GAREGIN MEETS ALIYEV, VISITS ARMENIAN CHURCH IN BAKU

[MosJan]

 

GAREGIN MEETS ALIYEV, VISITS ARMENIAN CHURCH IN BAKU

• http://www.armtown.com/img/photo/rfe_en_20100427_2025892.jpgCatholicos Garegin II met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and prayed in an abandoned Armenian church in Baku as he ended a landmark visit to Azerbaijan late on Monday, it was reported on Tuesday. Aliyev and the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church reportedly discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the ongoing summit of world religious leaders in Baku in the presence of Azerbaijan’s top Shia Muslim cleric, Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur *****zade.
   
  Aliyev’s office said they “stressed the importance of the Baku summit … for strengthening inter-religious dialogue and expanding contacts among religious leaders.” It gave no further details.
   
  Azerbaijan -- Catholicos Garegin II and other Armenian clerics outside an Armenian church in Baku, 26 April 2010.A separate statement issued by the Echmiadzin-based Mother See of the Armenian Apostolic Church on Tuesday said the one-hour meeting took place “in an unconstrained and sincere atmosphere” and also touched upon the unresolved Armenian-Azerbaijani dispute over Karabakh.
   
  “In that context, the parties welcomed efforts aimed at a peaceful resolution of the conflict, finding important the role of religious leaders and servants in them,” said the statement. “A great deal of importance was attached to mutual visits and contacts among the two peoples, which will further bolster mutual trust and a spirit of cooperation.”
   
  Garegin and *****zade were received by the Azerbaijani leader just hours after voicing support for the long-running international efforts to end the Karabakh dispute, in a joint declaration that was also signed by the Russian Orthodox Church leader, Patriarch Kirill II. The two spiritual leaders also vowed to help reconcile their nations, which have been in a de facto state of war for nearly two decades.
   
  Azerbaijan -- The 19th century Armenian church of St. Gregory the Illuminator in Baku, 26 April 2010.Also on Monday, Garegin and high-ranking Armenian clerics accompanying him visited a 19th century Armenian church in Baku. The Echmiadzin statement said they prayed and sang medieval hymns there. It said the Armenian pontiff expressed hope that the Saint Gregory the Illuminator’s Church will eventually “reopen its doors to believers.”
   
  Built in 1887, the church was the main site of worship for Baku’s sizable Armenian community until its forced exodus from the Azerbaijani capital in 1988-1990. An arson attack had seriously damaged it in 1990. The building reportedly underwent renovation in 2004.
   
  Garegin, who became the first leader of the Armenian Church to set foot in Azerbaijan in decades, flew back to Armenia later in the day. His office said the two Armenian bishops that accompanied him stayed in Baku to take part in the second and final day of the religious forum.
• Emil Danielyan

[MosJan]

 

THE ROLE OF RELIGIOUS STRUCTURES

• http://www.armtown.com/img/photo/lra_en_20100427_17644.jpgNo one knows how jealous Pope was of the Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani religious heads that they can tranquilly meet in Baku and discuss the Karabakh issue, and adopt a declaration. Pope must perhaps think how lucky they are that no court processes are brought up against them, they do not have the problem of defending the authority of the church, that they live in such societies where the principle "only good or nothing about the church" is accepted. Since the absence of any problem is a problem itself, the religious heads of the Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani churches decided to deal with the NKR issue settlement. Merely, it is difficult to think how they are going to promote this issue which is a serious political issue. Churches are far from politics. How are they going to contribute to the settlement of this issue remaining at the same time far from politics? Religious heads make appeals to peace and avoidance of resumption of hostilities. This is natural. It would be strange if they called on the opposite. But how do they imagine peace in the Caucasus? Peace is not an abstract notion; it is determined by concrete factors and is preserved with the help of concrete mechanisms. While the peace appeal of the religious heads is deprived of concreteness.
   
  If they called on the authorities and peoples of all the countries to stop buying weapons, to renounce from their armies, border disputes, and if someone wants something they have to give them even more, to renounce from senseless negotiations and live in peace, this would be understandable. The religious heads would be clear to propose a concrete version to the sides to live without borders and statuses.
   
  But the religious heads, alongside with calling for peace, do not speak about any mechanism to reach it. And this is the reason why Pope may have the feeling that the religious heads of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan have nothing to do. Or at least, the Russian patriarch has nothing to do so he initiated this meeting in Baku and the Armenian and Azerbaijani religious pastors could not but accept the invitation.
   
  The role of religious heads in the lives of peoples and nation can of course be big. But the leaders themselves, first of all, have to realize their role for the latter not to depreciate. If they did not meet in Baku and did not adopt a declaration, no one could ever blame them of not having done that thing.
   
  Instead, considering that in Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan there are problems with the public life, in case of involvement in the discussion and the solution of them instead of total indifference, the religious heads and the structures they lead would bring more contribution to their countries, peoples as well as the physical and spiritual peace of the Caucasus.
   
  Pope would not envy them because the daily problems present in Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan are more serious and deep than those which were caused by sexual aspirations of clergymen.
   
  HAKOB BADALYAN

[Dave]

I am surprised that he was granted permission to enter that abandoned church at all!

[hetanos]

I am surprised that he was granted permission to enter that abandoned church at all!

 

Azeri double play. Trying to show the world their "openness and inclusiveness". Too bad, Armenians of Sumgait and Baku did not experience that. Why Garegin is even going there and meeting with an a-hole, who on daily basis threatens to start a new war in Artsax?