By Hasmik Michelle Israelyan,
Hasmik wrote on Her Facebook Page
t is legendary. Berdzor St. Ascension Church St. The benevolent Mother of God and the Eagle that breaks the enemy’s yoke, both embody the sacred culture and spirit of Armenia. These monuments are our spiritual culture, the defenders of our self-awareness, the body-essence of Armenian self-awareness. These are not the only values that came close to the gates of destruction in our historical lands, “bloody” lands, but they are among the unique ones that bear the marks of my grandfather, the noblest servant of Armenian culture, folk sculptor Artashes Hovsepyan. The Artsakh Ministry of Culture undertook to relocate and move the local khachkars, but the fate of the good Our Lady and Artsvi is unclear and unknown. Although displacing the monuments and naming them as “saving”, indeed, in its form reminds of blasphemy. However, as a descendant of a real artist and a daughter of the Armenian nation, I know that this priceless culture, the owner of a thousand-year history, has been preserved to this day and reached me by continuously overcoming similar tragedies. Our goal is to preserve and pass on to the next generations. This benevolent person symbolizes the incomparable dedication and inseparable connection of the Armenians with their supreme value, the love of Our Lady and the realization of the Truth of the Son, and the Eagle that breaks the yoke is the spirit of the Armenians, which destroys the untruth in all possible and impossible conditions. The Master, handing over Alishan’s message to the stone, reminds the following generations of the moral and psychological position and deep principle of the Armenian. “Let us be buried, and not humbled.” Therefore, I am asking you, dear artists, devotees and, in general, concerned people, help us save these monuments so that they do not bow down to the enemy. By saving the values passed on to us, let’s save the consciousness of the next generation, as ours was saved thanks to our ancestors. Proposals, initiatives, contact coordinates – everything is welcome. P.S. Attached are photos (published by Artak Ghulyan) where it is shown how the good man leaves for Berdzor from the master’s studio in Yerevan. It is a separate stone, which is united with the walls of the church. Dismantling this is relatively easier than if the goodie was carved in place. The eagle is carved on the spot.