Armenians in Georgia or Georgian Armenians (; ) are Armenian people living within the country of Georgia. The Armenian community is mostly concentrated in the capital Tbilisi, Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia and Samtskhe-Javakheti region. 2014 Census of Georgia puts the Armenians in Samtskhe-Javakheti at 50.5% of the population. In Abkhazia, Armenians are the third largest ethnic group in the region after the Georgians and the Abkhazian majority.Abkhazia Offers Citizenship to Diaspora. IWPR. CRS No. 314, 10-Nov-05; V.A. Chirikba. Armenians and their Dialects in Abkhazia. In: Evidence and Counter-Evidence, Festschrift Frederik Kortlandt, Volume 2, SSGL 33, Amsterdam – New York: Rodopi, p. 51-67.
History
Medieval Armenian historians and chroniclers, such as Movses Khorenatsi, Ghazar Parpetsi, Pavstos Buzand, and others described Armenians in Georgia in large cities and historical provinces of this country. A large wave of Armenian settlers in the country's capital city of Tbilisi took place in the 12th–13th centuries, especially after 1122, in the aftermath of liberation of the Caucasus from Seljuk Turks by Georgian and Armenian forces under the leadership of King David IV and Tamar of Georgia.The Caucasus: An Introduction. Oxford University Press, USA (9 September 2010), p. 48
In the 18th and 19th centuries, Armenian merchants, including famous jewelers and oil industrialists invested heavily in business in Georgia and helped build trading houses, cultural centers, schools and churches. Tbilisi became a veritable cultural center for Eastern Armenians ("arevelahayer", commonly called Russian-Armenians "rusahayer") just like Istanbul in Turkey became cultural center for the Western Armenians ("arevmedahayer", commonly called Turkish-Armenians "turkahayer" at the time).
As a result of the struggles of the Russian Empire with the Ottomans and its conquest of the Caucasus over the Qajar Iran, the Russian authorities found themselves able to settle Christian Armenian and Greek refugees in the area after 1828, following the ratified Treaty of Turkmenchay with Qajar Iran of 1828, and the Treaty of Adrianople with Ottoman Turkey of 1829.
Architecture
Armenians left rich architectural imprint in Georgia, and Tbilisi has many architectural buildings constructed by Armenian architects of the last centuries. There are many mansions that were built by influential Armenians and comprise some of the most attractive historical buildings in Tbilisi. As an example of the Armenian presence is the house of Melik-Azaryants in Tbilisi on a principal avenue in Tbilisi called Rustaveli Avenue.
Domes of Armenian churches are seen in all parts of the city center. In the beginning of the 20th century there were as many as 30 Armenian churches in Tbilisi. Armenian Norashen Church, an architectural monument from 1701 is in ruins. The walls of Norashen, which means "new construction", had been decorated by the frescoes of Hovnatan Hovnatanian, the court painter of Georgian King Heraclius II.
Georgian–Armenian War 1918
The Georgian–Armenian War was a border war fought in December 1918 between the Democratic Republic of Georgia and the First Republic of Armenia over parts of then disputed provinces of Lori and Javakheti, largely populated by Armenians (and Azerbaijanis in the north of Lori) in the 19th century. By the end of World War I, some of these territories were occupied by the Ottoman Empire, but when they abandoned the areas both Armenians and Georgians claimed control. The hostilities continued until the United Kingdom-brokered ceasefire was signed, leaving the disputed part of Lori under the joint Armenian-Georgian administration, which lasted until the establishment of Soviet rule in Armenia in 1920.
Armenians in Soviet Georgia
After the establishment of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic, and despite the establishment of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, most Armenians decided to stay and enjoyed reasonably prosperous life, except for their religious freedoms, as the Communist government had nationalized most of the Armenian churches and cultural monuments and suppressed the religious freedoms of the general population including the Armenians. This resulted in dozens of churches closing. By the end of the Soviet era, only two Armenian churches had remained operational.
Armenians in the Republic of Georgia
Armenians welcomed the establishment of the Republic of Georgia hoping for better living conditions after the collapse of the Soviet rule. However economic as well as social conditions have not been favorable for the community.
One of the biggest problems is the inability of the Armenians in Georgia to use Armenian language in public life. The government's new language policies are a source of strong resentment and it is accused of abolishing minorities' former rights to use Armenian or Russian and thus limiting access to jobs and education.Georgia's Armenian and Azeri Minorities, 22 November 2006 (free registration needed to view the full report) President of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan has urged ethnic Armenians to learn the Georgian language, which he said is essential for their integration into the Georgian society.Armenia: Kocharian urges Armenians in Georgia to learn Georgian. Caucaz Europenews. 1 May 2007.
Tbilisi has only three strictly-Armenian schools and two operating churches.
Some Armenians believe they are victims of a policy to shift Samtskhe-Javakheti region's demographic balance as a number of Georgian families were settled there. Armenians are also underrepresented in the government (holding 5 seats in the 235-member Parliament, for example), leading to the perception of discrimination and mutual distrust.Reuters AlertNet – Georgia's Armenian and Azeri Minorities There were several protests, some of which turned violent after clashes with law enforcement agents.
