On October, 2018, after Sunday Divine Liturgy, the Armenian community of Georgia, led by spiritual fathers organized peaceful march and walked from the Cathedral of Saint George in Tbilisi and Saint Etchmiadzin church towards the Shamkoretsots Surb Astvatsatsin (Shamkoretsots Holy Mother of God) or Red Gospel church located in the area near Figner Street (Peristsvaleba Street, 21), at the center of Avlabari district. The church had been turned into ruins.
The aim of the march was through peaceful candle lighting to draw attention of the country’s authorities to the permission for construction and operating of the public places near the area adjunct to the historical monument. The church is in an emergency condition and it is dangerous for local people and visitors, so there is a need to take measures to prevent such unlawful permissions for constructions, which distorts the maintenance of Armenian trace and monuments in Tbilisi.
After praying together and lighting candles, the participants of the march, completed their peaceful act, expressing regret over the disastrous state of the Armenian historical church.
Shamkoretsots Saint Astvatsatsin (Shamkoretsots Holy Mother of God) church was built by the residents of Shamkhor who moved to Gandza and constructed the church with their own funds, in the first half of the 19th century. The church functioned before the establishment of the Soviet Union, had its parish school and property.
During the Soviet era, the building of the church was used for various purposes – it was turned into a bakery, warehouse, as well as a studio for Georgian painters. In 1989, the church collapsed as a result of earthquake. As of 1999, only the eastern façade and its surrounding parts were standing. The Armenian Diocese in Georgia has repeatedly appealed to the Georgian authorities to return the Shamkoretsots church to the Armenian Diocese or conserve it.
In December 2016, construction works were launched near the church, which day by day damages the maintenance of the architectural monument.