YEREVAN. – The Surb Nshan (Holy Sign) Armenian Church in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, is in a disastrous condition, whereas the municipal authorities are inactive, said Samvel Karapetyan, chairman of the foundation studying Armenian architecture, during a press conference on Tuesday.    

To note, a part of the Church collapsed on Monday night and, according to official hypothesis, this was due to the heavy rain and the earthquake which occurred several days ago.   

Karapetyan noted that the Church’s belfry had actually collapsed back in the 1980s, but its second belfry was intact.   

As per the architect, Surb Nshan is unique among the churches preserved in Georgia. He informed that although the Church’s walls were fortified with metal channels, its walls are so weak that they could collapse quicker than the fortifying construction.     

“This church is made from bricks, and therefore it is melting. Consequently, it will be extremely difficult to restore it,” Samvel Karapetyan noted, and added that the Georgian authorities are not paying any attention to Armenian churches, and, furthermore, the churches are being destroyed with their tacit consent.