The New Status of the Catholicosate of Aghvank in the Context of Church Reforms of the Russian Empire (the first half of the 19th Century)
Автор: Balayan M.G., Balayan V.R., Harutyunyan M.G.
Журнал: Новый исторический вестник @nivestnik
Рубрика: Россия и мир
Статья в выпуске: 2 (84), 2025 года.
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The article presents information about the new status of the Catholicosate of Armenian Aghvank during the rule of the Russian Empire. After the Russo-Persian War of 1804-1813, on October 12, 1813, by the peace treaty signed in the Gulistan Fortress of Artsakh, Karabakh, Gandzak and a number of other adjacent Persian-subject khanates came under Russian rule.Based on factual materials, we have addressed the events related to the restoration of the Catholicosate of Armenian Aghvank in 1815. The Artsakh Diocese was formed in accordance with the articles of the “Polozhenie” Statute adopted in 1836. We have also presented interesting information about Armenian church reforms during the rule of Tsarist Russia based on materials kept in the Mesrop Mashtots Matenadaran of the Republic of Armenia.
Artsakh, Armenian Apostolic Church, Aghvank, Ephrem Dzorageghtsi, Sargis Hasan Jalalyan, Karabakh Spiritual Diocese, Etchmiadzin, Metropolitanate, Catholicosate
Короткий адрес: https://sciup.org/149148358
IDR: 149148358 | DOI: 10.54770/20729286-2025-2-177
Текст научной статьи The New Status of the Catholicosate of Aghvank in the Context of Church Reforms of the Russian Empire (the first half of the 19th Century)
Due to the political processes that took place in the Transcaucasus at the beginning of the 19th century, the Catholicosate of Armenian Aghvank was abolished in 1815 by a special Circular Kondak of the Catholicos of All Armenians Ephrem Dzorageghtsi.The dioceses subordinate to the Catholicosate of Aghvank unite and form a Metropolitanate remaining spiritually subordinate to the Catholicosate of All Armenians. Catholicos Sargis Hasan-Jalalyants of Armenian Aghvank is appointed the First Metropolitan of Aghvank.On November 13, 1830, by the Kondak of the Catholicos of All Armenians Ephrem, his brother, Baghdasar Hasan-Jalalyants, a representative of the great Hasan-JalalyansDynastywas confirmed as the Metropolitan of the Karabakh Diocese.
According to a special Decree (Decree of March 11, 1836 of His Imperial Majesty to the Governing Senate on the approval of the Regulation “On the management of the affairs of the Armenian-Gregorian Church in Russia”)1, the Armenian Apostolic Church was divided into 6 spiritual dioceses. It came into force on January 1, 1837.According to the new Church Statute, the center of the Diocese of Karabakh became Shushi. In fact, according to the aforementioned Decree (the decree was called the Church Statute of 1836), two dioceses were formed within the spiritual-administrative borders of the Catholicosate of Aghvank: Karabakh and Shirvan.
Thus, the spiritual authority of the Armenian Diocese of Karabakh extended largely to the administrative territories of the Armenian Aghvank or the historical provinces of Artsakh and Utik. On the left side of the Aghvank, the Spiritual Diocese of Shirvan was formed remaining spiritually subordinate to the Mother See of Etchmiadzin. This situation persisted until the dissolution of the Armenian Diocese of Karabakh in 1933.2
The purpose of the topic: The study of the history of the Cathol-icosate of Armenian Aghvank is one of the least studied pages of the Armenian history. Some issues related to this topic have been studied by renowned Armenian historians: Hovhannes Shahkhatuneants3, Mes-rop Taghiadeants4, A. Yeritsyan5, Leo6, B. Ulubabyan7, M. Barkhutary-ants8, S. Jalalyants9 and others.10 The work of M. Balayan11 is noteworthy. However, a number of issues related to the new status of the Armenian Catholicosate of Aghvank, namely as a Metropolitanate, continued to remain unexplored. Our goal is to present the unstudied pages of the history of the Armenian people of the period based on the documents available in the National Archives of Armenia, the Mesrop Mashtots Matenadaran of Armenia and other sources and to put into circulation the valuable information available in some archival materials.
