Gita Elibekyan
“Radiolur”
Tbilisi
Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, accompanied by a group of representatives of the government, visited the Armenian St. Gevorg Church in Tbilisi, where reconstruction works are underway. The Prime Minister offered his support to the reconstruction fund.
Georgian Minister for Reconstruction Paata Zakareishvili said all churches are the wealth of the country and stressed the need to maintain them.
“It’s not important to our government who the churches belong to and who prays in them. They comprise the wealth of our nation and Georgia is obliged to preserve them,” Zakareishvili told “Radiolur”
The Minister said the new Georgian authorities will do their best to ensure that the historic monuments, churches in Georgia stand for centuries. He said to be proud of the presence of exceptional Armenian culture in Georgia.
“We’re proud to have such a church in the center of Tbilisi,” Zakareishvili said.
St. Gevorg of Tbilisi was closed for reconstruction last year. The reconstruction works are being carried out with the support of Armenian benefactors.
The cathedral was commissioned in 1251 by a wealthy merchant named Umek of Karin (Erzerum). It was last restored in 1924.
