For some reasons, the acts of elimination of the Armenian traces from church buildings built over the centuries by the Armenian community, continues in Georgia.
On December 10, 2014, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, in the letter N1-207, addressed to Georgia’s then Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, presented the list of Armenian churches existing in the territory of Georgia, which also included the Armenian Church named “Holy Red Sunday” (“Surb Karmir Kiraki”), built in the middle of the 19th century. The church has been functioning before the establishment of the Soviet authority. Afterwards it was deprived of the opportunity to perform its functions. The church is still standing.
In 2003, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, accompanied by the late archivist Sargis Darchinyan, visited the church, witnessed Armenian traces in the church - writings and scriptures with Armenian letters as well as frescos which confirm that the church is Armenian one. The Diocesan Primate had raised a prayer and sang a psalm in the historical church.
Unfortunately, recently, unknown people again started their barbaric acts to eliminate Armenian trace. As a result of the subsequent vandalism, frescos, confirming the Armenian belonging of this church were destroyed, covered with plaster or drilled.
The Armenian Diocese in Georgia highly appreciates the concern of both Armenian and foreign individuals and institutions, which voice their disappointment against such atrocities. The Armenian Diocese calls on not only to appeal to the Diocese, but also to draw the attention of the relevant state bodies to this blameworthy tradition of destruction of historical monuments in Georgia.
The Armenian Diocese in Georgia considers these acts as a manifestation of vandalism towards the Armenian historical and cultural heritage in Georgia and condemns such steps, drawing the attention of authorities and relevant state bodies urge them to take appropriate steps.