13:39, 25 June 2018

Over 200 people come to consecration of bells and cathedral in Stepanakert

The main bell in the Cathedral of the Holy Protection of God's Mother in the city of Stepanakert. Photo by Alvard Grigoryan for the "Caucasian Knot"

The city of Stepanakert has held a consecration ceremony of three bells and two crosses for the Cathedral of the Holy Protection of God's Mother that is under construction. As reported by Pargev Martirosyan, the Head of the Artsakh (Karabakh) Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, over 3 million US dollars for the construction of the cathedral were donated by philanthropists.

Local residents said that the need to build a big cathedral in Stepanakert was longstanding. Now, the city has only one small church of Saint Akop (Jacob). This is very small for a city with a population of almost 55,000, Father Martirosyan has noted, adding that "it is very symbolic that the tuff for cladding the temple was brought from Armenia, from the place next to the ancient Armenian capital of Ani. The crosses and bells were cast in Russia."

The press service of the Ministry of Urban Development of Nagorno-Karabakh said that it is planned to open the cathedral on October 1 this year.

According to Angelika Babayan, a resident of Stepanakert, she entered the unfinished temple with "indescribable feelings."

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 25, 2018 at 01:55 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Alvard Grigoryan

Source: CK correspondent