It was an ordinary day, the service was over, they were making pilaf with rice, when it started. – “It was happening right in front of our eyes, and the most difficult was the moment when you see the enemy’s army and equipment going to conquer your homeland. He is going over your native land to conquer your homeland…”
The last abbot of Dadivank is Derenik Abegha Sahakyan. Having become an Azerbaijani, he was in Karvachar with two deacons. Near the monastery was the Azerbaijani military unit that was the target of the Armenian armed forces on the day of the war. “Unwillingly, we too,” Father Derenik smiles bitterly… Russian peacekeepers took the three Armenian clergymen out of Artsakh, which had already been completely emptied and turned into Azerbaijan.
“What I saw already in Stepanakert, or before reaching Stepanakert, I don’t want us to have any chance to see those scenes in our history. When pets were already wandering the streets without owners, houses were stolen, everything was looted: shops, houses, and all this was happening before your eyes,” says father Derenik.
On October 1, Abegha and deacons Hovhannes and Arsen arrived in Armenia.
“No, I haven’t returned, I’m still there,” says father Derenik. While leaving, they prayed one last time for their return. – “Every moment was difficult because I had memorized every stone of the monastery. There was interest in every tree and flower. And there wasn’t a single day, not a single hour that I was bored in Dadivank. And the moment of that farewell, when the car started, and when Dadivank was slowly leaving, I realized that I was just physically leaving, because my soul, heart remained on my Armenian land, in my Armenian Dadivank.”
Abegha served in Dadivank for more than a year. He did not see any Armenian pilgrims for a year. – “I last saw a pilgrim on October 17, 2022.”
Sometimes they were comforted by the presence of runes. – “On Sunday, it was a great joy when the Russian peacekeepers were in the church, when they participated in the liturgy and received communion. To a certain extent, the feeling that you are celebrating mass and there are no believers was comforted by their presence.
In the Armenian monastery complex of Karvachar, which came under the control of Azerbaijan after the 44-day war, Armenian prayers were heard every day thanks to several Armenian clergymen who reached the monastery through difficult roads. A small number of Russian peacekeepers and a large number of Azerbaijani troops were near the monastery.
Father Derenik does not talk about difficulties: water, electricity, means of communication, food. – “It was my vow, my dream, to do all the possibilities to render my service wherever my homeland needs it. I didn’t think for a second, hesitated, confused whether to go or not. On the contrary, when I heard that there was an opportunity, I immediately prepared myself, I was serving in Egypt.”
It’s okay that the monastery had no Armenian visitors, liturgies-concerts were all in order, in his spare time, the abegha wrote the story of his grandfather, two brothers who died in the Second World War, he established a small garden in the territory of the monastery, there were tomatoes, cucumbers and flowers.
He also kept a dog and a cat, Sevuk could not reach Armenia, but the cat named Van of the monastery is here.
It is not yet clear what will be the next address of the 35-year-old abegha’s service after Dadivank. Father Derenik considers being the abbot of Dadivank to be the greatest position in life.
“Sad, missed, very missed. I want to sleep for one thing only, to close my eyes, because my Dadivan is always in front of my eyes… “.
