Delegation of Armenian Diocese in Georgia Visited Border Armenian Villages in Marneuli Region

On May 8, 2026, with the blessing and good wishes of His Grace Bishop Kirakos Davtyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, a diocesan delegation traveled to the Armenian-populated border villages of the Marneuli region. The delegation included Rev. Father Hovsep Harutyunyan, Director of the “Hayartun” Center Eugenia Markosyan, and Head of the Legal Affairs Department Mikael Avagyan.

Their first stop was the village of Gyulibagh, where they were welcomed by the principal of the local public school, Aregnaz Gharibyan.

The representatives of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia visited the village chapel of the Holy Cross, known locally as the “Papi Khach” (“Grandfather’s Cross”). Rev. Father Hovsep Harutyunyan promised that, if necessary, he would organize a collective baptism in the village, as well as perform certain church rites and ceremonies.

Accompanied by Yuri Chatinyan, a resident of Gyulibagh, the members of the delegation continued their journey to the border village of Bardzadzor. The village is gradually becoming depopulated and currently has only 12 households. The community faces a number of challenges, including issues related to legal documentation and difficulties related to agricultural work.

In the depopulating village, there are no school-aged children, and even basic living conditions are absent. Instead, partially collapsed and abandoned houses dominate the landscape. Any discussion of a functioning school or a local medical post is no longer relevant. The current state of the village is truly alarming and deeply disheartening, clearly indicating that it may become completely uninhabited within just a few years. Once a thriving and densely populated settlement, it now comes to life only during the summer months, when former residents still return to their birthplace — a picturesque village nestled in the forest, far from the bustle of everyday life. The guests distributed Easter gifts containing various food items to the families who remain in the village.

The delegation had planned to continue their journey to the village of Ghudro; however, due to an impassable road, it was decided to reach the once-thriving and well-maintained settlement at the foot of the forest by a suitable vehicle. The village is also on the verge of disappearance, with only the ruins of a medieval fortress and churches remaining as traces of its past.