Our World
(from CNEWA WORLD November – December 2002)
After the Breakup
Posted: 25 Nov 2002
Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, Apostolic Nuncio to Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan and former Undersecretary of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches, visited CNEWA in October.
He described Armenia and Georgia as undergoing severe economic and social deprivation since the breakup of the Soviet Union. Many educated persons and skilled workers have found jobs in Russia and send money home to enable their families to survive, he said. “Jobs are scarce and the pay is low,” he added.
The good news is that religious vocations are up, he noted, among both the Orthodox and the small Catholic churches. The young men study abroad and return home to minister to their people.