On 13 March, 2018, in the Tbilisi City Court the first trial within the framework of the dispute of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia against the National Agency of Public Registry of Georgia took place, chaired by judge Nana Daraselia.

The plaintiff, in this case, in the person of the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, as well as authorized persons from the National Agency of Public Registry was present at the court session.

The Patriarchate of the Georgian Orthodox Church attended as a third party.

The Armenian Diocese of Georgia considers that National Agency of Public Registry of Georgia has violated the interests of the Armenian Diocese, by transferring Armenian Church Tandoyants St. Astvatsatsin to the Patriarchate of the Georgian Orthodox Church in accordance with the Decision of July 18, 2017, not studying the origin of the church, its history and the demand of the Armenian Diocese over the church.

Today, the National Agency of State Property of the Ministry of Economy of Georgia was included in the administrative proceedings of the case as a third party. The National Agency of State Property has alienated from the state's balance sheet the Tandoyants Church and the land area attached to it, without any grounds, thus facilitating the transfer of the Armenian Church to the Patriarchate's balance sheet.

The interests of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, in the court and relevant administrative bodies are protected by the EMC and TDI lawyers.

The plaintiff and the respondent appealed to Nana Daraselia, the judge, to postpone the trial for including new facts and evidence in the proceedings.

The next hearing will take place on May 1, 2018, at 11:00 a.m.

The Tandoyants St. Astvatsatsin Church (Plekhanov, today's David Aghmashenebeli 38 street) was built approximately in 50-60's of the 19th century. In 1866, by the initiative of Tandoyan family, a question was raised to build a new church in the place of the Astvatsatsin wooden old monastery. The church was originally built as an Armenian Apostolic church, by Sahak Tandoyants. In the name of the latter the church was called Tandoyants. This is evidenced by the writing in the vicinity of the church, preserved until nowadays.

In 1923-1924, The Tandoyants St. Astvatsatsin church was closed by the Soviet authorities. Church’s property was confiscated and the church was handed over the Pioneer organization of the Republic. Then it was turned into “Kholkhida” (Kolkheti) Cinema.

In 1990’s, after the declaration of the independence of Georgia, the Government of Georgia did not return the church to the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, without taking into consideration the historical background and confession qualities of the dilapidated church. In 2017, the National Agency of State Property transfers the Tandoyants church to the Patriarchate of the Georgian church as a property. The Patriarchate of Georgian Orthodox Church has already done various works on the grounds of the Tandoyants church.