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The Church of Kish (Template:Lang-az) is located in the village of Kish approximately 5km north from Shaki, Azerbaijan and considered to be one of the centres of Albanian-Udi Christian community in Azerbaijan.
History
The medieval literary tradition suggests that the church was established in 62 A.D. by Saint Elishe, a disciple of Thaddeus of Edessa.
According to Moses Kalankatuatsi, St. Elishe arrived to a place called Gis, where he built a church and recited a liturgy. The church became the "spiritual center and the place of enlightenment of people of the East". On his way from Gis St. Elishe was killed by unknown people. It is believed that Gis is a reference to Kish.
The church (referred to as "Mother of All Eastern Churches") was the first church of Caucasian Albania and is believed to be the first church built in the Caucasus.
Research and dating
In 2000-2003 the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs funded a joint project between Baku State University for Architecture and Construction and the Norwegian Humanitarian Enterprise for archeological research and restoration of the church of Kish. Dr. Vilayat Karimov of Baku's Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography served as the Director of Excavations, and the Archaeological Advisor for the project was J. Bjørnar Storfjell, who currently directs the Thor Heyerdahl Research Centre in Aylesbury, England. Radiocarbon analysis of various objects found on the site showed that the cultic site found beneath the altar of the church dates to about 3000 B.C., while the construction of the existing church building dates to about the 12th century (990-1160 A.D.).
The existing church building cannot be dated to the times of St. Elishe, but the archeological evidence demonstrates that the church is located on an ancient cultic site. It is very unlikely that St. Elishe built in Kish a church in the modern understanding of this word. Even if the person did exist, it appears likely that he built only the altar or used an existing pagan cult structure.
References
- Ortodox in Azerbaijan
- Interview with Russian Ortodox Baku and Caspian Bishop Alexander
- Ortodox in Azerbaijan
- Moses Kalankatuatsi. History of Albania. Book 1, Chapter VI
- ^ Official website of Baku eparchy of Russian Orthodox Church. Architectural heritage of Caucasian Albania.
- Visit of Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexius II to Azerbaijan
- Interview with Russian Ortodox Baku and Caspian Bishop Alexander
- Azerbaijan International Magazine. About the Kish Church Reconstruction Project
See also
External links
- Photo of Church
- Research on Armenian Architecture: Kish village, Shaki District, Republic of Azerbaijan
- The Kish Church
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