A white building is being built on the way to the main cathedral of Echmiadzin. It is built in a park, where one can see the remaining of the trees that have been cut. “They are building Echmiadzin’s Matenadaran,” said somebody who was passing by. At first I did not believe, but when I looked closer, I saw the picture of the new building that would be built there. It turns out that Armenia will have the second Matenadaran, which will be named after Diaspora Armenian benevolent couple Vache and Tamar Manukyans. By the way, this project was ordered by the St. Echmiadzin. We asked questions about this new building to Vahram priest Melikyan. “Currently there are libraries in different buildings and institutions in St. Echmiadzin, and there was a need to unite all those libraries, including the museum of manuscripts. This will enable both the representatives of the Church and different scientists who want to use the rich fund of the Mayr Ator to have the best conditions for scientific works,” said the spokesman of the Mayr Ator. In answer to a comment that in that case this could be named as a library but not Matenadaran (depository of old manuscripts) he said, “We don’t think it is not appropriate because the name of Matenadaran is not exclusive, and also the first Matenadaran used to be in Mayr Ator Echmiadzin”. The spokesman of the Mayr Ator assures that the new Matenadaran will be named after the sponsors to express gratitude to them for that work. He also says that 80% of the financial resources of the Church are made of the donations of donors. For example, last year the Father and Anna Hovnanyans foundation received permission from the municipality of Yerevan to build premises for the Catholicos of the Whole Armenians in Yerevan, near the Church on Abovyan street. It is planned to finish this construction in 2-2,5 years. The authors of the project say that this construction will need expenditure of 5 million dollars. Meanwhile they were trying to find a name of Saint Ann to name this building after that name, but they did not find as this name is used by the Catholic Church.
Why do they need a new building if a new large building is being built near the Matenadaran in Yerevan and these manuscripts can be kept there?
In 405 Sahak Catholicos and Mesrop Mashtots, due to the support of Vramshapuh king, established a Matenadaran in Echmiadzin (Vagharshapat), but the purpose was not collecting all the manuscripts in one place. At that time the Matenadaran was considered to be one of the main centers of writings. The Matenadaran has over 17.000 manuscripts, including all sectors of the ancient Armenian science and writings in all sectors. There are manuscripts in foreign languages in there as well. The main collection of the Matenadaran is the depository if Manuscripts of the Armenian Catholicos. The Matenadaran was re-established in St. Echmiadzin in 1441. The Matenadaran was moved to Yerevan in 1939. In 20 years by the decision of the Soviet authorities the Matenadaran was made a scientific and research center and was named after Mesrop Mahstots. We are writing all this information to say that in 405 when Vramshapuh king established the Matenadaran, he did not name it after his name. Nobody can underestimate the great donations of Vache Manukyan, Alek Manukyan or Hrayr Hovnanyan, but of course Vramshapuh king cannot be compared with anybody. We don’t know why the donors of our days want to name the churches or buildings they build or reconstruct in their names. By the way, Russia has the same experience too and they are asking the old manuscripts of their churches back from museums to concentrate in one place. We wonder whether the Mayr Ator will take back the manuscripts and other writings from the Matenadaran in Yerevan.