Archaeologists from Armenia’s National Academy of Sciences and the University of Münster (Germany) recently claimed to have discovered the remains of a previously unknown early Christian church in the ancient city of Artaxata, near the modern-day city of Artashat in Armenia.

The find consists of an octagonal building with cruciform extensions. The team excavated parts of the church and studied it using geophysical methods. 

“The fourth century building is the oldest archaeologically documented church in the country – sensational evidence for early Christianity in Armenia,” remarked Professor Achim Lichtenberger of the University of Münster. 

“Octagonal churches were unknown here until now, but we are very familiar with them from the Eastern Mediterranean region, where they first appeared in the 4th century AD,” added Dr Mkrtich Zardaryan of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia.

The newly discovered church is near the medieval monastery of Khor Virap. Artaxata, also known as Artashat, was once the capital of the Kingdom of Armenia under the Artaxiad and Arsacid dynasties.

Lichtenberger’s claim runs counter to the traditional belief that the Etchmaidzin Cathedral is Armenia’s first church. 

A 2020 book on the cathedral, authorized by the Armenian Church, insisted that Etchmiadzin is the first church of Christian Armenia, although earlier Christian places of worship such as chapels or shrines existed prior.