Католикос Нерсес III Строитель: исторический портрет

Abstract

The personality of Catholicos Nerses III the Builder (641–661) is characterized by Armenian chronicles variously. As an active conductor of the Byzantine policy and Orthodoxy in Arme-nia, Nerses tried in all possible ways to strengthen the political and ecclesiastical ties of Ar-menians and Romans, and this resulted in the treaty of 652. Both, Armenians-Monophisites and Armenians-Chalcedonians fought for the welfare and development of the Armenian state. The difference was only in the details of the political vision of the latter during the 7th century. The Armenian-Byzantine alliance became evident already in the 9th century, when Armenia established new relations with Byzantium, as well as in the 10th–11th and 13th centuries, when the Orthodox community and culture reached their heyday in Armenia. Nerses III was the initiator and patron of a number of wonderful church buildings, which largely determined the architectural and artistic image of the epoch. Catholicos Nerses re-built the cathedral in Dvin, erected the churches in Khor Virap, the Holy Zion in Garni, the Holy Sign near the mountain Varaga, as well as the churches in Bagavan and Vagharshakert (Valarshakert). The most outstanding building of Catholicos Nerses is Zvartnots, or the church of the Vigilant Power, which had its replicas in the architecture of Armenia and South Caucasus. Nerses paid much attention to the Christianization of Armenia. All his buildings were some-how connected with this historical event. Moreover, he implemented the program of hieroto-pia – the transferring of the topography of the Holy Land to Armenia: Zvartnots repeated the form of the Holy Sepulcher, the cathedral in Dvin reproduced the composition of the Ba-silica of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the small church in Khor Virap interpreted one of the Palestine Shrines. Nerses III repeated his grandiose idea in his birthplace, in Tayk, erected the churches in Ishkhan, Banak and Oltu (Ukhteats). The historical portrait of Catholicos Nerses III perfectly reflected his era, very bright and unprecedented in the context of the history of medieval Armenia.