AAC sent condemning note to Georgian Orthodox Church

PanARMENIAN.Net - The problem of possession of Armenian churches in Georgia date back to 1994. Presently, the Armenian Apostolic Church owns 2 churches, while the problem with Norashen remains unsettled, said a spokesman for Holy Echmiadzin.



"Georgia doesn't have a law on religion and this is why all church and religious organizations were offered to register as legal entities. The Georgian Diocese of the AAC doesn't have a legal status and therefore we are not the owners of the Armenian churches in Georgia," father Vahram Melikyan told a news conference today.



"Encroachments on Norashen Armenian Church started in 1994. The GOC kept on assuring us that an admissible solution will be found," he said.



He also informed that this morning the AAC Supreme Council sent a note to the Georgian Orthodox Church.



On November 16, Georgian monk Tariel Sikinchelashvili instructed workers to raze to the ground the graves of Mikhail and Lidia Tamamshev.



This barbarian act outraged Armenians, who demanded to let the graves in their place. However, Father Tariel responded with harsh statements.



Upon arrival of representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church and parliament member Van Bayburt, the Georgian monk said he just wanted to replace the gravestones to "clean under them."