Armenians in Tbilisi
The Armenian history and contribution to the city of Tbilisi is very significant. After the Russian conquest of the area, Armenians fleeing persecution in the Ottoman Empire and Qajar Iran caused a jump in the Armenian population until it reached about 40% of the city total. Many of the mayors and business class were Armenian, and much of the old city was built by Armenians. Until recently the neighborhoods of Avlabari and the area across the river were very heavily Armenian, but that has changed a great deal in the last two decades.Armeniapedia.org – Tbilisi
Controversy over destruction and appropriation of Armenian churches Out of the 29 Armenian churches in Tbilisi at the beginning of the 20th century, only two function today – Cathedral of Saint George in the Old Armenian Quarter and Ejmiatsin Church in the Avlabari District; the rest of them have been destroyed or turned into Georgian ones. As recently as 16 November 2008, a controversial Georgian priest organized excavations around Norashen Church, during which the tombstones of Armenian patrons of art of Tbilisi buried in the churchyard were removed.
Armenians in Samtskhe-Javakheti
In 2014, the ethnic Armenians formed half of the population in the region of Samtskhe-Javakheti.
There were tensions in the region in the late 1980s and early 1990s with the local Armenian United Javakhk Democratic Alliance proposing a local autonomy for Javakheti within Georgia. Both Georgian and Armenian governments have pursued a careful and calming policy in regard with local nationalist movements that helped ease tensions in the region.Cornell, Svante E., Autonomy and Conflict: Ethnoterritoriality and Separatism in the South Caucasus – Case in Georgia, pp. 107, 164. Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Report No. 61. Uppsala. . The Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline and South Caucasus Pipelines, which pass through the region, have met opposition from local Armenians, as well as the Kars–Tbilisi–Baku railway, as it isolates Armenia.
Armenians in Abkhazia
The Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia also has a significant population of Armenians.2003 Census statistics They are the second largest ethnic group in the region after the Abkhazians.Abkhazia Offers Citizenship to Diaspora. IWPR. CRS No. 314, 10-Nov-05. Armenians settled in Abkhazia in late 19th and the early 20th centuries and are now the largest ethnic group in Gagra, Sukhumi, and Gulripshi Districts, forming 20% of the Abkhazian population with 45,000 out of a total of 215,000.
During the war in Abkhazia in early 90s, most local Armenians supported Abkhazian secessionists, which resulted in increase of anti-Armenian sentiments within the Georgian society. However, the de facto Abkhaz authorities have been accused by local Armenian NGOs of intentionally decreasing the number of Abkhazian-Armenians.The authorities in Abkhazia intentionally decrease the number of Armenians . Public Radio of Armenia. 2 February 2006.
Armenians in Adjara Adjara is one of two autonomous republics of Georgia (the other being Abkhazia). Ethnic Georgians make up the majority while Armenians comprise 1.6% of the region's population. After Georgians (93.4%), Armenians (3%) comprise the second-largest ethnic group in the regional center of Batumi.
Religion
Early history The Armenian church in Georgia has 15 centuries of ecclesiastical presence as it had existed as early as the 5th century AD. Medieval Armenian historian Oukhtannes reported that in the Georgian town of Tsurtavi, there was an Armenian prelacy under the jurisdiction of the Armenian Patriarch, led by a bishop called Movses.
Another historian, Matheos of Urkha, reports that during the reign of Georgia's king David IV the Armenian church was granted status of a recognized diocese. Surb Gevork Armenian Cathedral of Tbilisi was then its administrative centre. Over 600 religious and cultural sites, like churches, seminaries, monasteries are documented, although a large portion of these sites is extinct due to natural disasters, vandalism, and other factors.
Present situation The Armenians in Georgia belong mainly to the Armenian Apostolic faith, with important numbers of Armenian Catholics as well concentrated in Samtskhe-Javakheti.
Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia A majority of the Armenians living in Georgia belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church and are under the jurisdiction of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Local matters of the Armenian Georgians are run by the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church in Georgia. It is also known as (Virahayots' T'em). The head of the diocese is Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan.
Today, only two Armenian churches are operational in Tbilisi. Several Armenian churches have already been destroyed, converted into Georgian ones, are in disputed about or are in the wake of being "Georgianized". Investigative Journalists of Armenia at Hedq.am reporting about status of Armenian churches in Georgia The Armenian Church in Georgia has requested the repossession and the ownership rights over six Armenian churches. Five of them are in Tbilisi: Norashen Church, Church of the Holy Seal, Shamkhoretsots Surb Asdvadzatsin, Saint Gevork of Mughni Church, Surb Minas, another one – church of the Holy Seal—is in the town of Akhaltsikhe in Samtskhe-Javakheti. All these churches, today are closed and made no use of whatsoever by any denomination. During the Soviet era, the Communist government nationalized most Christian temples, but after restoration of Georgian sovereignty, these Armenian temples were not returned to the Armenian Church.
The reconstruction of churches requires huge investments and so far neither the Armenian Government, nor the Holy See Etchmiadzin or the Armenian Community of Tbilisi can afford it. Several Armenian churches in Georgia were redecorated to remove any characteristically Armenian architectural features and belong now to Georgian Orthodox or other faiths.
Catholic Armenians in Georgia