GEORGIAN CHURCH FOLLOWS LOGIC OF MARKET RELATIONS - ARMENIAN ARCHBISHOP
news.am
June 21 2011
Armenia
ECHMIADZIN. - In response to the demand of Armenian Apostolic Church
(AAC) to grant Armenian historical churches, which were under Georgian
diocese, the Georgian church, following the logic of market relations,
put forward its claims on several churches in Armenia calling them
Georgian. Moreover, Georgian side demanded to build Georgian church
in Armenia, Archbishop of Holy Echmiazdin Arshak Khachatryan told at
a press conference on Tuesday.
"Number of Georgians living in Armenia is700-800 compared to 250,000
Armenians in Georgia. Besides, there is a Georgian church in Yerevan.
At the same time, Georgian side does not cooperate on this issue,"
Archbishop told.
Georgian church demands to register legally Georgian Orthodox church
without having large population of Georgians in Armenia. Armenian
Apostolic Church does not oppose this as it does not confront
Armenia's legislation. AAC, however, demands Georgia to grant legal
status to Armenian churches of Georgian diocese to hold liturgy for
the church visitors.
The Georgians also offered to form two-sided commission on
differentiating belongings of churches.
"Armenian side doe not oppose the idea of commission. However,
it should not have the goal of stretching time or carry official
character," chairman of the Armenian Bible Society, Archbishop Yeznik
Petrosyan told.
He added that it would be better to collect and present documents that
will prove what churches or temples are Georgian in the territory of
Armenia and then, if necessary, commission will be formed.
news.am
June 21 2011
Armenia
ECHMIADZIN. - In response to the demand of Armenian Apostolic Church
(AAC) to grant Armenian historical churches, which were under Georgian
diocese, the Georgian church, following the logic of market relations,
put forward its claims on several churches in Armenia calling them
Georgian. Moreover, Georgian side demanded to build Georgian church
in Armenia, Archbishop of Holy Echmiazdin Arshak Khachatryan told at
a press conference on Tuesday.
"Number of Georgians living in Armenia is700-800 compared to 250,000
Armenians in Georgia. Besides, there is a Georgian church in Yerevan.
At the same time, Georgian side does not cooperate on this issue,"
Archbishop told.
Georgian church demands to register legally Georgian Orthodox church
without having large population of Georgians in Armenia. Armenian
Apostolic Church does not oppose this as it does not confront
Armenia's legislation. AAC, however, demands Georgia to grant legal
status to Armenian churches of Georgian diocese to hold liturgy for
the church visitors.
The Georgians also offered to form two-sided commission on
differentiating belongings of churches.
"Armenian side doe not oppose the idea of commission. However,
it should not have the goal of stretching time or carry official
character," chairman of the Armenian Bible Society, Archbishop Yeznik
Petrosyan told.
He added that it would be better to collect and present documents that
will prove what churches or temples are Georgian in the territory of
Armenia and then, if necessary, commission will be formed.