Another Armenian Church vandalized in Georgia

22/8/2011

TBILISI. – Another Armenian church was vandalized in Georgia. This time it was Church of Surb Etchmiadzin located in the capital, Tbilisi, which was consecrated by Armenian Catholicos Karekin II two months ago.

On August 19 evening two young people, supposedly drunk, entered the Armenian church. Two sellers of candles and cleanup woman labeled their behavior as arrogant and disrespectful, Armenia-based Yerkir Media television reported.

One of them started to turn over the pages of the Holy Book placed on the sanctuary tearing off one of the pages. He also sat down on the chair of bishop. Women tried to call young people to order and finally ousted them from the church. Young people tore off the announcements installed on the doors and burnt them down.

Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan said they had appealed to police. Diocese of the Armenian church intends to appeal to Georgia’s Internal Ministry and other structures and file a note of protest to the Georgian Orthodox Church.

Mirzakhanyan said young people’s behavior is a result of the recent amendments made to the legislation providing for legal status to the religious minorities of Georgia. The legislation sparked anti-Armenian sentiments.

The Armenian diocese of Georgia plans to issue a statement on the incident. Earlier Georgia’s ombudsman was informed. A month ago unknown left inscriptions insulting Armenians on the walls of a hotel located near the Surb Etchmiadzin church.

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