The Relic and St. Hripsime: Armenian Church tradition holds that St. Hripsime, while fleeing Roman persecution with her companions in the late 3rd century AD, brought a fragment of the True Cross (the cross upon which Jesus was crucified) to Armenia.
Hiding on Mount Varak: Before reaching Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin), St. Hripsime and her companions stopped at Mount Varak (southeast of Lake Van in historical Armenia). There, she entrusted the relic to local hermits or monks, asking them to hide it in a cave for preservation.
Rediscovery: The relic remained hidden and its location forgotten for centuries after St. Hripsime's martyrdom. In the 7th century (around 653 or 660 AD), a hermit monk named Totig (or Todik) and his disciple Hovel, living on Mount Varak, prayed and fasted. Totig received a vision of twelve luminous pillars surrounding a radiant cross appearing over the mountain, which then descended over the altar of the local monastery church. Rushing to the spot indicated by the vision, they rediscovered the hidden relic.
The Holy Cross of Varak: This specific relic became known as the Holy Cross of Varak (or Holy Sign of Varak). Catholicos Nersess III ("the Builder") verified its authenticity and established a special feast day unique to the Armenian Church, the Feast of the Holy Cross of Varak, celebrated on the Sunday closest to September 28th.
Varagavank Monastery: A monastery, Varagavank, was established on Mount Varak, becoming a major spiritual and educational center housing the relic. It endured periods of destruction and rebuilding, playing a significant role in Armenian religious history.
Movement and Current Status: Due to invasions and historical events, the relic was moved multiple times for safekeeping over the centuries. It was notably taken to Sebastia, later returned to Varak, moved to Van, and eventually transferred to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin for safekeeping, particularly after the destruction of Varagavank during the Armenian Genocide in 1915. Today, a relic identified as the Holy Cross of Varak is kept in the museum or vaults at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. It is brought out for veneration on special occasions, including its feast day, sometimes being taken in procession to Nor Varagavank (New Varak Monastery) in Armenia.
This relic is one of several important holy items preserved by the Armenian Apostolic Church at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Peter Farell
