Popular wisdom teaches that a holy place is never empty … In Armenia there are a lot of such “non-random” holy places. One of them is the Geghard Monastery, which is located 40 km from Yerevan, in the gorge of the Goght River. Its other names are Geghard, Geghardavank, Ayrivank. The word "vank" from the Armenian language means a monastery, "geghard" - a spear, "airi" - a cave. Already from the name one can guess the complex and changeable history of this place. Locals revered him even before the adoption of Christianity. There were already caves here, and there was a miraculous holy spring in them. According to legends in the IV century. it is here that St. Gregory the Enlightener founded a monastery, which was named Ayrivank (cave monastery). But in the IX-X centuries. the monastery was seized more than once by the troops of the Arab caliph, was plundered and completely destroyed.
Once in this monastery, a tourist sees many bas-reliefs on the walls of churches. Of course, relying on his experience and well-known Christian symbols, he tries to interpret them. However, Christian symbolism will not help here. It is more important to have an idea of the history of the structure of the monastery. In the XIII century. under the auspices of the Georgian queen Tamara and her military leaders, these territories are freed from invaders, and the restoration of Geghard begins. At this time, the monastery is on the lands of the princes Zakaryans, and by the end of the XIII century. it is acquired by the princes of Proshyan. It was under the Proshyans in the XIII century. the main buildings of the monastery are under construction. It turns into their princely tomb, and at the time of enemy attacks it became a fortification. From these positions it becomes more obviousthat most of the bas-reliefs on the walls of churches are associated with heraldry and with an allegorical depiction of the struggle of the princely family with their enemies, and not with scenes from Holy Scripture.
At this stage of its history, Geghard was also called “The Monastery of Seven Churches” and “The Monastery of Forty Altars.” Probably, because the practice of pillage is widespread among the Armenian pilgrims and monks. In caves, rocky churches, you can see numerous rather deep and narrow niches, in which there are no windows or doors, in which no more than one person can fit. These are places for solitude and prayer, constant internal, so-called, intelligent prayer - "Hesychia".
The difference from the service in the temple is that a person in such a situation is extremely focused on his inner world, his prayer and communication with God.
Geghardavank monastery is named for the fact that Longinus's spear was kept here for a long time, the very spear that pierced Jesus Christ on the cross. It is believed that this spear was brought to Armenia by Apostle Thaddeus. The first mention of the appearance of this spear in the monastery dates back to the beginning of the XIII century. Now it is kept in the residence of the Catholicos of All Armenians in Etchmiadzin.
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The whole complex is relatively small and is located at the foot of high steep cliffs. On the other hand, it is enclosed by two-storey office premises, which were last rebuilt at the end of the 20th century. In the center is the largest church of the Katoghike monastery, built in 1215. To the west of Katoghike there is a sacristy - Gavit. To the northwest of Gavit is the Avazan church, carved into the rock in 1240 on the site of the very cave where the holy spring originates. In the eastern part of Avazan, there are Zhamatun (the burial vault of the Proshyan princes) and the Astvatsatsin church (Holy Mother of God), they are also carved into the rock. Also on the territory of the complex there is the upper Zhamatun and numerous cells and rooms arranged in caves and rock niches.
The bas-reliefs in the prince's tomb are interesting: two lions tied by a chain, with tails in the form of dragons, a flying eagle with a lamb in its claws, the head of a bull. As a rule, the Armenians themselves and local guides cannot say anything about this, except that this is the prince's coat of arms. The fact is that in the Middle Ages, one of the criteria for the legitimacy of princely power was its antiquity. Therefore, the aristocrats tried to intermarry with representatives of the ancient, legendary families that existed long before the adoption of Christianity by Armenia.
Their coats of arms depicted mythical ancestors, plots from pagan culture, and the same plot could be repeated in different princely families, which indicated either their relationship, or about the same positions held in the service, for example, in Byzantium. So, the oldest legendary Ervanid dynasty, which descended from the Persian satraps, had a bull as the ancestor, which was depicted as their symbol. Those princes who were military leaders in the service of the Byzantine Empire have an eagle with a lamb or a rune in their claws among their symbols.
The eagle is the most famous symbol of both the Roman and Byzantine Empires. Lions are always characteristic of local dynasties, and not only in Armenia. The lion - a symbol of justice, glory, honor, valor and strength among different nations became a symbol of local dynasties.