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Church of the Redeemer, Ani

The Church of the Redeemer in Ani

The Church of the Redeemer or the Church of the Holy Redeemer (Armenian: Սուրբ Փրկիչ եկեղեցի, Surb Prkich yekeghetsi) is a ruined Armenian Apostolic church in the medieval city of Ani, in present-day Turkey.

History

According to an inscription in Armenian on its exterior, the Church of the Redeemer was built in 1035 CE to house a piece of the True Cross.

Dramatically sliced in half after its eastern section collapsed during a storm in 1957, the church features a unique and complex architecture based on a play of geometric shapes.90 The plan is circular but the exterior constitutes a nineteen-sided polygon; the interior features eight apses and the high drum is round. The wall paintings on the interior are in poor condition, and some have been whitewashed with industrial paint.91 The building has long been in a structurally precarious state.

Preservation efforts

Ani Cathedral

The restoration plans of the Ministry of Culture are proceeding apace. In 2008, Özkaya’s firm won the tender to restore additional structures.

Since July 2012, Özkaya has also coordinated the restoration of the Church of the Redeemer. Along with the cathedral, it is being conserved through the much-publicized historic partnership between the Ministry of Culture and the World Monuments Fund with support from the US Department of State’s Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation.85

To address the Church of the Redeemer’s conservation, Özkaya assembled a multidisciplinary team with specialists in engineering and seismology in addition to preservation design. Using scientific technology, his firm monitored the effect on the building of wind, humidity, seismicity, and other conditions, and studied structural cracks. A threedimensional scan and catalog of the fallen pieces as well as some excavation in the vicinity revealed that the Church of the Redeemer sits on what appears to be a circular pedestal. Additional excavation and clearing uncovered the original floor and found the remains of a bell tower with related structures nearby; such work will eventually clarify the monument’s articulation to the urban fabric.92 Özkaya’s team coordinated its work with that of the excavators.

Architecture

The dome of the Church of the Redeemer (Prkitch) is 25 meters high. The church, erected in 1035, was cut in half by the 1319 earthquake. Most of what remained collapsed during a storm in the 1950s. This photo is from 2007.

Half of a church; Only one half of the Church of the Redeemer remains – a monument to both the artistic prowess of the Armenian Bagratid Dynasty and the inevitability of time. Propped up by extensive scaffolding now, the church was an impressive architectural feat when it was built. It featured 19 archways and a dome, all made from local reddish-brown volcanic basalt. The church also housed a fragment of the True Cross, upon which Jesus was crucified. The church’s patron, Prince Ablgharib Pahlavid, reportedly obtained the relic during a visit to the Byzantine court at Constantinople.

Symbolism and significance

Yavuz Özkaya, the restoration architect, describes it as “one of the most vulnerable yet astonishing structures in Ani (maybe on earth).”89

It appears on the cover of Armenian Kars and Ani (2011), edited by Richard G. Hovannisian.

Karapetyan, Samvel (July 4, 2016). "Անիի Սբ. Փրկիչ եկեղեցի [Holy Redeemer Church of Ani]" (in Armenian). Research on Armenian Architecture. Archived from the original on 7 January 2022.

sources

• Thierry, Jean-Michel; Donabédian, Patrick (1989) [1987]. Armenian Art. Translated by Celestine Dars. New York: Harry N. Abrams. ISBN 0-8109-0625-2.

https://archive.org/details/thierry-1989-armenian-art/page/208/mode/1up?view=theater

Only one Armenian painting of this period can be compared to the talented style of illuminations. It is a partly destroyed composition in the church of the Holy Saviour at Ani, done by the painter Sargis Ptaré‘ik (1291?). His compositions are skillfully disposed in the apses of the church, illustrating the major Christian feasts, and the Evangelists at their lecterns. The self-portrait of the artist at the feet of Matthew has survived: a bearded figure wrapped in an ample eastern robe embellished with rows of hearts. The paintings are rendered in a precious style related to the Byzantine style of the time of the Paleologs, but with a stronger outline. This late and handsome work suggests that an interest in mural painting had encouraged the training of talented Armenian artists, but it also seems that, paradoxically, this fashion stopped abruptly, since we do not know of any 14% century mural paintings.

Donabedian summary https://archive.org/details/thierry-1989-armenian-art/page/486/mode/1up?view=theater

Favio, Diane (2011). "Encircled by Time: The Church of the Savior". In Hovannisian, Richard G. (ed.). Armenian Kars and Ani. Costa Mesa, California: Mazda Publishers. pp. 127–154. ISBN 978-1568591575.

