HULIQ, SC
Aug 29 2009

Nagorno Karabakh Restores Christian Sacred Sites

One visit to Nagorno Karabakh is enough to understand once and for all
the expression circulating among Armenians: `the surrender of lands is
treason’. During my recent stay there, I have visited not only
Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno Karabakh, and the fortress-city of
Shushi, but also Gandzasar, Amaras and Dadivank.

Gandzasar as a sanctuary of relics and a center of freedom movements

I met the deacon Vahe, the spiritual servant of a military unit called
`Deer’, in Gandzasar (Gandzasar is a monastery complex in Nagorno
Karabakh, located by the Vanq village of Martakert region). Gandzasar
used to be a seminary and the family Manson of the Kachany kings. In
the 17th century the patriarchs of Gandzasar supported the bursting
freedom movements of Nagorno Karabakh khanates. In the beginning of
18th century the leaders of the freedom movements gathered around the
patriarch Yesaya Hasan-Jalalyan. The Cathedral of John the Baptist of
Gandzasar of built in 1216-38 by the king of Inner Khachen, Hasan
Jalal-Dola; the parvis was founded by Hasan in 1261 and finished by
his son Atabak in 1266.

Referring to the deacon Vahe, in his talk with the `Aravot’ he told us
that the presence of a priest in the military unit, thought surprising
at the first sight, gives confidence to the soldiers. `We are in
constant contact with the soldiers, they approach us constantly with
questions on the history of our church, on different sects..’. The
deacon did not hide the fact that the soldiers showed frequent
interest in how the priesthood, especially he himself, would treat if
war began. `From the beginning of the history of Armenian people, the
church and the priesthood have always been by the side of the people
in hard times, and carried weapons if needed. I always answer them
that the priest would never leave the soldier.. Wondering in the
positions, the soldiers notice me and ask surprisingly how I managed
to walk such a long distance to get there. This makes them excited and
more ardent in their holy service towards the motherland’.

The deacon has also mentioned that not far from their military unit
one could find the Napat Monastery where the soldiers frequently left
their hand-made crafts. The monastery is of the 5-6th century,
certifying that the territory has been Armenian, excluding the fact
that on an Azerbaijani territory there could have been a Christian
sacred site. At present the Napat monastery is in a shabby condition
since it has never been restored from the day of its foundation.

In Gandzasar we have also met Karen, a young man who was once a
spiritual servant in the Grigor Lusavorich church in Yerevan. By some
reasons he resumed to secular life and regretted. At present Karen was
passing through a special probation period with a hope to recommence
the spiritual service. `By God’s mercy I am in Gandzasar. I have
always dreamt of being here, since I heard about the power of this
place as well as the presence of many sacred relics in Gandzasar. God
heard my prayers and gave me such a possibility.’ It should be
mentioned that the number of tourists to Gandzasar never decreases.

Amaras as it is

If Gandzasar was renovated and neat, Amaras was still in the process
of reconstruction works. In the beginning of the 4th century Grigor
Lusavorich founded a monastery here, the construction of which was
finished by his grandson, the bishop Grigoris. In the end of the 5th
century the king Vachagan III the Virtuous made a chapel on the
bishop’s gravestone, which still exists inside the main church
building. By the way, the author of the Armenian alphabet, Mesrop
Mashtots, has opened the first school of Nagorno Karabakh here. The
monastery is surrounded by fences, parts of which are ruined. From the
very beginning the monastery of Amaras has been attacked by
Turk-Mongols, Tatar-Seljuks and others. In our days it has suffered a
lot from the side of Azerbaijani bombings. The guard of the
monastery’s St. Grigoris church, Kolja Kocharyan, a war participant,
finds it important to tell every visitor about Amaras. He has informed
us that during last two years the number of visitors increased: if
before one box of candles comprising 300 sufficed one week, is now not
sufficient. The church has been functioning for 4 years, all holidays
are being celebrated, and the people attend the Holy Liturgy on
Sundays. The spiritual leader is father Manuel. The church has also a
choir the members of which live in Machkalashen village 4 kilometers
far from the church. The church guard mentions that if the young
people used to laugh during the Holy Liturgy before, now the presence
of priests is usual for them. Many of them get married in churches,
come there to get advice from Father Manuel.

Tartar’s Miracle ` Dadivank

The monastery of Dadivank, the spiritual and cultural center of the
Khachan region of Karabakh, is a real miracle. It’s located on the
left bank of the river Tartar and has been mentioned as a Bishopric
see from the 5th century. The preserved buildings of the monastery
belong to the 12-13th centuries. The grave of the Apostle Tadeos is
located here.

In Dadivank we met a 10th grade pupil Gurgen Badalyan from Dadivank
village. He has been appointed a tour guide and told us about
Dadivank, adding with pride that he leant it all from his Armenian
Church History teacher. Gurgen told us also that there were only 20
pupils in the village school, and this year there is only one
first-grade pupil ` his brother. The boy told us that the life in the
village is improving, the government provides each member of the
family with 60 KVT free energy, 4 chickens, cattle. And their family
is quite big, twelve people¦

Gohar Hakobyan
For `Aravot’ Daily
Translated by Sara Margaryan

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