Georgian-Armenian Diocese leader on status of churches, promises of Georgia's Government and assistance to Armenian prisoners

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. “Armenpress” interviewed the Leader of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan on the existing problems in the Georgian-Armenian Diocese, the fate of the ruined Armenian churches in Georgia, the situation in Javakhk, the church’s support to the Armenian detainees in Georgia, the concerns about the sect activeness in Javakhk and a number of other issues.

Your Grace, what are the problems of the Georgian-Armenia Diocese?

- First of all, we bring our blessings and appreciation to "Armenpress" News Agency, through which the interest and concerns about the Georgian-Armenian community life and the Georgian-Armenian Diocese and related issues are displayed. For us it is comforting to know that the Armenian media is sincerely interested in the Armenian community of Georgia and today’s Church's life, its achievements and difficulties. Of course, behind the ancient Georgian-Armenian community there are many unresolved problems, such as, for example, not returning to the diocese of the Armenian historical monuments, not teaching the History of Armenia in Armenian schools, the community organizations are not fully organized, the shortage of priests, and, of course, the emigration. But despite these difficulties, the Georgian-Armenian community, with its church and the community organizations continues to live, being faithful to its own unique identity created over the centuries.

- Previously it was reported that the Georgian authorities exert pressure on the Georgian-Armenian Diocese.Do such pressures exist today?

- Over 11 years we serve in Georgia as the spiritual leader of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese and have never been subjected to intimidation by the authorities. Both in Tbilisi and in Javakhk the Georgian-Armenian Diocese has permanently organized its work openly, freely and without obstacles. And if in some places difficulties arose, they were resolved. The proof of what I said is the day-by-day accomplishment of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese and Javakhk prelacy. Unfortunately, we still have the problem in the Diocese of the acting or ruined churches and the property to be returned to the Diocese that needs special care of the Georgian Government.

- The problem of the Armenian churches in Georgia continues to be a troubling one. At what stage is the privatization process of the Armenian churches?

- In 2011 Georgia's civil law underwent a change: the Georgian-Armenian Diocese, among other traditional religious communities, became a registered entity of public law. But the law did not regulate the mechanism that defines the way of returning the property, confiscated during the Soviet era, to the Georgian-Armenian Diocese and other religious communities. From this perspective, the Diocese is in a rather difficult situation today: churches, adjacent educational-cultural, youth centers operate, but legally the owner of these all or at least the leaseholder is not the Diocese, which causes great difficulties even in the household level. We cannot be light, gas and water customers, because these organizations do not legally belong to us.That is why in many places the due utility payments are made in the name of physical persons. (THE FULL VERSION OF THE INTERVIEW IS AVAILABLE IN ARMENIAN)

Interview by Hasmik Harutyunyan