Armenian businessman and political figure Gagik Tsarukian announced plans in early 2022 to erect a colossal statue of Jesus Christ on Mount Hatis, describing it as a “guardian of our country and people” meant to inspire and impress both Armenians and the outside world. However, the proposal quickly sparked opposition, particularly from the Armenian Apostolic Church, which criticized it as incompatible with Armenian Christian tradition. The church’s disapproval did not dissuade Tsarukian, who went on to organize a design contest, selecting sculptor Armen Manvelian’s vision in May 2022.
The statue, designed to stand 33 meters (108.3 feet) tall on a 44-meter pedestal, will dominate the Hatis skyline at over 2,500 meters above sea level. Located approximately 30 kilometers northeast of Yerevan, Mount Hatis is also an archaeological site. Concerns were raised by archaeologists and historians, leading the Armenian Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture to halt the project in July 2022, just one day after construction commenced with government representatives present. The ministry cited the presence of around two dozen ancient monuments on Hatis, including a Bronze Age fortress discovered at the summit during a 2019 Armenian-Italian archaeological expedition.
In response to the ministry’s directive, Tsarukian pledged modifications to the project to protect these historical sites. He assured that the construction would safeguard the ancient structures and even promised to refurbish some.
Tsarukian, the founder of the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) and a former member of parliament, is a prominent opposition figure. His political activities have not been without controversy. In 2020, Tsarukian was arrested and charged with vote buying shortly before the Nagorno-Karabakh war, which he claimed was politically motivated. He was released on bail a month later.
In July 2022, the groundbreaking ceremony for the statue project took place with then-Economy Minister Vahan Kerobyan and World Tourism Organization Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili in attendance. Now, with most preparations nearing completion, the statue is set to become a new and potentially divisive feature of the Armenian landscape, waiting only for official approvals before it rises over Mount Hatis.
