Primate of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan described yesterday’s Azerbaijani shelling of Shushi’s Ghazanchetsots Cathedral as deliberate effort to “insult our cross and cause of despair”.

"This is the handwriting of international terror. This is our destiny, our ordeal. I am sure we will get out of this ordeal," he said at a press conference today in Stepanakert.

The church leader said that in the 1990s, the Azerbaijanis had again targeted Gandzasar, Amaras and even the Church of the Savior of Gulistan.

"At that time, some of the people of Shahumyan did not have time to escape. Thery beheaded seven people, threw them on the altar and blew up the dome. It is the handwriting of the same barbarians. "We have not touched any mosques. We have even renovated the mosque in Shushi to the best of our ability," said Bishop Martirosyan.