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Tural Ganjaliyev: “Russian Orthodox Church in Shusha was armenized"

22 May 2019 12:23 (UTC +04:00)

Board meeting of the Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno Garabagh Region has been held with leaders of religious communities operating in Azerbaijan, ONA reports.

Leaders of Russian Orthodox Eparchy of Baku and Caspian region, Mountain Jews Community of Azerbaijan, Roman Catholic Apostolic Prefecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Baku Religious Community of European Jews and Religious community of the Alban-Udi Christians have participated at the meeting.

Chairman of the Board Tural Ganjaliyev stated that there are stability and order in Azerbaijan in the background of terrorist acts in the world.

Mr. Ganjaliyev stated that Armenia still keeps the historical lands of Azerbaijan under occupation: “Before the occupation, representatives of different religious communities lived in the Nagorno-Karabakh friendly. After the occupation of Shusha in 1992, the Armenians converted the Russian Orthodox Church to the Armenian Church. On the other hand, they use the historic "Mamayi" mosque in Shusha as a church and religious rituals are performed there. In addition, Christian-Catholic churches were also Armenianized. Armenia tries to introduce itself as "the first Christian country" in the world. Does the state demolish mosques and churches which considers itself as "the first Christian country"? While Azerbaijan protects monuments of different religious communities, including Armenians, but Armenians demolish our ancient mosques, cemeteries, and shrines in our occupied territories.”

T. Ganjaliev urged the heads of religious communities not to keep silent on Armenian vandalism.

“Nagorno-Karabakh is the territory of Azerbaijan. There used to Garabagh and Iravan khanates. Russian Orthodox churches in Nagorno-Karabakh are subject to the Russian Orthodox Church's Baku and Caspian Sea diocese,” he mentioned.

He mentioned that Armenians lived in the Middle East, within the Byzantine Empire

Dean of Roman Catholic Apostolic Prefecture of Azerbaijan Joseph Marek characterized Azerbaijan as a country where different religious communities can friendly coexist. He has condemned acts of vandalism committed by Armenians in the Azerbaijani lands and stressed that any interference to the religious temples is unacceptable.

Leader of Religious Community of the Alban-Udi Christians Robert Mobili has spoken about aspirations of Armenians to Armenize religious temples. R.Mobili noted that Armenians have always attempted to change religious – cultural essence of the temples.

The meeting ended with discussions.