St. Gregory the Illuminator Church

Tigran Honents Church is an ancient Armenian structure located in the ruins of the city of Ani in the Kars province of the Republic of Turkey. An inscription on the east wall tells of the church's construction in 664 AD (1215 AD) by the grace of God. The lord of the city of Ani, the mighty and holy Zacharia, at a time when I, the servant of God Tigran, son of Sulem Smbatorenz from the Honents family, decided to build this monastery in honor of the long lives of his lords and their children. He obtained land from its owners and with great difficulty organized protection from all sides. The church was built in the name of Saint Gregory and adorned with many beautiful patterns. At that time, the city of Ani was one of the most powerful Georgian kings.