Page 135 - THE ARMENIAN CHURCH_Neat

136 The Armenian Church

Armenians, a considerable number of relics
have survived. Rich reliquaries containing
the remains of apostles, saints, martyrs, and
church fathers and fragments of the Cross are
found in the Hierarchical Sees as well as in
various ancient prelacies.

Architecture
Architecture is another way of articu-
lating Armenian spirituality. The first Ar-
menian churches were built on top of pa-
gan temples and were influenced by pre-
Christian architecture. The subsequent cen-
turies marked an important development in
church architecture. Armenians are con-
sidered to be the originators of the construc-
tion of the stone dome over a square space.
The construction of the Cathedral of St.
Etchmiadzin, according to the vision of St.
Gregory the Illuminator, with a dome resting
on four columns connected by arches, is a
clear indication that the concept of the dome
was present in Armenia as early as the
4th Century. Although each period had its
specific architectural forms, styles, and norms,
Armenian churches are generally built in the
form of a cross; their octagonal domes are
without pillars, and they stand on the arches
of the walls. The church’s height often
exceeds its width, windows are few and
narrow, and tall structural arches support
the cupola as part of the drum. Churches are