The Azerbaijani military have banned Armenian pilgrims and priests from entering medieval Armenian monastery of Dadivank in Artsakh’s Karvachar region handed over to Azerbaijan as part of the Russian-brokered deal that ended the 44-day war in 2020.

According to the agreement reached through the mediation of Russian peacekeeping troops deployed in the region, Armenian pilgrims were allowed to visit Dadivank starting from the end of November last year. Every Sunday, Russian peacekeepers accompany groups of pilgrims to the monastery, where the faithful participate in the Holy Mass. The monastery is currently controlled by Russian peacekeepers, although Azerbaijani troops have been deployed in the area.

Another group of pilgrims, as well as priests who were to replace those serving in the monastery, set off from the Renaissance Square in Stepanakert, Artsakh in the early morning of February 7. Although the group was accompanied by Russian peacekeepers, they were not allowed to enter the monastery by the Azeri soldiers, who said that they had not been informed about the visit, Artsakhtert.com reported.

They forced the pilgrims to wait in the nearby village of Getavan before they made clarifications. However, when the Russian peacekeepers escorted the group back to Dadivank after three hours, they were again barred from entering it, with the Azerbaijanis stating they had been ordered to ban the entry of not only the pilgrims, but also clergymen into the building.

After lengthy talks, the group had to return to Stepanakert in the evening. The pilgrims asked the Russian peacekeepers to at least transfer the icon by artist Zhanna Khlghatyan they were carrying with them to Dadivank. The Artsakh religious leaders are going to ask the relevant agencies to deal with the issue, the report said.

Father Vahram Melikyan, the spokesman of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, shared the report on his Facebook page, writing: “Let's hope the issues will be settled and all the agreements reached will be respected."