Disputed Catholic churches in Georgia and restitution policy: more unequal than others
Disputed Catholic churches in Georgia and restitution policy: more unequal than others

Summary/Abstract: After the collapse of the totalitarian regime and the restoration of independence, Georgia faced the consequences of the Soviet Union’s anti-religious policies alone. Rapid and often ill-considered decisions regarding the restitution of religious buildings confiscated during the occupation created additional complications for the country. During the final years of the Soviet Union and in the first years of independence, Soviet authorities first and then Georgian authorities transferred to the Georgian Orthodox Church not only Orthodox temples but also buildings claimed by other religious organisations. Among these are six Catholic churches that both the Apostolic Administration of the Latin Catholics of Caucasus and the Holy See have requested the Georgian government to return. The absence of a coherent restitution policy, as well as the ongoing attempts to maintain the status quo, have failed to resolve the issue, while the disputed temples have remained a source of tension between the interested churches and their congregations. This article examines the problematic aspects of both the historical and legal ownership of these disputed churches as well as Georgia’s experience with religious property restitution. The paper also analyses the relevant experiences of other countries from a comparative perspective that could prove valuable for Georgia in reaching a final and equitable resolution of religious property restitution disputes. This approach is particularly important, considering that several of the disputed churches are in a deplorable condition and are facing progressive deterioration, and the situation demands immediate intervention by state authorities.

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