Holy Mother of God Cathedral, Stepanakert

Holy Mother of God Cathedral
Սուրբ Աստվածամոր Հովանու մայր տաճար
The church after completion in December 2019
Religion
Affiliation	Armenian Apostolic Church
Rite	Armenian
Status	Operational
Location
Location	Khankendi, Azerbaijan
Shown within Azerbaijan
Geographic coordinates	39°48′46″N 46°44′56″E
Architecture
Type	Cathedral
Style	Armenian
Groundbreaking	2006
Completed	2019

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 (Armenian: Stepanakert), 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 the Armenian population had fled the city and Azerbaijan had taken control.[5]

Gallery

• 
  The cathedral under construction in 2018

See also

• Armenia–Azerbaijan relations
• Christianity in Azerbaijan

References

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.