VARARAKN CHURCH SHOULD BE RETURNED TO PEOPLE
KarabakhOpen
04-02-2008 11:54:31
The issue of Vararakn Church in a suburb of Stepanakert has
been brought up in different meetings and forums. Recently the
representative of the Unity NGO has raised the issue of the church
with the prime minister. Ara Harutiunyan promised that as soon as
the specialists confirm the value of the church as a monument, it
will be restored and returned to the government.
We learn from historical sources that the church was founded by the
Armenian king Vachagan Barepasht in 498 as one of the 300 churches
built by the king across the Armenian land. Now the church is located
in a land which is private property, and is not used as a church.
Ashot Sargsyan, the head of the government department of ethnic
minorities and religions, strongly criticized this. He said in an
interview with Karabakh-Open.com, according to Article 9 of the NKR law
on freedom of faith and religious organizations, the government must
return religious buildings and adjacent land to religious organizations
without compensation. The law also bars the church from using them
for other purposes.
Ashot Sargsyan said the government and the Diocese of Artsakh are
going to sign an agreement which will involve the return of churches
by government.
All the churches, including Vararakn, will be returned to the Armenian
Apostolic Church, the head of the department says.
Ashot Sargsyan thinks the officials who have provided the territory
adjacent to the church for the construction of a restaurant must
be punished.
According to him, those officials should refund the damage to the
owners of the restaurant.