The issues of studying the topic: The task of studying the topic is to show the ethnic - ideological connection between the Catholicosate of Aghvank as well as the Metropolitanate created after the latter’s abolition in 1815 and the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
The topic also aims to analyze the following issues:
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1. to highlight the religious, ideological and political motives for the abolition of the Catholicosate of Aghvank;
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2. to reevaluate the church, national and public enlightenment activities of Sargis Hasan Jalalyan and Baghdasar Hasan Jalalyan, who have already received the status of new metropolitans;
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3. to show the goals of the dissolution of the Artsakh Diocese by Soviet Azerbaijan and its grave consequences.
The scientific novelty: A number of issues related to the presented topic have been studied by various representatives of the scientific field. However, a number of issues remain unexplained. The scientific novelty is that the topic is presented on the basis of new primary sources and materials contained in documents kept in the Matenadaran of the Republic of Armenia. The new status of the Catholicosate of Aghvank is mainly considered in the context of the church reforms carried out by the Russian Empire. Based on primary sources and historical literature, the Metropolitanate (it was established after 1815) and the Armenian Spiritual Diocese of Karabakh were presented. The Artsakh Diocese was formed by the articles of the “Polozhenie” Charter12 adopted in 1836.
CONTENT
Actually, as a result of those new political divisions, the Armenian Apostolic Church also found itself in a more difficult situation. The Spiritual Leadership of Armenian Aghvank, one of the Dioceses of the Armenian Apostolic Church was under the rule of the Russian Empire, and the Armenian Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin was under the rule of Persia. Under such administrative-political division, various bans were initiated to disrupt their joint activities which contributed to the aggravation of common intra-church contradictions. As aresult of allthis, in1815, by a special Circular Letter of the Catholicos of All Armenians Ephrem Dzorageghtsi, the Catholicosate of Armenian Aghvank wasabolished. As a result of new political developments, the dioceses under the jurisdiction of the Catholicosate of Aghvank were united and formed a Metropolitanate remaining primarily subordinate to the Catholicosate of All Armenians. Catholicos Sargis Hasan-Jalalian of Armenian Aghvank was honored with the title of Metropolitan, who was also appointed the First Metropolitan of Aghvank. The Gandzasar Monastery continued to be considered the residence of the Spiritual Leader.
In 1815-1828, the Metropolitanate of Aghvank (previously it was the Catholicosate of Aghvank) continued to be led by Sargis Hasan-Jalalyants: “...With the permission and blessing of the authorities of the Russian Empire, the title and honor of Catholicosate was elevated and given to one person as a Metropolitan and Archbishop”.13
Despite some obstacles, Sargis Jalalyants always tried to obediently carry out the orders given by Etchmiadzin. It was presented in detail in a letter written by him which is kept in the Mashtots Matenadaran of Yerevan. It should be emphasized that the latter is a very important source from the point of view of studying the relationship between the Armenian Catholicosate of Aghvank and its immediate successor, the Armenian Spiritual Diocese of Karabakh and the Mother See during this period.14
Documents on the Armenian Church also contain information about the awarding of the medal of St. Vladimirto Archbishop Sargis Jalalyants, the Primate of the Spiritual Diocese of Karabakh, the member of the Synod of the Armenian - Gregorian Church of Echmiadzin. Let us emphasize that Archbishop Sargis Jalalyants was awarded the order by decree of the Russian Tsar (1820, August 30, “Tsarskoye Selo” Decree)15 It should be noted that in the original Russian version of the Decree on the award approved by the Russian Emperor Alexander I (1777-1825), Sargis Hasan-Jalalints was presented as a member of the Synod of the Armenian-Gregorian Church of Echmiadzin, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Karabakh.
