St. Gevorg Church :: ARTSAKH HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

St. Gevorg Church 1855 y․

Azerbaijan / Northern Artsakh / Kasum-Ismayilov / Gharadaghlu

Historical Introduction
19 c․

Numerous archive documents (1847, 1849, 1852) mention the local church of St. Gevorg as an earthen building of wooden roof, but the exact date of its foundation is unknown. Beginning with 1861, it is spoken about as a stone structure bearing the same name.

National Archives of Armenia,fund 53, list 1, file 3814, pp. 97-98; file 3818, pp. 95-96; file 3819, p. 105; file 3835, pp. 147-148; file 33874, p. 30.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 317.

Architectural Description
1855 y․

Fortunately, the construction inscription of the sanctuary was copied and published in due time. It reveals that the stone church replaced the older one in 1855.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 317.

Historical Introduction
1871 y․

The church, served as a repository for St. Gevorg’s and St. Minas’ relics: “...in 1871 the former proprietors of the mill, i.e. Tiflis inhabitants Nikoghayos and Hripsime Hakhverdiants, took them out of their wooden shrines and placed them in some silver closets...”

Priest Emmanuel Nazarian. Impressions of Gandzak. In: “Nor-Dar,” 1899, No. 85, p. 2.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, pp. 317-318.

Inside the church its builder’s remains were interred.

“Ardzagank”, 1886, No. 19, pp. 279-280.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 317.

1905 y․

In November 1905, the Turkish mob plundered and dilapidated St. Gevorg Church and the chapel of the pilgrimage site of Sourb Nahatak (the Armenian equivalent for ‘Holy Martyr’), situated on the left bank of the river Kurak, 200 metres south of the village.

National Archives of Armenia,fund 53, list 1, file 3764, p. 278.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 318.

1911 y․

In 1911 the Religious Department of Gandzak decided to donate some books to St. Gevorg Church, that had suffered heavy damage.

“Ararat,” 1911, p. 522.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 318.

Priests
1869 y․

In 1869 “clergyman Sargis Ter-Arakeliants, an inhabitant of Gharadaghlu” was ordained “to serve St. Gevorg Church of the Armenian village of Gharadaghlu.”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 56, list 1, file 5394, p. 10.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 318.

He held his post until at least 1910, also performing priestly duties for the community of Khoylar Village.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 56, list 3, file 52, p. 28.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 318.

Inscription, Armenian, Engraved, Construction 1855 y․

Fortunately, the construction inscription of the church was copied and published in due time. It reveals that the stone church replaced the older one in 1855:
On 20 March 1855, in memory of my dear compatriots... I laid the foundations of this small church by the Lord’s good will, with the means of Daniel, the son of great Prince, Agha Rustam [and] had it dedicated to St. Gevorg at a solemn ceremony.
The Armenian original published in: “Ardzagank,” 1886, No. 19, p. 280.
Note: M. Barkhutariants refers to the same source in his republication of the inscription (Artsakh. Baku, 1895, p. 53).