St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral

Coordinates: 40°44′42″N 73°58′31″W / 40.745131°N 73.975252°W / 40.745131; -73.975252

St. Vartan Cathedral

St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral (Armenian: Սուրբ Վարդան Մայր Տաճար) in New York City is the first cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic Church to be constructed in North America.^[1] It is located in New York City on the corner of Second Avenue and Thirty-fourth street and was built to resemble the Saint Hripsime Church in Etchmiadzin (Vagharshapat).^[2] St. Vartan's was consecrated on April 28, 1968 by Vazgen I, Catholicos of Armenia and of All Armenians.^[3]

Architecture

From above

Interior of the dome

Walker O. Cain,^[4] of the firm Steinman, Cain & White – successor firm to McKim, Mead and White – with Edward Utudjian of Paris as a consultant, designed the Cathedral. The building includes two unique features distinct to Armenian architecture: the use of double-intersecting arches and a pyramidal dome soaring 120 feet above street level.^[2]

Around the dome there are various symbols, including the figure of Jesus Christ; the Holy Spirit represented by a dove; the Greek letters alpha and omega superimposed on the scriptures; wheat and grapes representing the Eucharist; and the Phoenix symbolizing resurrection etc.^[2] A series of high, narrow, stained-glass windows are set into the main walls of the cathedral below the dome depicting scenes in the life of Christ and early Christianity in Armenia. The patron saint of the cathedral, St. Vartan, is depicted fighting the Sassanid Persians who threatened the Armenian Church during the fifth century. Ecumenicism is symbolized in the portrait of St. Nerses and the crosses of Christendom.^[2]

References

External links

• Media related to St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral at Wikimedia Commons
• St. Vartan Cathedral page at Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America website

Contemporary Armenian churches and seminaries
Armenia	Gevorkian Theological Seminary Vaskenian Theological Academy Yerevan Holy Trinity Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral Saint John the Baptist Saint Sarkis (Kentron) Saint Sarkis (Nor Nork) Saint Anna Church Gyumri Holy Mother of God Church of the Holy Saviour Vagharshapat Church of the Holy Archangels Oshakan Saint Mesrop Mashtots Cathedral Abovyan Saint John the Baptist Church
Nagorno Karabakh	Ghazanchetsots Cathedral Kanach Zham
Georgia	Tbilisi Church of the Holy Seal Church of the Red Gospel Ejmiatsin Holy Mother of God (Bethlehem) Saint George Saint Gevorg of Mughni Saint Karapet Saint Stephanos Chugureti St. Astvatsatsin
Lebanon	Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia Armenian Catholic Patriarchate
Syria	Church of the Holy Mother of God Cathedral of the Forty Martyrs of Sebastia St. Hagop Church St. Gregory the Illuminator Church Holy Trinity Church Holy Cross Church Armenian Genocide Memorial Church (Der Zor)
Azerbaijan	Saint Gregory of Baku
Iran	Saint Sargis
United States	Church of Our Savior, Worcester Holy Trinity Church, Fresno St. Stephen's Armenian Apostolic Church St. Vartan Cathedral Saint Sarkis of Dearborn
Turkey	Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople St. Giragos Armenian Church Kartal Surp Nişan Armenian Orthodox Church Taksim Surp Harutyun Church
Other countries	Austria Mekhitarist Monastery of Vienna India Armenian Church, Chennai Armenian Church of the Holy Nazareth Italy Mekhitarist Monastery of Venice (San Lazzaro) Santa Croce degli Armeni Ukraine Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Singapore Saint Gregory
Armenia Portal