20th century and on Etchmiadzin Cathedral

the monastery of etchmiadzin in 20th century mount ararat in background

in 1903, russian government issued edict confiscate properties of armenian church, including treasures of etchmiadzin. russian policemen , soldiers entered , occupied cathedral. due popular resistance , personal defiance of catholicos mkrtich khrimian, edict canceled in 1905.

during armenian genocide, cathedral of etchmiadzin , surrounding became major center turkish armenian refugees. @ end of 1918, there 70,000 refugees in etchmiadzin district. hospital , orphanage within cathedral s grounds established , maintained u.s.-based armenian near east relief 1919.

in spring of 1918 cathedral in danger of attack turks. prior may 1918 battle of sardarabad, took place miles away cathedral, civilian , military leadership of armenia suggested catholicos gevorg (george) v leave byurakan security purposes, refused. armenian forces repelled turkish offensive , set foundation of first republic of armenia.

soviet suppression

after 2 years of independence, armenia sovietized in december 1920. during 1921 february uprising etchmiadzin briefly (until april) taken on nationalist armenian revolutionary federation, had dominated pre-soviet armenian government between 1918 , 1920.

in december 1923, southern apse of cathedral collapsed. restored under toros toramanian s supervision in first case of restoration of architectural monument in soviet armenia.

the soviet government issued postage stamp depicting cathedral in 1978.

during great purge , radical state atheist policies in late 1930s, cathedral besieged institution campaign underway eradicate religion. repressions climaxed in 1938 when catholicos khoren murdered in april nkvd. in august of year, armenian communist party decided close down cathedral, central soviet government seemingly did not approve of such measure. isolated outside world, cathedral barely continued function , administrators reduced twenty people. reportedly church in soviet armenia not have been seized communist government. dissident anti-soviet armenian diocese in wrote great cathedral became hollow monument.

the religious importance of etchmiadzin recovered during second world war. holy see s official magazine resumed publication in 1944, while seminary reopened in september 1945. in 1945 catholicos gevorg vi elected after seven-year vacancy of position. number of baptisms conducted @ etchmiadzin rose greatly: 200 in 1949 around 1,700 in 1951. nevertheless, cathedral s role downplayed communist official circles. them ecclesiastical echmiadzin belongs irrevocably past, , if monastery , cathedral scene of impressive ceremonies including election of new catholicos, has little importance communist point of view, wrote walter kolarz in 1961.

revival

etchmiadzin revived under catholicos vasken since period known khrushchev thaw in mid-1950s, following stalin s death. archaeological excavations held in 1955–56 , in 1959; cathedral underwent major renovation during period. wealthy diaspora benefactors, such calouste gulbenkian , alex manoogian, financially assisted renovation of cathedral. gulbenkian alone provided $400,000.

in 2000 etchmiadzin underwent renovation prior celebrations of 1700th anniversary of christianization of armenia in 2001. in 2003 1700th anniversary of consecration of cathedral celebrated armenian church. catholicos karekin ii issued pontifical encyclical (kondak) on january 30. on february 3 declared 2003 year of holy etchmiadzin. in september of year academic conference held @ pontifical residence.

the latest renovation of cathedral began in 2012, focus on strengthening , restoring dome , roof.