Mesrop Mashtots church

Just 30 kilometers from Yerevan lies the village of Oshakan, a place that holds profound significance in Armenian history. In 440 AD, following the death of Mesrop Mashtots—the creator of the Armenian alphabet—generals Vahan Amatuni and Amayak Mamikonyan brought his body to this village. A small chapel was built over his grave shortly after, but it didn’t last long.

Centuries passed before Catholicos Philippos of Aghbak rebuilt the chapel in the 12th century. That version, too, was short-lived. Finally, between 1875 and 1879, Catholicos Gevorg IV commissioned the construction of a new basilica on the same site, establishing the church as we know it today.

The basilica’s entrance is framed by a large arch. A cylindrical bell tower, added in 1884, stands behind the main building—an unusual layout for Armenian churches. This structure, supported by eight columns and topped with a dome, can only be entered from the altar side.

Mesrop Mashtots died at the age of 79. After his passing, the Armenian Apostolic Church canonized him. Above the church’s entrance is a symbol known as the “honey flower”—an ancient pre-Christian motif that persisted in popular use after the Christianization of Armenia, later transforming into the eight-petaled Armenian cross.

The central entrance is a wooden door carved with the letters of the Armenian alphabet. Above it, the portal features a relief of three figures: Mesrop Mashtots, Catholicos Sahak Partev, and the Armenian king of that era. Above them is the first sentence ever written in Armenian:
Ճանաչել զիմաստություն և զխրատ, իմանալ զբանս հանճարոյ,
which translates to: “To know wisdom and instruction; to understand words of insight.”

Inside, the church is adorned with powerful frescoes by Minasian, created in 1960. These works are considered some of the finest examples of 20th-century Armenian monumental art. The left fresco shows Mashtots holding the alphabet, surrounded by his students. On the right, Sahak Partev, then the Catholicos of All Armenians, sits on a throne. His support enabled Mashtots to create the script and begin translating the Bible.

Other frescoes depict scenes from Armenian life. On the southern wall, kneeling archers and an eagle—symbol of freedom. On the northern wall, blooming pomegranate trees and Armenian women.
The paintings include depictions of the Crucifixion, the Virgin Mary, and saints Mashtots and Partev.

The paintings include depictions of the Crucifixion, the Virgin Mary, and saints Mashtots and Partev.

Beneath the main altar lies Mashtots’ tomb. In front of it stands a monument engraved with Armenian letters, and nearby hangs an icon of the saint. The tomb was restored between 1960 and 1964. The original basalt coffin was replaced with an onyx slab.

To the right of the church stands a rectangular building with arched windows, built in the 20th century. Initially a research center dedicated to Mashtots, it became an orphanage during 1915–1916, sheltering children who survived the genocide.

During the Soviet era, the church complex was repurposed as a state-run school. Today, the building houses the Mashtots Museum, fully restored and equipped with exhibition halls and a library. In the foyer, visitors are greeted by a striking portrait of Mashtots.

One exhibition hall showcases Armenian artworks, including embroidered alphabet letters and folk-themed scenes crafted by children.

To the left of the entrance stands a memorial stele installed by Catholicos Garegin I. It commemorates his first visit to the church on June 10, 1995. On the reverse side of the stele is an engraving of the Armenian alphabet and the same foundational sentence:
Ճանաչել զիմաստություն և զխրատ, իմանալ զբանս հանճարոյ – “To know wisdom and instruction; to understand words of insight.”

In the churchyard, visitors will find a remarkable monument to the Armenian alphabet. Each of the 39 letters is carved as a khachkar, or cross-stone, each illustrated with symbols reflecting its meaning.
On the letter Ա (A), for instance, you’ll find the figure of God and Mount Ararat, as Աստված (God) begins with this letter. The letter Մ (M) bears the image of Mashtots himself. On Ց (Ts) is a stalk of wheat—Ցորեն in Armenian.

Also within the church grounds lies the grave of Vahan Amatuni, the general who helped transfer Mashtots’ remains to Oshakan. The monument on his grave is a sculptural composition with a church-like structure at its top, located to the right of the church entrance, in front of the museum.

The courtyard is adorned with khachkars and apricot trees. During the blooming season, the fragrance and beauty of the orchard transform the space. The alphabet monument once stood beneath these trees before being moved to the rear garden.

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