The Etchmiadzin Chronicles was the last work of the late Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian, former Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the United States and Canada, bringing together the accounts of scores of travelers who visited Holy Etchmiadzin from the thirteenth to the nineteenth centuries and recorded their observations and judgments on the holiest shrine of the Armenian people in five languages.
Those writers were both men and women of different nationalities, backgrounds and religious affiliations. They included missionaries, generals, diplomats, scholars, scientists, botanists, explorers, astronomers, public servants, merchants, adventurers and simple tourists, but they were all united in their love of travel and their desire to share their experiences.
The largest percentage of the authors, including kings and princes, came from France, followed by Great Britain, Germany, Russia, Italy and the United States. The book is divided chronologically according to the language of the texts. While primarily in English, the book also contains accounts in Italian, German, Russian and French.
These impressions of Etchmiadzin provide an invaluable source on the history of Eastern Christianity and enable readers to better understand perceptions of Armenians by the outside world.
