The Zagha sanctuary is located in the village of Sarnagbyur in Shirak Province, its official name being Agndzadzur. The word "Zagha" means cave or grotto. The sanctuary is known for its cave, through which a spring of cold water flows, and which is believed to have healing properties. People from various places visit to drink the water and take some with them.
One of the most famous legends associated with Zagha relates to Saint Gregory the Illuminator. According to the legends, the first Catholicos of Armenia asceticised in this very cave. It is also said that his relic of the hand is enshrined in Zagha, which has given the holy site its special significance.
Inside the cave, ancient inscriptions and crosses carved into the rock have been preserved. According to researchers, before it became a Christian sanctuary, it may have been associated with the worship of water. Today, Zagha continues to be a place of pilgrimage, where people come to pray and to benefit from the cold water.
The stories told about the cave are not only related to its sanctity. According to oral tradition, a large rock once fell from the top of the cave onto a pregnant woman, but she was unharmed. Another interesting feature of Zagha is a unique tree growing from inside the cave which, despite limited access to sunlight and water, bears a plentiful harvest every year.
