Photos

This relief of lion and the bull are from Geghard monastery in Armenia. I am not sure what the significance of this relief is but thought it was very interesting. It shows both locked in a battle with lion on top and bull's horn piercing lion's belly. Maybe this relief is illustrating the piercing of Christ during his crucifixion.

The name commonly used for the monastery today, Geghard, or more fully Geghardavank, meaning "the Monastery of the Spear", originates from the spear which had wounded Jesus during his crucifixion, allegedly brought to Armenia by Apostle Thaddeus and stored amongst many other relics. Now the spear is displayed in the Echmiadzin treasury.