Harut Babalyan
Service in Ghazanchetsots, service in the war and on the front line, service in Stepanakert Cathedral
CHAPTER 1
Meeting with Shushi
"May God forgive, but Ghazanchetsots was different ..."
Harut Babalyan loved the Ghazanchetsogh church from early childhood. It can be said that most of his childhood was the church itself.
Harut began serving at the age of 4 in the same church where his father served. First, in Askeran, in the Church of St. Astvatsatsin, where he wore ecclesiastical attire for the first time. After a few years, the family moved to Shushi, Harut along with his father started service in Ghazanchetsots church.
"It's said that after a loss, you start to appreciate anything more, but Sushi, especially the Ghazanchetsots church, has a different meaning. people have always appreciated and loved."
Harut Babalyan loved the Ghazanchetsogh church from early childhood. It can be said that most of his childhood was the church itself.
Harut began serving at the age of 4 in the same church where his father served. First, in Askeran, in the Church of St. Astvatsatsin, where he wore ecclesiastical attire for the first time. After a few years, the family moved to Shushi, Harut along with his father started service in Ghazanchetsots church.
"It's said that after a loss, you start to appreciate anything more, but Sushi, especially the Ghazanchetsots church, has a different meaning. people have always appreciated and loved."
Harut is one of the children of the church, who were sealed with that name by the hero of our previous story, Mariam Andreasyan. The Babalyan family also lived in the same building, from where the Ghazanchetsots church was best seen.
The address of the Babalyans also remained only in the passports. Azerbaijanis first damaged the residential building during the war, and then demolished that after the war. The address of the Babalians also remained only in the passports.
Azerbaijanis first damaged the residential building during the war and demolished it after the war. So, as other Armenian churches were destroyed, about which Harut says: "Before the Shushi pogroms, there were more churches in Shushi, but only two have been preserved."
The address of the Babalyans also remained only in the passports. Azerbaijanis first damaged the residential building during the war, and then demolished that after the war. The address of the Babalians also remained only in the passports.
Azerbaijanis first damaged the residential building during the war and demolished it after the war. So, as other Armenian churches were destroyed, about which Harut says: "Before the Shushi pogroms, there were more churches in Shushi, but only two have been preserved."
Stepanakert Mother of God Cathedral, where Harut Babalyan and his father, Davit Babalyan, are currently conducting spiritual services.
Harut Babalyan during the service in the Holy Mother of God Cathedral
CHAPTER 2
War and volunteerism
September 27 was Sunday. Both physically and mentally, the war was far from Shushi. Harut and his father went to the Ghazanchetsots church and held a mass service. Then they joined the army as volunteers.
Harut and his father returned to Shushi for a short time when Azerbaijani armed forces targeted Ghazanchetsots church for the first time.
Harut and his father returned to Shushi for a short time when Azerbaijani armed forces targeted Ghazanchetsots church for the first time.
Stepanakert
After the interview with Harut Babalyan in Stepanakert Cathedral, we went out to the churchyard. We saw the famous washing lines of Stepanakert, the scene giving life and sustainment to Stepanakert.
We went to meet the big family of Harut. By the will of fate, just as the home of Shushi looked at the Ghazanchetsots Church and the Kanach Zham, so the Stepanakert apartment looks at the Stepanakert Cathedral.
They are a big family, hospitable. The Father of the family David Babalyan tells about the years of his life in Shushi. The apartment was renovated, they were preparing for the wedding of the eldest son. Father not only felt but also saw the changes in the city in numbers.
We went to meet the big family of Harut. By the will of fate, just as the home of Shushi looked at the Ghazanchetsots Church and the Kanach Zham, so the Stepanakert apartment looks at the Stepanakert Cathedral.
They are a big family, hospitable. The Father of the family David Babalyan tells about the years of his life in Shushi. The apartment was renovated, they were preparing for the wedding of the eldest son. Father not only felt but also saw the changes in the city in numbers.
After they volunteered for the front line, they had no connection or internet. they did not even know about the wedding, which took place in their church, but how glad they were to learn about it when they returned.
Harut's father says that his home was so attractive that even if he had gone to Stepanakert in the evening, he would not have stayed, would have returned, even for an hour, but would have spent the night in Shushi.
Harut's father says that his home was so attractive that even if he had gone to Stepanakert in the evening, he would not have stayed, would have returned, even for an hour, but would have spent the night in Shushi.
