Saint Stepanos Church (Shinuhayr)

Saint Stepanos Church (Սուրբ Ստեփանոս վանք) is a 17th-century three-nave structure located in the Syunik Province of southeastern Armenia, situated 1.7 kilometers southeast of Shinuhayr village, in the center of Old Shinuhair village, Syunik Province. It is part of the landscape approximately 27.7 km to east of the Sisian/Shaki turnoff along the Sisian-Goris highway.

Location
The foundation date of the Shinuhayr settlement remains elusive. At the heart of the settlement lies a three-nave basilica dedicated to St. Stepanos and an adjacent cemetery known as Khach ("Cross").

Valuable insights into the craftsmanship of Shenher's pens and flourishes during the 17th century are gleaned from the scripts produced in the locale. Manuscripts were meticulously crafted both within the writing house adjacent to the Saint Stepanos Church and in the Kusanats desert. Eminent figures such as Lazar, Margarit, and Astvatsatur emerged as noteworthy contributors to the literary legacy associated with the esteemed St. Stepanos Church.

History
According to local accounts, the ecclesiastical edifice was constructed in the 4th century. In the 12th century, seismic activity led to its demise, prompting a reconstruction in the 17th century.

Remarkably, the three-nave basilica endures to this day. Beyond its religious function, the church also served as the residence of David-Bek, functioning as the administrative nucleus of the village.

Operational until 1920, the church underwent a transformation, later—during Soviet period—accommodating a grocery store to bolster the local economy, a role it assumed until the relocation of the village.

A noteworthy historical account comes from Yervand Lalayan, who, during the late 19th century, visited Shinuhayr and penned an insightful observation about the church: "In the village center stands the St. Stepanos Church, an impressively large and beautiful structure, constructed on four pillars and adorned with a dome shaped like a cross. To the east of the church, on four pillars, there rises a tall and graceful bell tower adorned with a conical roof. The portals of the church are modestly sized and unadorned, while inside, it is decorated with cross-stones and five candelabras. The surroundings of the church feature both ancient and new tombstones, contributing to the rich historical and cultural heritage of the ecclesiastical site."

On the khachkar built into the eastern wall of Saint Stepanos Church in Shinuhayri village center is engraved:


 * And me-Arzur, erected this khachkar for my Lord, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Remember me. ...51+551BC


 * (Եվ Արզուր կանգնեցի զխաչս տեառն իմոյ  և Որդոյ իմոյ, Պապկայ Հոգվոյն․ յիշեցեք ի Քս․ թվ․․․․ ԿԱ)

And Ghevond Alishan (1820–1901) testifies: "Hundreds" of the date is broken: now the inscrption is completely distorted (Թվականի հարյուրավորը ջարդված է․ այժմ արձանագրությունը բոլորովին եղծված է).