Azerbaijanis Send Priest to Dadivank as Part of Broader Cultural Usurpation Attempt

Elnur Kalbizade, head of the Caucasus Policy Department at the Institute of Caucasian Studies of the Azerbaijani National Academy of Sciences, claims that Armenians carried out what he called “falsifications” of the identity of the monastery after taking control of the region, in part at the expense of American-Armenian businesswoman Edele Hovnanian.

Evidently the Danakari visit and such claims are part of a broader Azerbaijani attempt to usurp the Armenian religious and cultural heritage in Artsakh and other parts of Azerbaijan. Caucasian Albania is called Aghuank in Armenian. It last had an independent state in medieval times and its people became largely Islamicized and Turkified, though a smaller segment became absorbed into the Armenian people.

Danakari in one Azernews article claimed, “The Armenians destroyed all historical and religious objects and literature. In the churches and monasteries located in the territories formerly occupied by the Armenians, Armenian crosses were installed on the Albanian churches and monasteries.”

Danakari is deputy chairman of the Albanian Udi Christian Community of Azerbaijan. He was also seen early this November at the Church of St. Elisha the Prophet, perhaps not coincidentally newly renovated in the village of Nij. The Udi claim to be descendents of the Caucasian Albanians.

In a December 6 report, Turan News Agency quoted Robert Mobili, the head of the Udi community of Azerbaijan, as declaring that prior news reports (such as in Trend or Azernews) stating that Danakari was appointed as a preacher or priest for Dadivank, were incorrect. Mobili specified that 12 members of the Udi Christians visited on December 4.  They were accompanied by journalists, Azerbaijani soldiers members, and a representative of the public relations department of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan. Russian peacekeepers guarding the monastery were also present.