"When I finished the army, I moved to Shushi... I was alone with a thousand worries and problems. We got married in a very quick manner," says the father of the family, everyone smiles.
He had participated in two wars when the third started. During the first time, he had been a sniper of the reconnaissance squad, the second time he had been in artillery forces, just to be useful in some way. On the morning of September 27, he went to the Ghazanchetsots Church, participated in the service, then in the military enlistment office and on the front line.
“At this time, I was seconded to the D-20 howitzer crew. To be honest, I had never seen a D-20 before, but I quickly got used to it. As my grandfather said, if a person has a little logic, he can get out of any situation.”
The son also joined the next day, September 28th. They participated in the war in one fighting position and did not retreat.
From the information about the signing of the ceasefire declaration, they learned that Shushi had fallen. At this time, they returned from the front.
From the information about the signing of the ceasefire declaration, they learned that Shushi had fallen. At this time, they returned from the front.
CHAPTER 3
New life
Harut Babalyan and his wife Syuzi Melkumyan
Babalyans' family
Harut's mother, Alyona Babalyan, says that she spent all the days in prayers, she did not shed a tear until her husband and son arrived. They lost their home, but that's tolerable. Now in the new home where the pictures of Ghazanchetsots church are on every corner.
She says that he still cannot adapt to the new house and the new environment. She lives by the pictures of the Ghazanchetsots church, even when she enters the Stepanakert church, her heart and soul are in Shushi, Ghazanchetsots.
She says that he still cannot adapt to the new house and the new environment. She lives by the pictures of the Ghazanchetsots church, even when she enters the Stepanakert church, her heart and soul are in Shushi, Ghazanchetsots.
Incomparable Losses
"We have lost a house, but when I look around, I see people who lost a husband, a child, a brother. I have nothing to complain about in that regard," says Harut's mother, Alyona Babalyan.
Maybe people's hearts have hardened after the war, but, she says, people in Shushi were warmer than in Stepanakert.
"According to Harut and Davit, we must go to our Shushi. Though our building is not there anymore, they demolished our building first, but David always says: I have a tent, we will go and sleep under the tent. Or at least the church is there."
They left everything at Shushi's house. All that was left to do in the newly renovated house was to hang the curtains. They left everything, only passports were taken. They left the house thinking that they will come back.
"According to Harut and Davit, we must go to our Shushi. Though our building is not there anymore, they demolished our building first, but David always says: I have a tent, we will go and sleep under the tent. Or at least the church is there."
They left everything at Shushi's house. All that was left to do in the newly renovated house was to hang the curtains. They left everything, only passports were taken. They left the house thinking that they will come back.
What they took
"I didn't take anything and do not worry much. I feel sorry for only pictures of my children and mother that I left. It's very sad, that's the only thing I feel sorry about."
Harut Babalyan returned home twice during the war and also witnessed attacks on their home and church.
“We thought we'd done it many times that we'd do it again. We all thought we would be back again. Both times I came from the front, first of all I went to church, then I went up to the home and watered the flowers. As life goes on, it will be flourished again. But ... we left the flowers, the house, the church."
Harut is full of hope that everything will be recreated. The church will be repaired and liturgies will be held there. Harut Babalyan with his family currently lives in Stepanakert and serves in the Holy Mother of God Cathedral.
“We thought we'd done it many times that we'd do it again. We all thought we would be back again. Both times I came from the front, first of all I went to church, then I went up to the home and watered the flowers. As life goes on, it will be flourished again. But ... we left the flowers, the house, the church."
Harut is full of hope that everything will be recreated. The church will be repaired and liturgies will be held there. Harut Babalyan with his family currently lives in Stepanakert and serves in the Holy Mother of God Cathedral.
Harut is full of hope that everything will be created again. The church will also be renovated, liturgies will be held there.
Harut Babalyan currently lives in Stepanakert with his family, performs spiritual service in the Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God, is the chairman of the youth union of Artsakh Diocese.
Harut Babalyan currently lives in Stepanakert with his family, performs spiritual service in the Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God, is the chairman of the youth union of Artsakh Diocese.
Chapter 4
Destroyed churches
During the war of 2020, on October 8, Azerbaijanis targeted the Ghazanchetsots church with a precision munition, then, two hours later, repeated the strike. As a result of the second blow, civilians (journalists) were injured.
According to the study by the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch, both strikes were carried out with precision munition. In both cases, the roof of the church was targeted.
