Holy Mother of God Cathedral, Stepanakert

Church in Stepanakert, Azerbaijan

39°48′46″N 46°44′56″E / 39.81278°N 46.74889°E / 39.81278; 46.74889ArchitectureTypeCathedralStyleArmenianGroundbreaking2006Completed2019

Holy Mother of God Cathedral (Armenian: Սուրբ Աստվածամոր Հովանու մայր տաճար, romanized: Surb Astvatsamor Hovanu Mayr Tachar), also known as Surb Astvatsamor Hovanu Cathedral, is a church of the Armenian Apostolic Church, located in the city of Khankendi, Azerbaijan. A 4-meter statue of King Vachagan III was planned[needs update] to be placed on a 2-meter pedestal near the church.[1][2] The church - under construction for 12 years - was consecrated on April 7, 2019.[3]

History

The cathedral became a bomb shelter during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, with civilians taking refuge in the basement of the cathedral from Azerbaijan's bombardment of Stepanakert.[4]

The last liturgy was served in the cathedral on 1 October 2023 after the majority of Armenian population had fled the city and Azerbaijan had taken control.[5]

Gallery

  • The cathedral under construction in March 2018
    The cathedral under construction in March 2018

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Holy Mother of God Cathedral, Stepanakert.
  1. ^ [1] Archived 24 November 2015 at the Wayback Machine Construction of St. Mary Mother Cathedral of Stepanakert
  2. ^ "Since independence, 12 churches have been constructed in Artsakh and 4 are under construction" (in Armenian). Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  3. ^ "Official ceremony of consecration and opening Cathedral of Intercession takes place in Stepanakert". news.am.
  4. ^ "Karabakh cathedral repurposed as bomb shelter". France24. 4 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Last liturgy is served in Stepanakert Cathedral". News.am. 1 October 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.