This monastery has a deep well (khor virap) where St. Gregory the Illuminator was cast by King Trdat III. The king later relented and in 301 adopted Christianity as the national religion making Armenia the first country to do so. St. Gregory became the first catholicos (head) of the Armenian Orthodox Church.
I've been sick for a few days and that gives me a great chance to take care of all the details I want to get done for my trip. I will be gone for 3.5 weeks. My main focus is to get lessons on the duduk from world master, Gevorg Dabaghyan. He doesn't speak English so I have been communicating through Vache Sharafyan, a world-known composer. Vache worked with Gevorg and Yo-Yo Ma on the Silk Road Project.
I will be in the capital city, Yerevan for most of the time but will take trips out to the various regions of the country.
I'm also cramming as much Eastern Armenian language as I can into my already full brain. I love this language and will be immersed in it when I am in Hayastan.
More to follow,
Bob
