Azerbaijanis Remove Cross from White Cross Church

Azerbaijan continues its systematic destruction of cultural values and Armenian footprints in the occupied territories of the Artsakh Republic. Since the end of 2020, examples of cultural genocide carried out by Azerbaijan in the occupied territories of Artsakh have increased, including the White Cross Church in the village of Vank in the Hadrut region. A video circulating in the Azerbaijani sphere of social networks clearly shows that Azerbaijanis have removed the church's cross.

Under the pretense of renovation, the Azerbaijani side has also dismantled the church's roof, attempting to erase Armenian cultural traces completely and present yet another Armenian church as "Udi." Evidence of this is that in early November 2021, Azerbaijan organized a visit for representatives of its Udi community’s spiritual leaders to the church. During the visit, the church was presented as a "Udi cultural monument," which has no resemblance to reality.

The exact year of the church's foundation is unknown. The earliest known inscription dates back to the 14th century (1333 AD). The inscription has been preserved inside the church under the north arch’s cross-stone: "I, Siravk, erected the cross in the year of my Lord Khutlapi, the year 1333." Another surviving inscription notes: "Built in the year 1735 during the reign of Khan Takhmaz, by Surap's son, Bishop Avanes." This likely indicates the year of the church's bell tower renovation.

Further surviving inscriptions also attest to repair works carried out in the church area. Before the war, the Vank consisted of a church, a courtyard, a guesthouse, hewn stone cells, a cemetery, and a wall-mounted cross-stone. The wall-mounted cross-stone occupies a particularly significant place in the monastic complex, measuring 290 cm in width, 230 cm in thickness, and around 4 meters in height. It represents the theme of the "Second Coming of the Cross," where two cherubim carry the cross, a theme known in cross-stone culture since the 12th century.

The inscription commemorating the erection of the stone is engraved on the top of the column of the semi-arch stone: "I, Ajam, son of Ishkan, erected the cross for the salvation of my son Asudara. All who read this, remember in your holy prayers, I beseech: in my year: 1346."

The wall-mounted cross-stone located in the monastery area, photo by monumentwatch.org, and image from Hamlet Petrosyan's Facebook page. In the summer of 2020, renovation works had begun in the church area but were halted due to the war initiated by Azerbaijan against Artsakh on September 27, 2020.

Additional information about the White Cross Church can be found in the book of Makara Barkhutarents, Artsakh (Page 67).