշրջ.:

[3]S. Karapetyan, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2006, p. 535

[4]S. Karapetyan, in the same place

[5]Ararat, 1907/4/, p. 332:

[6]Armenian Historical and Cultural Heritage Study Center in Georgia. Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia

[7] NAA, ֆ. 53, ց. 2, գ. 1972. թ. 2; գ. 1991, թ. 3:

[8] NAA, ֆ. 53, ց. 2, գ. 1996, թ. 3:

[9]”Etchmiadzin”, 2008, 7, p. 147: