Georgian authorities announce partial opening of monasteries in disputed border section

On October 11, the monasteries of Udabno and Chichkhituri of the David Gareja Complex, closed because of the conflict with Azerbaijan, will open for Georgian clergymen. The Patriarchate has stated that it has the right of ownership on these monasteries.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the Georgian-Azerbaijani border dispute escalated in April, when Azerbaijani border guards blocked the way for monks, pilgrims and tourists to the Udabno monastery. On October 6, Azerbaijan opened a new outpost in the vicinity of the monastery, named "Keshikchi Gala", the border guards of which were instructed to "protect the historical and cultural heritage of the Azerbaijani people."

The monasteries of Udabno and Chichkhituri, which are part of the David Gareja Complex, will be open for visiting on October 11, the Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakhariya said today at a sitting of the government. "I want to say that from tomorrow the churches existing in the complex will open for the clergy," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has translated Mr Gakhariya's words pronounced by him on air of the "Mtavari Archi" Georgian TV Company.

The statement on the opening of the monasteries was made right after the official visit of Georgian Premier to Azerbaijan, where Gakhariya met Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev. Before this, on October 1, the Georgian Patriarchate addressed the Prime Minister with an official letter. The church claimed ownership of the monasteries of Udabno and Chichkhituri.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 10, 2019 at 10:05 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.