Cholak's Sourb Astvatzatzin Church :: ARTSAKH HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Cholak's Sourb Astvatzatzin Church 1867 y․

Azerbaijan / Northern Artsakh / Gandzak / Gandzak

Historical Introduction
1720 y․

Cholak’s Sourb Astvatzatzin. The available sources mentioning ‘Cholak’ as a toponym date back to the 1720s: “...in a place called Cholak, near Ganja...”

A Brief History of Aghvank by His Holiness Yesayi Hasan Jalaliants Catholicos of Aghvank. Jerusalem, 1868, p. 42.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 55.

1867 y․

In 1867 a certain Hovhannes Mirumiants financed the construction of a church in a site almost 2 kilometres south of the city. After its completion, it was dedicated to Sourb Astvatzatzin (Holy Virgin).

“Nor-Dar,” 1899, No. 85, p. 2.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 55.

Description
1879 y․

The pilgrimage site of Cholak’s (Tsolak’s) Sourb Astvatzatzin, that consisted of a church, two rooms and a large gavit, was under the guidance and spiritual leadership of the priests of St. Hovhannes and Grigor Lusavorich Churches.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 461, list 1, file 19, p. 19.
“Nor-Dar,” 1899, No. 85, p. 2.
National Archives of Armenia, fund 56, list 1, file 8960, p. 70.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, pp. 55-56.

Priests
1907 — 1913 yy․

On 11 May 1907, Mkrtich Astvatzatriants was appointed priest in the sanctuary, where he served until at least 1913: “...since it is no longer possible for Priest Mkrtich to return to either Ardvin, or Meysari, Georgia’s Consistory is to appoint him lifelong priest of the pilgrimage site of Cholak.”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 461, list 1, file 19, pp. 1, 8, 19, 164.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 56.

Historical Introduction
1908 y․

On 8 April 1908, the sanctuary was plundered of some icons, carpets, copper articles, etc.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 461, list 1, file 19, p. 5.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 56.

1910 y․

A list of the movable property of Cholak’s Sourb Astvatzatzin, drawn up in 1910, revealed that it retained a silver-bound Gospel and a Mashtots.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 461, list 1, file 19, pp. 19, 209-210, 213.
A book of rites and prayers, whose name is supposed to derive from that of St. Mesrop Mashtots, i.e. the inventor of the Armenian alphabet. Another viewpoint connects it with Armenian Catholicos Mashtots Yeghivardetsy’s name (Archbishop Maghakia Ormanian. A Dictionary of Religious Festivals and Terms. Yerevan, 1992, p. 99, in Armenian).
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 56.

Repairs
1912 y․

Facing the inconsolable state of the pilgrimage site, in 1912 Priest Mkrtich Astvatzatriants applied to Gandzak’s spiritual powers for permission to raise funds for its renovation: “...the arches as well as the eastern and western walls of the sanctuary have numerous cracks which should be removed... to collect means among the pious pilgrims for the overhaul of Sourb Astvatzatzin.”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 461, list 1, file 19, p. 135.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 56.

Description
1931 y․

By 1931 the church of the pilgrimage site had been reduced to a state of the uttermost dilapidation: “The monastery, surrounded by gardens belonging to Gandzak’s Armenian citizens, represents a stone edifice. Its arched roof, that is built of brick, is plastered with lime and sand, but unfortunately, it is bare of tiles, which has caused a longitudinal crack there, threatening the entire monument with destruction. It is enclosed with a spacious gavit, fortified by solid stone ramparts and planted with hundreds of fruit-bearing trees. The sanctuary comprises two single-floor rooms built of brick and having earthen roofs. They have their own kitchen and are intended for the toller and pilgrims...”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 409, list 1, file 2666, p. 25.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 56.

Historical Introduction
1935 y․

On 7 November 1935, the Spiritual Council of Gandzak Diocese charged Karapet Rostomian (Arustamian) with guarding Cholak’s Sourb Astvatzatzin Church.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 409, list 1, file 2679, p. 37.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 56.

