The Saint Shoghakat Church is situated in Vagharshapat, about a 40-minute drive from Yerevan. It was built in 1694 by Prince Aghamal Sorotetsi. The name Shoghakat translates to “a drop of light”, referring to the divine light that, according to tradition, descended upon the site.
Shoghakat Church stands on the site of an earlier church built in the 6th or 7th century, which has not survived. It is believed that the current structure rests on the foundations of that earlier building. Shoghakat is a single-nave basilica with a semi-circular eastern altar and two narrow chapels on either side.
Some portions of the apse wall may possibly date back to the 5th century, but the entire current structure was built in the 17th century. The church features minimal ornamentation, keeping a modest and simple design.
The name Shoghakat commemorates the legendary moment when a miraculous ray of light—shoghakat—shone down upon the bodies of the nuns who were pursued and killed by the order of King Trdat III. Although the names of most of the nuns remain unknown, local legend highlights one of them, named Marianne.
It is believed that Marianne was one of the nuns who came to Armenia to spread Christianity, having fled persecution under the Roman Emperor Diocletian. She died alongside Gayane, Hripsime, and 38 other nuns, and is now believed to be buried under the altar of Shoghakat.
The church is not only a historical site—it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage ensemble, tied to the story of the martyred nuns and the adoption of Christianity as Armenia’s state religion.
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