X
    Categories: 2022

CHW monitoring earthmoving near Armenian church of Mataghis

PanARMENIAN
Armenia –

PanARMENIAN.Net - Caucasus Heritage Watch is closely monitoring earthmoving near the St. Yeghishe Armenian Church of Mataghis, Nagorno-Karabakh, the research initiative said Monday, July 25.

"As of July 5, the basilica appears structurally unchanged since the 2020 war. But the proximity of earthmoving raises concern," the initiative said on Twitter.

According to the inscription engraved on the lintel of the southern entrance, the construction of the church took place in 1892-1898. The inscription says: “The Church of St. Yeghisha was built by the united people of Mataghis. It was started in 1892 and was completed in 1898”.

During the visit of M. Barkhudaryants in 1894-1895, the church was still half-built and unconsecrated (Barkhutaryants 1895, 231).

The church is a three-nave basilica, built of local light brown rough and hewn stones. The dimensions of the monument are 15.07 meters long and 8.16 meters wide. It is completely plastered inwardly. The semi-circular beam is high, has two vestries, it is vaulted, and the roof is covered with earth.

The entrance is from the south, three windows open from the east, two from the south and one from the west.

Before the war the church was completely standing. Battles took place in the village of Mataghis during the Second Artsakh War and it is not known to what extent the monument was damaged. After the war, a video was spread by Azeris on social media, where it was visible how several men in military uniforms enter the church and break the icons. The video also shows that various broken objects are scattered on the floor.

Emil Lazarian: “I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS