“To Return to Artsakh, We Must First Rediscover Ourselves” - Bishop Vrtanes
In September 2023, following the forced displacement of Artsakh’s population, the Supreme Spiritual Council resolved to preserve the Diocese of Artsakh of the Armenian Apostolic Church, albeit with adjustments to its functions. The primary mission of the Diocese became the preservation of the dream of returning to Artsakh.
Mediamax spoke with His Grace Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan, Primate of the Diocese of Artsakh, about the challenges faced, the Diocese’s ongoing work, and the imperative of renewing the covenant made with God by our forefathers.
— Your Grace, soon we will mark the first anniversary of Artsakh’s depopulation. What challenges do the people of Artsakh face today, and how can they overcome them?
— The subject is profoundly painful because we never imagined a time when the people of Artsakh and the land of Artsakh would live separated from each other.
Today, Artsakh is witnessing various troubling developments. Those who have occupied Artsakh seek to make it their own—lowering the cross, replacing its stones, demolishing churches, and constructing mosques in their place. They believe they can change the identity of Artsakh in this way, but they are gravely mistaken. The land itself will not allow it, for it does not belong to them.
One of our notable Catholicos, Karekin I, once said in a sermon that if we were to take soil from Artsakh and, for instance, soil from Canada to a laboratory, we might find the latter more fertile. However, soil is not defined solely by its chemical composition but also by the history that has unfolded upon it. The land is alive—it either accepts or rejects its inhabitants. Our enemies must come to understand this truth: Artsakh exists and will continue to exist.
That said, we must lament the destruction of our historical churches and monuments. May God forgive me for saying this, but we can rebuild them. More heartbreaking is the desecration of cemeteries, the essential link between the living and their ancestors. This act wounds our people deeply. Yet, what has been destroyed can be restored.
What also requires restoration is our moral fabric, for we have faltered in safeguarding the divine gift of this miraculous land. Instead of preserving and shining this treasure, we allowed it to dim. To rise again, we must reconnect with our genetic memory—a memory that carries the mandate to cherish the inheritance God has bestowed upon us. Artsakh is a divine gift, a luminous part of Armenia, and we must strengthen it, not squander or neglect it.
Every village in Artsakh has at least two churches, monasteries, or spiritual retreats. These sacred sites, handed down by our ancestors, are our Holy of Holies. They were meant to sustain Artsakh’s people and their mission for generations. But we failed to fulfill this responsibility.
In Scripture, God says, "I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Similarly, He is the God of our forefathers—Noah, Hayk, and St. Gregory the Illuminator. If our ancestors made a covenant with God to remain faithful to family, homeland, and Church, and we have broken that covenant, weakened it generation by generation, what should we expect? “If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind.”
To rise from this fallen state, Scripture advises us to turn to the Christian armory. This spiritual weaponry is impervious to rust and the passage of time. It demands self-examination, repentance, and acknowledgment of our failings. Have we given our homeland the devotion it has given us? How will we bridge the gap we have created?
To stand once again, we must purify ourselves. If our return to Artsakh is not immediate, let us ensure that the next generation can return in purity.
No one will hand Artsakh back to us on a silver platter. We must rediscover ourselves through our genetic memory and hold tightly to the spiritual hand of our ancestors.
— You’ve spoken about the destruction of our spiritual and cultural heritage in Artsakh by Azerbaijan, warning that it could sever spiritual connections. How can this be stopped?
— There are only two ways: either be strong enough to punish, or seek someone else to punish and prevent such actions. Currently, both paths are closed. The Armenian authorities remain silent, while Azerbaijan does as it pleases. International organizations are not only silent but deaf.
The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Diocese of Artsakh, and other organizations continue to raise these issues and knock on the doors of international institutions, but those doors remain closed. Nonetheless, we must persist in knocking, collect evidence, build comprehensive dossiers, and file legal claims—just like the widow in the Gospel parable who petitioned the unjust judge until he granted her justice. Today, these unjust judges may be deaf, but eventually, their hearts must open, and they will see our case. For this, our dossiers must be ready and substantial.
— Since November 2020, you have been leading the Office for the Preservation of Spiritual and Cultural Heritage of Artsakh at the Mother See. What work is being done?
— The office’s mission is to document all violations against Artsakh’s spiritual, historical, and cultural heritage, raise these issues with international organizations, organize conferences, and publish books.
This year, we held numerous meetings with representatives of international organizations and ambassadors to amplify the voice of the Artsakh people. We also engaged directly with our community to listen and speak on their behalf.
However, this effort must be part of a broader state policy. A small office cannot counter Azerbaijan’s state-backed propaganda.
They rewrite history, and unfortunately, many accept these fabrications because they prefer not to confront the truth.
— You’ve been visiting Armenian marzes and meeting with displaced Artsakh families. What is the purpose of these meetings?
— Over the past months, I’ve visited five marzes and met over 500 families. Alongside offering spiritual encouragement, I used a questionnaire to document key facts—how many live alone, how many are retirees, how many face psychological challenges, and how many are large families.
I can confidently say that over 80% of the Artsakh Armenians I’ve met are ready to return to Artsakh, provided it is not under Azerbaijani control. This percentage would increase with international security guarantees.
In October, I plan to continue these meetings in other marzes, hoping for larger and more youth-driven gatherings.
Through meetings in Yerevan, we aim to discuss spiritual life, culture, unity, and our shared vision of returning to Artsakh.
— Are the clergy of the Artsakh diocese continuing their service?
— Our priests are also in the same situation as our people, displaced, having lost everything. By the order of His Holiness the Patriarch, our priests have been assigned to different dioceses to temporarily continue their spiritual service there.
The priests feel happier when they see that there are also Artsakh residents in their service area. We also do not want our priests to be separated from their flock, they are also in the same worries and thoughts and constantly pray for a return to Artsakh and their native home of God, where they have served for years.
— How can we renew the covenant with God and make ourselves worthy of Artsakh again?
— The forced displacement, following the blockade and military actions, was a devastating blow. However, it is a source of solace that displaced Artsakh Armenians live among their compatriots in the Motherland. For this, we owe profound gratitude to our sisters and brothers in Armenia for their warmth and support.
I urge Artsakh Armenians to see themselves as secure and integral members of their homeland, to integrate and share their unique strengths. We must not allow artificial divisions to separate us—this is the work of evil. Let us pass on our culture and love, raise children with the spirit of Artsakh, and nurture the hope of return, never forgetting Artsakh in our hearts.
My call to our people is to firmly hold onto statehood—be it the Republic of Armenia or the Republic of Artsakh. We voted for the independence of Artsakh, and we must honor that vote. Turning away from this commitment is turning away from God, from Artsakh, and from our identity.
May our collective vision inspire Armenians in the homeland and diaspora to work with the same passion and resolve, demonstrating that the struggle is not over. The issue of Artsakh is not closed, and the dream of return lives on.
May God bless you all.
