St. Astvatzatzin (Holy Mother of God) Church :: ARTSAKH HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

St. Astvatzatzin (Holy Mother of God) Church

Azerbaijan / Northern Artsakh / Khanlar / Martunashen

Location

Sourb Astvatzatzin Church, which is situated in the centre of the village.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 404.

Architectural Description

It represents a tri-nave basilica built of dressed stone and mortar, with its entrance opening from its western facade. Its vault-bearing arches, that lie below a gable roof, rest on three pairs of pillars and pilasters. A vestry of rectangular plan can be seen on each side of the semi-circular eastern bema. The font is in its traditional place, i.e. in the northern wall. The sanctuary is illuminated through 10 windows, 4 of them opening from the south, 3 from the east, 2 from the north, and 1 from the west. Its cornerstones and most important junctions are finely-dressed stone. Sourb Astvatzatzin Church boasts a rich lapidary heritage.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 404.

Repairs
1892 y․

In 1892 Sourb Astvatzatzin Church underwent renovation which is commemorated in several inscripions.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 408.

1899 y․

The sanctuary was under repairs in 1899 as well, but the work remained incomplete due to the shortage of means.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 56 list 6, file 373, p. 53.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 408.

1917 y․

In 1917 the villagers again embarked on its overhaul at an estimated 1,270 rubles.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 56, list 4, file 811, p. 1.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 408.

Historical Introduction
1928 y․

The authorities closed the church in 1928.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 409, list 1, file 2658, p. 12.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 408.

Priests

Simeon Ter-Sargissian Ter-Baraghamiants, born in 1785, received education with Priest Yeghia Ter-Manvelian. He started serving Gharabulagh immediately after his ordination in Sourb Astvatzatzin Church of Gharachinar Village (in Shahumian District of the present-day Republic of Nagorno Karabakh) in 1818 (in 1857 he was the only parish priest in the village). Simeon Ter-Sargissian Ter-Baraghamiants had 4 sons: Daniel, born in 1832; Movses, born in 1835; Serob, born in 1838, and Yeprem, born in 1842. His elder son Daniel succeeded him in 1858 and served the local community for more than half a century. In 1910, when the biographies of the clergymen of Gandzak District were made up, 81-year-old Father Daniel was still considered fit for priesthood. He had two sons: Levon, born in 1859, and Theodoros, born in 1875.

National Archives of Armenia, fund Պ56, list 12, file 531, files 532, 533.
National Archives of Armenia, fund Պ56, list 18, file 542.
National Archives of Armenia, fund Պ57, list 3, file 48, pp. 12-13.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 408.

Priest Daniel “...is a qualified carpenter and cooper, but he shows particularly distinctive skills in woodworking. It should be mentioned that he is a self-made craftsman: the Reverend Father spends all day long practising that craft, the trays he has made arousing the admiration of many sculptors. The works he has created have even been given to the Catholicos and many bishops...” Another record states, “At first when the Reverend Father Daniel was ordained, this village comprised merely some 7 to 8 houses. The priest, who had much leisure, started learning several crafts and now he makes fine cross-carriers, barrels and beautiful wooden trays of walnut. He has given some of them as gifts to Catholicoses Gevorg and Makar as well as a number of other prominent people...”

“Meghu Hayastani,” 1881, No. 34, p. 2.
“Nor-Dar,” 1894, No. 73, p. 3.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 408.

Inscription, Armenian, Engraved, Construction 1676 y․

10 lines in the Armenian original carved on a finely-cut rectangular stone placed a little above the tympanum of the western facade:
By the grace of Almighty God, we, the elderly and young inhabitants of Gharapulakh, erected this holy church in memory of our relatives and our souls in the days of His Holiness Petros, Persian Shah Suleman, Yoghurlu Khan, village head Farzali Bey Tarughen Murtuza Ghuli, as well as heads of quarters Fathers Simeon, Akob, Azaria, David, clerk Azaria, Shahnazar, Sarukhan and Avan, who worked with great devotion. I, sinful priest David, wrote this in the year 1676. May you who read this pray for my soul. Amen.
References: Matenadaran: Patriarchal Documents, folder 1, archive document 3; S. Kamalian Fund, list 2, part VI, file 44, pp. 34-35.
The Armenian original published in: “Nor-Dar,” 1894, No. 73, p. 3; Barkhutariants, M. Artsakh. Baku, 1895, p. 253; Lalayan, Yer. Gandzak District. In: “Azgagrakan Handes,” vol. 5, Tiflis, 1899, No. 1, p. 333; Corpus Inscriptionum Armenicarum, part 5. Compiled by Barkhudarian, S. Yerevan, 1982, p. 241.
Note: The first person to decipher the inscription is S. Kamalian. The original text of the inscription, written on a sheet of blue paper (21.5 x 15 centimetres) is preserved in the Matenadaran. We found the following essential differences between the manuscript and inscription: instead of ‘Farzali Bey Tarughen Murtuza Ghuli,’ the manuscript reads, ‘Gamzali Bey, ... Murtuz Agha.’ Instead of ‘Sarukhan, Avan,’ it reads, ‘Avan’s son Sarukhan.’ There are also some minor differences. The Armenian abbreviation of 'գրգր' is deciphered as a proper name in Corpus Inscriptionum Armenicarum (part 5, p. 241), while the manuscript has preserved the whole word which is the Armenian equivalent for ‘clerk.’

