Sourb Astvatzatzin Church, Nerkin Tagh (Darabagh). In 1868 Priest Avag Ter-Hovhannissiants is mentioned serving in the sanctuary_*82.
In 1873 the spiritual powers granted permission to ordain Harutiun Mateossian Khamoyants _*83, a graduate of Moscow University who had worked as a judge for 7 years. The community cherished a hope that he would foster the education of the younger generation:
...Once Sexton Harutiun is ordained priest of Sourb Astvatzatzin of Nerkin Darabagh Mahla... he can teach our Uti children Armenian, Russian and different other subjects..._*84.
In 1879 Petros Martirossian Hayrapetiants, who had been granted the title of a fourth-degree deacon, was ordained priest _*85.
Sargis Khamoyants (Khamayants), who is mentioned as the newly-ordained priest of the church in 1875 _*86, also served there in 1898 _*87.
Verjin Tagh (Pitzilu) and Ghojabeklu. From 1829 until at least 1857, Khachatur Vardanian Dallakiants performed priestly duties for the local community (born in 1789, he was ordained in 1829)_*88.
In 1851 Khachatur Vardaniants served in the quarter, which was under Priest David Ter-Rstakessiants' spiritual guidance in 1868._*89
Khachatur Avetissian Vardaniants (born in 1847), who was ordained priest on 19 April 1870 and still held that post in 1910 _*90, is mentioned in some archive documents of 1898 _*91 and 1904 _*92.
Vardan Martirossiants, who was ordained in 1906, also performed priestly duties in 1910 _*93.
Sourb Astvatzatzin Church, Verin Tagh.
From 1832 up till at least 1857, Khachatur Ter-Hovhannissian Martirossiants held the post of priest (born in 1794, he was ordained in Jalet Monastery in 1832)_*94, together with Hovhannes Martirossian Shirvaniants (born in 1801, he was ordained in 1832)_*95.
In 1860 Avag Ter-Khachatriants served in the sanctuary_*96.
In 1861 Priests Avetis (Hovhannes) Ter-Khachatriants and Melkum Ter-Hovhannissian (Shirvaniants) are mentioned _*97: the former consigned his soul to God in 1864, leaving Sourb Astvatzatzin under the latter's charge (1868), but a single priest was not able to manage the church affairs _*98.
In 1868 reference is made to Melkum Shirvaniants and Hovhannes Koliyants _*99.
In 1872 the parishioners wanted to ordain Sexton Astvatzatur Arzumanian Simeoniants from Zarap who had vowed to serve the church up to his death _*100.
In 1876 Galust Stepanian Palchiants' ordination took place in Haghpat Monastery _*101.
According to some archive documents, in 1890 the parish had two priests, Galust Palchiants and Mkrtich Shirvaniants, but they also wanted Vardan Arzumanian Palchiants to be ordained _*102.
Between 1892 and 1899, Arshak Arzumanian Palchiants is mentioned: born in 1867, he was ordained in 1892_*103.
In 1898 Galust Palchiants and Mkrtich Shirvaniants served in the church,_*104 but in 1895 the community suggested that the latter, who was already at rather an advanced age, should be replaced by his son Meliksedek _*105.
In 1908 it was left without a priest _*106.
In 1915 the candidacy of Artashes Ter-Nersessian Ter-Hovhannissiants (from Metz Sokutlu), a graduate of the Spiritual School of Yerevan Diocese (1893), was suggested for priesthood _*107.
St. Mesrop School of St. Elisha Church. In 1854 Nizh people faced the necessity of founding an Armenian school in the village, but they succeeded in establishing one only about a decade and a half later:
...The Armenians of Nizh Village who do not have the slightest command of the Armenian language communicate either in Turkish or Uti. Even the local clergy have difficulty in speaking fluently and handling different cases in Armenian. Aiming at saving our flock, won at the cost of Christ's blood, from this humiliating situation when they are totally deprived of their Mother tongue through which they could partake in the divine service of our church, we find it most necessary to commission a teacher of Armenian to educate their offsprings in their native language... _*108.
A male parish school is known to have been established in Nizh in 1870_*109 (certain archive documents also mention 1876 _*110 or even 1879): it opened as a two-year institution having 41 pupils._*111
In 1879 the parishioners of St. Elisha planned to expand the old school _*112: the new one which was built in 1882 functioned till 1886, having between 50 and 80 pupils per annum. It was also attended by children from the neighbouring villages of Jorlu, Tzirik, Mirzabeklu and Khoshkashen. By 1886 the local residents had already embarked upon the construction of a new 7-room building at the expense of 4,000 rubles _*113.
In the same year the Catholicos of All Armenians issued a bull approving the school's Board of Trustees that comprised Priest Sargis Khamayants, Thomas Jotaniants and Movses Balreliants _*114.
The institution was one of the most remarkable buildings in the village:
...The local Armenian parish school, which represents a huge stone edifice erected in the site of an ancient cemetery, has a kitchen, a large hall, three rooms and the same number of antechambers. It was built through the selfless efforts of Mr. Hovhannes Ter-Grigoriants, former inspector of Artsakh Diocese..._*115.
In 1886 the school numbered 82 pupils, 70 of them from Uti and 12 from Armenian families _*116.
In the aftermath of a fire that broke out in the institution in 1892, it appeared in a state of disrepair:
The parish school of Nizh, founded through Archimandrite Vahan Ter-Grigorian's efforts, was set ablaze last year because of some soldiers' carelessness. Due to its trustees' indifference, it is now in bad need of repairs despite the fact that a young man from Nizh, K..., raised 307 rubles 40 kopecks in Shushi and Baku (the Charity Society of the latter donated 200 rubles) for that purpose. The number of its pupils has dropped from 75 to 50 _*117.
The Armenian school of Nizh, which had 3 teachers and 287 pupils in 1908 _*118, functioned till 1945: a record by Sargis Israelian, architect Raphael Israelian's father, is of great importance with this respect:
...After 75 years of functioning, Nizh's two-year school of St. Mesrop does not exist any more as an Armenian educational institution. Although it still continued its activity after the establishment of the Soviet rule in Azerbaijan, it closed in consequence of the publication of an anti-Armenian article, being replaced by an Azerbaijani one where instruction was conducted in the Azerbaijani language. Indeed, the local people could not tolerate their children's learning Azerbaijani as their Mother tongue and declared that "if Armenian could not be regarded the Uti children's native language, nor could Azerbaijani."
Thanks to a storm of protest raised by Nizh inhabitants, the Azerbaijani school closed being replaced by a Russian one, and now that 75 years have passed the Russian language is heard under the vaults of St. Mesrop School instead of Armenian_*119.
According to an archive document dating back to 10 February 1875, Nerkin Tagh (Darabagh Mahla) had a preparatory Armenian school consisting of 18 boys who generally had their lessons in a private house. Their teacher was newly-ordained Uti Priest Sargis Khamayants, a graduate of Nersissian College and Lazarian Spiritual School _*120. In 1876 the 25 pupils of the institution _*121 were again taught by Priest Sargis Khamoyants _*122, who occupied that post in 1878 as well_*123.
The Village Library. The books of the local library, founded in 1882 through Kh. Paniants' efforts_*124, were in a very poor state of preservation in 1888 _*125 and 1890:
The children's section is in total confusion with all the books having disappeared _*126.
by Samvel Karapetian, Research on Armenian Architecture (RAA) NGO
