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Azerbaijan is turning the Armenian Church of Holy Resurrection (Surb Hambardzum Church) in the Artsakh town of Berdzor (Lachin) into a mosque. Berdzor, including the Church of Holy Resurrection, was handed over to Azerbaijan on August 25, 2022. Prior to its surrender, the church was in good condition. Azerbaijani media reports suggest the dome and bell tower of the Armenian church will be dismantled and two minarets will be built.

The construction of the church was completed in 1998 and its dome cross was consecrated on May 31, 1998.

Its architect Hrachya Gasparyan says he is deeply upset by the news.

“I can’t put my feelings into words,” he told Panorama.am in an interview, highlighting its construction required great efforts at the time.

“God knows what will happen to the church. Probably, it is suffering the same fate as the Holy Apostles Church in Kars, which was converted into a mosque,” Gasparyan said.

The architect expressed the hope that Armenians would regain and restore the church in the future. He also called for strong efforts to preserve the Armenian cultural heritage

“If a nation wants to survive for long, they must have a good knowledge about the heritage inherited from their ancestors and cherish it,” he stated.