Armenian Church condemns Azerbaijan's destruction of church in Karabakh
St. James Church in Stepanakert, whose destruction was condemned by the Armenian Church. Photo: Pastinfo
On April 23, 2026, the Armenian Apostolic Church stated that Azerbaijani authorities had destroyed St. James Church and other monuments in Stepanakert, Karabakh, Pastinfo reported.
In a statement, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin said the church and monuments had been demolished under the pretext of removing “illegal structures.” It also voiced concern over reports of the destruction of the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Theotokos in Stepanakert.
The Church stressed that it views what is happening as the deliberate destruction of Armenian spiritual and cultural heritage. “This act of vandalism, carried out at the state level, testifies to the unchanged anti-Armenian policy of Azerbaijan,” the statement said.
Etchmiadzin noted that such actions call into question claims of a desire to establish lasting peace with Armenia.
The Armenian Apostolic Church urged the Armenian authorities to take urgent measures to prevent the further destruction of cultural heritage and appealed to the international community to respond to what is happening.
Earlier, the UOJ reported on the destruction of religious sites in Stepanakert, including cases confirmed by satellite imagery.
Read also
Zelensky awards staff of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Reserve
Managers and employees of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve received state orders and honorary titles.
Metropolitan Onuphry urges faithful to forgive from the heart
According to His Beatitude, if we want the Lord to forgive our sins, we must forgive those who wrong us.
TRC officers detain Kharkiv Seminary lecturer
Serhiy Zolotukhin stopped responding after being detained by TRC officers.
TRC detains Metropolitan Serhiy of Tulchyn
At around 9 a.m., military recruitment officers took the hierarch and his driver from their vehicle in Kyiv’s Darnytsia district.
Dumenko and Zelensky sign Book of Lavra Guardians
Having one’s name entered in the book is intended to become the highest form of recognition for a personal or institutional contribution to the Lavra’s development.
Dumenko: Zelensky helps free Lavra from “Russian world” shackles
At celebrations marking the 975th anniversary of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, the OCU head thanked the authorities and said the monastery was returning “to its true roots.”