KARABAKH MOSQUE TO BE RENOVATED SOON

news.az
April 27 2010
Azerbaijan

The spiritual leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia have agreed
on the restoration of religious and cultural monuments in Karabakh.

The agreement was reached at the religious leaders’ trilateral
meeting in Baku yesterday, the deputy catholicos of all Armenians,
Yeznik Petrosyan, told ANS TV.

Catholicos Garegin II told Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev during
their meeting on Tuesday that renovation of the main mosque in Shusha
would begin soon, Petrosyan said.

‘The Catholicos of all Armenians brought to the attention of the
president that a decision had been taken to restore the mosque. The
architectural plan and design for reconstruction of the mosque have
already been drawn up. Renovations will begin in just a few days,’
Petrosyan said.

The Catholicos also raised with the president the renovation of
the Armenian church in central Baku, Turan news agency reported,
quoting a ‘reliable source’. The church leader told the president
that Armenia was ready to renovate the church at its own expense,
but asked for assistance. Ilham Aliyev gave his consent, Turan said.

The church of St Gregory the Illuminator was built in Baku in 1903
and closed in the early 1990s during the war with Armenia over
Nagorno-Karabakh. The cross and bell have been removed from the church.

Until 1912, the Erivan province, now the Armenian capital Yerevan,
had 42 mosques, Echmiadzin 33 and Zangezur 35. The mosques have
disappeared, ANS Press commented.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress