Surb Karapet Monastery

Surb Karapet Monastery
The monastery before its destruction in 1915
Shown within Turkey
Basic information
Location	Çengilli köyü,Muş Province, Turkey
Geographic coordinates	38°57′40″N 41°11′30″E / 38.961068°N 41.191697°E / 38.961068; 41.191697Coordinates: 38°57′40″N 41°11′30″E / 38.961068°N 41.191697°E / 38.961068; 41.191697
Affiliation	Armenian Apostolic Church
Country	Turkey
Status	Completely demolished; some traces remain
Architectural description
Architectural type	Monastery
Architectural style	Armenian
Founder	Gregory the Illuminator
Groundbreaking	4th century (traditional date)
Completed	4th–19th centuries

Surb Karapet Monastery (Armenian: Մշո Սուրբ Կարապետ վանք, Msho Surb Karapet vank’, "Surb Karapet monastery of Mush", also known by other names) was an Armenian Apostolic monastery in the historic province of Taron, about 30 km (19 mi) northwest of Mush (Muş), in present-day eastern Turkey.

Surb Karapet translates to "Holy Precursor" and refers to John the Baptist, whose remains are believed to have been stored at the site by Gregory the Illuminator in the early fourth century. The monastery subsequently served as a stronghold of the Mamikonians—the princely house of Taron, who claimed to be the holy warriors of John the Baptist, their patron saint. It was expanded and renovated many times in later centuries. By the 20th century it was a large fort-like enclosure with four chapels.

Historically, the monastery was the religious center of Taron and was a prominent pilgrimage site. It was considered the most important monastery in Turkish (Western) Armenia and the second most important of all Armenian monasteries after Etchmiadzin. From the 12th century the monastery was the seat of the diocese of Taron, which had an Armenian population of 90,000 in the early 20th century. It attracted pilgrims on several occasions annually and host large celebrations. The monastery was burned and robbed during the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and later abandoned. Its stones have since been used by the local Kurds for building purposes.

Throughout history the monastery has been known by several names. One of the common names was Glakavank (Գլակավանք), meaning "Monastery of Glak" after its first father superior, Zenob Glak. It is also spelled Glaka vank (classical spelling: Գլակայ վանք; reformed spelling: Գլակա վանք) or Klaga vank (from Western Armenian). Due to its location it was also called Innaknian vank (Իննակնեան վանք in classical spelling, and Իննակնյան վանք in reformed), translating to "Monastery of the Nine Springs".