St. Minas Armenian Church in Tbilisi is in deplorable condition

Located in the center of Tbilisi, in Avlabari district, St. Minas Church is in deplorable condition, despite the fact that in 2007, the building received the status of a monument, reports the Armenian Community of Georgia NGO.

“St. Minas Church was founded in 1790, and on January 2, 1883, a new Yerevantsots St. Minas was built in place of the old church.

Due to the unlawful construction, buildings were erected along the three remaining walls, except for the southern wall of the church, from which the temple itself is not visible.

During Soviet times, the church building was used for various purposes. In 1924, the church was turned into a district club by the central executive authorities of Tbilisi; later, the church was used as a sewing workshop; and since the mid-1990s, it has stood empty. The status of a historical monument granted to St. Minas Church on October 1, 2007 did not contribute to the preservation of the building.

On September 19, 2014, the roof of the church collapsed due to rain, after which the area was cleared of the ruins, but unfortunately the roof has not yet been restored.

We urge everyone, within the scope of their responsibility, to pay timely attention to this issue before it is too late.

We hope that the pro-European government of Georgia will demonstrate a proper attitude towards historical and cultural values,” the organization says.