Odzun

Odzun is a large and populous village in Armenia. It is located in Lori Marz (region) of the RA, on the distance of 8km from the city of Alaverdi and 165 km from Yerevan. There are two versions of the etymology of the name Odzun: The first version is connected with the word "sanctify" (Odzel) and the second version - with the word "snake" (Odz). There were also other settlements with the name “Odz” in Armenia in the early Middle Ages. It is possible that the name is connected with the pre-Christian pagan temple in Armenia, which was located in the territory of the church. Perhaps the temple was dedicated to the cult of boa (the dragon), from which comes the name Odzun (in Arm. Boa is vishap odz (snake). Odzun and the surrounding area are rich with the historical and architectural monuments. There is a domed church basilica of the 4th century in the center of the village. Though, according to legend, the church was built by the Catholicos (Supreme Patriarch of the Armenian Gregorian Church) Hovhannes Odznetsi (in the 8th century), in fact it is a construction of an earlier period. The church was built by the king Tiridates III in 303-313. The previous church was a three-aisled basilica and had timbered tiled roof. There are two versions of the restructuring of the church: according to the first version, the church was rebuilt in the late 6th century, and according to the second version the church was rebuilt by St. Hovhannes Odznetsi. Odznetsi started the construction works in 720's, but in 728 he died and the construction works of the church finished Catholicos (Supreme Patriarch of the Armenian Gregorian Church) David Aramonetsi in 735. The sanctuary of St. Astvatsatsin (St. Holly Mother) church is a hall in rectangular form. The external hall outlines the sanctuary from three sides (north, west and east). There are about 20 bas-reliefs of the 4th century church on the walls and columns of the present church. They now decorate the church by its beauty and are of high value, and the four of them are unique masterpieces. Seismic stability of the columns and the cornerstones provided by means of hillocks of basalt. The external vaulted hall, which surrounds the church on three sides, has a high value in the architecture by its uniqueness and splendor. The bell-towers were built in 1888 by the brothers Zakhare Odznetsi and Baghdasar Abovyan. There are a number of valuable bas-reliefs of the pre-Christian period sculpt art on the walls of the church. At the top of the central window of the eastern facade, in a stylized leaves of palm trees stands a statue of Christ, with the open book in his left hand, on two pages of which are written the first words of the Gospel of John. There are bas-relief of soaring angels on the two sides of the window of the southern wall and the relief “the Mother of God with her infant” is inside the church, near the baptismal font. The frame of the main entrance of the western side, decorated with the reliefs of the leaves and bunches of grapes, is impressive.