When Stones Cry Out: The Lost Memory of the Red Gospel Armenian Church in Tbilisi

During my visits to Tbilisi, Georgia, I discovered some aspects of the Armenian presence in the city. Let’s explore some of these hidden finds in this amazing city, which reflect the tension between Georgia and Armenia today.

In the Avlabari district of Tbilisi, numerous sites and ruins reveal the hardships the Armenian community faced. People often overlook their history in the city, and society has forced many Armenians to move to Armenia. In the 19th century, Armenians made up about 40% of the city. Let’s visit some places to better understand their situation in Tbilisi.

Here is a walking tour of some of the areas that one can visit.

Red Gospel Armenian Church

For the past 35 years, this destroyed structure sits as a testimony to the former Armenian community in this city. In 1989, the day after a 4.0 earthquake, the wooden dome of this church fell and the walls cracked. Sabotage was suspected from the Armenian community since two weeks after, the Georgian authorities desired to place on that site the “Mother of Georgia” church.^[1]https://armenianchurch.ge/en/churches/well-preserved-and-ruined-inactive-churches/shamkhoretsonts-red-gospel-church

In light of both countries being among the first in the world to declare Christianity as their political identity (Armenia in 301 and Georgia in 326 AD), both churches claim the right to influence their countries’ views on orthodoxy. So in both countries, property and legitimacy have become a point of tension.^[2]https://eurasianet.org/armenia-property-disputes-fueling-church-tension-between-yerevan-and-tbilisi. The Red Gospel church sits in ruins as a public display of the tension.

A red-covered gospel or Bible in the former church gave the site its name. Armenians moved to Tbilisi in the 18th century from Gandzak, Armenia, near 1732 and started to build a church site, which was domeless for some time. The Treaty of Ahmet Pasha in 1732 brought Armenia and Tbilisi under Ottoman control to stop Russia’s advance. As a result, Armenians moved to Tbilisi, most likely fortifying this neighborhood.

The coned dome found in older pictures was built by the community of Armenian believers, most likely upon the 1809 perimeter, with significant renovations or additions (documents say the cone dome was added then) taking place in the 1840s and 1850s.^[3]https://armenianchurch.ge/en/churches/well-preserved-and-ruined-inactive-churches/shamkhoretsonts-red-gospel-church The Armenians called the church the Shamskoretsots Sourb Astvatsatsin (The Holy Mother of God Church). Also some call this Karmir Avetaran Church.

The red brick structure formerly hosted a large worship area measuring 14 by 19 meters. When the coned wooden dome rose40 meters, it was the tallest Armenian church in the city. During the late 1800s, over 1300 parishioners attended the church.

Under the rubble, near the current parking area, are possible Armenian grave plots of numerous families (Ter-Ghazaryans, Tahiryan, Mirzakhanyan, and Harutyunyan) and the Western entrance belfry to the church. Before the Soviet takeover of Georgia, the church owned perimeter properties that included a school and housing for pilgrims. The political climate forced the building to be used as a bakery and a warehouse. Before its collapse, a Georgian art studio used the location.^[4]https://armenianchurch.ge/en/churches/well-preserved-and-ruined-inactive-churches/shamkhoretsonts-red-gospel-church

My wife summed up the building with this picture when she said, “The church is vomiting out the destruction and waste from within. Tired in being in this state of ruin.” (Shirin Jon)

Armenian neighborhoods used to surround these areas. The many ruined buildings seem to be a constant reminder of the tragedy, where there is no hope of renovation or renewal.

Religious tension often has underlying causes for the walls that have developed today. In one of my writings, I researched the ideas below the surface when comparing Islam with Christianity.