Diocese of Artsakh

Diocese of Artsakh Արցախի թեմ
Ghazanchetsots Cathedral, the seat of the bishop
Location
Country	Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
Statistics
Population - Total	(as of 2015) ~150,000
Churches	17 (functioning) ~5,000 (all)
Information
Denomination	Armenian Apostolic Church
Rite	Armenian Rite
Established	1989
Cathedral	Ghazanchetsots, Shushi Gandzasar (historic)
Secular priests	10
Current leadership
Patriarch	Karekin II
Primate	Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan

Diocese of Artsakh (Armenian: Արցախի թեմ Artsakhi t'em) is one of the largest dioceses of the Armenian Apostolic Church covering the de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. It is named after the historic province of Artsakh; the 10th province of the Kingdom of Armenia. The diocesan headquarters are located on Ghazanchetots street 72, in the town of Shushi. The seat of the bishop is the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral.

The diocese was established in 1989. Since its creation, archbishop Pargev Martirosyan (Պարգև արքեպիսկոպոս Մարտիրոսյան) has served as its primate.

All churches in Karabakh were closed in the 1930s by the Soviet government. The totalitarian regime was relatively relaxed by Mikhail Gorbachev. A mass movement for the unification of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia started in February 1988. With Armenian national identity in rise in the Soviet Union, the Diocese of Artsakh was established in 1989. The 13th century Gandzasar monastery was the first one to be reopened. It remains the historic center of the Diocese of Artsakh, while the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral is the administrative center of the diocese.

The construction of the Holy Mother of God Cathedral in Stepanakert was launched on July 19, 2006. The cost of the project is around US$2 million and the architect of the church is Gagik Yeranosyan. However, the construction process was slow due to the lack of financial resources. The inauguration of the church is expected to take place in September 2016. Upon its consecration, it will become the seat of the Diocese of Artsakh.