Unidentified persons removed icons from a church in Akhaltsikhe, Georgia, and placed them near a trash can, local media reported.

The incident occurred in the early morning hours of Tuesday. But later in the day, local residents returned these icons to the church.

The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs has launched an investigation into the incident under Article 155—unlawfully obstructing the performance of a religious ceremony—of the Criminal Code.

This church has been the subject of a dispute between the Georgian Orthodox and the Armenian Apostolic Churches for many years, and services are no longer held there.

Father Hakob Sahakyan, a local clergyman of the Armenian Apostolic Church, told sknews.ge that he does not know who removed these icons from the church and for what purpose.

Source: https://news.am/en/news/1034990