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Oshakan St. Mesrop Mashtots Church

Oshakan St. Mesrop Mashtots Church

Church

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30 km from Yerevan center

Region:

Aragatsotn

Oshakan is one of Armenia's most revered sites, where history and spirituality merge into a single whole. The first references to it date back to the 5th century, when in 440 Prince Vahan Amatuni arranged the burial of Mesrop Mashtots, the creator of the Armenian alphabet.

The Armenian alphabet was created more than a century after the adoption of Christianity as the official religion in Armenia, when the local people, who did not understand the Greek and Aramaic liturgies, used to remain pagan. Therefore, in order to root Christianity among the people, it was necessary to translate the Bible into Armenian, which was initiated by Mashtots, who has been considered as a saint of the Armenian Apostolic Church for centuries. A small chapel was built over his grave and centuries later, in the 19th century, a majestic church dedicated to Saint Mesrop Mashtots was erected here. Since then, Oshakan has become a sacred place for every Armenian, for it is here that the written heritage of the nation truly begins.

Each September, schoolchildren and their parents gather here and first-graders solemnly pledge at the grave of Mashtots to honor and preserve the traditions of their native language. The atmosphere of this place is imbued with deep emotion: it carries not only the weight of centuries but also the living bond between generations. The stone walls of the church echo with the silence of prayers and the whispered gratitude of those who revere the great enlightener.

Oshakan is no longer just a village, but a symbol of spiritual foundation, where every step reminds visitors of the greatness of Armenian literacy and of the man who gifted it to his people.