Church > The Srbots Nahatakats (Holy Martyrs) Church of Aghavno village

The Srbots Nahatakats (Holy Martyrs) Church of Aghavno village

Location

The church is situated in the administrative region of Aghavno village in the Kashatagh region of the Republic of Artsakh, near the checkpoint serving as the official entrance to the Republic of Artsakh (Figs. 1, 2).  It is currently under the occupation of the Azerbaijani military.

Fig. 1 The general view of the church, photo by A. Grigoryan.

Fig. 2 The general view of the church, photo by A. Grigoryan.

Historical overview

The construction of The Srbots Nahatakats Church was completed in 2002, and it stands as a tribute to the memory of freedom fighters who gave their lives in the battles of liberation and self-defense in Berdzor and the surrounding areas. The initiative for the construction of the Aghavno church was led by Paruyr Hayrikyan, the head of the "National Self-Determination Unit" party, who served as the commandant overseeing those territories during the initial Artsakh war. The construction of the church was made possible through the donations of Paruyr Hayrikyan and members of the party. Additional financial support for the church's construction came from American-Armenian philanthropist Vahe Karapetyan, who also served as the benefactor (godfather) of the church. This information is attested by the construction inscription carved on the western wall of the church (Fig. 3). The church was designed by the renowned architect Baghdasar Arzumanyan and was constructed during the tenure of Alexan Hakobyan, the head of the Kashatagh administrative district, who also further facilitated the realization of this project with the support (12 churches have been built in Artsakh since independence, https://hetq.am/hy/article/640*/15).

Fig. 3 The main entrance of the church, photo by A. Grigoryan.

Architectural-compositional examination

The church features a cruciform composition with a prominent central dome (Fig. 4). A small bell tower adorns the roof of the western facade (Fig. 5), and the sole entrance is positioned on the west facade. Above the entrance, a carved cross is situated, accompanied by the building inscription below and around it.

Fig. 4 The eastern facade of the church, photo by A. Grigoryan.

Fig. 5 The bell tower of the church, photo by A. Grigoryan.

The church is constructed using bluish-cut basalt stone and cement mortar. Inside, it comprises only a stage and a baptismal font, without any sacristies (Figs. 6, 7, 8). Adjacent to the church stands a khachkar from the 10th-11th century (Fig. 9), featuring two simple, two-lobed crosses intricately carved using the technique of removing the back.

Next to the church, there is also a modern khachkar, which, as indicated by the inscription, was built in memory of Rejekeyan Vahram and Ermans (Fig. 10). Adjacent to the church stands a memorial dedicated to the freedom fighters who lost their lives in the battles for self-defense and liberation of the surrounding areas. The memorial comprises four stone slabs, with the upper part bearing the inscription: "They are with us forever," and the names of the fallen freedom fighters engraved at the bottom.

Fig. 6 The interior view of the church, photo by A. Grigoryan.

Fig. 7 The interior view of the church, photo by A. Grigoryan.

Fig. 8 The interior view of the church, photo by A. Grigoryan.

Fig. 9 A medieval khachkar near the church, photo by A. Grigoryan.

Fig. 10 The newly erected khachkar near the church, photo by A. Grigoryan.

The condition before and after the war

The Church of Srbots Nahatakats remained undamaged during the 44-day war in 2020 and was in good condition. However, in August 2022, Aghavno village came under the control of Azerbaijan, and the fate of the church became unknown. Given that it is a relatively new structure dedicated to the memory of Armenian soldiers who perished during the liberation of the area, there is concern and speculation that the church may face the risk of demolition by Azerbaijan. Due to the impending transfer of Berdzor city, Aghavno, and Sus villages under the control of Azerbaijan in August 2022, the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh conducted the evacuation of movable cultural monuments from these settlements in early August 2022 (for more details, see https://monumentwatch.org/en/2022/08/26/the-evacuation-of-monuments-of-the-period-of-independence-from-berdzor-aghavno-and-nerkin-sus-has-been-completed/).

Bibliography

    1. Twelve churches built in Artsakh since independence, https://hetq.am/hy/article/64015.
    2. The evacuation of monuments of the period of independence from Berdzor, Aghavno, and Nerkin Sus has been completed, https://monumentwatch.org/en/2022/08/26/the-evacuation-of-monuments-of-the-period-of-independence-from-berdzor-aghavno-and-nerkin-sus-has-been-completed/.
The Srbots Nahatakats (Holy Martyrs) Church of Aghavno village
The Srbots Nahatakats (Holy Martyrs) Church of Aghavno village
The Srbots Nahatakats (Holy Martyrs) Church of Aghavno village
Artsakh