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Diocese of Artsakh

The Diocese of Artsakh () is one of the largest dioceses of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Nagorno-Karabakh. It is named after the historic province of Artsakh; the 10th province of the Kingdom of Armenia. The diocesan headquarters are located on Ghazanchetots street 72, in the town of Shushi. The seat of the bishop is the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral. On 21 January 2022, Vrtanes Abrahamyan was appointed Primate of the Diocese.

History

The diocese was established in 1989. Since its creation, archbishop Pargev Martirosyan (Պարգև արքեպիսկոպոս Մարտիրոսյան) has served as its primate.

All churches in Nagorno-Karabakh were closed in the 1930s by the Soviet government. The totalitarian regime was relatively relaxed by Mikhail Gorbachev. A mass movement for the unification of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia started in February 1988. With Armenian national identity on the rise in the Soviet Union, the Diocese of Artsakh was established in 1989. The 13th century Gandzasar monastery was the first one to be reopened. It remains the historic center of the Diocese of Artsakh, while the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral is the administrative center of the diocese.

The construction of the Holy Mother of God Cathedral in Stepanakert was launched on July 19, 2006. The cost of the project is around US$2 million, and the architect of the church is Gagik Yeranosyan. However, the construction process was slow due to the lack of financial resources. Upon its consecration, it will become the seat of the Diocese of Artsakh.

After the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, renewing the conflict in 2016, and later in 2020, by the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, in 2022, and later in 2023 by the Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh, incidents led to various incidents of hatred and use of the force and ethnic cleansing against Armenians and damage, rewriting the history and destruction or conversion of Armenian cultural heritage by Armenian military forces. Churches of the Diocese of Artsakh were often occupied, damaged, or destroyed, or converted to "Caucasus Albanian" churches. After the war in 2020 there were around 400 holy sites in the area and some of them were desecrated or destroyed when Azerbaijan got the territory. European commission criticized Azerbaijan's policy of erasing and denying the Armenian cultural heritage and adopted the resolution 2022/2582(RSP). Conflict in 2023 lead to massive exodus of Armenians from the area.

Active churches

Here is the list of churches, monasteries, and chapels functioning under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Artsakh, along with their location and year of consecration:

Churches

Monasteries

  • Amaras Monastery, Sos, 4th-19th centuries
  • Tsitsernavank Monastery, Tsitsernavank, 5-6th centuries
  • "Metsaranits" monastery, called also "Hakobavank" monastery complex, Qolatak/Kolatak, Martakert region, 7-13th centuries
  • Gandzasar monastery complex, Vank, Martakert region, 10-13th centuries
  • "Dadivank" monastery complex, Dadivank, Shahumyan region, 12th-13th centuries
  • "Shoshkavank" monastery complex, Msmna, Martuni region, 16th century
  • "Gyulistani anapat" monastery complex, called also Monastery of the Holy All-Savior church, Tonashen, Martakert region, 17th century

Inactive/ruined churches and monasteries

This is an incomplete list of inactive or ruined churches and monasteries in the territory regulated by the Diocese of Artsakh:

List of Churches and Monasteries

Below is list of churches, monasteries, and chapels under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Artsakh and their operating status from Askeran, Hadrut, Kashatagh, Martakert, Martuni, Shahumyan, Shushi regions and Stepanakert.

Askeran region

Hadrut region

Kashatagh region

Martakert region

Martuni region

Shahumyan region

Shushi region

Stepanakert

Gallery

External links

References