Aravot.am inquired from the leader of the Diocese of Artsakh, His Grace Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan, what it was possible to take from the monastery complexes of Artsakh. “Somehow, they managed, the priest fathers took them out with them by bus or in their small cars, and especially they brought with them the utensils of the Holy Tables.
They couldn’t do more because it was impossible, especially since there was a problem of moving their own families. I only instructed them to at least bring the utensils of the Holy Table, the bowls, the holy things, the Cross, and the gospels, which are very small in volume. It was impossible to move the rest of the things,” said the Bishop.
We asked whether the Russian peacekeepers and the RA government were approached about this issue. “There was an opportunity to get the things out by the relevant bodies; there was also a transport, but there was no driver to drive the transport. However, it was not possible to organize everything in that chaos. I only appealed to the Russian peacekeepers, gave them the relevant list, and asked them to take those monasteries and churches under their control during their stay there. They replied that they appealed to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan and received a reply that they promise to ensure the security of those monasteries and churches,” said the Primate of the Artsakh Diocese.
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It should be noted that all Armenian churches are listed on the Artsakh Diocese website, whether standing, bowed down, or under restoration. We should also add that the academic platform “Monument Watch,” which constantly records the state and changes of Artsakh’s cultural heritage, presents them within the limits of professional knowledge and theoretical ethics, recently again referred to the dangerous statements and initiatives of Azerbaijan, warning that the de-Armenianization of Azerbaijan under the preaching, the fundamental architecture of Armenian monasteries can be distorted.
In the photos: Saint Grigoris church of Herher village, Martuni province, 17th century. The village of Herher was the summer residence of the monks of Amaras Monastery, and the church was the center of the Varanda and Kochezi eparchies.
Gohar HAKOBYAN
