Azerbaijan Destroys St. Sarkis Church in Mohrenis

The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin expresses deep sorrow as it notes that, like during the Second Artsakh War, Azerbaijan has continued its violations and barbaric actions against the Armenian spiritual and cultural heritage in the post-war period. This was stated in a declaration by the office of the preservation of Artsakh's spiritual and cultural heritage, published on the "Artsakh Heritage" Facebook page.

Recently, a study of satellite imagery released by the Cornell University’s Caucasus Heritage Watch revealed that Azerbaijan has completely destroyed the St. Sarkis Church (18th-19th centuries) in the village of Mohrenis in the Hadrut region. The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin strongly condemns the ongoing cultural genocide perpetrated by Azerbaijan, the aim of which is clear: to deprive Artsakh of its historical identity and any evidence of Armenian presence.

This adopted policy aims to deepen the atmosphere of hatred and intolerance between nations and does not contribute to the reestablishment of lasting peace in the region. The Armenian Apostolic Holy Church calls on the international community and relevant organizations to provide a clear assessment of this crime and to take concrete steps to protect the Armenian spiritual and cultural historical heritage in areas under Azerbaijan’s control from further destruction.