In 1821, the Catholicos of All Armenians Ephrem visited Shushi where he was warmly welcomed by the people. The Catholicos of All Armenians remained in Shushi for some time making arrangements to meet Nerses Ashtaraketsi there. After the meeting in Shushi in 1822, the Catholicos Ephrem and Nerses Ashtaraketsi also visited Gandzasar, where they were welcomed with great ceremony by the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Karabakh, Sargis Jalalyants and the high-ranking clergy of Artsakh. Let us emphasize that the meeting in Gandzasar is another testimony to the personal greatness and generosity of the Primate of the Armenian Spiritual Diocese of Karabakh: because he was well aware of the unfriendly attitude of those two great figures of the Armenian Church towards him at that time. Because of such an attitude, the Leader of the Armenian Spiritual Diocese of Karabakh was subjected to a ban as well as deprived of the title of Catholicos. Despite all that, he organized a very grand reception and saw off the guests with honor.
Mesrop Taghiadyan, a contemporary and direct participant of the events provided some details about all of this: “And the Patriarch of All Armenians and Bishop Nerses after staying there for a month and having often consulted and spoken with the princes of the world concerning the fallen state of the Armenian See, left Shushi in the year 1822 and went to Gandzasar, which was the Central See of the Primate of Agvank at that time. Archbishop Sargis, sometimes called Catholicos, but now a citizen who kindly welcomed them. The Patriarch and Archbishop Nerses along with their companions left the monastery”.16
Famous Armenian historians Leo and Bagrat Ulubabyan also provided important information about Sargis Jalalyants’ activities during the Russo-Persian War of 1826-1828.17 Even in those fateful moments, when the Spiritual Leader was brought to Abbas Mirza in a state of arrest, he thought a lot about the plight of the people during that time. This fact was evidenced in Nerses Ashtaraketsi’s explanatory letter to Paskevich in 1827.18 As a result of the examination of the preserved sources, it must be unconditionally accepted that Sargis Hasan-Jalalyants performed patriotic services, and he had the greatest authority among the people. Sargis Hasan-Jalalyants died in 1828 and was buried in the cloister of the Monastery of Gandzasar. There is the following inscription on his tombstone: “This is the tombstone of Sarkis Agwan, Catholicos, whose nationality is Jalal Dola, dated 1828”.19
M. Barkhudaryants (M. Barkhudaryan) rightly noted the changes related to the Catholicosate of Armenia Aghvank, the general role of Gandzasar as well as the historical events of its becoming a Catholicosate and Diocesan center: “For example, due to turbulent political currents, the Armenian General Catholic See was forced to move from place to place frequently, as well as the Catholicosate of Aghvank which was established in the following places: 1) Darband or Chogha; 2) Gis (according to tradition); 3) Partav; 4) Catholicosate; 5) Yeghish Arakeal or Jrvshtik; 6) Gandzak; 7) Karaherdz; 8) Khamshi Monastery; 9) Haghbat;
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10) Gandzasar;11) Jalet; 12) again Gandzasar where the Catholicosate of Aghvank was abolished, and the last Catholicos Sargis Jalalyans was also buried”.20
The abolition of the Catholicosate of Aghvank certainly had its negative consequences for the Provinces of the Armenian East (Հայոց Արևելից նահանգներ՝ Արցախ և Ուտիք) which were deprived of national statehood, since under such conditions, it was an important and pivotal national institution uniting the Armenians.The was mentioned by M. Barkhudaryan: “After the death of the Catholicos of Aghvank, after 1828, the monasteries gradually began to be deprived of monastic groups, and remaining out of the spotlight, most of those monasteries began to collapse.”21
Although the See of Armenian Aghvank was transformed into a new, metropolitan hierarchy, even for a short period of time, it continued to maintain the unified order of the spiritual activity of the Catholicosate of Aghvank within the spiritual-geographical boundaries reserved for it.
