WE ARE THE OWNERS BUT OTHERS OWN

Panorama.am
13:04 04/07/2008

Church doesn`t have a separate budget and the churches, being under
the protection of Holy Etchmiadzin, are decorated only with money
assigned by charity. The main architecture of Mother Cathedral,
Artavazd Nazaretyan said it to the journalist of Panorama.am. According
to Gayane Durgaryan, the head of society connection department of
ministry of Culture, 500mln AMD is assigned for redecoration of the
monuments. There are 150 churches under the protection of Mother
Cathedral.

‘Redecorations have started in Harich monastery complex since 2006
and in Haghpat monastery complex. The latter will be finished in 2009
‘, – said the architect.

Haghpat is being redecorated with the donation of Sharjai Emir
Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohamed Al Kasimii, member of United Arab Emirate`s
Council. ‘The church is being redecorated completely, but will keep
its former appearance. All the paths leading to the monastery will
be repaired as well as problems with water supply, electricity, gas,
communication nets’,- said Mery Danielyan, the head of the redecoration
of Haghpat project. In the frames of the project the whole territory
will be amended. About 1.713.000 US dollars will be spent.

"The redecorations of Mother Cathedral will have been finished till
28, September, 2008",- said A. Nazaretyan. 28 September is the day of
making chrism which is made once in 7 years and sent to all Armenian
churches.

During this year more than a dozen monuments will be redecorated. Some
of them are St. Hovhannes, Astvacynkal, St. Astvacactin, Dashtadem,
Catholic churches and Amberd`s citadel in Aragatsotn region,
Qobayravanq, Hnevanq, Odzun monastery in Lori region, Vahanavanq,
Halidzor fortress, Qarahunj (Stone Henge) in Syuniq , Erebuny and
many others.

Since 2004 money from budget is assigned for repair and redecoration
of historical monuments and each year 12-14 valuable monuments are
redecorated. Each year the sum of money assigned by the budget
increases but this year it decreased. In 2004 it was 50mln AMD,
in 2005- 530mln, in 2006-720mln, in 2007-660mln.Artyom Grigoryan,
the head of historical monuments Agency, said that besides the state
budget, they also receive money from social organizations, charity
funds and other sources.

In Armenia 24.200 monuments exist. 40% of them has republican and
60%-local significance.