Azerbaijan repeated the behavior of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization. It is the IS that uses the notorious 'double-tap' method where they hit a target and then after a while hit the same spot to target the people gathered after the previous strike.
When journalists asked Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev about the strikes, he first blamed the Armenians for the attack on the church, and then considered it possible that they allegedly had done it unintentionally. He repeated the same thing in a BBC interview published on the afternoon of 9 November.
According to the study by the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch, both strikes were carried out with precision munition. In both cases, the roof of the church was targeted.
Azerbaijan repeated the behavior of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization. It is the IS that uses the notorious 'double-tap' method where they hit a target and then after a while hit the same spot to target the people gathered after the previous strike.
When journalists asked Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev about the strikes, he first blamed the Armenians for the attack on the church, and then considered it possible that they allegedly had done it unintentionally. He repeated the same thing in a BBC interview published on the afternoon of 9 November.
Journalist։
You may have done it.
Aliyev։
Who “you” ?
Journalist:
Your forces may have done it.
Aliyev:
It could have been by mistake only, because the church was not among military targets.
Journalist:
But could you have made a mistake twice in the same day? It was hit twice.
Aliyev:
Why not?!
You may have done it.
Aliyev։
Who “you” ?
Journalist:
Your forces may have done it.
Aliyev:
It could have been by mistake only, because the church was not among military targets.
Journalist:
But could you have made a mistake twice in the same day? It was hit twice.
Aliyev:
Why not?!
After the end of the war, the Azerbaijanis began to eradicate the Armenian heritage in Shushi, as well as in other territories. The “revision” of the history of the Ghazanchetsots church acquired key importance. The Azerbaijanis first announced that they were repairing the church, then they removed the domes from it, stating that the church initially did not have such domes. However, the historical facts and the photos taken in the past prove the presence of the domes of the church.
In the same way, the Azerbaijanis first demolished the domes of the Kanach Zham church in Shushi, then demolished the upper part of the church and set up an entertainment area there.
Another similar act became known during the visit of a BBC journalist to Jrakan (Jabrail). The journalist presented how the local Armenian church of Surb Astvatsatsin was completely destroyed.
These facts are now visible on satellite imagery. The same place can be seen in imagery taken 2-3 months before the war and 9-10 months after the war.
In the same way, the Azerbaijanis first demolished the domes of the Kanach Zham church in Shushi, then demolished the upper part of the church and set up an entertainment area there.
Another similar act became known during the visit of a BBC journalist to Jrakan (Jabrail). The journalist presented how the local Armenian church of Surb Astvatsatsin was completely destroyed.
These facts are now visible on satellite imagery. The same place can be seen in imagery taken 2-3 months before the war and 9-10 months after the war.
The Jarakan (Jabrail) Church in 2017
The location of the Jarakan (Jabrail) Church in 2021 after the Azerbaijanis took over the church and destroyed it. Photo: BBC
Map of churches in Shushi
The map shows 5 Armenian churches in Shushi. Two of them, the church of Ghazanchetsots and Kanach Zham, have survived to this day and were damaged by Azerbaijanis during the war, then mutilated after the war.
Before that, during the Soviet period, the other three Armenian churches of Shushi were destroyed.
The map shows 5 Armenian churches in Shushi. Two of them, the church of Ghazanchetsots and Kanach Zham, have survived to this day and were damaged by Azerbaijanis during the war, then mutilated after the war.
Before that, during the Soviet period, the other three Armenian churches of Shushi were destroyed.
- Aguletsots st. Most Savior Church,
- Meghretsots st. Most Savior Church,
- Kusanats monastery.
Demolished address of Shushi
The war unleashed by Azerbaijan in 2020 actually stopped with the fall of Shushi.
Having captured Shushi, the Azerbaijanis set out to destroy the Armenian heritage of the city, both by forgery and physically.
The building, located at 72 Ghazanchetsot Street, right in front of the church, was one of the buildings destroyed by the Azerbaijanis. The former residents of the building present the Shushi they know through their stories.
You can see other stories of the project below:
Home in Shushi, Children of the Church, “Car counting” game, War and Homecoming to Artsakh
Passing by Shushi and not entering the home, the desire and impossibility to get back
The big family of the "church-shelter", the "boom-boom" UAV, loss, displacement, waiting for the homecoming
Garik Harutyunyan, Narek Martirosyan and Hayk Khachikyan are the authors of the project.
