Odzun
| Odzun Օձուն | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Odzun Օձուն | |
| Coordinates: 41°03′14″N 44°36′41″E / 41.05389°N 44.61139°E | |
| Country |
 Armenia |
| Marz | Lori |
| Elevation | 1,100 m (3,600 ft) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 5,739 |
| Time zone | GMT +4 (UTC+4) |
| Website | http://odzun.am/ |
Odzun Armenian: Օձուն; is a major and hostorical village in the Lori Province of Armenia. It is situated on a plateau above the left bank of the Debed river gorge, a few kilometres south of the town of Alaverdi. It is famous for the 5-7th century Odzun Church, one of the finest Armenian basilicas with a cupola.
Etymology
The name Odzun comes from the Armenian word "otzel", which means to ordain and in medieval manuscripts is mentioned as Otzun.
History and Folklore
In the 1st century AD Thomas, one of the 12 disciples, came to Odzun and ordained priests and bishops. Before leaving for India Thomas the Apostle buried Christ's swaddling clothes underneath the altar of the church of the Holy Mother of God. There is a 6th-century inscription attesting to this above the southern door of the church.
Odzunetsi
Catholicos St John the Philosopher Odznetsi (717-728) was born in Odzun, a village in the Tashirq province of the Gugarq state. At first he was educated in the parochial school of the church of the Mother of God in Odzun. Then he studied under the teacher Theodoros Qrtenavor in Aragatzotn province of Ayrarat state. He was elected his Holiness Catholicos in 717. In 719 when Caliph Omar heard of Odznetsi's holiness, he invited him to Damascus. The caliph, seeing his handsome appearance and ostentatious clothing said that Christ and the Apostles dressed much more modestly, but Odznetsi, as their follower, did not. Odznetsi asked everyone present to leave and then showed the caliph the goat-wool rags under his resplendent clothing. When Omar saw wounds on Odznetsi's body, which were the result of the ascetic lifestyle of a monk, he began to venerate Odznetsi and promised to do everything he wished for. Thanks to Odznetsi Christianity was preached freely and the lands that belonged to the martyred lords of Khram and Nakhijevan were returned to their sons. Armenia was free from taxation for 3 years and the Church never paid any taxes throughout the Arab reign. Under the Arabs, the Byzantines were banned from Armenia and for the first time since 428 the country was under the rule of one country. This was the basis of the establishment of the Armenian Bagratuni dynasty.
After the meeting with Caliph Omar, Odznetsi drove the Byzantines away from Armenia with the help of the Arab army. The indignant Greek Patriarch said that he would catch Odznetsi and throw him into a boiling kettle. However, Odznetsi himself captured the Patriarch. He threw the cross into the boiling water and offered a deal: whoever could take the cross out of the water would mean that their religion is the right one. The Patriarch bunrt his hand but the Odznetsi took the cross without any harm. After seeing this, the Greek Vasid turned away from the Patriarch's men and accepted the religion of the Armenian Church and decided to stay in Armenia. A large monastery complex called the Sourb Nshan (Holy Cross) of Horomayr was established in 12th and 13th centuries to remember Vasid's conversion.
References
- '32FA881E6B8C3774E0440003BA962ED3'&Diacritics=DC Odzun at GEOnet Names Server
- Report of the results of the 2001 Armenian Census, National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia
Coordinates: 41°03′14″N 44°36′41″E / 41.05389°N 44.61139°E Armenia The Sacred Places of Odzun and Ardvi