We made the one hour drive to Ararat Valley. This is the first time we got a good look at Mt. Ararat, even though on clear days, it's supposed to be visible from Yerevan, we were not able to see it.
Mt. Ararat is located in historic Armenia, which is currently Turkey, and is "the spiritual heart of Armenia". What's not so well known is that Mt. Ararat consists of large peak "Masis" and the small peak "Sis." Until this trip, I thought the large peak was Ararat and small peak was Masis. This region is the closest point to Mt. Ararat within Armenia without going into Turkey, which is 35 km away. The view is just brilliant from this site, and even more so from Khor Virap Monastery, which is in the distance.
A view of small peak "Sis" from the monastery
Our videographer, Tigran and I went up a hill so we could get an overview photo of Khor Virap Monastery. I was so happy he took me with him because this was the type of shot I was hoping to get and a short hike over a hill allowed us to do so. The view of Ararat from there was also fantastic.
Khor Virap Monastery is where St. Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned for 13 years by King Trdat III for the crime of preaching Christianity in Armenia, which was a pagan nation. The king released him after St. Gregory was able to cure him of a horrible disease and converted Armenia to Christianity in 301 AD, which gives Armenia the distinction of being the first Christian nation.
A few of us went into the dungeon where St. Gregory was imprisoned. Baron Khosrov was one of the first people down there, of course! It was so tiny and dark, with a ceiling opening for air entry, that it was hard to imagine how St. Gregory survived in there for so long. One cannot help but wonder about what it must be like to live for a purpose greater than your own life.
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