Church :: ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Church

Iran / Western Atrpatakan / Salmast / Salmast

Historical Introduction

At the beginning of the 1800s the following was denoted: “Tiliman. ...they have 2 churches: St. Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) and St. Grigor Lusavorich (St. Gregory the Illuminator).”

Intjitjian, Gh. Geography of the Four Parts of the World. Vol. 1. Venice, 1806, p. 250.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 489.

After the 1828 emigration, Salmast churches were committed to indifference and, most likely, the few Armenians, who had not emigrated, got united around only one church which was already in a miserable state: “The Armenian church bore marks of great poverty, and was probably stripped of its furniture and ornaments at the time of the emigration.”

Smith, Eli and H. G. O. Dwight. Missionary Researches in Armenia: Including a Journey through Asia Minor, and into Georgia and Persia, with a Visit to the Nestorian and Chaldean Christians of Oormiah and Salmas. London, 1834, p. 358.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 489.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the aforementioned two churches weren’t mentioned any more, instead a church called St. Hovhannes was referenced, and, most probably, that is the construction of the same name in Qyohnashehir (Old-City). By the way, the church was partly renovated with the material support from local Armenians, and the organizers were awarded the kondak of the Armenian Catholicos: “To Gaspar Hovhannissian and Stepan Hovhannissian from Salmast for their financial assistance to the church of Salmast.”

Ararat, no. 12 (1906), p. 794.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 490.

It is known that in 1964 the Armenian population of the city received satisfaction for their spiritual needs in St. Gevorg Church of Haftvan.