Monastery of the Miracles

The Monastery of the Miracle, also known as the Monastery of Ardzgue (Armenian Սքանչելագործ վանք ) is a ruined Armenian monastery dating from the 8th century on the hills of the Armenian highlands a few kilometers northwest of the city Adilcevaz in the province of Bitlis in Turkey today, north of the Lake Van. It stopped after the genocide of the Armenians in 1915 on to serve as a convent and was subsequently destroyed.

History

It is believed that the earliest known mention of the monastery from the second quarter of the 8th century was built, as according to the Acta Martyrum Vahan of Goghthen lingered here. He was the son of a local Armenian rulers and was kidnapped by Arabs to Syria and brought up as a Muslim. He was later sent back to Armenia to govern a territory under Arab suzerainty. However, he said just after his arrival from Islam going on, returned to Christianity, came to Artzque and retired to a nearby hermitage called Eraschkhawor back. His renunciation of Islam eventually led in 737 to his martyrdom. Eraschkhavor, it means monastery of the Protector, is possibly an earlier name of Sk'anchelagortzi vank ( Armenian pronunciation of the monastery of Wonders). However, it is possible that Eraschkawor another, now vanished, the monastery is that also seemed obvious Artzque. The importance of the monastery came from numerous relics that supposedly the power to cure diseases possessed. This contributed to her later name Sk'anchelagortzi vank at - the " Convent of the miracle." There was a relic that was known as the "holy emblem of war." Another relic was part of a large bronze vessel, which was found during a plague epidemic of monks. It came to the belief that it was the pool where Jesus Christ was washed after his birth. It was probably part of an Urartian calyx. During the 14th, 15th and 16th century, the monastery housed a scriptorium - over 20 manuscripts were identified that were created here. End of the 19th century the monastery was wealthy and owned many lands. In 1893 an earthquake in what was then the Ottoman Empire captured the city Artzque and destroyed many homes. It is not known whether the monastery was affected. 1895, the monastery was attacked and robbed during the massacre of the Armenians by Kurds, and the outbuildings of the monastery were burned down. These were rebuilt in the early 20th century. The monastery was up to the genocide of the Armenians in operation.