St. Astvatzatzin (Holy Mother of God) Church :: ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

St. Astvatzatzin (Holy Mother of God) Church 1861 y․

Azerbaijan / Northern Artsakh / Khanlar / Murut

Location

Sourb Astvatzatzin Cloister (later Sourb Astvatzatzin Church) of Myuronut, which was one of the most famous sanctuaries throughout Gandzak District, used to stand at the south-western extremity of the village.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 429.

Repairs
1877 — 1881 yy․

Between 1877 and 1881, it was thoroughly reconstructed into a parish church.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 429.

Historical Introduction

The available scientific literature does not contain any significant records on the foundation of the sanctuary. Nor is there any valuable information regarding the other buildings of the monastic complex and a church allegedly located nearby and preserved until 1877.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 429.

1800 y․

In 1800 Prior of “Mrut Cloister” Archimandrite Harutiun died and was buried in the yard of Gandzak’s St. Hovhannes Church.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 429.

1838 y․

One of the earliest sources mentions Myuronut Monastery in connection with its plunder committed in 1838: “...on the night of 23 June, some bandits broke into the pilgrimage site of Myurnot rising at the top of a mountain and having two friars: all its vessels were stolen.” In the aftermath of that burglary, the sanctuary suffered grave financial losses: “...Myurnot Cloister has been robbed of different items and articles totaling 1,109 rubles in silver coins.”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 56, list 1, file 436, p. 1, 3.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 429.

Priors
1839 y․

In 1839 Friar Hovhannes Hovhannissiants served as Father Superior of the sanctuary.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 457, p. 8.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 429.

Historical Introduction
1847 y․

An archive document of 1847 states that “the church had a room and two winter encampments.”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3814, pp. 109-110.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 429.

Estates
1853 y․

In 1853 the lands of Sourb Astvatzatzin Cloister were included within the following boundaries, “...a road called Yotn-Shahar in the east; the Saru-Su tributary in the west; Saru-Yal Road in the south, and the river Yelisavetpol in the north...”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 2742, p. 6.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, pp. 429-430.

Priors

In 1853 the cloister comprised a single clergyman who served as Father Superior there.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 2743, pp. 20-21.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 430.

Historical Introduction
19 c․

According to some archive documents (1849, 1852, 1861 and 1862), the sanctuary had a stone church which is mentioned by the name of Sourb Astvatzatzin in 1861.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3818, pp. 96-97; file 3819, p. 105; file 3835, pp. 147-148; file 3836, p. 58.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 430.

Mahtesy Kerovbe Ter-Martirossiants built a parish church in the site of Myuronut Cloister with his own means: “Our small, poor village could not afford to erect a church so that Mahtesy Kerovbe Ter-Martirossiants, a merchant from Gandzak, ...had a finely-finished stone church built there at the cost of about ten thousand rubles. That gentleman, however, does not confine himself to only that: almost every year he makes some donation to the sanctuary. Recently he has given it a pair of big bells.”

“Nor-Dar,” 1896, No. 120, p. 1.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 430.

1881 y․

The construction of the church took four years. It was completed in 1881 and was solemnly consecrated in the same year: “It is already four years since honourable citizen of Gandzak Mahtesy Kerovbe Ter-Martirossiants embarked upon the construction of Morut’s Sourb Astvatzatzin Church with his own means. Working with great devotion, he spent several thousand rubles on the House of God in times of famine when everything was incredibly expensive. The sanctuary, built of finely-dressed stone, was blessed in a great ceremony held on the feast-day of the Holy Cross (Sunday).”

“Meghu Hayastani,” 1881, No. 258, p. 3.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 430.

1988 y․

Until 1988 the church preserved its construction inscription, which is of great value to the study of its history.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 430.

The site of the former cloister retained its fame of pilgrimage place even after the construction of the church.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 431.

1900 y․

In summers the number of people living in Murut greatly increased, as it served as a summer resort for large multitudes of Gandzak citizens. Taking into account that fact in March 1900, the inhabitants of the village decided to add a belfry to the church and fortify its yard with ramparts: “...consulting each other, we came to the conclusion that it was necessary to build a belfry in front of our church. In summertime, a great number of people come here from Gandzak, and on Sundays and feast-days it turns out too small to accommodate all of them: many of them are not even able to stand inside it. Besides, we find it most important to enclose the church within ramparts, for the northern road extending near it is gradually coming to ruins and may endanger the monument in the very near future.”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3406, p. 3.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 431.

1901 y․

A year later, on 11 June 1901, the residents of Murut changed their plans: “...instead of building a belfry, we had better extend the western wall of the church by several arshins. Once we have done so, it will become large enough to provide room for both the local people and pilgrims. Later we can erect a belfry above the newly-added part of the church if it proves necessary (the present means of the sanctuary will hardly suffice to cover these expenses).”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3406, p. 12.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 431.

1907 y․

By 1907 the aforementioned reconstruction had already been completed, but its project and estimate of expenditures had not been approved previously: “...the belfry of the church was founded and erected without any plan, and no architect supervised the work.”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3406, p. 19.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, pp. 431-432.

Priests
1905 — 1910 yy․

Between 1905 and 1910, Priest Grigor Ter-Sargissiants served the village community.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 817, p. 7; fund 458, list 1, file 184, p. 7; fund 461, list 1, file 12, p. 58.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 432.

Inscription, Armenian, Engraved, Construction 1881 y․

5 lines in the Armenian original carved on two blocks of stone placed above the church entrance:
I, citizen of Gandzak Mahtesy Kerob Ter-Martirossian, built Sourb Astvatzatzin Church of Murut Village with my own means in the year 1881 in memory of my grandfather, Senior Priest Martiros, my parents Mkrtum and Hripsime as well as my wives Khanum and Sehar.
The Armenian original published in: “Ardzagank,” 1886, No. 20, p. 294; Barkhutariants, M. Artsakh. Baku, 1895, p. 272.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 431.

Inscription, Armenian, Engraved, Commemoration

The following Biblical citation is engraved below the construction inscription:
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

The Armenian original published in: “Ardzagank,” 1886, No. 20, p. 294; Barkhutariants, M. Artsakh. Baku, 1895, p. 272; Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 431.

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1980 — 1982 yy․

Type Photo
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1980 — 1982 yy․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Direction From the west
Author Hovhannes Badalyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 1980 — 1982 yy․

Type Photo
View Detail
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1980 — 1982 yy․

Construction inscription

Type Photo
Author Hovhannes Badalian

Gate

Name	Year/Century	Etymology
Sourb Astvatzatzin Cloister