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  • Nagorno Karabakh Restores Christian Sacred Sites

    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

    http://www.huliq.com/1/85562/nagorno-ka rabakh-restores-christian-sacred-sites
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