Saint Sargis Monastery of Ushi

Name: Saint Sargis Monastery of Ushi
Monument type: Church-Monastic Complex
Region: Aragatsotn Province
Periods: Medieval

Name: Saint Sargis Monastery of Ushi

Monument type: Church-Monastic Complex

Region: Aragatsotn

Community: Ashtarak

Residence: Ushi village

Location: 0,5 km northwest from Ushi

Preservation: Destroyed, partially restored

Coordinates: 40°20’51.3″N 44°21’37.9″E

Altitude: 1420 m

Era and chronology: The monastery dates from the early Middle Age (V century) to the XVIII century.

Ushi: Where the Legacy of St. Sarkis Lives and Thrives

As you stand and gaze at the surviving walls and remaining stones of the Monastery of Ushi, you cannot help but be moved. Being the earliest structure named after Saint Sarkis, this 5th-century monastic complex stands guard from its lofty position atop a high hill.

This divine edifice has the power to envelop you in an aura of enigma and mystique, fueled by the myriad legends that surround this site. One of these legends suggests that on the feast day of Saint Sarkis, you may witness the lamp of the Illuminator flickering atop the chapel dedicated to this revered saint.

You’ll find Saint Sarkis Monastery of Ushi perched at an elevation of 1420 meters in the charming village of Ushi, nestled amidst the rugged beauty of the Aragatsotn region.

The sacred edifice dates back to the early Middle Ages, from the 5th century to the 18th century. And archaeological explorations have unveiled the layers of history concealed within the monastery’s stones.

The complex comprises the St. Sarkis chapel, St. Astvatsatsin Church, a vestibule, a bell tower, and an array of residential, economic, civil, and industrial structures—all encircled by protective walls.

St. Sarkis Chapel, a small, single-nave structure, exemplifies the architectural style of the V-VII centuries, constructed with tempered basalt at the base and hewn tuff stones above. Inscriptions on the entrance reveal renovations in the XI-XII centuries and again in 1203, breathing new life into this sacred space.

Adjacent to St. Sarkis, St. Astvatsatsin Church stands as a domed hall adorned with characteristic 13th-century ornamentation. The church’s tabernacle once displayed exquisite frescoes that whispered of the divine.

The courtyard, erected in 1264 on the site of an earthquake-damaged church, speaks to the resilience of those who cherished this sacred place. The vestibule, a quadrangular building with eight columns and intersecting arches, bears witness to the passage of time, its walls echoing with centuries of devotion.

In 1311, a bell tower was erected, and its foundation walls remain as a silent tribute to the faithful who once congregated here.

The monastery’s enclosure, meticulously restored in the 17th century, is a formidable testament to the devotion of those who sought to protect this sacred ground. Towers rise along its irregular quadrangular perimeter, and two entrances beckon visitors to step into a world where the spiritual and the temporal intertwined.

By the first half of the 18th century, the Saint Sarkis Monastery had fallen into disuse and abandonment. Tragically, in 1827, it met its ultimate demise, succumbing to the ravages of time.

Over the years, the Monastic complex has yielded an array of discoveries—crossstones, engraved stones, pottery, metalwork, glassware, and even coins. Each artifact tells a story, a chapter in the long and storied history of this place of worship and reflection.

FACTS

❈ Saint Sarkis Monastery of Ushi, located in the Aragatsotn region, stands at an elevation of 1420 meters.

❈ The monastery’s history spans from the 5th century to the 18th century, with layers of history uncovered through archaeological exploration.

❈ The complex includes St. Sarkis chapel, St. Astvatsatsin Church, a vestibule, a bell tower, and various residential, economic, civil, and industrial structures, all encircled by protective walls.

❈ St. Sarkis Chapel, constructed with tempered basalt at the base and hewn tuff stones above, features inscriptions revealing renovations in the XI-XII centuries
and in 1203.

❈ St. Astvatsatsin Church, a domed hall with 13th-century ornamentation, once displayed exquisite frescoes.

❈ The monastery’s courtyard, erected in 1264 on the site of an earthquake-damaged church, demonstrates resilience.

❈ A bell tower was constructed in 1311, and its foundation walls remain as a tribute to the faithful.

❈ The 17th-century restoration of the monastery’s enclosure is a testament to those who sought to protect the sacred ground, with towers rising along its
irregular quadrangular perimeter and two entrances.

❈ By the first half of the 18th century, the Saint Sarkis Monastery fell into disuse and abandonment, ultimately meeting its demise in 1827.

❈ Discoveries within the monastic complex include crossstones, engraved stones, pottery, metalwork, glassware, and coins, each contributing to the rich history of the site.

🔍 Research history

The information about the monastery was reported from the 19th century topographers (Shahkhatunians, Alishan), but in 1827 as a result of the earthquake, the entire monastic complex was left under a thick layer of rubble and soil, except for St. Sargis evidence chapel. The monument study began after 1999 – 2001 excavations, when almost all structures of the monastery were opened under archaeologist F. Babayan’s leadership.

🧱 Archaeological description

Location.
It is located on the southern edge of a Late Bronze –Early Iron Aged fortress-settlement, on the steep slope of a high hill.

Stratigraphy.
It is one of the prominent spiritual and cultural centers of medieval Armenia. The first testimony about the monument was preserved in “Yaismavurk”, on the occasion of enshrining the relics of St. Sarkis here by M. Mashtots and establishing a monastery. In the monastery inscriptions itis also called St. Sarkis the Warrior. The second stage of the monastery’s blooming period refers back to the XIII-XIV centuries and coincides with the construction activities of the Vachutian’s royal family house. During that period St. Astvatsatsin Church, the courtyard, and the bell tower were built. The third construction phase refers to the 17th century, when Voskan Yerevantsy was appointed abbot of the monastery. In 1654-1662 the outer colonnade on the west side of the church and vestibule, various buildings were built with his efforts (guest house, refectory, cloisters), and the monastery was surrounded by an enclosure. In the first half of XVIII century, the monastery was abandoned and eventually destroyed in 1827.

Architecture.
The monastic complex consists of St. Sarkis chapel, St. Astvatsatsin Church, vestibule, bell tower and a number of residential, economic, civil and industrial structures built in XVII century and surrounded by an enclosure.

St. Sarkis is a small single-nave, gabled roof rectangular structure, typical for V-VII centuries, built with tempered basalt at the base and hewn tuff stones above. According to the inscription on the entrance it was renovated in the XI-XII centuries, then in 1203,

St. Astvatsatsin is adjacent to St. Sarkis from the south. It was built in the first part of XIII century. The church is a domed hall with a pair of gables, and north-east and south-east double storey storage rooms. Two entrances decorated with the XIII century characteristic ornamentation open on the west and south facades. The stage of the main tabernacle is decorated with hexagonal medallions, the fields of which are filled with various plant ornaments. According to the preserved lithograph, the Upper Tabernacle was covered with frescoes.

The courtyard is adjacent to St. Astvatsatsin Church from the south. As reported by the preserved lithograph, it was built in 1264, on the site of the church destroyed by an earthquake: fragments of earlier buildings and crossstone were used in the lining of the walls as well. The vestibule is a quadrangular building with eight columns and intersecting arches on opposite walls, with west and east entrances. Double windows separated by a column open on the south facade.

According to the discovered inscription, in 1311 a bell tower was built, the foundation walls of which were opened by excavations adjacent to the church and vestibule, on the western side.

The enclosure of the monastery was thoroughly renovated in the 17th century. It has an irregular quadrangular plan enhanced by 2 rectangular and 3 semi-circular two-storey towers. The main entrance to the wall is on the southeast corner, the second is on the west side. Next to the northern, western and southern walls, two-storey monasteries, auxiliary buildings, a walled guest house, and a pillared hall were built. On the northwestern side of St. Sargis, a vaulted hall with two compartments was opened, which probably served as a refectory.

🔨 Findings

Crossstones, engraved stones, pottery, metal and glass items, coins.

🌍 Significance

Among the churches named after St. Sarkis, the earliest structure known to us is the evidence chapel of St.Sarkis in Ushi.

📜 Traditional legends

They say that on St. Sargis day you can see the lamp of the Illuminator on the chapel dedicated to St. Sarkis (F. Babayan).

📚 Sources

Literature

Arakel Davrizhetsi 1988, History, (translation, preface and notes by V. Arakelyan), Yerevan, “Soviet writer”, 592 pages.
Babayan F. 2005, Saint Sargis Monastery of Ushi, Yerevan, “Science”, 77 pages.
Babayan F., Kalantaryan A. 2001, “The epitaphs of the St. Sargis monastery of Ushi”. Historical Journal, 2, pp. 169-199.
Y. Shahkhatunians ep. 2014, Signature of the Catholic Church of Etchmiadzin and five provinces of Ararat, Etchmiadzin, “Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin”,
560 pages.

List of monuments.
Aragatsotn 2.108/1.3