16/10/2007 Abkhazian Eparchy: there are no Georgian churches and monasteries in Abkhazia
The Abkhazian Eparchy has refuted the statement of President of Georgia Saakashvili about liquidated Georgian Orthodox churches and monasteries in Abkhazia, and declared that there are no Georgian churches and monasteries as such in Abkhazia.
According to Leon Adzindzal, Office Secretary of the Eparchial Administration of Abkhazia, the New-Athon Monastic Complex was built in the 19th century by the Russian monks who arrived from the Athon Sacred Mountain.
"Not a single day, the Monastery was under protection of the Georgian Church," he has emphasized.
As to the Kamanskiy Monastery, according to Adzindzal, it was restored before 1917 by the Russian Orthodox Church and was called the Women's Vasilisko-Zlatoustovskiy Monastery. The Drandskiy and Mokvskiy Monasteries were also under protection of the Moscow Patriarchy.
"The history knew a period of coexistence, namely, the Abkhazian-Imereti Catholicosate, but today the Abkhazian Eparchy exists by its own. Although the Eparchy is still experiencing certain difficulties of canonical formation, there are no problems with evangelism, restoration of temples, and inflow of believers and cloisterers in Abkhazia. What kind of desolation can we talk about?" Leon Adzindzal has emphasized.
The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports that today Abkhazia has two large working monasteries - the New-Athon and Kamanskiy Monasteries, and 132 Orthodox communities.
Before the 1992-1993 Georgian-Abkhazian war, Abkhazia had one working Kamanskiy Monastery and six communities.
Acknowledgement: All available information and documents in "Justice For North Caucasus Group" is provided for the "fair use". There should be no intention for ill-usage of any sort of any published item for commercial purposes and in any way or form. JFNC is a nonprofit group and has no intentions for the distribution of information for commercial or advantageous gain. At the same time consideration is ascertained that all different visions, beliefs, presentations and opinions will be presented to visitors and readers of all message boards of this site. Providing, furnishing, posting and publishing the information of all sources is considered a right to freedom of opinion, speech, expression, and information while at the same time does not necessarily reflect, represent, constitute, or comprise the stand or the opinion of this group. If you have any concerns contact us directly at:
eagle@JusticeForNorthCaucasus.com