CHURCH OF ST. HOVHANNES(JOHN), MASTARA

Region

Aragatsotn

Distance from Yerevan

41 km

Type

Monastery/Church

St. Hovhannes Church, also called Mastara, is located in Mastara village. According to the historical sources relics of St. John the Baptist brought by Grigor the Illuminator from Caesarea, are buried here. That’s why the village is called Mastara (“mas” is translated from Armenian as “relics”). According to the inscriptions preserved on the south and eastern walls of the church it was built in VII century by priest Grigor under the Bishop Teodoros Gnuni. However, judging by architecture of the church it was built earlier, in the V century, and in VII it was only reconstructed. The church of St Hovhannes in Mastara was reconstructed several times. A wall was erected around the church in XVIII century, which served as a fortress for a long time. However, the wall was demolished in 1889 by local priest’s order who also initiated reconstruction works in the church.