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AZG Armenian Daily #038, 03/03/2005
Concern
GEORGIAN CLERGY TAKES HOLD OF ARMENIAN CULTURE IN TBILISI
Norashen Church Isn't the Only Example of Their Barbaric Behavior
The Georgian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church informed Regnum agency
that there are many examples of barbaric behavior against the Armenian
spiritual and cultural values in Tbilisi, while the recent events that took
place around Norashen Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Virgin) church, "were just a
notorious example of such behavior."
It turned out that on February 15, the Georgian Orthodox Church consecrated
the Armenian Norashen church by a Georgian rite. After the complaints of the
Armenian dwellers of Tbilisi, Ilia II, Georgian Catholicos, decided to close
the church. Father Abgar said that, certainly, the Norashen church should be
opened again, but as an Armenian church only, while the Georgian false
headstones that were brought to the yard of the church should be withdrawn
from its territory.
As we informed earlier, Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanian, head of
Georgian-Armenian Diocese, applied to Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili
with the issue of the Norashen Church. Zion Catherdral, Georgian Orthodox
Church, the Azeri mosque, as well as Jewish synagogue situate in Leselidze
Street, near the Armenian Norashen Street. There used to be a Greek church
beside the Norashen Church, but few years ago it was consecrated by a
Georgian rite and became one of the three churches stolen from the Greek in
Tbilisi. During the renovation of the very Greek church the Georgian threw
the rubbish and Georgian headstones brought from other places into the yard
of Norashen church, to prove in future that this church is a Georgian one.
Norashen Surb Astvatsatsin church was established in 1467 and reconstructed
in 1650. Jean Chardin who visited Tbilisi in 1672 indicates the church with
the name Norashen. The church had been reconstructed for three times more in
1795, 1808 and 1875. In 1994, Tariel, a Georgian priest, began making an
Armenian church into a Georgian one. Particularly, he withdrew the frescos
by the Hovnatanian brothers out of the inner walls of the church.
Since 1989, a number of Armenian churches were turned into Georgian ones. We
will mention some of them: the Armenian Tchughureti Surb Astvatsatsin church
in Nino Chkheidze Street, that was consecrated by Ilia II as the Georgian
St. Nino Church in the presence of Zviad Gamsakhurdia. Today this church is
called Tsminda Ninos Eklesia.
In 1989, Karmir Avetaran, the highest church of Tbilisi (40 meters) was
exploited. There used to be eight Armenian churches in Havlabar (a
well-known Armenian historical district in Tbilisi). At present, only one of
them functions, that is Echmiatsnots St. Gevorg Church. Dzorabash St. Gevorg
and St, Karapet Churches were also taken over and made into Georgian
churches. Yerevantsots St. Minas Church is semi-ruined now.
Since 1990, some other Armenian churches were taken hold of or consecrated
Georgian in Tbilisi.
These churches are Karapi St. Gevorg church, Bethlehem Surb Astvatsatsin
church, Kusanats St. Stepanos church, Zarivajri St. Karapet church. In the
October of 2002, St. Nshan church was set on fire, while Mughni St. Gevorg
church is about to be deconstructed.
Today, the Georgian Orthodox Church spares no efforts to take hold of
Norashen Surb Astvatsatsin church.
By Tatoul Hakobian
Concern
GEORGIAN CLERGY TAKES HOLD OF ARMENIAN CULTURE IN TBILISI
Norashen Church Isn't the Only Example of Their Barbaric Behavior
The Georgian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church informed Regnum agency
that there are many examples of barbaric behavior against the Armenian
spiritual and cultural values in Tbilisi, while the recent events that took
place around Norashen Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Virgin) church, "were just a
notorious example of such behavior."
It turned out that on February 15, the Georgian Orthodox Church consecrated
the Armenian Norashen church by a Georgian rite. After the complaints of the
Armenian dwellers of Tbilisi, Ilia II, Georgian Catholicos, decided to close
the church. Father Abgar said that, certainly, the Norashen church should be
opened again, but as an Armenian church only, while the Georgian false
headstones that were brought to the yard of the church should be withdrawn
from its territory.
As we informed earlier, Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanian, head of
Georgian-Armenian Diocese, applied to Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili
with the issue of the Norashen Church. Zion Catherdral, Georgian Orthodox
Church, the Azeri mosque, as well as Jewish synagogue situate in Leselidze
Street, near the Armenian Norashen Street. There used to be a Greek church
beside the Norashen Church, but few years ago it was consecrated by a
Georgian rite and became one of the three churches stolen from the Greek in
Tbilisi. During the renovation of the very Greek church the Georgian threw
the rubbish and Georgian headstones brought from other places into the yard
of Norashen church, to prove in future that this church is a Georgian one.
Norashen Surb Astvatsatsin church was established in 1467 and reconstructed
in 1650. Jean Chardin who visited Tbilisi in 1672 indicates the church with
the name Norashen. The church had been reconstructed for three times more in
1795, 1808 and 1875. In 1994, Tariel, a Georgian priest, began making an
Armenian church into a Georgian one. Particularly, he withdrew the frescos
by the Hovnatanian brothers out of the inner walls of the church.
Since 1989, a number of Armenian churches were turned into Georgian ones. We
will mention some of them: the Armenian Tchughureti Surb Astvatsatsin church
in Nino Chkheidze Street, that was consecrated by Ilia II as the Georgian
St. Nino Church in the presence of Zviad Gamsakhurdia. Today this church is
called Tsminda Ninos Eklesia.
In 1989, Karmir Avetaran, the highest church of Tbilisi (40 meters) was
exploited. There used to be eight Armenian churches in Havlabar (a
well-known Armenian historical district in Tbilisi). At present, only one of
them functions, that is Echmiatsnots St. Gevorg Church. Dzorabash St. Gevorg
and St, Karapet Churches were also taken over and made into Georgian
churches. Yerevantsots St. Minas Church is semi-ruined now.
Since 1990, some other Armenian churches were taken hold of or consecrated
Georgian in Tbilisi.
These churches are Karapi St. Gevorg church, Bethlehem Surb Astvatsatsin
church, Kusanats St. Stepanos church, Zarivajri St. Karapet church. In the
October of 2002, St. Nshan church was set on fire, while Mughni St. Gevorg
church is about to be deconstructed.
Today, the Georgian Orthodox Church spares no efforts to take hold of
Norashen Surb Astvatsatsin church.
By Tatoul Hakobian