The Dormition Cathedral of Lykhny. Gold plated

At present time in the village of Lykhny , Gudauta District there is an operating temple of the Repose of The Holy Virgin constructed in the tenth century. It refers to the common type of Greek cross and three apses' structures of the early Middle Ages in Abkhazia. The construction features by its austere forms, harmony and clear proportions thus evidencing the great skills of its architects.

This temple impresses so much inside. Here the choir stalls are placed and connected with the hall with three arch ways through which a wonderful view occurs towards some pillars under incense savor and walls decorated with rich frescoes. In the east part of the temple there is a “sancta sanctorum” consisting of an altarpiece of the central apse, side chapel as credence from the north side and side altar as diaconicon from the south side. In front of it there are minor rectangular premises (bemas).

The murals of the Lykhny temple are exclusively sumptuous.

The major frescoes are referred to the fourteenth century. The upper part of the central apse depicts the Holy Virgin sitting on the throne with her child and two angels, multi-figured composition of the Eucharist (Holy Communion) under two views, scene of two wives at the tomb (along with angels and soldiers humbled in the dust), meeting of two wives with the Christ revived. In the middle row of the same apse there is a depiction of Abraham welcoming two sitting angels, then the Abraham's sacrifice, some angels' and saints' images, the low row is devoted to respective holy hierarchs such as St. Basil The Great and St. Gregory The Theologian. The west wall has such composition fragment available as the Repose of the Holy Virgin and the Holy Virgin delivering a belt to St. Thomas . Outdoors above the south aisle doorway the Holy Virgin and two angels behind are depicted as well.

One mural with the “asomtavruli” script says as follows: «Christ blessed by the Omnipotent God and Almighty. It occurred in the year of 6669 since the creation of the world...in the reign of Bagrat IV, son of George ...In April a star appeared and some rays were emitting form inside and elevating in front of it as sacred halo». Thus someone in 1066 informed about a comet discovered in the Abkhazian sky.

In 1855 Alexander II, the emperor of Russia , granted the icon of the Holy Virgin's boding to the temple and its late inscription (made in the beginning of the 20 th century presumably) in Abkhazian says «The Holiest Lady, Save Us».

In the temple of Lykhny Safarbey Chachba (Gerge Shervashidze), the ruling prince of Abkhazia, was buried in 1821.

www.abkhazian-churches.ru

The Dormition Cathedral of Lykhny
Obverse: 
In the upper central part, on the smooth field - the relief picture of the Emblem of the Bank of Abkhazia, under it - the inscription in abkhazian “Аҧсны Абанк”(The Bank of Abkhazia). The semicircular inscriptions above the Emblem indicate the denomination of the coin “10 ҧСАРК” (10 APSARS). Along the rim to the left - the indication of the metal sign in accordance with the D.I.Mendeleyev Periodic System of Elements, the fineness, to the right - the mint trade mark. In the lower part of the coin, on the matted field and raised small print inscriptions of five lines “Аҧсны Абанк” - the year of mintage "2011".
Reverse: 
The reverse of the coin "The Dormition Cathedral of Lykhny": in the central part of the coin- the image of the Dormition Cathedral of Lykhny, to the left and right– the pictures of the Dioskuri caps - symbols of Abkhazian sovereign family, in the upper central part of the coin- the semicircular inscription in abkhazian «Нанҳәа иазку Лых-ныха» (The Dormition Cathedral of Lykhny). The inscription under the image of the Cathedral indicates the date of the building. The inscription under the image of the Cathedral indicates the date of the building.
Country: 
Catalog ID: 
AB11CM2
Value: 
€160
Mintage: 
500
Quality: 
Face value: 
Material: 
Material: 
Purity: 
0.925
Weight: 
33.62g
Diameter: 
39mm
Year: 
Shape and style: 
Edge: 
Designer: