18.10.2011 Odzun will revive

The 5th century St. Mary Church in Odzun village of the Armenian Lori province will be restored through funding provided by the “Hovhannes Imastaser His Holiness Odzneci” Foundation.
As part of the program for restoration of the monument, the RA Ministry of Culture has already prepared and confirmed the plan of the church and held the required expert examinations by RA legislation according to the 2010 RA state budget. In its turn, the Fund is committed to provide funding for all reconstruction and restoration efforts.
The RA Ministry of Culture and the “Hovhannes Imastaser His Holiness Odzneci” Foundation will establish and confirm their intentions for the restoration of the historical-cultural monument in Odzun through a Memorandum, which will be signed by RA Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosyan and founder of the “Hovhannes Imastaser His Holiness Odzneci” Foundation, Russia-based businessman Movses Dzavaryan, who is originally from Odzun.
The temple of Odzun (St. Hovhannes Church) is located in Odzun village of Tashir province of the historical Gugarats state. It was built in the 6th century and belongs to the type of dome-shaped basilic churches. In memory of Kirakos Gandzketsi, the monument was built by Armenian Catholicos Hovnan Odznetsi in the 8th century, but researchers don’t accept that date and consider this a monument that was built in an earlier era.
The inside of the temple is for eight seats. The temple is rich in sculptures and inscriptions and is built from yellow-brown felzit. Later, the temple and the monument located nearby were surrounded by a stone gate.