PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenians of Georgia urge to stop barbarous destruction of Armenian
cultural heritage
28.11.2008 14:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian community of Georgia issued an open
letter over destruction of Norashen Armenian church.

The letter says in part, `The Armenian community of Georgia urges to
stop barbarous destruction of Armenian cultural heritage by the
Georgian clergy. The regular attempt to seize Norashen is
outraging. The altar and unique frescos are eliminated; grave are
desecrated.

In May 2008, father Tariel Sikinchelashvili’s ordered to isolate
Norashen with a fence with symbols of the Georgian Orthodox Church.

The attempts to `georgify’ Norashen started in 1989. The altar, whose
form is peculiar to the Armenian Apostolic Church was demolished, wall
paintings erased.

Presently, the status of Surb Norashen, Surb Nshan, Shamhoretsor Surb
Astvatsatsin (Karmir Avetaran), Yerevanots Surb Minas and Mugni Surb
Gevorg in Tbilisi and Surb Nshan in Akhaltsikh, confiscated during the
soviet period, is still unknown. Owing to the absence of law on
religion, Georgian clergy occupy the Armenian churches.

The Armenian community of Georgia urges to stop barbarous destruction
of Armenian cultural heritage.’