1936 y․

A letter (10 August 1936) Senior Priest Hovsep Harutiunian addressed to Echmiatzin’s Supreme Spiritual Council on behalf of the Armenian Spiritual Council of Gandzak (Kirovabad) Diocese reveals that “...without the Diocese Council’s knowledge, Comrade Kuliyev, Chairman of the Municipal Council, ordered to demolish Cholak’s pilgrimage site under the plea that it was on the verge of collapse and, therefore, was very dangerous...” To the aforementioned clergyman’s question if it was not possible to repair the monument instead of destroying it, Kuliyev gave the following answer, “...It should be levelled to its very foundations. I can never permit people to visit it...” On 14 September of the same year, the Spiritual Council of Gandzak Diocese convened an emergency session which considered the issue of the pilgrimage site that had already been reduced to ruins: “...that emergency session, attended by the members of the Spiritual Council of the diocese and several citizens, particularly dwelt upon the illegal demolition of Cholak’s sanctuary...” Nonetheless, even after the destruction of the church, the site remained sacred among the Armenians of Gandzak and the adjacent villages. Thus, in 1945, when St. Grigor Lusavorich Church had already reopened, vast multitudes of believers kept visiting Cholak’s sanctuary. With that regard, in 1945 the chairman of the Spiritual Council of the diocese addressed a letter to Catholicos of All Armenians Gevorg VI, particularly stating the following, “...That chapel once enjoyed great fame, and even today many believers from Gandzak and the district attend it, light candles there and kiss the khachkars scattered in the neighbourhood. Although Gandzak’s Sourb Lusavorich Church now functions, people continue visiting Cholak on Sundays. Some speculators sell candles there, thus stripping the newly-opened church not only of its significance and income but also of its community, for almost no people attend it on Sundays. Humbly informing You about it, I think the only way out of the current situation is to solemnly convey the cross-stones of the aforementioned chapel to the churchyard...”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 409, list 1, file 2683, p. 13; file 2684, p. 8; file 2692, p. 15.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 56.

1948 y․

Most probably, the problem was settled not through the removal of Cholak’s cross-stones to St. Grigor Lusavorich, but by sending a priest to that sacred site on Sundays. This supposition is substantiated by a letter (1948) Melik-Stepanian, a representative of the Spiritual Council of Gandzak Diocese, addressed to Shahbazbekov, the person responsible for the Religious Affairs at the Council of Ministers of Soviet Azerbaijan: “This is to inform You that a site called Cholak and located in Kirovabad used to retain a monastery that was demolished in 1930. Believers still visit it on Sundays and offer sacrifices there under the guidance of priests invited from Kirovabad City.”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 409, list 1, file 2700, p. 7, in Russian (the original reads, “Настоящим ставлю Вас в известность о том, что на территории г. Кировабада в местности Челак имелся монастырь, который был разрушен в 1930 году. Указанное место верующий народ по воскресным дням посещает, устраивая жертвоприношения, куда приглашаются священники города Кировабада…”).
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, pp. 56-57.

1989 y․

Cholak’s church was constantly visited by vast multitudes of pilgrims during the period between its destruction and the Armenians’ deportation in 1989, and that “despite the fact that the Government had never granted them any official permission to do so...”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 409, list 2700, p. 1.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 57.

1986 y․

In 1986 we found another 2 inscriptions commemorating the renovation of the former church and some donation made to it.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 57.

Inscription, Armenian, Engraved, Construction 1867 y․

Below follows the construction inscription of the monument:
This church of God’s Only Begotten Son, dedicated to the Holy Virgin, was built through Hovhannes Mirumiants’ means in perpetuation of his living soul on 1 August 1867.
The Armenian original published in: Barkhutariants, M. Artsakh. Baku, 1895, p. 51.
Note: During our visit to the church in 1986, we found the inscription deliberately broken to pieces.