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PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church
Contact: Dn. Hagop Arslanian, Assistant to the Primate
615 Stuart Avenue, Outremont
Montreal, H2V 3H2 CANADA
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 514-276-9479 ext. 3
Fax: 514-276-9960
*****
Religious equality and freedom of consciousness in the Republic of Georgia
Dear friends,
The Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada has learned of the
collapse of the Armenian Church of St. Gevork of Mughni in Tbilisi,
Republic of Georgia. Saint Gevork Church dating to 1356, collapsed as
a direct result of a lack of maintenance by the government of Georgia.
During Soviet times, churches became the property of the state and the
St. Gevork, Armenian Church was used as a museum during which time its
physical condition was left to deteriorate. Following the dissolution
of the Soviet Union and with the coming independence of the Republic
of Georgia, the Georgian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church,
together with other religious minorities, has not received legal
status. Consequently all Armenian churches in Georgia currently carry
on under the jurisdiction of the Georgian Orthodox Church, without
legal rights to safeguard their properties.
In 2002, the government of the Republic of Georgia signed a
Constitutional Agreement with Georgian Orthodox Church. The Georgian
Orthodox Church received the highest legal status with full legal
rights to operate effectively as a religious institution. However, the
traditional religious minorities: other Christian groups, Muslims and
Jews were left without any legal protection to maintain their status
and exercise their legal rights. Many experts view these circumstances
as a source and basis for religious discrimination.
The indifference exhibited by the Georgian authorities towards the
religious minorities, in general, and in particular, the Armenian
Orthodox, does not correspond in any way with the adherence to the
universal human values and respect for the rights of minorities; as
established by the repeated statements of the Georgian authorities, on
the issue of the preservation of the historical and cultural heritage
of minorities.
As such, the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada condemns the
indifference of Georgian authorities and calls upon them to
immediately grant legal status to religious minorities and return the
Armenian churches in Georgia to the Armenian Diocese of Georgia, to
ensure the normal functioning of national-ecclesiastical life of the
Georgian-Armenian community and to secure the preservation of Armenian
holy sites.
The Government Relations Office of the Diocese of the Armenian Church
has initiated an online petition to raise awareness about minority
rights and the issue of religious inequality in the Republic of
Georgia.
We encourage our faithful throughout Canada to express their
discontent and make their requests to the Canadian Government and
UNESCO. Please send your letters to ask our government and UNESCO to
take immediate action with respect to this new development, by writing
to:
The Honorable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada
at, [email protected]
Mr. A. Bachand, Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Canada to
UNESCO at, [email protected] .
If you wish to add your voice to this petition, please see the
following sample letter which may be used as a resource. You may also
choose to copy and paste the sample letter below and email to both
links.
--------
Dear Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Dear Mr. Ambassador,
I, the undersigned ________________ would like to bring to your
attention the condition of minorities in the Republic of
Georgia. Religious minorities: Christians (other than Georgian
Orthodox), Muslims, and Jews, are experiencing difficulties in
obtaining the civil registration of their religions and therefore are
unable to maintain their institutions. Last week, as a consequence of
the irresponsible attitude of Georgian authorities the 700 year old
Armenian Church of St. Gevork of Mughni, located in Tbilisi, and which
is under the control of Georgian government collapsed due to a
negligent lack of maintenance. This is particularly disturbing to
Armenians who have deep historical ties to Georgia.
Canada is an international champion in protecting and spearheading the
values of fundamental human rights and protection of minority
groups. I strongly urge you to express Canada's concern about the
disregard for the rights of religious minorities in Georgia and call
upon Georgian government to address this issue, based on principles of
international law.
Yours truly,
Diocese of the Armenian Church
Contact: Dn. Hagop Arslanian, Assistant to the Primate
615 Stuart Avenue, Outremont
Montreal, H2V 3H2 CANADA
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 514-276-9479 ext. 3
Fax: 514-276-9960
*****
Religious equality and freedom of consciousness in the Republic of Georgia
Dear friends,
The Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada has learned of the
collapse of the Armenian Church of St. Gevork of Mughni in Tbilisi,
Republic of Georgia. Saint Gevork Church dating to 1356, collapsed as
a direct result of a lack of maintenance by the government of Georgia.
During Soviet times, churches became the property of the state and the
St. Gevork, Armenian Church was used as a museum during which time its
physical condition was left to deteriorate. Following the dissolution
of the Soviet Union and with the coming independence of the Republic
of Georgia, the Georgian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church,
together with other religious minorities, has not received legal
status. Consequently all Armenian churches in Georgia currently carry
on under the jurisdiction of the Georgian Orthodox Church, without
legal rights to safeguard their properties.
In 2002, the government of the Republic of Georgia signed a
Constitutional Agreement with Georgian Orthodox Church. The Georgian
Orthodox Church received the highest legal status with full legal
rights to operate effectively as a religious institution. However, the
traditional religious minorities: other Christian groups, Muslims and
Jews were left without any legal protection to maintain their status
and exercise their legal rights. Many experts view these circumstances
as a source and basis for religious discrimination.
The indifference exhibited by the Georgian authorities towards the
religious minorities, in general, and in particular, the Armenian
Orthodox, does not correspond in any way with the adherence to the
universal human values and respect for the rights of minorities; as
established by the repeated statements of the Georgian authorities, on
the issue of the preservation of the historical and cultural heritage
of minorities.
As such, the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada condemns the
indifference of Georgian authorities and calls upon them to
immediately grant legal status to religious minorities and return the
Armenian churches in Georgia to the Armenian Diocese of Georgia, to
ensure the normal functioning of national-ecclesiastical life of the
Georgian-Armenian community and to secure the preservation of Armenian
holy sites.
The Government Relations Office of the Diocese of the Armenian Church
has initiated an online petition to raise awareness about minority
rights and the issue of religious inequality in the Republic of
Georgia.
We encourage our faithful throughout Canada to express their
discontent and make their requests to the Canadian Government and
UNESCO. Please send your letters to ask our government and UNESCO to
take immediate action with respect to this new development, by writing
to:
The Honorable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada
at, [email protected]
Mr. A. Bachand, Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Canada to
UNESCO at, [email protected] .
If you wish to add your voice to this petition, please see the
following sample letter which may be used as a resource. You may also
choose to copy and paste the sample letter below and email to both
links.
--------
Dear Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Dear Mr. Ambassador,
I, the undersigned ________________ would like to bring to your
attention the condition of minorities in the Republic of
Georgia. Religious minorities: Christians (other than Georgian
Orthodox), Muslims, and Jews, are experiencing difficulties in
obtaining the civil registration of their religions and therefore are
unable to maintain their institutions. Last week, as a consequence of
the irresponsible attitude of Georgian authorities the 700 year old
Armenian Church of St. Gevork of Mughni, located in Tbilisi, and which
is under the control of Georgian government collapsed due to a
negligent lack of maintenance. This is particularly disturbing to
Armenians who have deep historical ties to Georgia.
Canada is an international champion in protecting and spearheading the
values of fundamental human rights and protection of minority
groups. I strongly urge you to express Canada's concern about the
disregard for the rights of religious minorities in Georgia and call
upon Georgian government to address this issue, based on principles of
international law.
Yours truly,