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ON WHOSE BEHALF WILL CATHOLICOS SPEAK?
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/country22158.html
Published: 14:44:34 - 09/06/2011
Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II will be visiting Georgia
June 10-15. During his visit the relations between the Georgian
and Armenian churches will be discussed, as well as the issues of
disputable churches.
The latter is the problem of Armenian churches of the Armenian
Apostolic Church which are located in Georgia. The Georgians claim
these churches are not apostolic and are orthodox, although they do
not deny that the builders and churchgoers were mainly Armenians. The
Armenian Apostolic Church does not deny that but since there is no
Armenian orthodox or Chalcedonic church, the Armenian Apostolic
Church is expected to take steps to make Georgia admit those are
Armenian churches.
Will the Catholicos be able to solve this problem as the head of only
one of the Armenian religious communities, even though recognized by
the government as the dominant one? Because in order to admit that the
churches in Georgia are Armenian, the Catholicos must announce that
they may not belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church, otherwise he must
acknowledge the right to existence of other religious communities. For
its part, this may shatter the monopoly of the Armenian Apostolic
Church, which is indisputable at the moment, despite the existence
of other churches and religious organizations.
The difference of post-Soviet states from those on the track for
democracy is the existence of political, economic, spiritual and
cultural monopolies. In Armenia, the political monopoly has been
crushed, and the society no longer perceived the Republican Party as an
autocratic leader which is free to do everything it wants. The economic
monopolies are also being crushed. The oligarchs still draw immense
profits but are already trying to appear in public less frequently and
cannot openly commit unlawful actions. The crushing of these monopolies
has not led to destruction. On the contrary, it has only strengthened
the country and the society. The outcome of elimination of the monopoly
of the Armenian Apostolic Church could also be a positive outcome.
The visit to Georgia may be a good opportunity. The times of
inquisition, uniformity and monopolies are in the past. The Armenian
Apostolic Church takes part in ecumenical forums and is quite tolerant
to international religious communities. Besides, not all the Armenians
were and are followers of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and it does
not define ethnic identity.
In this context, it is interesting in what pitch the issues of the
Armenian churches in Georgia will be solved. If the Catholicos is
going to speak on behalf of the Armenian Apostolic Church, this issue
will hardly be solved.
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/country22158.html
Published: 14:44:34 - 09/06/2011
Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II will be visiting Georgia
June 10-15. During his visit the relations between the Georgian
and Armenian churches will be discussed, as well as the issues of
disputable churches.
The latter is the problem of Armenian churches of the Armenian
Apostolic Church which are located in Georgia. The Georgians claim
these churches are not apostolic and are orthodox, although they do
not deny that the builders and churchgoers were mainly Armenians. The
Armenian Apostolic Church does not deny that but since there is no
Armenian orthodox or Chalcedonic church, the Armenian Apostolic
Church is expected to take steps to make Georgia admit those are
Armenian churches.
Will the Catholicos be able to solve this problem as the head of only
one of the Armenian religious communities, even though recognized by
the government as the dominant one? Because in order to admit that the
churches in Georgia are Armenian, the Catholicos must announce that
they may not belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church, otherwise he must
acknowledge the right to existence of other religious communities. For
its part, this may shatter the monopoly of the Armenian Apostolic
Church, which is indisputable at the moment, despite the existence
of other churches and religious organizations.
The difference of post-Soviet states from those on the track for
democracy is the existence of political, economic, spiritual and
cultural monopolies. In Armenia, the political monopoly has been
crushed, and the society no longer perceived the Republican Party as an
autocratic leader which is free to do everything it wants. The economic
monopolies are also being crushed. The oligarchs still draw immense
profits but are already trying to appear in public less frequently and
cannot openly commit unlawful actions. The crushing of these monopolies
has not led to destruction. On the contrary, it has only strengthened
the country and the society. The outcome of elimination of the monopoly
of the Armenian Apostolic Church could also be a positive outcome.
The visit to Georgia may be a good opportunity. The times of
inquisition, uniformity and monopolies are in the past. The Armenian
Apostolic Church takes part in ecumenical forums and is quite tolerant
to international religious communities. Besides, not all the Armenians
were and are followers of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and it does
not define ethnic identity.
In this context, it is interesting in what pitch the issues of the
Armenian churches in Georgia will be solved. If the Catholicos is
going to speak on behalf of the Armenian Apostolic Church, this issue
will hardly be solved.