The Holy Mother of God Cathedral in Stepanakert

In continuing its policy of destroying Armenian cultural and religious buildings in occupied Artsakh, Azerbaijan has destroyed the Holy Mother of God Cathedral in central Stepanakert.

In an announcement posted on social media on Tuesday, the Artsakh Tourism & Culture Development Agency reported the latest such act of destruction by the Azerbaijani government.

“This is not just the demolition of a church. This is a continuation of the same policy that led to the Armenian Genocide a century ago. Today it manifests itself in new forms as a cultural genocide and a planned process of erasing the homeland, the goal of which is the final elimination of Armenian historical recollection, culture, and spiritual presence in Artsakh. Not only buildings are being destroyed, but also the identity, the past, and the right to the future of the [Armenian] people,” the agency’s statement said.

“Today, its destruction is another episode in the same tragic chain that began a century ago with the genocide [of the Armenians] and continues today before our eyes, directed not only against the stones, but also against the recollection, dignity, and right of the people to live and return to their homeland,” the statement emphasized, pointing out that the demolition happened on the eve of the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, consecrated the church on April 7, 2019 in a ceremony attended by government officials as residents filled the main cathedral in Stepanakert.

The the new edifice restored the centuries-old religious presence in the area where the church, which had been operating since the end of the 19th century, had been closed during the Soviet era and transformed into a secular building. The newly built church became a living symbol of the revival of faith, the preservation of recollection, and the continuity of Armenian identity.

“Under these conditions, the almost complete silence of the authorities of the Republic of Armenia is unacceptable. When our holy places are destroyed, silence is no longer neutrality—it becomes an accomplice to the crime being committed,” the announcement added.

“Equally shameful and dangerous is the silence of the international community, as well as international and specialized structures engaged in the protection of cultural heritage. This silence not only does not stop the criminal, but also encourages new crimes, creating a climate of impunity,” the agency said in its announcement.

“The authorities of the Republic of Armenia are obligated to give an immediate and clear political assessment to this barbarity, publicly condemn the policy of destruction of [Armenian] cultural heritage in Artsakh, and take active diplomatic steps to raise this issue on international platforms,” the agency emphasized.

“At the same time, it should be clearly recorded that the right of the Armenian population of Artsakh to return to their homeland is inalienable and cannot be questioned. The destruction of cultural heritage is also aimed at denying this right, disrupting the possibility of the people’s return through the erasure of recollection,” said the statement.

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