Dadivank ( hy, Դադիվանք) or Khutavank ( hy, Խութավանք, translation=monastery on the hillЖеан-Паул Лабурдетьте, Доминикуе Аузиас, Армения, Petit Futé, 2007 – p. 203) is an

Armenian Apostolic , native_name_lang = hy , icon = Armenian Apostolic Church logo.svg , icon_width = 100px , icon_alt = , image = Էջմիածնի_Մայր_Տաճար.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , a ...

monastery in the Kalbajar District of Azerbaijan bordering the Martakert Province of the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh. It was built between the 9th and 13th centuries and is one of the main monastic complexes of medieval Armenia. In Azerbaijan, the monastery is called Dadivəng or Xudavəng. The state denies the monastery's

heritage, instead referring to it as "

Caucasian Albania Caucasian Albania is a modern exonym for a former state located in ancient times in the Caucasus: mostly in what is now Azerbaijan (where both of its capitals were located). The modern endonyms for the area are ''Aghwank'' and ''Aluank'', among ...

n."

History and architecture

The monastery is said to have been founded by St. Dadi, a disciple of Thaddeus the Apostle who spread Christianity in Eastern Armenia during the first century AD. However, the monastery is only first mentioned in the 9th century. In July 2007, the grave said to belong to St. Dadi was discovered under the holy altar of the main church. The princes of Upper Khachen are also buried at Dadivank, under the church's '' gavit'' (narthex). The monastery belongs to the

Diocese of Artsakh The Diocese of Artsakh ( hy, Արցախի թեմ, Artsakhi t'em) is one of the largest dioceses of the Armenian Apostolic Church covering the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh. It is named after the historic province of Artsakh; the 10th provi ...

of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and consists of the cathedral church of Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God), the chapel, and a few other buildings. The main church has Armenian script engraved into its walls, in addition to several 13th-century frescoes. The bas-relief on the south facade of the cathedral at Dadivank, built in 1214, shows the princess offering the church in memory of her sons. According to Paolo Cuneo, Dadivank is one of two monasteries along with Gandzasar where bust motifs (possibly the donors of the monasteries) can be found. British art historian Anthony Eastmond considers the construction of Dadivank to be an example of female church patronage in the Armenian world of the 13th century.

Modern period

In 1994, following the end of the

First Nagorno-Karabakh War The First Nagorno-Karabakh War, referred to in Armenia as the Artsakh Liberation War ( hy, Արցախյան ազատամարտ, Artsakhyan azatamart) was an ethnic and territorial conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in th ...

, the monastery resumed service, and in 2004, a renovation process began with funding from Armenian-American businesswoman Edele Hovnanian, ending in 2005. The restoration efforts restored the cathedral, along with a chapel which was restored by Edik Abrahamian, an Iranian-Armenian from Tehran. On 8 October 2001, a motion was proposed at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe at the behest of sixteen parliamentary members on the "Maintenance of historical and cultural heritage in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic." The motion cited as an example "the destruction of Zar (Tsar) monuments in the Kelbajar region, Dadivank, which the local Muslim population regarded as remnants of the Armenian Christian religion and ruined the monastery as it could". In August 2017, Italian specialists who had previously conducted restoration operations at Davidank returned to continue their cleaning and restoration of the monastery. They had already restored the four chapels and their frescoes and were planning to restore inscriptions and ornaments near the doors to the chapels. The entire restoration project was planned to be completed by 2020.

2020 war and current status

In the aftermath of the Nagorno-Karabakh war in 2020, which resulted in a ceasefire agreement stipulating the withdrawal of Armenian forces from Kalbajar District and its return to Azerbaijan, the monastery was included in the territory to come under Azerbaijani control. The abbot of the Dadivank Monastery made the decision to transport the monastery's relics of significance, including bells, crosses, and

khachkar A ''khachkar'', also known as a ''khatchkar'' or Armenian cross-stone ( hy, խաչքար, , խաչ xačʿ "cross" + քար kʿar "stone") is a carved, memorial stele bearing a cross, and often with additional motifs such as rosettes, in ...

s, to Armenia for Anti-Armenian sentiment in Azerbaijan, protection from destruction by the Azerbaijani government. Azerbaijan called it an "illegal activity" and added that it would take action to enforce legal procedures. On 28 November 2020, the Ministry of Defence (Azerbaijan), Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence released footage from inside the monastery. On 4 December 2020, representatives of the Udi people, Udi community of Azerbaijan visited the monastery and performed a prayer inside. The next day, Rafik Danakari, the deputy chairman of the Udi Christian Orthodox community, was appointed preacher at the monastery. A sale-exhibition ''From Dadivank to Yerevan'' was held on 16 December at the Museum of Folk Art in the Armenian capital. After the withdrawal of Armenian forces from the region, the monastery was placed under the protection of the Russian peacekeeping forces. In late December additional Armenian clergymen arrived at the monastery and the first wedding ceremony was performed after the war, under the protection of Russian peacekeepers.

Gallery

Dadivank view.jpg, Dadivank Dadivank fresco.JPG, Fragment of a 13th-century fresco with Armenian language, Armenian inscribed text in Dadivank Monastery, a masterpiece of Principality of Khachen, medieval culture of Artsakh Хачкары Дадиванка.jpg, Khachkars at Dadivank Dadivank Monastery.jpg, Side view Dadivank_inscription4.jpg, Armenian-inscribed text of Queen Arzu of Haterk, Dadivank Monastery (13th century) Dadivank Monastery (general view).jpg, General view Dadivank-khachkars2.jpg, 13th century Armenian-inscribed double khachkars of the Memorial bell-tower of the Dadivank Monastery

Books

* (in French) ''Le Petit Futé Arménie'', Dominique Auzias, Jean-Paul Labourdette – 2009 – 330 pages * ''Armenologie in Deutschland'', Armenuhi Drost-Abgarjan, Hermann Goltz – 2005 – p. 59 * (in Italian) ''Documenti di architettura armena'', Alexandr L. Jakobson – 1986 – p. 73

References

External links

Dadivank Monastery

* [http://www.wikimapia.org/3610895/Dadivank-Monastery Dadivank Monastery at wikimapia.org]
Program about Dadi Monastery by Vem Radio
{{Armenian Churches Armenian culture Armenian buildings in Azerbaijan Armenian Apostolic Church Armenian Apostolic churches Armenian Apostolic monasteries Armenian Apostolic monasteries in Azerbaijan Churches in Azerbaijan Christian monasteries in Azerbaijan Oriental Orthodox congregations established in the 9th century Christian monasteries established in the 9th century Kalbajar District