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HOLY SEE TO DEMAND RETURN OF ARMENIAN CHURCHES
Tert.am
27.03.12
The Holy See of St Echmiadzin confirms the media reports that the
Georgian Ministry of Justice has registered local Armenian diocese,
granting it the status of a legal entity.
Speaking to Tert.am, a spokesperson for the Holy See, Priest Vahram
Melikyan said their next step would be demanding the Armenian churches'
return to the diocese.
"Historically, the churches belonging to the Armenian Apostolic Church
[AAC] are necessary for meeting the spiritual needs of the diocese,"
he said.
The Georgian-Armenian spiritual leaders are calling for the return
of about six Armenian churches situated on the territory of Georgia
(St Nshan of Akhaltskhe and five churches in capital Tbilisi).
Asked about the Holy See's measures to counteract the Georgian
scientists' attempts to attribute the historical Armenian religious
monuments of Ani to the Chalcedonic culture, he said that the existing
records do not allow for questioning the Armenian origins of those
churches.
In 2011, the Georgian parliament passed a law enabling the ethnic
minorities to register their religious institutions in the country.
"The church in fact no longer functions illegally in Georgia. It is a
registered religious organization that has its rights and obligations.
And it can now operate as a full-fledged institution, doing everything
possible to organize the Armenians' spiritual life," Melikyan added.
The local daily Zhoghovurd said in its Tuesday issue that the problem
was considered settled after Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II's
visit to the country.
"Last month, Georgia's authorities declined the AAC diocese's
application for registration. It was only due to additional
negotiations, with Armenian Ambassador to Georgia Hovhannes Manukyan's
active role, that the AAC diocese eventually got the legal status,"
claimed the paper.
From: Baghdasarian
Tert.am
27.03.12
The Holy See of St Echmiadzin confirms the media reports that the
Georgian Ministry of Justice has registered local Armenian diocese,
granting it the status of a legal entity.
Speaking to Tert.am, a spokesperson for the Holy See, Priest Vahram
Melikyan said their next step would be demanding the Armenian churches'
return to the diocese.
"Historically, the churches belonging to the Armenian Apostolic Church
[AAC] are necessary for meeting the spiritual needs of the diocese,"
he said.
The Georgian-Armenian spiritual leaders are calling for the return
of about six Armenian churches situated on the territory of Georgia
(St Nshan of Akhaltskhe and five churches in capital Tbilisi).
Asked about the Holy See's measures to counteract the Georgian
scientists' attempts to attribute the historical Armenian religious
monuments of Ani to the Chalcedonic culture, he said that the existing
records do not allow for questioning the Armenian origins of those
churches.
In 2011, the Georgian parliament passed a law enabling the ethnic
minorities to register their religious institutions in the country.
"The church in fact no longer functions illegally in Georgia. It is a
registered religious organization that has its rights and obligations.
And it can now operate as a full-fledged institution, doing everything
possible to organize the Armenians' spiritual life," Melikyan added.
The local daily Zhoghovurd said in its Tuesday issue that the problem
was considered settled after Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II's
visit to the country.
"Last month, Georgia's authorities declined the AAC diocese's
application for registration. It was only due to additional
negotiations, with Armenian Ambassador to Georgia Hovhannes Manukyan's
active role, that the AAC diocese eventually got the legal status,"
claimed the paper.
From: Baghdasarian