St. Minas Church :: ARTSAKH HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

St. Minas Church 1872 y․

Azerbaijan / Northern Artsakh / Artzvashen

Location

St. Minas Church, standing in the centre of the village, and dating back to 1872.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 554.

Description
1888 y․

A visitor who saw it in 1888 describes it in the following way, “...the church which represents a high building of tiled roof is distinguished for its splendid ornamentation.”

“Nor-Dar,” 1888, No. 105, p. 3.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 554.

Historical Introduction
20 c․

In the ‘30s of the 20th century, the sanctuary turned into a warehouse of agricultural products; moreover, under the plea of “repairs,” the oaken logs of its roof were removed and replaced by ordinary boards. The interior of the former church underwent some changes, being adjusted to a hall for funeral feasts.

Arakelian (Madunts), A. A Troublesome Spring in “Smaller Artsakh.” In: “Avangard,” 21 May 1992, p. 2.
“Azatamart,” September 1991, No. 29, p. 12. In the days of self-defence in November 1991, the baptism of more than 60 Artzvashen Armenians, both young and aged, was held in St. Minas Church, with Priest Tirayr Sahratian officiating at the ceremony. Its main goal was to strengthen the local people’s devotion to the Armenian Church (Petrossian, A. A Baptism Ceremony in Artzvashen. In: “Yerkir,” 19 November 1991, p. 6, in Armenian).
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, pp. 554-555.

1991 y․

The monument was planned to go through some renovation in 1991.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 555.

Architectural Description

It represents a structure of rectangular plan with two eastern vestries. St. Minas Church had the following inscriptions.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 554.

Inscription, Armenian, Engraved, Construction 1872 y․

Carved above the southern entrance of the church:
This church, dedicated to St. Minas, was built through the means of Bashkyand people on 5 May 1872.
The Armenian original published in: Barkhutariants, M. Artsakh. Baku, 1895, p. 311.
Petrossian, A. Artzvashen: Its Past and Present History. In: “Azatamart,” No. 1, 1992, p. 12.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 555.

Inscription, Armenian, Engraved, Commemoration

Incised into “a square stone” (apparently, a cross-stone) lying in the southern sacristy:
In the name of the Lord, I, David, erected this cross in memory of my son Antik in the year 1288.
The Armenian original published in: “Nor-Dar,” 1888, No. 105, p. 3.
Note: The aforementioned decipherment of the inscription contains a misprint. As is known, the letters of the Armenian alphabet also stand for numerals: thus, the beginning of the year in the Armenian original is deciphered as ‘Զ’ (6) which should have been read as ‘Ջ’ (900, i.e. 1488) or ‘Ռ’ (1000, i.e. 1588), the last version being more probable.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 555.

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

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