Damage has been reported to the dome cross of St. Nerses the Great Church in Martuni, Artsakh, based on footage circulated by Azerbaijani sources.
According to monitoring specialist Hovik Avanesov, the information has been confirmed. The Monument Watch initiative had previously documented repeated damage to the church, including broken windows and bullet marks, as of October 30, 2025.
The church is located in the northwestern part of Martuni, at the intersection of Azatamartikner and Leonard Petrosyan streets. The structure has a cross-shaped layout, with a dome rising on four pillars, built on a quadrangular base with a shaped roof, topped by a cross.
The 1954 Hague Convention, which underpins other international agreements, defines cultural property as heritage of great importance to all peoples, regardless of origin or ownership.
It is also noted that the apparent distortion of the monument violates the December 7, 2021 decision of the International Court of Justice, which obliges Azerbaijan to take all necessary measures to prevent and punish acts of vandalism and desecration targeting Armenian cultural heritage (Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, Armenia v. Azerbaijan).
The statement adds that damage to cultural property of any people constitutes harm to the cultural heritage of all humanity, as each nation contributes to global cultural diversity.
“The removal and deliberate damage of the dome cross of Surb Nerses the Great Church in Martuni is considered a grave violation of the monument’s integrity. According to UNESCO’s 36th expert meeting, integrity ensures the preservation of a heritage site’s significance over time.
Under paragraph 88 of the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention, integrity refers to the wholeness and intactness of cultural and natural heritage attributes. This means the monument must include all elements necessary to express its outstanding universal value.
Paragraph 89 further specifies that, in the case of cultural heritage, physical characteristics must remain in good condition and unaltered. In this case, the cross was a key symbolic and architectural element completing the sacred structure, and its removal distorts the monument’s cultural and religious significance.
Additionally, paragraph 82 states that preservation is considered complete only when authenticity and integrity are maintained. The actions carried out against St. Nerses the Great Church, which altered its historically established appearance, contradict international conservation principles, leading to the loss of historical environment and spiritual values,” the statement said.
Recently, two churches in Stepanakert — St. Hakob Church and the city’s main sanctuary, the Holy Mother of God Cathedral — have been completely demolished one after another.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan commented on the destruction of the cathedral, saying: “Taking into account our previous experience, I do not think we will elevate this to the level of international discussions. This is a situation we must fully and comprehensively understand.”
Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan has sent official appeals to the U.S. President, members of the Senate and Congress, the Pope, and leaders of influential international and church organizations, raising the issue of the destruction of Armenian spiritual and cultural heritage in Artsakh.