According to the original tradition in the Armenian Church system, as it was before, Spiritual Leaders of Armenian Aghvank had to receive their legal confirmation from the Catholicos of Armenia. The same order was maintained after 1815. In the matter of selecting and confirming the Metropolitan, the Mother See relied primarily on the prior election made by the people and their clergy. Thus, after the death of Sargis Hasan-Jalalyants, numerous letters were sent to Etchmiadzin with a request to confirm Baghdasar Hasan-Jalalyants as Metropolitan of Armenian Aghvank.22 On November 13, 1830, by the Kondak (Decree) of Catholicos of All Armenians Ephrem, Baghdasar Hasan-Jalalyants (1775–1854), a representative of the great Hasan-Jalalyans Dynasty was confirmed as the metropolitan of the Karabakh Diocese.23
Sargis Jalalyants wrote about the aforementioned events: “In the end, both the secular power of the Persian tyrants and the Armenian Catholicosate of Aghvank which had arisen from Yeghishe, a disciple of the Apostle Thaddeus and Gregory the Illuminator completely disappeared during the Catholicosate of Ephrem. And instead, there was a Metropolitan Authority where Sargis was the first, and the princely Archbishop Baghdasar – the second…’’.24
According to a special Decree (Decree of March 11, 1836 of His Imperial Majesty to the Governing Senate on the approval of the Regulation “On the management of the affairs of the Armenian-Gregorian Church in Russia”)25 known as “Polozhenie’’ (Statute), the Armenian Apostolic Churches under the rule of the Empire were divided into several spiritual dioceses which were headed by Archbishops.The next article of the Statute defined the territorial division within the Russian Empire. The article stated the following: “There are the following six dioceses of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the territories of Russia: the first is the Diocese of New Nakhichevan and Bessarabia, the second is the Diocese of Astrakhan, the third is the Diocese of Yerevan, the fourth is the Dio- cese of Georgia, the fifth is the Diocese of Karabakh and the sixth is the Diocese of Shirvan”.26
The Statute came into force on January 1, 1837. According to the new Church Statute (եկեղեցականկանոնադրություն), the center of the Karabakh Diocese became Shushi. In fact, according to the aforementioned Statute, two dioceses were formed within the spiritual-administrative borders of the Catholicosate of Aghvank: Karabakh and Shirvan. Thus, the powers of the Spiritual Authority of the Armenian Diocese of Karabakh extended only to the administrative territories of Armenian Aghvank or the historical provinces of Artsakh and Utik. In the left part of the Armenian Aghvank, the Spiritual Diocese of Shirvan was formed remaining spiritually subordinate to the Mother See of Etchmiadzin.
Thus, the geographical boundaries of individual dioceses were also specified in the Statute in a special clause: “... The dioceses of the Armenian Apostolic Church are included in the provinces of Yerevan, Nakhichevan, Ordubad and in the canton of Shirak; There is also the Diocese and the Metropolitanate of Karabakh with the Tatev Monastery and all the clergy. The Diocese of Artsakh (Karabakh) of the Armenian Apostolic Church which is included in the province of Karabakh has opened a Metropolitanate whose powers extend to the Tatev Monastery as well as the clergy circles of Shaki and Talish’’.27 This circumstance was also reflected in the titles of the leaders of the Karabakh Diocese. There were the following titles: “Archbishop of Aghvank” or “Archbishop of Artsakh, Shaki and Talish”28, “Diocese Primate, Metropolitan of Armenian Karabakh and Others”.29According to the submission of the Catholicos of All Armenians, the leaders of the diocese were appointed, approved and dismissed by the Emperor of Russia. According to the Statute, a Spiritual Council, the Consistory was formed in the diocese with four members (one Vardapet and three Priests), and the Chairman of the Consistory was the Diocesan Leader.
As for the spiritual-administrative borders of the Armenian Diocese of Karabakh, as well as the titles of spiritual leaders, we consider it important to emphasize that the ones were also subject to changes. Immediately after the annexation of Artsakh to Russia, the Catholicosate of Armenian Aghvank was actually abolished and the last Catholicos of Armenian Aghvank, Sargis Hasan-Jalalyan was granted the title of Metropolitan of Aghvank. His successor, Baghdasar Hasan-Jalalyan continued to hold this title. Remaining faithful to the authority and traditions of the Armenian Aghvank Church, he often presented himself with the titles “Armenian Archbishop Baghdasar Hasan-Jalalyan of Aghvank” and “Metropolitan Baghdasar of Aghvank”.30
It should be noted that the title “Armenian Archbishop of Aghvank” also indicates a certain transformation of the legal hierarchy of the spiri- tual leadership, which was reflected in the wording of the titles: the title “Catholic” was replaced by the title “Metropolitan”. As for the spiritual-administrative borders, in this case they have remained unchanged.
