His Holiness Karekin II, Pounding his Fists on the Table, Demanded Georgia Meet Armenia’s Demands: Bishop Zenon

While in Russia, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, pounding his fists on the table, demanded the Georgian side meet the demands of the Armenian side, said Bishop Zenon of Dmanisi, the leader of the Georgian Orthodox Church’s Diocese of Great Britain and Ireland on Palitra (“Palette”) radio.

“Everybody knows his attitude toward the Georgian Orthodox Church. Such an incident occurred in Russia: His Holiness Karekin II, pounding his fists on the table in front of the Russian delegation, demanded the Armenian side’s claims be fulfilled. The meeting was attended by a delegation of the Georgian Church,” said Bishop Zenon.

According to him, the relationship between the Georgian and Armenian churches became more constrained after the statements from the Armenian side.

“Several years ago, when a memorandum between the Georgian Patriarchate and representatives of other religions was signed, we agreed that we would discuss the issue of giving churches status and other issues together. Now it turns out that the demands of the Armenian side have been satisfied unilaterally: they have been assigned status and now they can make a bid on property. Virtually all of the unrest is caused by the Armenian side. In any normal country, no question arises as to whether a person should or should not own property. Man should own property, but he has to command that ownership which belongs to him legally,” said the bishop.

According to Bishop Zenon, the Georgian authorities’ position regarding the Armenian Church as a whole is incomprehensible.

“It’s not clear what caused this support of the Armenian Church, at a time when Armenia does not support the UN resolution on return of refugees,” he said.