The Albanian-Udi Christian religious community has strongly condemned Armenia’s revanchist reaction to a recent visit by members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Azerbaijan to Karabakh and East Zangezur.
The community said Armenia’s portrayal of the historic Azerbaijani monuments of Ganjasar and Khudavang as part of Armenian heritage amounted to a denial and distortion of history and could threaten the fragile peace process taking shape in the region, Caliber.Az reports.
“The targeted campaign being waged in Armenia against the visit of representatives of the diplomatic corps demonstrates the insincerity of the country’s political and religious circles regarding their commitment to peace, as well as their continuing intolerance toward Azerbaijan’s legitimate rights,” the statement said.
The community stressed that it considers Caucasian Albania an integral part of Azerbaijani statehood and rejected Armenia’s attempts to deny the region’s historical and cultural heritage.
“Such provocations by Armenia stem from a delusion of national exceptionalism and are also manifestations of falsified history and racism,” the statement said.
It added that an “intolerant, hostile attitude” toward Caucasian Albania and its religious and cultural heritage demonstrated that Armenia “fears the truth.”
“The Albanian Church, as the first Apostolic Church of the Caucasus, has traversed a long historical
“All attacks on this heritage—which gave rise to a great culture and possessed its own alphabet—will come to nought. The facts cannot be denied,” it added.
The Albanian-Udi community said attempts to appropriate the historical and cultural heritage of Caucasian Albania amounted to opposing both the past and the future, while undermining the foundations of good-neighbourly relations and peaceful coexistence.
“The continuation of this same policy today and its support by the Armenian leadership are unacceptable. History should be studied, not distorted,” the statement said.
The community said Udins, the first Christians of this land, firmly rejected attempts to appropriate their historical and religious-cultural heritage.
“Historical realities prove that the heritage of Caucasian Albania belongs to Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani people, where representatives of various ethnic groups, religions, and beliefs have lived in tolerance for centuries,” the statement said.
The community also highlighted the continued practice of its religious traditions in Azerbaijan.
“We, as a Christian community that preserves its language, religion, customs, and traditions, will continue to safeguard the sacred heritage of our ancestors and carry on the struggle against Armenian fabrications,” it said.
According to the statement, Udins currently hold religious services in churches in Gabala and Oguz and conduct religious rites and ceremonies in ancient Albanian temples in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories.
The community specifically referred to the temples of Ganjasar, Aghoghlan, Khudavang and Amaras, among others, as sites where such religious practices are conducted.
By Sabina Mammadli
