Medal for the Death of Cardinal Gregorio Pietro Agagianian, 1971

ANRO-1770; Babayan-115

Obverse: The inscription in Armenian reads "ԿԱՐԴ. Գ. Պ. ԱՂԱՋԱՆԵԱՆ" (Card. G(regorio). P(ietro). Agagianian), positioned on the left, while the Latin inscription "CARD. G. P. AGAGIANIAN" appears along the right. The dates 1895–1971 are placed in the fields to the right and left. The signature "E. VARISCO" is located at the bottom right along the edge. The obverse depicts the bust of Cardinal Gregorio Pietro Agagianian (Akhaltsikhe, September 18, 1895 – Rome, May 16, 1971), shown facing three-quarters to the left.

Reverse: The inscription "Ս. ՀՌԻՓՍԻՄԷ - Ս. ՎԱՐԴԱՆ" (S(anta) Hripsimè - S(an) Vartan) encircles the reverse. It features conjoined busts of Vardan Mamikonian (393 – Plain of Avarayr, May 26, 451), an Armenian military leader renowned for commanding the Armenian army in the Battle of Avarayr in 451, which ultimately secured the Armenians' right to profess Christianity. Vardan was later proclaimed a saint by the Armenian Apostolic Church after his death. To the right is Hripsime, a Roman nun martyred along with other virgins in the 4th century by order of the Armenian King Tiridates III.

Specifications: Silver-plated, 40.00 mm
Artist / Engraver: Erminio Varisco
Mint:
Edge: Plain
Mintage:
Reference: Eleonora Giampiccolo, Il Fondo Varisco del Medagliere Vaticano, Città del Vaticano, 2018, n. 27
Image shown: Vatican Museum