New scholarly perspective on founding date of Avan Katoghike Holy Mother of God Church

According to Avetik Ghazaryan, studies of the Avan monastery's architectural and historical foundations began as early as the 19th century, and researchers have expressed differing opinions regarding its dating.

In his study titled "On the Issue of Dating the Avan Katoghike Holy Mother of God Church", he expands upon the viewpoint of architect and archaeologist Toros Toramanian, who argued that the Avan Katoghike Holy Mother of God Church was founded in the late 6th century. In this context, the YSU researcher emphasizes, "Although T. Toramanian did not indicate an exact construction date for the church, based on historical and architectural data he dated it to the end of the 6th century, beginning from the year 591." 

Ghazaryan notes that previous research on the church's dating had not included information provided by the philosopher and clergyman Hovhan Mayragometsi.

"He provided accounts concerning the biography of Hovhan Bagarantsi—the only Catholicos of the Chalcedonian anti-catholicosate—as well as doctrinal issues and developments that occurred between the See of Dvin of the Armenian Church and the Chalcedonian anti-catholicosate seated in Avan. These sources make it possible to reconsider the issue and move closer to the conclusion reached by Toros Toramanian. He links the construction of the Avan cathedral to the period of Hovhan Bagarantsi's catholicosate (591–611) and dates the construction of the Katoghike Holy Mother of God Church to the end of the sixth century," Ghazaryan explains.

The researcher also states that the Avan cathedral represents the prototype of the Hripsime-type churches, the best example of which is the Cathedral of St. Hripsime in Etchmiadzin.

"Taking into account the construction period of St. Hripsime of Etchmiadzin and other similar cathedrals, as well as additional scholarly data, we may conclude that construction of the Avan cathedral began after 591. Considering the maximum time required for a structure of this kind, it may be assumed that the construction was completed around 595–597," he notes. 

Addressing the differing views of several scholars of the 19th and 20th centuries, Ghazaryan observes that A. Yeremyan, for instance, concluded that Hovhan Bagarantsi became Catholicos in Karin in 584 and settled in Avan between 588 and 590.

"According to the view of K. Ghafadaryan, the Katoghike Holy Mother of God Church was built during the abbacy of Hovhan Bagarantsi. Ghafadaryan dates the construction of the monument to the second half of the 6th century, though he considers it earlier than the establishment of the anti-catholicosate in Avan. Researcher T. Marutyan, relying both on written sources and on the architectural and construction features of the church, concludes that the church’s construction was completed between 582 and 584, while the catholicosate residence was built in 591–592," he explains.

Presenting the historical significance of the Avan cathedral, the lecturer noted that it served as the only seat of the Armenian Chalcedonian anti-catholicosate in Armenian history. At the same time, he emphasized that the only Armenian Catholicos adhering to the Chalcedonian doctrine was Hovhan Bagarantsi.

In his research, Ghazaryan also addresses the fact that the anti-catholicos was ordained in Karin and later established his seat in Avan. However, his stay there was short-lived, since at the beginning of the seventh century Persia reconquered territories under Byzantine rule, and the anti-catholicosate was moved back to Karin.

"The anti-catholicosate in Avan was established by order of the Byzantine emperor Maurice. Continuous doctrinal disputes were taking place, and efforts were made to subordinate the Armenian Church to the Byzantine Church. The two Catholicoi of that period—Movses and Abraham—offered strong resistance. Nevertheless, during the tenure of Catholicos Movses, the see of Hovhan Bagarantsi was eventually established. With Bagarantsi's death, the Chalcedonian anti-catholicosate came to an end," the researcher says.

It should be noted that after the Council of Chalcedon, the Byzantine Church officially adopted the Chalcedonian doctrine, according to which Christ possesses two natures—divine and human. The Armenian Church, however, without separating the divine and human natures, maintained the position that Christ has a single, unified divine-human nature.

Emphasizing the regional architectural significance of the Avan cathedral, the researcher states, "The Avan cathedral is a tetraconch structure with corner chambers that connect to the main interior hall through entrance openings. It has five domes and bears resemblance to the Jvari Monastery in Georgia. For a long time, scholars debated which of the two structures had been built earlier. This research confirms that the Avan cathedral was constructed earlier. It should also be noted that the builders of the Jvari church were Armenian masters as well."

According to Ghazaryan, some written sources also mention that after Hovhan Bagarantsi left the Avan cathedral, it was converted into an Armenian-rite monastery subordinate to the Armenian Catholicosate of Dvin.

The Avan cathedral was destroyed by an earthquake in 1675. Partial structural consolidation of the cathedral was carried out in the twentieth century.