However, after the adoption of the above-mentioned Statute in 1836, two dioceses were formed within the spiritual administrative territory of the Catholicosate of Armenian Aghvank: Karabakh and Shirvan. This circumstance was unconditionally reflected in the titles of the diocesan leaders.It should be emphasized that Baghdasar Hasan-Jalalyants was presented in official documents with the titles “Armenian Archbishop of Aghvank” or “Metropolitan of Aghvank” until 1837. After the adoption of the Statute, both Baghdasar Hasan-Jalalyants and his successors began to bear the titles “Diocesan Primate of Karabakh” or “Primate of the Armenian Spiritual Diocese of Karabakh.
According to the data of the “The Statistics of the Armenian Church in the Caucasus” diary compiled in 1837 by decree of the Synod of Etch-miadzin, the Karabakh Diocese included “3 monasteries, 53 churches, 32 chapels, 1 bishop, 6 archpriests (vardapet), 2 monastics, 117 senior priests and priests, 10 deacons, 98 scribes, 6 nuns and 3 schools.There were 2 monasteries, 45 churches, 3 archpriests, 60 priests, 62 scribes, 1 school in Shaki”.31 According to statistics compiled in 1840, the Kara-bakh Diocese included three cities: Shushi, Nukhi, Lankaran (Lenkoran) and 156 villages with a total of 7167 houses of Armenian population.32
It should be emphasized that both the titles granted to the diocesan leaders and the statistical data compiled by the Armenian Apostolic Church at that time are indisputable and important evidence in terms of presenting the spiritual and administrative borders of the Armenian Spiritual Diocese of Karabakh according to periods. Thus, according to church documents of August 15, 1909, the Armenian Spiritual Diocese of Karabakh included the provinces of Shushi, Jivanshir, Karyagin, Nukhi and Aresh, some parts of the provinces of Gandzak and Zange-zur, the settlement of Kakh in the Zaqatala region.There were 26,364 households in the diocese, 101,143 male and 88,857 female residents. In addition to the cities of Shushi, Nukhi and Lankaran, the Diocese included 226 villages. The Diocesan Court (Consistory) and the city of the prelate were in Shushi. A Vicarage and Spiritual Government operated in the city of Nukhi. The Diocese had 219 priests of whom only one was a seminary graduate, 19 were school graduates, and 197 were completely uneducated. The Diocese had 221 churches, 6 monasteries, of which 3 were inhabited and 6 were uninhabited.33
On July 1, 1837, by Russian imperial decree, Baghdasar Hasan-Jalalyants was appointed the head of the Diocese and chairman of the spiritual administration.34 The leader of the Karabakh Diocese also received his legal consecration in Etchmiadzin in the same year. It is noteworthy that contemporary documents and researchers have testified with great respect to the life and activities of Baghdasar Hasan-Jalalyants presenting him as a patriotic and very popular leader.
The following fact was testified in the work on the history of the Armenian Church: “The very fact that a paralyzed man performed church rituals sitting in a special chair, and that he was carried from one side to the other in the arms of the people, showed how important the Metropolitan was among the people and the spiritual authority. He was also a creative force that showed direction and was looked upon with great respect. The paralyzed leader visited his people in times of need and provided them with assistance on various occasions”.35 Archbishop Makar Barkhudaryants also confirmed the energetic activity of Metropolitan Baghdasar: “During the lifetime of Metropolitan Baghdasar, I saw with great pride a number of valuable historical and cultural monuments: Yeghishe Arakyal Monastery (Apostle Yeghishe), Inn Mas Church ( Ինըմասեկեղեցի ), Gandzasar, the monastery of St. Jacob, Ptkesberg (Պտկեսբերգվանք), Amaras, Gtchavank and Spitak Khach Monastery and Ghevondeants Desert (Ղեւոնդեանց անապատ) with its abbots, monks and schools”.36
A significant part of Baghdasar Hasan-Jalalyantsi’s activity was not only the work on the improvement of monasteries, churches and the return of monastic estates but he also made an invaluable contribution to the development of cultural and educational institutions, school construction, printing and extensive publishing activities in Artsakh (Karabakh).
