Ceremony of first stone laying of Saint Blessed Virgin Church took p

Ceremony of first stone laying of Saint Blessed Virgin Church took place in Stepanakert

ArmRadio.am
24.07.2006 14:58

On July 22, a ceremony of laying of the ground stone in the foundation
of the cathedral church of Saint Blessed Virgin took place in
Stepanakert, the capital of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. Catholicos
of All-Armenians Garegin II was invited to Nagorno-Karabakh to
consecrate the construction of the church.

Opening the ceremony, Leader of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian
Apostolic Church Pargev Martirossian emphasized the historical
significance of the construction of the church in the capital of the
independent NKR.

Having consecrated the Church’s foundation, Catholicos of All-Armenians
Garegin II said, "The Saint Armenian Apostolic Church is a brave and
perfect soldier, who has fought for its people, inspired its struggle
for freedom and independent statehood for centuries. In our history our
people sometimes lost wars, thus loosing statehood but never lost its
faith. All the victories in our history were gained with faith. With
this faith the freedom-loving sons of Artsakh gained their right to
live free and independent."

NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan, National Assembly Chairman Ashot
Ghulyan, government members, respected citizens and guests of the
NKR capital laid sanctified stones in the foundation of the church.