Italian newspaper explores Azerbaijan's ancient Albanian churches

The Holy See’s official newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, has featured a new article on the history of Caucasian Albania.

Rossella Fabiani, a journalist for the newspaper, explored the rich heritage of the Albanian Apostolic Church in Azerbaijan, highlighting the significance of the Khudavang, Ganjasar, and Hatiravang Monasteries in her piece titled "Khudavang, Ganjasar, and Hatiravang Monasteries in the Clouds", Caliber.Az reports citing the local media.

In her latest article, Rossella Fabiani of L'Osservatore Romano delves into the historical and cultural significance of Albanian monasteries in Azerbaijan. Her visit took her to three prominent districts: Gabala, Sheki, and Karabakh, each renowned for its preserved Albanian heritage.

Fabiani highlights the village of Nij, home to the Udis, descendants of the ancient Albanians. The village is notable for its three significant churches: Bulun Church, which means “large” or “main” in Udi; the Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God, dating back to the 13th century and built near a 4th-5th century AD site; and the Jotaari Church, constructed between 1723 and 1726 with a donation from local philanthropist Engibar Jotaari. The Tsilin Church, which also exists in Nij, is in need of restoration and means “lower” or “neighboring” in Udi.

The Jotaari Church remains an active site for Udi rituals and religious celebrations. The Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God, which has endured earthquakes in the 1890s and the 2020s, features a simple interior with three naves. Notably, the altar displays a red curtain-protected text of the prayer "Our Father," known as "Athiri" to the Udis. Alan serves as the caretaker of the cathedral, while Sevan is responsible for overseeing the Jotaari Church.

The journalist also explored the Oguz district, located about thirty kilometres from Nij, where around one hundred Udi community members and twelve Jewish families reside.

“We visited a small Albanian church surrounded by a walled garden in Oguz,” Fabiani reported. “The church exuded a profound sense of spirituality. During our visit, a family arrived to light candles, further enriching the church's serene atmosphere.”

Svetlana, head of the local Udi Christian community, expressed a desire to restore the church and hold religious ceremonies there. “We have many such small churches in Oguz, and we take great pride in preserving our heritage,” she noted.

Fabiani also visited the Albanian church in Kish village, located in the Sheki district, which is recognized as the oldest Albanian church in the Caucasus.

The article describes a meeting with Ali Samadov at the gate, where he introduced Rahim Hasanov, a research fellow and head of the ethnography department at the Sheki Regional Scientific Centre of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences. Hasanov, a knowledgeable historian, highlighted the presence of many Naqshbandi Sufis in Azerbaijan and discussed the historical resettlement of Armenians from Iran and Türkiye to Azerbaijani lands. He referred to historical documents from the Caucasian Archaeological Commission, including a letter from Orthodox priest Chichikov to Caucasian viceroy Alexey Yermolov in 1821, which reported that Armenians had pressured the Udis in Oguz to convert their religion.

Hasanov also mentioned an Albanian church near the Old Bazaar, which was handed over to Armenians after a Synod requested by Nicholas I and is now privately owned.

The journalist, accompanied by Professor Sabina Hajiyeva, an expert in Albanian architecture and a student of Professor David Akhundov, visited major Albanian monasteries in Azerbaijan. These included Khudavang (1214, Kalbajar district), Ganjasar (1216-1238, Aghdere district), and Hatiravang (1204, Kalbajar district), noted as the largest Albanian monasteries in the region.

The article describes a visit to the Khudavang Monastery in the Kalbajar district, with Professor Sabina Hajiyeva noting, "We climb the mountains, and the mountain massifs are shrouded in what appears to be fog, but it's actually clouds." Hajiyeva highlighted the historical significance of the Khudavang Monastery, stating that Apostle Thaddeus is buried there and that the monastery is often referred to as the "Vatican of the Albanians."

She shared that archaeological excavations revealed the monastery's foundation dates back to the 6th-7th centuries. In the 13th century, the monastery was refurbished and expanded by Khachin prince Vakhtang (Bahram), son of Hasan the Great from the Mehranid dynasty. The church, built in 1214 by Arzu Khatun in memory of her husband, Prince Vakhtang, and their children, featured residential and agricultural buildings to the south of the religious structures.

Hajiyeva also discussed the Ganjasar Monastery, constructed in 1216, which served as a central religious hub. Documents from the church were sent to Ganja, where they were preserved until 1836.

Additionally, the article mentions the Church of St. John the Baptist, located near Vengli village on the Khachinchay River's banks. Built between 1216 and 1238, it served as the spiritual centre of the independent Albanian principality and the residence of the last Albanian Catholicos until 1836.

The L'Osservatore Romano newspaper plans to publish several articles on Azerbaijan, continuing to explore and document its rich historical and cultural heritage.