Armenian Cathedral Demolished. Europe Is Pushing Back.

The Holy Mother of God Cathedral in Stepanakert, the former capital of Artsakh, has been demolished by Azerbaijan, according to satellite imagery confirmed by Caucasus Heritage Watch. The church, consecrated in 2019 after more than a decade of construction, had served as a bomb shelter for Armenian civilians during the 2020 war.

The demolition is not an isolated act. Independent monitoring groups estimate that between 100 and 150 Armenian Christian sites have been destroyed or severely damaged since 2020. A second church in Stepanakert, St. Jacob Church, was also razed in early April. Artsakh officials describe a deliberate pattern of erasure targeting Armenian religious and cultural identity.

On April 30, the European Parliament passed a resolution demanding accountability for the destruction of Armenian heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh and calling for a UNESCO mission to assess the damage. Azerbaijan’s parliament responded within 24 hours by severing all ties with the European Parliament.

Today, Artsakh advocates are at the European Summit in Yerevan pressing for action that goes beyond statements.

This story was reported by the National Catholic Register’s Europe correspondent, who visited Armenia in September 2025 as part of a press delegation organized by Save Armenia. Her coverage of Armenia’s Christian heritage, its people, and the ongoing struggle for survival is a direct result of that trip.

Read the full report: After Armenian Mother Church Demolished in Nagorno-Karabakh, Europe Is Starting to Push Back