The eminent Armenian public figures and scientists, who made a significant contribution to the cultural life of Tbilisi, were buried in the Cemetery of Vera. The cemetery was opened in the 1830s’ and initially was the burial site for noble and wealthy men.

There are some tombs left in the cemetery even today, which were created by European architects, are a masterpiece of art and posses historical and cultural merit.

The forgotten tombstones of distinguished Armenians, who ones belonged to the upper class in Tbilisi, are located in the cemetery. Even today they attract one’s attention with magnificent tombstones, social status and membership in a noble family.

At the initiative of the Department of Youth Affairs at the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia, under the guidance of responsible for the department Valery Badalyan and Michael Avakyan, Head of the Social Department, on May 11, more than 30 young Armenians headed to the old Cemetery of Vera to clean up abandoned graves of Armenians, taking with them necessary tools. Guided by the researches and photos left by talented chronicler – deceased Sargis Darchinyan, the group of young activists cleaned up the graves and tombs of upper-class representatives, such as: Khudadov, Melik-Azaryants, Girgidov, Enikolopovs, Yuzbashevs, Ananovs, a tobacco manufacturer Namuradyants, an industrialist Bozrjyants, a linguist and Armenologist Shahan Jrpetyan and his spouse, an architect Gabriel Ter-Mikelov.

These are the tombs of devoted citizens of Tbilisi, whose relatives live abroad or were exiled and killed.

The young people that the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church has brought together are fully aware of their duty to the ancestor’s memory and they readily organize cleaning days in the Tbilisi Pantheon of the Armenian Writers and Public Figures “Khojivank”, the Cemetery of Vera and Petre-Pavle Cemetery, because for the future’s sake we must remember the past. According to the Head of Department of Youth Affairs similar events will be held on regular basis and will include not only Tbilisi.