Azerbaijan vandalizes one more church in Artsakh

Azerbaijan is continuing its policy of destruction of cultural values and the erasure of Armenian traces in the occupied territories of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

A video disseminating on social media reveals that the Azerbaijanis have removed the cross from the “Spitak Khach” (White Cross) in the village of Vank, Hadrut province. Under the pretext of reconstruction, the Azerbaijani side, in addition to the cross, has also destroyed the roof of the church. This way, Azerbaijan tries to fully erase the traces of Armenian culture in the region and present one more Armenian church as “Udi church”, Karabakh Records reports.

This is evidenced by the fact that at the beginning of November 2021, Azerbaijan organized a visit to the church for the representatives of the clergy of the Udi community. During the visit, the church was referred to as a “monument of Albano-Udi culture”, which has nothing in common with reality.

The exact date of the foundation of the church is not known. The oldest inscription dates back to the 14th century. The inscription was preserved inside the church under the north arch. It says, “Me, Sirа, erected this khachkar for my father, Khutlap, in the year of 1333.”

Another preserved inscription states, “It was built in 1735. This was the year of Tahmasp Qoli Khan. The bell tower was built in memory of Bishop Avanes, the son of Surap.” This, most likely, is the year of the reconstruction of the church bell tower.

Other inscriptions that have been preserved also mention the reconstructions in the church territory.