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, pp. 405-406.

Inscription, Armenian, Engraved, Commemoration

11 lines in the Armenian original engraved on the right of the same facade-bearing stone:
I, Khoja Anton, made some [financial] contribution to the construction of this holy church in memory of my spouse Marian, my sons Gaspar, Melkum and [in perpetuity of] my memory.
Reference: S. Kamalian Fund, list 2, part VI, file 44, p. 35; the Armenian original published in: Barkhutariants, M. Artsakh. Baku, 1895, p. 253; Corpus Inscriptionum Armenicarum, part 5. Compiled by Barkhudarian, S. Yerevan, 1982, p. 242.
Note: The first person to decipher the inscription is S. Kamalian.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 407.

Inscription, Armenian, Engraved, Commemoration

3 lines in the Armenian original carved below a cross relief, on the left of the aforementioned facade-bearing stone:
May this Holy Cross protect Shahnazar.
Reference: S. Kamalian Fund, ibid; the Armenian original published in: Barkhutariants, M. Artsakh. Baku, 1895, p. 253; Corpus Inscriptionum Armenicarum, part 5. Compiled by Barkhudarian, S. Yerevan, 1982, p. 242.
Note: The first person to decipher the inscription is S. Kamalian.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 407.

Inscription, Armenian, Engraved, Commemoration

Inscribed above a narrow window opening from the western facade:
May you remember Ghazar.
The Armenian original published in: Corpus Inscriptionum Armenicarum, part 5. Compiled by Barkhudarian, S. Yerevan, 1982, p. 243.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 407.

Inscription, Armenian, Engraved, Commemoration 1892 y․

5 lines in the Armenian original carved on the tympanum of the western facade of the church:
This door was enlarged in memory of Martiros Stepaniants, the husband of Mrs. Yeghisabet from Gandzak. 1892.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 407.

Inscription, Armenian, Engraved, Construction 1892 y․

6 lines in the Armenian original incised below the cornice of the western facade of the church:
The cornice of this holy church was built through the means of Lieutenant Colonel Temuraz Bey’s son Alexandre Bey Melik-Beklariants in the year 1892.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, pp. 407-408.

Inscription, Armenian, Engraved, Commemoration 1892 y․

2 lines in the Armenian original engraved on a stone surmounting the window of the southern facade of the church:
This window is in memory of Yakhshi Sargissian Davidiants. 1892.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 408.

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1980 — 1982 yy․

Inscription engraved on the window opening from its southern facade

Inscription, Armenian, Engraved, Construction 1892 y․

2 lines in the Armenian original inscribed on a stone surmounting the other window of the same facade of the church:
This window is in memory of Yeghisapet Tzaturian. Built by her son Grigor Tzaturian in the year 1892.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 408.

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1980 — 1982 yy․

Inscription engraved on the window opening from its southern facade

Type Photo
View Exterior
Direction From the south
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1980 — 1982 yy․

Type Photo
View Partial view
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1980 — 1982 yy․

Details of its western facade

Type Photo
View Partial view
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1980 — 1982 yy․

Details of its western facade

Type Photo
View Interior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1980 — 1982 yy․

A capital

Type Photo
View Detail
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1980 — 1982 yy․

Cross-stones (17th cent.) set in the niche of the font

Type Photo
View Exterior
Direction From the south-west
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 1980 — 1982 yy․

Type Photo
View Partial view
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1980 — 1982 yy․

Details of its western facade

Type Measurement
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Sketch

The plan of the church

Type Photo
View Detail
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 1980 — 1982 yy․

The construction inscription of Sourb Astvatzatzin Church