Kazaryan, Armen; Özkaya, İsmail Yavuz; Pontioglu, Alin (2016). "The Church of Surb Prkich in Ani (1035)". RIHA Journal. International Association of Research Institutes in the History of Art. doi:10.11588/riha.2016.0.70195. ISSN 2190-3328. (archived)

https://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/rihajournal/article/view/70195/72727
https://web.archive.org/web/20231109075001/https://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/rihajournal/article/view/70195/72727

"The Church of the Redeemer (Surp Amenap'rkitch)". virtualani.org. 24 May 2005. Archived from the original on 25 October 2019.

Matevosyan, Karen (1984). "Անի քաղաքի եկեղեցիները [The Churches of the City of Ani]". Etchmiadzin (in Armenian). 51 (11–12).

Hasratyan, Murad (2011). "Անիի ճարտարապետությունը [Architecture of Ani]". Patma-Banasirakan Handes (in Armenian) (3): 3–27. Archived from the original on 2021-05-08.

"Church of the Holy Redeemer". wmf.org. World Monuments Fund. Archived from the original on 23 May 2020.

Kazaryan, Armen (2017). "The "Classical" Trend of the Armenian Architectural School of Ani". In Torlone, Zara Martirosova; Munteanu, Dana LaCourse; Dutsch, Dorota (eds.). A Handbook to Classical Reception in Eastern and Central Europe. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 528-540. ISBN 9781118832714.

"Պատմական Անիում շարունակվում են Սուրբ Փրկիչ եկեղեցու կոնսերվացման աշխատանքները" (in Armenian). Armenpress. 12 March 2013. Archived from the original on 23 May 2020. {{cite news}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 19 May 2013 suggested (help)

Grigoris Balakian

The Church of the Holy Savior (966) is only a few dozen feet and ascending in elevation from St. Krikor the Illuminator Church. It was built by Marzpan Aplgharip [Abugharib], the son of Prince Krikor, who by deeding its properties, assured its splendor. This temple is built in a very different architectural style from the two churches I have previously described because it has the form of a circular polygonal tower, while the others and generally the majority of ancient churches have the form of regular quadrangles. Inside it is one story, but outside it is two stories. The polygon of the lower story is formed by sixteen arcaded and carved split columns, which, in addition to serving as fortification for the building, give the temple a beautiful appearance. Despite the second or upper floor being smaller, it is composed of twenty arcaded and more refined twin columns with plain capitals. Between the columns both in the lower and upper stories are high narrow windows built in the style characteristic of ancient [Armenian] architecture. In this way the lower part, according to old custom, is very dark, so that without the light of a lamp it is impossible to conduct services or any sort of reading. As is seen in the picture, the stone dome is still completely standing, and only some stones have fallen due to the destructive course of time. It has only one door which is half buried under stones which have fallen from the roof. On the left side of this door, a little above it, one can read the following inscription:

In the years of the divinely honored spiritual Lord Bedros Catholicos of the Armenians, and during the kingship of Smpad's son's Kakig Shahnshah in the year 455),26 I Aplgharip Marzpan, son of Prince Krikor and grandson of Apughamr and brother of Vahram and Vasag, built this Holy Savior church in this capital of Ani with much effort and expensive treasure; I built from my legitimate possessions a certain store and olive-press, and my vineyard and holavor27 and I gave [them] to this Holy Savior church, which I ornamented with gold and silver and precious gems, and I gave the Gospel and a tavnagan28 for which I chose readings from the Old and New Testaments, and placed this before my Savior; now if anybody, either the mighty or the insignificant, [opposes] my expressions or other things which I have given and if they steal them, may they be prohibited, may they be anathematized by the 318 patriarchs … from this my world, I oblige the servants [of the church] and … be carried out unobstructed during the day of Vardavar'.29

From this inscription, it is clear that the Church of the Holy Savior is one of the oldest churches of Ani, built in 966 [sic 1035] by Marzpan Aplgharip, son of Prince Krikor. In accordance with the virtuous tradition of the old princes, he endowed and adorned this church that he built with his movable and immovable possessions and precious sacred vessels and manuscripts. He also donated an olive press which now during excavations has been uncovered. It should be noted that such oil presses, which at the time prepared the indispensable oil for church rituals, are often discovered during excavations.

In addition to this inscription, the following one can be read on the northern wall of the church:

In the year 414 (965),[***sic 484/1035***] I, Marzpan Aplgharip brought an edict from Smpad Shahnshah to the Emperor of the Greeks in Constantinople and with great effort and expensive treasure a part of the Holy Cross. Having come I completed this temple and erected the sign of light as a crown of the bride of Christ, and placed the yoke on the servants of the church to conduct the night service on Sunday until the coming of Christ, and if a priest of the Holy Savior church dies they should have 40 prayers in this church. And if any of the priests usurps my vessels or books of this church or by spending or any reason or through avarice go back and steal the revenue of this church [and] not use them for the need of this Holy Savior church, may he be anathematized by the 318 patriarchs, and he who removes the sons of Krikor the priest from church wardenship be doubly subject to curse, while may those who carry it [this writing] out be blessed; remember Kevork the writer to the Lord, amen.

