ARMENIA CATHOLICOS WANTS TO DO EVERYTHING QUICKLY, WHICH DOESN’T WORK: GEORGIA PATRIARCH

epress.am
06.20.2011 14:03

The Georgian church is open to everyone, but it won’t tolerate
Georgia and the Georgian people to be oppressed, said His Holiness and
Beatitude Ilia II Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia at the Cathedral
of the Holy Trinity during his sermon Sunday, reports Georgia Online.

The Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia addressed this issue,
recalling the visit of His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch
and Catholicos of All Armenians, to Georgia.

“His Holiness Karekin II is a young man and probably he should get
more experience. He’s smart, but he wants to do everything quickly,
which doesn’t work. I told him I have more experience, so it is best
to stay calm,” he said.

According to His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, at a meeting with
the Armenian Catholicos, he discussed the issue of relations between
their two churches.

“The Armenians want to open more churches in Georgia. We suggested
that if Armenian churches are opening in Georgia, then there should
definitely be Georgian churches opening in Armenia. We agreed that
we will have better cooperation in the future. I want to say that
the Georgian church is open to all, but it will not tolerate the
oppression of Georgia and the Georgian people,” he said.

Recall, on Jun. 17, ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) MP,
Javakhq (Javakheti) Patriotic Union President Shirak Torosyan,
weighing in on the issue of church status, said the status of the
Georgian church in Armenia cannot be compared to the status of the
Armenian church in Georgia.

“You can’t put this issue on the same level. A few hundred thousand
Armenians live in Georgia, while there’s practically no Georgian
community in Armenia,” he said.