ONE MORE ARMENIAN CHURCH WILL SURVIVE

Yerkir
20.03.2007 12:45

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – In February 2007, the first stage of the
St. Echmiadzin Church reconstruction was completed in Tbilisi.

The 200-year-old church was not functioning for the last year. Due
to frequent earthquakes and construction works of the underground,
dangerous surface fractures appeared on this architectural monument
and it eventually appeared on the edge of destruction.

In July, 2006 the Argentina affiliate of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
Executive Board and the US West Coast diocese of Holy See Echmiadzin,
the first stage of the church reconstruction was launched.

It included reinforcement of the church base, internal columns and
walls of the building with the help of metallic structures. The
reasons that caused water collection under the building have been
eliminated. The "Karutsapatum and Spasarkum GAK" CJSC (Author
Sergey Atoyan; Architect Henrik Aghalaryan) are in charge of the
reconstruction design of the church.

It is envisaged to start internal renovation in the near future.

Primate of Georgian Diocese Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan is hopeful
that by the end of the year the Saint Echmiadzin church of Tbilisi
will be reopened.

Thus the 150000 Armenians based in Georgia will have the opportunity
to preserve their national and spiritual pride.