Тhe First Orthodox Church in Artsakh

On November 10, the Orthodox Church of the Nativity of Christ was opened on the territory of the Russian military town near Stepanakert. After the opening, the first prayer was served in the temple.

The Primate of the Artsakh Diocese, Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan, as well as the Primate of the Armavir Diocese, Archbishop Zion Adamyan and the pastor of the South Russian city of Essenduk, Father Gyut Kagramanyan, were invited to the opening ceremony. Bishop Vrtanes congratulated the peacekeepers on the opening of the church:

“Dear brothers and sisters, dear Lieutenant General Gennady Anashkin and Lieutenant General Rustam Muradov, generals and officers, Honorable Father Vadim!

On behalf of all the clergy of the Armenian Church, headed by the Catholicos of All Armenians, we express our sincere joy and congratulations on the opening of this wonderful Church of the Holy Nativity of Christ at the headquarters of the Russian peacekeeping mission in Artsakh. This beautiful house of prayer proves once again that the establishment of peace is the work of God, as our Lord Jesus Christ says: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they will be called sons of God” (Matt. 5: 9).

This church will contribute to the achievement of inner peace and harmony for the military personnel serving here. As the head of the Artsakh Diocese, I am glad to see that great attention is paid to the spiritual training of the military. Taking this opportunity, we would like to express our gratitude to the first Commander of the Peacekeeping Forces in Artsakh, Lieutenant General Rustam Muradov, who in every possible way supported the implementation of this project and under His direct leadership, the construction work of the church was carried out. We would also like to thank our beloved spiritual brother - Father Boris, this church was built thanks to his perseverance and hard work. The duration of the prayer here today will be provided by our dear spiritual brother, Father Vadim, and these prayers will support the newly appointed commander-in-chief Lieutenant General Gennady Anashkin in his important mission of maintaining peace in Artsakh.

I remember with great joy how the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II visited the Headquarters of Russian Peacekeepers a few months ago, personally got acquainted with this initiative and made a significant contribution to its implementation. This is a very deep and unprecedented historical event, meaning that this Church of the Nativity of Christ is, to a certain extent, the birth of the joint efforts of the Armenian and Russian peoples.

We take this opportunity to express our gratitude to the President of the Russian Federation, Mr. Vladimir Putin, thanks to whose efforts a lasting peace was established in Artsakh, and for the fact that he showed special concern for the Dadivank monastery complex. We express our gratitude to the Command of the Peacekeeping Forces for the fact that, together with their difficult mission, they support the Artsakh Diocese in the protection of Dadivank, Amaras and other issues.

We see houses of prayer of two different religions - Christian and Muslim - stand side by side here. I think that this phenomenon is also fraught with a certain meaning. In fact, God is one, but there are many paths leading to him. The Lord our God is the God of peace, and peace, in the end, is the main task of all those present here. Therefore, I wish that with God's help we achieve full-fledged peace in our souls and in the country. May God bless you all! "

In the same place, near the church, the opening ceremony of the monument to the peacemaker and the Alley of Russian Glory took place in honor of the anniversary of the entry of the peacekeeping contingent in Artsakh.