Karapet Bagratuni

[Javakhk]

Karapet Bagratuni

(1779-1856)

The famous church and public leader Archbishop Karapet was born in 1779.

Initial education (1791) got from spiritual leader Archbishop Mikael in Akni. Later he studied teology in Constantinople, ..., Armenian literature and foreign languages. He was appointed to a Vardapet in Akni in 1801 ... since 1808 he is a leader of Armenian parish in Karno. Became an Archbishop in 1811 in Etchmiadzin. He organized and led an economic, spiritual and cultural activities in Karno. He was very supportive to Russian Army ... in 1829, during take over of Erzerum. On behalf of Armenian citizens of Erzerum he saluted and blessed Russian soldiers. After an Agreement of Adrianopolis (September 2, 1829), when the ruling of Turkish pashas was reinstalled in Erzerum, Bayazet and Kars, Karapet Bagratuni, being afraid of Turkish posecution, on December 15, 1829 wrote together with 29 other public activists a Memorandum to Russian General Paskevich to allow to local Armenians to cross a Russian border. Under a leadership of K. Bagratuni in 1829-30 from Erzerum and neighbor hundreds of villages about 50 thousand of Armenians (7298 families) were migrated to a new places in Russian Empire, in cities of Ahaltsikha, Ahalkalaki, Tsalka, Lori-Pambak and Shoragyal. By the leadership of Karapet Bagratuni the most important historical spiritual items moved in time from all churches in Erzerum and neighborhood to a new location in Ahaltsikha, including books, ancient hand writings, church items, etc). All these items were held in newly constructed Surp Prkitch (St. Savior) church in Ahaltsikha (1835-37).

All social-economic and spiritual-cultural activities of Karapet Bagratuni were targeted to a development and support of a new environment of Armenian community in a region of Ahaltsikha and Ahalkalaki. By the leadership of Karapet Bagratuni a new settlement named Plan was established near Ahaltsiha (on another band of river Poskhov), around 100 new villages in Ahaltsiha, Ahalkalaki and Tsalka regions, near 60 new churches, a new Nor-Karapetyan (New Karapet) school (1830), St. Mesrob boys' school (1836), etc.

On January 20, 1837 K.Bagratuni was given a spiritual title of a leader of whole Georgian and Emirat parishes, which he hold until his death. He invited and had a meeting with a Russian Tsar Nikolay I in September 1837 in Ahaltsiha. By the request of Karapet Bagratuni Tsar agreed not to collect one more year the taxes from Armenian refugees newly settled in Ahaltsiha and Ahalkalaki regions. On October 20, 1830 for his supportive activities the Russian Government awarded Karapet Bagratuni an orden of St.Anna, 1st level. K.Bagratuni died in 1856 and was burried in the yard of St.Savior church in Ahaltsiha. 100 years later his ashes were reburried in the city civic cemetery.

Source: Karzakh Village, by Armenak DokhoyanThe Archive of the Archbishop Karapet Bagratuni

The Archive of the Archbishop Karapet Bagratuni

The archive consists of 1838 documents, filed in Folder 163. The oldest document is written in 1801, the latest in 1856.

The Archbishop Karapet Bagratuni (1779-1856) was the spiritual leader of the Armenians of Karin (Erzerum), then of the Armenians of Georgia and Imeret. He played a particularly major role in organizing the movement of 90 thousand Armenians from Erzerum district to Eastern Armenia. He founded churches and schools.

The archive holds the Kondaks, letters and reports written by Karapet Bagratuni. There are documents on his connections with the Russian High Command and assistance of Armenian population to the Russian troops during the Russian-Turkish war of 1828-1829.