Rally in support of Armenian church to be held in Tbilisi

Members of Georgia’s Armenian community will hold a rally on Sunday in support of the Armenian Apostolic Church, organizers said.

The gathering, set for 1 p.m. at the park near the Holy Etchmiadzin Church in Tbilisi’s Avlabari district, will be held under the slogan “SOS! The Armenian Apostolic Church is in Danger”, Jnews reported.

Community activist Levon Chidilyan, former head of the Hayartun Cultural Center, is among the organizers. Several local Armenian groups have joined the initiative.

In a statement on Saturday, organizers accused Armenia’s current authorities of pressuring the church, disrupting religious life and detaining clergy on “fabricated charges”. They compared the situation to past crackdowns under Tsarist Russia, the Ottoman Empire and the Soviet Union.

The rally calls on Armenians in Georgia to show solidarity with the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin that has safeguarded national identity for centuries.