Peacemakers accompany pilgrims to Nagorno-Karabakh monasteries

Russian militaries have escorted a group of over 130 pilgrims to the Amaras and Ganzasar Monasteries located in the territories of Nagorno-Karabakh controlled by Azerbaijan, the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has informed.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Russian peacemakers are ensuring pilgrims' safety when they visit monasteries located in the territories now under Azerbaijani control. Thus, on March 16, Russian militaries escorted pilgrims to the Dadivank Monastery; and on May 31, they ensured the safety of the believers who visited the Amaras Monastery.

Now, Russian militaries have escorted 134 Armenian pilgrims to the Amaras and Gandzasar Monasteries. In just a month, they accompanied about 700 pilgrims, says the website of the Russian MoD.

The Dadivank Monastery of the Armenian Apostolic Church is now in the territory of Karabakh, which has passed under Azerbaijan's control. Believers expressed fears that they would no longer be able to visit the monastery. The abbot and the brethren decided not to leave Dadivank.

Amaras is an early medieval Armenian monastery of the 4th century. It contains the body of Grigoris, a grandson of Gregory the Illuminator, who died a martyr's death around 334 in Albania, the "russia-artsakh.ru" informs.