It can be derived from this inscription too that Marzpan Aplgharip, who erected the Holy Savior Church in 966, went to Constantinople one year prior to the construction of the church, that is, in 965, with the royal edict of King Smpad of Armenia, or, as per the inscription, Smpad Shahnshah,31 and presented himself to Michael, emperor of the Greeks, and through great effort and expense brought a small piece of the Holy Cross to Ani. Building this church, he kept that dominical holy relic there; because of this, he called the church Holy Savior.

In all inscriptions of this type there are always instructions for the functionaries of the church to conduct services on special days until the coming of Christ. It is as if these worthy princes never imagined that their much-celebrated capital city could be destroyed many centuries before the coming of Christ ... and even turned into a pile of ruins. Either these princes thought the coming of Christ to be imminent, as they were probably influenced by the rumors and hopes circulating about Christ's coming in the year 1000, or they were simply arrogant in thinking that their capital was inviolable. Whatever it might have been, it appears from their inscriptions that they were men of virtuous minds and pure hearts to have thought and written what they have here.

26. Translator: The date in the Armenian calendar of ՆԾԵ, or 455, would be 1006 in the Gregorian calendar which we use today in the West, but is converted incorrectly to 966 by Balakian. However, most other scholars read the date as ՆՁԵ, or 485, which would correspond to the year 1036 of the Gregorian calendar.

Manoucharian, A. (1976). "Անիի Ս. Փրկիչ եկեղեցու շինարարական երկու արձանագրությունները [Two Structural Inscriptions of Sourp Perkich Church in Ani]". Patma-Banasirakan Handes. 4: 243–246. Archived from the original on 2022-01-07.

27. հոլաւոր, meaning unknown, perhaps a kind of storehouse, as from holem/holonem (to gather, collect).

28. Translator: A collection of commentaries for feast days.

Lynch

https://archive.org/details/armeniatravelsst01lync/page/n497/mode/1up?view=theater

p. 465

The popularity of the centralized plan is also evident at the Church of the Redeemer, built by the general Ablgharib in 1035 on a considerably larger scale, with a dome approximately 9.5 meters in diameter (Figs. 19.11B and 19.14). Octagonal on the interior and nineteen sided on the exterior, the church rises in two stages below the conical roof covering the dome, both stages detailed with arcading on the exterior. On the lower level of the interior, niches are set into the thickness of the wall, lined with engaged columns, including an enlarged eastern niche for the sanctuary, flanked by tiny chapels. The upper level is set back and comprises the drum of the enormous dome, pierced by twelve thin windows, plain on the interior but detailed on the exterior by twenty-four blind arches. Despite the 1912 restoration, the eastern half of the church collapsed in 1957, perhaps as a result of the reduced mass of the lower walls on that side. In its present state, the church dramatically provides its own cross-section.

Ousterhout, Robert G. (2019). "Development of Regional Styles III: The Caucasus: Armenia and Georgia". Eastern Medieval Architecture: The Building Traditions of Byzantium and Neighboring Lands Get access Arrow. Oxford University Press. pp. 455–477.

Gallery

Category:Church of the Holy Redeemer, Ani

https://www.armenianimage.org/exhibition-part1-ohannes-kurkdjian/exhibition-ohannes-kurkdjian/?_page=4

http://treasury.am/

1910-ական թթ. , լուսանկարիչ Թորոս Թորամանյան ք., լուսանկարի հեղ. Արամ Վրույր, 1912թ. լուսանկարիչ Արամ Վրույր 1905-1909թթ. 1879թ. Արձանագրություն. Փրկչի եկեղեցի լուսանկարիչ Հովհաննես Քյուրքչյանց

Arshak Fetvadjian http://www.virtualani.org/fetvadjian/index.htm http://www.virtualani.org/fetvadjian/fetvadjian-ani_album3.jpg

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  View of Ani from Armenia. The cathedral is seen near the left edge, while the Church of the Redeemer on the right side.
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  Alishan [1]
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  Lynch, H. F. B. (1901). Armenia, travels and studies. Volume I: The Russian Provinces. London: Longmans, Green, and Co. [2]
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  Arshag Fetvadjian, Ani. The Church of Surb Prkich, 1901, watercolor on paper, 49.8 x 35.2 cm, National Gallery of Armenia, Yerevan, p. 10