Armenian priest continues his religious service at Dadivank Monastery of Artsakh

News.am, Armenia
Oct 9 2021

No pilgrims have visited the Armenian Dadivank Monastery of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) since May 2—and due to restrictions imposed by the Azerbaijani side. Father Atanas Sargsyan, who is currently serving at Dadivank, told about this to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

"I do not know how long this situation will last, but I am full of hope that there will be a solution. The Catholicos [of All Armenians] is working in this regard, and let's see what happens," he added.

The clergyman said that they are currently in complete isolation, there are a large number of Azerbaijani servicemen on all sides, but the monastery is guarded by Russian peacekeepers.

"Despite all this, there is absolutely no fear. The church is standing, nothing has happened [to it], we are standing [here] at the cost of our lives, trying to lift and not let them destroy the fallen ‘stone.’ Both physically and mentally, our sacrifice is at the moment, and I hope it will not be in vain. Udis have come [here] several times, made pilgrimages, performed some spiritual ceremonies, and gone back," the Armenian priest said.

According to Father Sargsyan, the future of Dadivank is directly comparable to the future of the country: everything is uncertain now, but the important thing is the faith that should not be lost.

"Whoever has faith, the impossible will happen; we are here with that faith, we are waiting for a miracle. It is sad that it is already the second year that we welcome the first snow at Dadivank in these conditions," added Father Atanas Sargsyan.

Dadivank is one of the most ancient Christian monasteries of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is located in Artsakh’s Karvachar (Kelbajar) region which came under the control of Azerbaijan after the trilateral statement of November 9 last year. A security checkpoint of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Artsakh is located nearby this monastery.


Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS