Sourb Astvatzatzin Church :: ARTSAKH HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Sourb Astvatzatzin Church

Azerbaijan / Northern Artsakh / Dashkesan / Karhat (Nerkin)

Historical Introduction

Sourb Astvatzatzin, mentioned in 1656 and 1659.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 171.

A great number of archive documents dating from the period before 1878 (1849,412 1852,413 1861,414 1872,415 1878416) attest that the village had a wooden church (indeed, its wooden roof is meant) called St. Stepanos.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3818, pp. 96-97; file 3819, p. 106; file 3835, pp. 148-149; 3872, pp. 30-31; file 3870, pp. 22-23.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 171.

1882 y․

From 1882 onwards (1882, 1885), the same sanctuary is referred to as a stone monument dedicated to the Holy Virgin. This suggests that between 1878 and 1882, the local church of St. Stepanos was reconstructed (perhaps, thoroughly) and reconsecrated.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3874, p. 30; file 3877, p. 29.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 171.

Repairs
1903 y․

In 1903 the roof of the church was in bad need of repairs: “ Nerkin Karhat and its Sourb Astvatzatzin Church are absolutely devoid of any support. The latter does not have any benefactors to meet its economic and other needs. It is now on the verge of utter collapse so that we should certainly prevent its final destruction by tiling its roof. The sanctuary should have its own patrons and trustees to sponsor its renovation. Taking into account the aforementioned, we are applying to You for permission to spend three hundred rubles from the church budget to carry out the necessary work…” According to an estimate, the overhaul expenses amounted to 1,473 rubles, but the local people had managed to procure only 262 rubles through donations. As attested by an archive document of 1911, the spiritual powers did not meet Karhat inhabitants’ request, and the condition of the sanctuary did not improve at all.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3368, pp. 17-18.
National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 1273, p. 11, 16.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 171.

Historical Introduction
1927 y․

Sourb Astvatzatzin Church was totally demolished in 1927.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 171.

Name	Year/Century	Etymology
St. Stepanos	1849 y․