STOP this massacre in #Georgia !! The annual Lomisoba Festival in Georgia will be held on 11th of June and hundreds of animals, including sheep, calves and chickens, will be cruelly slaughtered as part of an historic custom. The ritual sacrifice of animals is still practised in some regions of Georgia even though Christian teachings have declared that it should be abandoned. Many Georgian people continue to sacrifice animals in the belief that age-old customs should be upheld. No one can adequately explain why such sacrifices are carried out year after year – except to say that they are “traditional” and that bad luck might result if they are discontinued. It is not unusual, for example, for the parents of a sick child to go to a church and make a promise to God that they will sacrifice an animal expecting the well-being of their loved one in return. Alarmingly, there are no rules or regulations in Georgia which ensure even the most basic welfare considerations of animals subjected to ritual sacrifice. The animals can be hurt during transportation and are often butchered alive by inexperienced slaughterers who appear to have no compassion. For example, at the annual Lomisoba Festival sheep and other animals are slaughtered en masse in an extremely cruel manner in the presence of onlookers including children who are subjected to terrifying scenes of violence and abuse. The Lomisoba Festival is held on the third Wednesday after Whitsun when people from all over Georgia gather to celebrate at the Lomisi Monastery on top of a high hill near the village of Mleta. It is believed that the pilgrimage and sacrifices will eliminate disease and ensure the well-being of families. The animal sacrifices take place at the foot of the hill in full view of the public and involve hundreds of sheep, calves and chickens. In 2014, the annual Lomisoba Festival in Georgia will be held on 11th June during which hundreds of animals will be cruelly slaughtered as part of an historic custom. The centre of Lomisoba festival is Lomisoba Saint George’s Church on top of a high mountain next to the Lomisi Monastery, right on the ABL. According to an old legend the door of the church is on the Ksani River side, now on the South Ossetian side of the ABL, and the key to the door on the Aragvi River side, now on Tbilisi Administered Territory. It is said that the Lomisoba festival cannot be started unless there are people from both sides participating. Therefore the tradition of the Lomisoba festival has continued unaffected since the 2008 conflict. Lomisa Church (named after the Bull Loma, which, according to the legend, found the way home with the Icon of St. Georgia fixed in his horns and brought Mtiulians (highlanders from the region of White Aragvi Ravine) from captivity of Persians home. The Bull Loma went up the ridge between Georgian Ravines Ksani and Aragvi and died there – on this place they built a church, which is serving for the distant monastery (place for private devotion) for five orthodox monks, due to its inaccessibility – healthy man may get there in 3 hours through steep path (in summer time). The adverse effects of animal sacrifice are well documented and include the following: 1. It is extremely cruel to the animals. Contrary to what many believe, animals suffer tremendously before and during sacrifice. These blood rituals are abhorrent, barbaric and pointless and have no place in the 21st century. 2. Such cruelty to animals is also harmful to society as a whole. It can create insensitivity in people who become numb to the suffering of other living beings. It is also known to influence certain people to commit violence to other humans. Children taken to these events may become traumatised by what they see. 3. It is bad for tourism. It is well known that the practice of animal sacrifice has an adverse effect on tourism, an industry which can provide a country with much needed financial returns. Foreign visitors who witness animal sacrifices are likely to be deterred from making return visits. For the above reasons, Georgia must now ban animal sacrifices and move towards a truly humane country in keeping with its international image. This can be done by introducing and enforcing much needed legislation to prevent cruelty to animals and by promoting genuine animal welfare initiatives across the country. For pictures (graphic), videos and the list of references used to compile this article, please see our website, at: http://www.occupyforanimals.org/during-the-lomisoba-celebration-in-georgia-hundreds-of-sheep-calves-and-chickens-are-sacrificed.html HOW TO HELP Please tell the Georgian Government that decapitating a bleating lamb or calf should not be the symbol of Georgian civilization and that such blood rituals are abhorrent, barbaric, pointless and cruel and have no place in the 21st century. By adding your signature to the petition, a message will instantly be sent to the President of Georgia, as well as the Chair of the Parliament of Georgia. Please SIGN at: http://www.change.org/petitions/government-of-georgia-ban-ritual-sacrifice-in-georgia-as-it-s-extremely-cruel-to-animals Please sign also the next petition urging the Georgian government to ratify the International Declaration of Animal Rights, at: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/865/759/999/urge-georgian-government-ratification-of-international-declaration-of-animal-rights/#sign Thank you very much, in advance!