With the initiative and efforts of the Spiritual Leader, the Karabakh Armenian Theological Diocesan School was opened in 1838. The opening and effective activity of the Diocesan School, along with other theological schools, also contributed to the upsurge of spiritual and cultural life in Shushi and throughout Karabakh.
In 1851, the Spiritual Leader built a Prelacy in the fortress city of Shushi about which S. Jalalyants testified with admiration: “In the city of Shushi he built a magnificent multi-room, three-story Metropolitan Building with stone walls and wide fences, with a vast garden (in front of it), and he dedicated it to the Gandzasar Monastery carving an inscription on the facade of the building… He bought a rich printing house from the Germans and continued the printing of various books there (the name of the printing house is on the covers of those books), then in his will, he left it in favor of the spiritual authorities”.37
It should be noted that in 1837 by a Special Decree of the Tsarist Government, the activity of the Basel Protestant Propaganda Society which was established and had been carrying out missionary activities in Shushi since 1823 was also banned.38After the complete cessation of their activity, Baghdasar Hasan-Jalalyan, the head of the Armenian Spiritual Diocese of Karabakh, bought this printing house initiating the process of church, scientific and educational publishing in Karabakh. The latter played a fundamental role in the development of educational and cultural life in Karabakh.
It is also noteworthy that on the title pages of books published in Shushi, the printing house was mentioned with the following names:”Printing House of His Holiness Metropolitan Baghdasary of Karabakh”, “Printing House of His Holiness Metropolitan Baghdasar Archbishop Hasan-Jalalyan of Shushi donated by the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin”, “Printing House of Holy Etchmiadzin in Shushi”, “Printing House of the Theological School of Armenian Karabakh”, “Printing House of the Armenian Theological Diocese”.
The upsurge of spiritual life in Karabakh continued with some interruptions even after the death of Baghdasar Hasan-Jalalyants and was abruptly interrupted as a result of the political events that took place in 1920-1921. Thօse events had a different impact on the activities and existence of the Armenian Apostolic Church, particularly the Artsakh Diocese.
Conclusions: The following conclusions can be drawn regarding the changes of the Armenian Apostolic Church of the first half of the 19th century:
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1. Due to some internal church circumstances and the new policy pursued by the Tsarist Court in the Transcaucasus, the Catholicosate of Aghvank was dissolved in 1815.
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2. Based on the new political and organizational situation, Metropolitan Sargis Hasan Jalalayna and the Primate of the Armenian Spiritual Diocese of Karabakh and Shamakhi, Baghdasar Hasan Jalalyan overcame difficulties and carried out extensive cultural and national defense activities. Before the Sovietization of Artsakh, similar work was continued by other leaders of the Spiritual Diocese.
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3. Not tolerating such activities of the Karabakh Spiritual Diocese, the leadership of Soviet Azerbaijan banned the activities of the Karabakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in 1933, after which it was dissolved.
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4. As a result of new political events in the South Caucasus Region at the beginning of the 19th century, Armenia found itself in a new administrative and political situation. After the Russo-Persian War of 18041813, on October 12, 1813, by the peace Treaty signed in the Gulistan fortress of Artsakh, Karabakh, Gandzak and a number of other adjacent Persian-subject khanates came under Russian rule. In fact, as a result of the aforementioned Treaty, the eastern part of the Armenian people was divided and found itself under the rule of two separate powers - Russia and Persia.39