Etchmiadzin Cathedral[a] (Armenian: Էջմիածնի մայր տաճար, romanized: Ēǰmiaçni mayr tač̣ar) is the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church, located in the city dually known as Etchmiadzin (Ejmiatsin) or Vagharshapat, Armenia.[b] It is usually considered the first cathedral built in ancient Armenia, and often regarded the oldest cathedral in the world. The original church was built in the early fourth century[12]—between 301 and 303 according to tradition—by Armenia's patron saint Gr...