AZG Armenian Daily #077, 29/04/2005

Concern

CAMPAIGN AGAINST ARMENIAN CHURCHES CONTINUES IN GEORGIA

New Target: Surp Nshan of Akhaltskha

Georgian Orthodox Church continues appropriation of Armenian cultural
monuments in Tbilisi and other regions of the country. Tombstones with
Georgian inscriptions were conveyed to the churchyard of Surp Nshan Armenian
church in Akhaltskha a few days ago. Appropriators follow their old logic:
if there are gravestones with Georgian inscriptions in the churchyard then
there are Georgians resting beneath, therefore the church has to be
Georgian.

Surp Nshan church became a point at issue in recent years. As the Armenian
and Georgian Churches could not settle the dispute, it was decided to leave
the church open for both Armenians and Georgians. It should be mentioned
that 30 Armenian churches have already been appropriated and consecrated in
accordance with Georgian ritual.

Daily Azg was informed that a delegation of Holy See of Etchmiadzin headed
by the head of Artsakh diocese, Archbishop Pargev Martirosian, left for
Tbilisi on April 20 and met high-ranking Georgian clergy.

While the delegation was negotiating with the Georgian side particularly
over several Armenian churches in Tbilisi, infamous clergyman named Tariel
continued appropriation of Surp Astvatsatsin church of Norashen. Those very
days Armenian tombstones of Surp Astvatsatsin were replaced by Georgian
ones.

The Roman Catholic Church also suffers at the hands of appropriators. But as
opposed to the Armenian clerical and secular authorities, which can raise
concern at high-level meetings at best, Vatican has taken a strong line. In
particular, the court in Strasburg is now studying the issue of a Catholic
church in Kutaisi, which was appropriated and consecrated several years ago.
Having lost two actions in Georgian court, Pope’s envoy Claudio Gugerotti
had to apply to European court.

When last year a Georgian fresco was damaged in one of Greek churches of
Jerusalem, officially Tbilisi and mass media raised a clamor saying that
Georgian legacy is being eliminated in the Holy City.

By Tatoul Hakobian