Khor Virap | Hole in the Donut Cultural Travel

Khor Virap Monastery in Armenia, Dwarfed by Mount Ararat

July 14, 2021November 8, 2020 by Barbara Weibel

Khor Virap Monastery in Armenia, against a backdrop of Turkey's Mount Ararat

Khor Virap. The name refers to the famous monastery in Armenia that is the number one pilgrimage site in the country. But the name has a deeper, hidden meaning. The church stands on a low hillock, built over a deep vault carved out of solid rock. Saint Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned within this pit … Read more

Pilgrim Lights a Candle at Khor Virap Monastery in Armenia

July 18, 2021November 1, 2020 by Barbara Weibel

Pilgrim lights a candle in St. Astvatsatsin Chapel at Khor Virap Sanctuary in Armenia

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In the dim light of Saint Astvatsatsin chapel at Khor Virap Monastery in Armenia, I carefully picked my way over the uneven stone floor. I was concentrating so hard on where to put my feet that I didn’t look up until I reached the center of the candlelit cavern. Having visited pilgrimage sites all over … Read more