Mamzara – Surb Mesrop Mashtots (Saint Mesrop Mashtots) church

The only church named after Surb Mesrop Mashtots in Javakheti is located in the village of Namzara (Mamzara), 8 km northeast of Ninotsminda.

Surb Mesrop Mashtots church was built in 2013. The church was built and the surrounding area was improved with the donations of businessman Hakob Khachatryan from Russia.

On November 16 of the same year, Surb Mesrop Mashtots church was consecrated by the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan with the participation of the Prelate of Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tsalka's General Prelacy Rev. Father Archimandrite Babgen Salbiyan; the Pastor of Ninotsminda and nearby villages Rev. Father Armash Poghosyan and Rev. Father Tatev Marukyan. The church's consecration ceremony begins with the Opening of the Door Service (Drnbatsek) Service offered the previous evening. The 16 columns, baptismal font and icons of the church were consecrated. Immediately after the consecration ceremony of the church, Rev. Father Armash Poghosyan celebrated Divine Liturgy. A cross-stone (khachkar) dedicated to the memory of victims of the Genocide is placed in the church courtyard [1].

Architecture: The church is built of basalt. The overall dimensions are 12,05 x 7,55 m. The entrance is from the western side, there is a cross-stone (khachkar) at the top, there is also an eight-line inscription at the bottom about the construction of the church:

WITH THE WILL OF GOD IT WAS BUILT | THE SURB MESROP MASHTOTS CHURCH | WITH THE BENEFACTORY OF MR. HAKOB | KHACHATRYAN'S LONGEVITY | THE PARENT OF MNATSAKAN AND TSOVINAR | KHACHATRYANS | 1462 | RESCUE 2013.

A small belfry is built on the roof just above the entrance. The church is illuminated from the arched windows on the western side, as well as windows opened on right and left walls. The Holy Altar with its right and left sacristies are placed on the eastern part of the church. The ceiling is covered with a wooden arched roof [2].

Surb Grigor Lusavorich (Saint Gregory the Illuminator) church

Establishment of the church: Surb Grigor Lusavorich church in the village of Namzara was built in the first half of the19th century. The archival documents of the Georgian and Imeretian dioceses provide information about the church from the 1830s. In accordance with the churches' bulletin of 1840, the number of parishioners of the church was 113 [3]. In the 1860s the church was still made of wood [4], and in the 1880s it was mentioned as a structure built of stone with wooden roof [5]. At the beginning of the 20th century, the annual capital of the church was 171 rubles and 40 kopeks in silver [6]. In the 19th century there was a cemetery around the Surb Grigor Lusavorich church.

Architecture: The external dimensions of Surb Grigor Lusavorich church are 17,25 x 7,10 m. The church has a semicircular Altar [7].

Parish priests: Rev. Father Hovhannes Hovhannisyan is mentioned as a priest of Surb Grigor Lusavorich church [8].

School: In accordance with the school bulletin of Georgian and Imeretian Diocese, the church parish school of Mamzara village was founded in 1864 with public funds. As of 1869, the school had 25 students and 1 teacher [9]. Calouste Hambardzumyan is mentioned as one of the teachers of the school [10].

Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia

Armenian Historical and Cultural Heritage Research Center in Georgia

               

[1] http://armenianchurch.ge/hy/lurer?start=815: Press Department of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia

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

[3] NAA, ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3800, թ. 4.

[4] NAA, ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3848, թ. 74.

[5] ''Ardzaganq'', 1885, N 3, էջ 41.

[6] NAA, ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3912, part 1, թ. 111-ի շրջ.-112.

[7] S. Karapetyan, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2006, p. 412.

[8] NAA, ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 457, թ. 60.

[9] NAA, ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3977, թ. 54-ի շրջ.-55.

[10] NAA, ֆ. 56, ց. 15, գ. 52, թ. 44.