: Էջմիածին) is the holiest city in Armenia and the seat of the 'katholikos', the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is in the Armavir province, about 20 km west of Yerevan. The town originated as Vardkesavan in the 4th or 3rd century BC. King Vagharsh (117-140) had the name changed to Vagharshapat (Armenian: Վաղարշապատ), which still persists as the official appellation of the (...)