Armenian Cathedral, Lviv
Encyclopedia
The Armenian Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary in Lviv
, Ukraine
is located in the city's Old Town
, north of the market square.
A small Armenian church was built in the years 1363–1370, founded by an Armenian
merchant from Caffa and established as the mother church of an eparchy. It is said to have been modeled after the Cathedral of Ani
in the ancient Armenian capital of Ani
. In 1437 the cathedral was surrounded with an arcade
gallery, today only the southern one is preserved and the northern has been rebuilt into a sacristy
. After the church was damaged in a city fire in 1527 a new stone belfry was erected in 1571. In 1630 the main nave was extended, further rebuilt in 1723. Since 17th century the cathedral belonged to Armenian Catholic
eparchy of Lviv, as union with Roman Catholic Church was introduced by bishop Mikołaj (Nicolas) Torosowicz. The Cathedral owes most of its present day look to a remodeling carried out in the years 1908-1927.
Just north of the Cathedral lays a small convent of Armenian Benedictines and to the south, adjoining the bell tower, the palace of the Armenian Archbishops, both built in the late 17th century.
The present day interior is largely the work of Jan Henryk Rosen and Józef Mehoffer
. The cathedral hold two wonder working icons of St. Gregory the Illuminator and the Mother of God, brought in the 17th century from Yazlovets
.
During soviet rule the Cathedral was closed and its building was used for storing plundered sacral art. The Armenian Catholic Eparchy of Lviv remains vacant since 1938 and its last administrator, rev. Dionizy Kajetanowicz died in Soviet gulag
in 1954. After the collapse of the Soviet Union a handful of Armenian Catholic families attempted to reestablish the parish. As a result of their insufficient numbers this proved impossible. Shortly before the visit of Pope John Paul II
, the local Ukrainian authorities passed the Cathedral to the Armenian Apostolic Church
. An Armenian Apostolic eparchy was established in Lviv in 1997.
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
is located in the city's Old Town
Old Town (Lviv)
Lviv's Old Town is the historic centre of the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, in the Lviv Oblast , recognized as the State Historic-Architectural Sanctuary in 1975.-UNESCO:...
, north of the market square.
A small Armenian church was built in the years 1363–1370, founded by an Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
merchant from Caffa and established as the mother church of an eparchy. It is said to have been modeled after the Cathedral of Ani
Cathedral of Ani
The Cathedral of Ani is an Armenian church built in 1001 AD by the architect Trdat in the ruined ancient Armenian capital of Ani, located in what is now the extreme eastern tip of Turkey, on the border with modern Armenia...
in the ancient Armenian capital of Ani
Ani
Ani is a ruined and uninhabited medieval Armenian city-site situated in the Turkish province of Kars, near the border with Armenia. It was once the capital of a medieval Armenian kingdom that covered much of present day Armenia and eastern Turkey...
. In 1437 the cathedral was surrounded with an arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
gallery, today only the southern one is preserved and the northern has been rebuilt into a sacristy
Sacristy
A sacristy is a room for keeping vestments and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records.The sacristy is usually located inside the church, but in some cases it is an annex or separate building...
. After the church was damaged in a city fire in 1527 a new stone belfry was erected in 1571. In 1630 the main nave was extended, further rebuilt in 1723. Since 17th century the cathedral belonged to Armenian Catholic
Armenian Catholic Church
|- |The Armenian Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church sui juris in union with the other Eastern Rite, Oriental Rite and Latin Rite Catholics who accept the Bishop of Rome as spiritual leader of the Church. It is regulated by Eastern canon law...
eparchy of Lviv, as union with Roman Catholic Church was introduced by bishop Mikołaj (Nicolas) Torosowicz. The Cathedral owes most of its present day look to a remodeling carried out in the years 1908-1927.
Just north of the Cathedral lays a small convent of Armenian Benedictines and to the south, adjoining the bell tower, the palace of the Armenian Archbishops, both built in the late 17th century.
The present day interior is largely the work of Jan Henryk Rosen and Józef Mehoffer
Józef Mehoffer
Józef Mehoffer was a Polish painter and decorative artist, one of the leading artists of the Young Poland movement and one of the most revered Polish artists of his time.-Life:...
. The cathedral hold two wonder working icons of St. Gregory the Illuminator and the Mother of God, brought in the 17th century from Yazlovets
Yazlovets
Yazlovets is a village in the Ternopil Oblast, Ukraine and a Roman Catholic pilgrimage center of local significance. It's located at around , 16km south of Buchach and presently has around 600 inhabitants....
.
During soviet rule the Cathedral was closed and its building was used for storing plundered sacral art. The Armenian Catholic Eparchy of Lviv remains vacant since 1938 and its last administrator, rev. Dionizy Kajetanowicz died in Soviet gulag
Gulag
The Gulag was the government agency that administered the main Soviet forced labor camp systems. While the camps housed a wide range of convicts, from petty criminals to political prisoners, large numbers were convicted by simplified procedures, such as NKVD troikas and other instruments of...
in 1954. After the collapse of the Soviet Union a handful of Armenian Catholic families attempted to reestablish the parish. As a result of their insufficient numbers this proved impossible. Shortly before the visit of Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, the local Ukrainian authorities passed the Cathedral to the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
. An Armenian Apostolic eparchy was established in Lviv in 1997.
 |
 |
|||
| The oldest preserved part of the Cathedral, with Renaissance Renaissance The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not... arcades |
The interior | Belltower and bishops palace |
See also
- Armenians in UkraineArmenians in UkraineArmenians in Ukraine are ethnic Armenians who live in Ukraine. They number 99,894 according to the 2001 Ukrainian census. However, the country is also host to a number of Armenian guest workers which has yet to be ascertained. The Armenian population in Ukraine has nearly doubled since the...
- Armenians in PolandArmenians in PolandArmenians in Poland have an important and historical presence going back to the 14th century. According to the Polish census of 2002, there are 1,082 self-identifying Armenians in Poland,, although Armenian-oriented sources cite estimates as high as 92,000....