Sourb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) Church :: ARTSAKH HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Sourb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) Church 1682 y․

NKR / Kashatagh / Mirik

Location

The Holy Virgin (Surb Astvatzatzin) church, representing a vaulted three-nave basilica built of coarse stone and mortar, is standing on a bare rock in the northern edge of Merik.

Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 131.

Architectural Description

The pillars, forming a cross in the section, and all the corner stones are finely processed. The building was plastered from the inside. Tomb stones (both wholesome and fragmented) dating back to the 12th - 17th centuries are fastened into the masonry. The only entrance opened in the southern facade is richly decorated. The church is illuminated through 6 windows widening from the inside. The baptism font designed as a cross is in its traditional place. The church has two sacristies situated by both sides of the altar. The walls reach 1,55 m in width, external dimensions - 20,60x12,00 m.

Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 131.

Description

During the Soviet rule the church had been serving as a village club.

Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 131.

Lapidary Inscriptions

The walls contain several inscriptions.

Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 131.

Inscription, Armenian, Engraved, Construction 1682 y․

The walls contain several inscriptions. The building inscription - on the tympanum, consists of 6 lines. It was first read in the beginning of the sixties:
“PARON (MASTER HAKHNAZAR) | I PARON HAKHNAZAR BUILT THIS HOLY VIRGIN CHURCH IN THE MEMORY OF MY PARENTS AND ME. REMEMBER MY FATHER PARON SARKIS, AND MY BROTHER HAIKAZ IN CHRIST. I, GAVE... 5 TUMANS TO THE HOLY TEMPLE IN THE MEMORY OF MY PARENTS AND MINE. WE, THE PEOPLE OF MIRIK GAVE 5 TUMANS TO THE HOLY TEMPLE IN THE MEMORY OF OUR PARENTS, AND OURS IN YEAR 1682.”

"Corpus", Issue 5, compiled by S. Barkhudarian, Yerevan, 1982, p. 196, published with numerous misprints, omissions of words and false script. The 4th line of inscription was collated in accordance with the publication of A. Hakobian, "Handes Amsorya", 1998, N 1-12, pp. 281-282.
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 131.

Inscription, Armenian, Engraved, Commemoration

An inscription inside the church, over the entrance to the sacristy reads:
“I, EMIN, ERECTED THIS ROMAN CROSS FOR MY FATHER ASTUATSATUR.

Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 131.

Type Photo
Direction From the east
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative

Type Photo
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative

Khachkar fastened into the southern facade

Type Photo
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative

Khachkar fastened into the southern facade

Type Photo
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative

Entrance in the southern facade of the church

Author Samvel Karapetyan

Author Samvel Karapetyan
Date 2016 y․