The Surb Gevorg church of Sos village

The Surb Gevorg church of Sos village

Location

The church is located in the village of Sos, in the Martuni region of the Republic of Artsakh, perched on the slope of a high hill.

Historical overview

The church has no historical data, but based on its dimensions and construction techniques, it is dated to the 19th century. The only known account of the church comes from Makar Barkhudaryants: "The Church of Surb Gevorg is built of stone and lime, without arches or columns. It is 12.6 meters long and 7.9 meters wide. Above the entrance, on the façade stone, it is written: 'I ask you to love each other'..." (Barkhutareants 1895, 116).

Architectural-compositional examination

The church is a single-nave, vaulted hall enclosed within a walled courtyard (Figs. 1, 2). It is constructed from small and medium-sized coarse local whitish limestone, with polished window frames and cornerstones. The only entrance is on the north facade. There is one wide window on each facade. The nave of the hall and the semicircular high stage have a pronounced arrow-shaped volume (Fig. 3). The interior walls are plastered. The sheet metal roofing has collapsed, and the fence is significantly damaged.

Fig. 1 The general view of the church and the enclosed courtyard, photo by A. Sargsyan.

Fig. 2 The general view of the church from the south, photo by A. Sargsyan.

Fig. 3 The interior of the church, photo by A. Sargsyan.

The condition before and after the war

The church was not functioning but had become a folk sanctuary, as evidenced by the various crosses and icons placed on the stage (Fig. 4). The church was not damaged during the Artsakh wars, but it is in a state of emergency, with cracks on the walls and roof. During the Soviet years, the building was used for economic purposes. The main entrance of the church is damaged, and the hewn stones are missing. The eastern window above the shrine is also damaged (video 1).

Fig. 4 The bema of the church, photo by A. Sargsyan.

Bibliography

  1. Barkhutareants 1895 - M. Barkhutareants, Artsakh, Baku.
The Surb Gevorg church of Sos village
The Surb Gevorg church of Sos village
The Surb Gevorg church of Sos village
Artsakh