Clergymen took part in protest too
Representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church and members of youth organizations today held a march from the Republic Square to the Georgian Embassy in Armenia with signs reading "No to white genocide", "Javakhk is our homeland" "Aren't you a Christian nation?"
More than thousand demonstrators were accompanied by tens of policemen, but there were no incidents.
The protesters gathered in front of the Georgian Embassy were raising their voices on the occasion of the collapse of the St. Gevorg of Mughnetsi Church which was built in 1356 in Tbilisi. They stood in front of the embassy for an hour, screaming "Give us back our churches", "Shame" and more.
"Our demand is that the Georgian church and authorities grant the Georgian Armenian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church a legal status, return the Armenian churches, as well as respect and preserve the cultural values of the Armenian people," as stated in the letter to the Georgian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
"We are simply standing up for our rights. What is ours belongs to the Armenian Church and we demand that the Georgian government accept that and acknowledge our rights. There is lack of interest toward our churches and the result of that was the destruction of our only church in Georgia. This perhaps set an example for all Armenian Apostolic Churches located in Georgia and there are worries that all churches will have the same fate," Priest Yesaiah Artemyan told "A1+".
Some protesters were received by the Georgian Ambassador who promised to transmit the letter to the highest Georgian authorities. He also said that he was aware of the collapse of the church and that there are agreements with the Ministry of Culture to restore the Armenian Church early next year.
The youth left the Georgian Embassy with the promise to continue the protests until their demands are met.
