GEORGIA’S CLAIMS TO CHURCHES IN ARMENIA
Alisa Gevorgyan
"Radiolur"
18.12.2008 14:03
The recent rally in front of the Armenian Embassy in Tbilisi and the
demand of the protesters to return a number of Georgian monasteries
to the Georgian Orthodox Church was am immediate counteraction to
calm down or stop the noise raised by the Armenian side around the
Armenian Church of Norashen.
Nevertheless, some reason was necessary for posing such a demand,
even a most subjective one, historian Alexander Kananyan says. "The
question, of course, refers to temporary authority. Those churches
have been under the jurisdiction of the Georgian Church only for a
short while, from the end of the 12 to the start of the 13th century."
Moreover, according to the historian, all priests of the churches
were Armenian, spoke Armenian, but sang Masses in Georgian because
of diplomatic principles.
According to the historian, the Tashir-Agarak Diocese the Georgian
Church established in Armenia in 2005 was a political provocation,
which creates bases for exerting pressure on the Armenian side. In
general, the Georgian Church lays claims to Khuchap, Akhtala
monastries, Hnevank and Kobayr. There are some smaller churches in
the list.