Cathedral of the Forty Martyrs (Aleppo)
Encyclopedia
The Forty Martyrs Armenian Cathedral of Aleppo
, Syria
is a 15th century Armenian Apostolic church located in the old Christian district of Aleppo, at Salibeh street of Jdeydeh quarter. It is significant among Armenian churches for having three altars. The church has no dome, but the bell tower is considered to be one of the unique samples of the baroque architecture
in Aleppo. It is significant for being one of the oldest functioning churches in the Armenian diaspora
.
under Tigranes the Great
subjugated Syria, and chose Antioch
as one of the four capitals of the short lived Armenian Empire. After 301 AD, when Christianity
became the official state religion of Armenia and its population, Aleppo became an important center for Armenian pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. Yet, the Armenians did not form into an organized community in Aleppo until the Armenian presence grew noticeably during the 11th century at the times of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
, when a considerable number of Armenian families and merchants settled in the city creating their own businesses and residences. With the foundation of Armenian schools, churches and later on the prelacy, Armenians presented themselves as a well-organized community during the 14th century.
The Armenian population of Aleppo continued to grow as Aleppo was swallowed into the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire had a large indigenous Armenian population in its Eastern Anatolia region, from where some Armenians moved to Aleppo in search of economic opportunity. The Armenian presence in Aleppo grew exponentially after 1915, when it became an immediate haven for refugees of survivors of the Armenian Genocide
. Tens of thousands of Armenian refugees, likely well over 100,000, settled in Aleppo during this period. By some estimates, Armenians accounted for a quarter of Aleppo's population by the middle of the twentieth century, by which time they had become a respected, upwardly mobile community. Later, as a result of political upheaval in Syria, Armenians began to emigrate to Lebanon and later to Europe, the Americas and Australia, especially in the 1970s and 1980s. Nonetheless, Aleppo remains a center of the worldwide Armenian diaspora
, ranging between 50,000 and 70,000 Armenians residents.
It was erected to replace a small chapel in the old Christian cemetery. The church was named in the honour of a group of Roman soldiers who faced martyrdom near the city of Sebastia in Lesser Armenia
, and were all venerated in Christianity as the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
. Until the end of the 15th century the church was of very small size with a capacity of only 100 believers. In 1499, large-scale renovation works were applied and within two years, the church was enlarged and a new prelacy building (Armenian Prelacy of Beria or Beroea) was erected in the church yard, funded by the donation of an Armenian elite named Reyis Baron Yesayi. In the following years, the church frequently became a temporary seat of various Armenian catholicoi of the Holy See of Cilicia.
During the first years of its consecration, the church was surrounded with tombsstones of the Armenian cemetery, until 1579 when the cemetery was moved and only clergymen and the elites of the community were allowed to be buried in the church yard.
The church was renovated again in 1616 by the donation of the community leader-emir Khoja Bedig Chelebi and the supervision of his brother Khoja Sanos Chelebi. At the end of the year the church was reopened with the presence of Catholicos Hovhannes IV of Aintab (Hovhannes 4th Aintabtsi) and Bishop Kachatur Karkaretsi.
In 1624, as a result of the growing number of Armenian residents and pilgrims, the Armenian prelacy started to build a quarter near the church, which is still keeping its original name Hokedun (Spiritual House). It was designated to serve as a settlement for the Armenian pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. The Hokedun was built by the donation of Khoja Gharibjan.
Nowadays, the church has 3 altar
s, an upper story built in 1874 and a baptismal font
placed in 1888.
The church never had a belfry until 1912 when a belfry tower was erected by the donation of Syrian-Armenian philanthropist Rizkallah Tahhan from Brazil
. During the second half of the 20th century, the interior of the church underwent massive renovations to match the requirements of Armenian churches. On 28 May 1991, by the donation of Keledjian brothers from Aleppo, a khachkar
-memorial was placed in the yard near the church entry dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide
.
On 26 April 2000, the Armenian community of Aleppo marked the 500th anniversary of the first enlargement of the church under the patronage of His Holiness Aram I
Catholicos, during the period of Archbishop Souren Kataroyan.
With the initiative of Archbishop Souren Kataroyan, the majority of the icons were renovated between 1993 and 1996 by the Armenia
n expert Andranik Antonyan.
of Aleppo, in the memory of Catholicos
Zareh I of the Great House of Cilicia, who had served as archbishop
of the diocese of Aleppo before becoming catholicos.
within the Forty Martyrs Carhedral complex. The old building of the prelacy which is located between the museum and the current church, is under renovation. The church complex also contains the Haygazian Armenian School, the Avetis Aharonian
theatre and the Nikol Aghbalian
branch of Hamazkayin
Educational and Cultural Society. The current building of the prelacy stands next to the church, just few meters away.
The Forty Martyrs Armenian Cathedral of Aleppo
, Syria
is a 15th century Armenian Apostolic church located in the old Christian district of Aleppo, at Salibeh street of Jdeydeh quarter. It is significant among Armenian churches for having three altars. The church has no dome, but the bell tower is considered to be one of the unique samples of the baroque architecture
in Aleppo. It is significant for being one of the oldest functioning churches in the Armenian diaspora
.
under Tigranes the Great
subjugated Syria, and chose Antioch
as one of the four capitals of the short lived Armenian Empire. After 301 AD, when Christianity
became the official state religion of Armenia and its population, Aleppo became an important center for Armenian pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. Yet, the Armenians did not form into an organized community in Aleppo until the Armenian presence grew noticeably during the 11th century at the times of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
, when a considerable number of Armenian families and merchants settled in the city creating their own businesses and residences. With the foundation of Armenian schools, churches and later on the prelacy, Armenians presented themselves as a well-organized community during the 14th century.
The Armenian population of Aleppo continued to grow as Aleppo was swallowed into the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire had a large indigenous Armenian population in its Eastern Anatolia region, from where some Armenians moved to Aleppo in search of economic opportunity. The Armenian presence in Aleppo grew exponentially after 1915, when it became an immediate haven for refugees of survivors of the Armenian Genocide
. Tens of thousands of Armenian refugees, likely well over 100,000, settled in Aleppo during this period. By some estimates, Armenians accounted for a quarter of Aleppo's population by the middle of the twentieth century, by which time they had become a respected, upwardly mobile community. Later, as a result of political upheaval in Syria, Armenians began to emigrate to Lebanon and later to Europe, the Americas and Australia, especially in the 1970s and 1980s. Nonetheless, Aleppo remains a center of the worldwide Armenian diaspora
, ranging between 50,000 and 70,000 Armenians residents.
It was erected to replace a small chapel in the old Christian cemetery. The church was named in the honour of a group of Roman soldiers who faced martyrdom near the city of Sebastia in Lesser Armenia
, and were all venerated in Christianity as the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
. Until the end of the 15th century the church was of very small size with a capacity of only 100 believers. In 1499, large-scale renovation works were applied and within two years, the church was enlarged and a new prelacy building (Armenian Prelacy of Beria or Beroea) was erected in the church yard, funded by the donation of an Armenian elite named Reyis Baron Yesayi. In the following years, the church frequently became a temporary seat of various Armenian catholicoi of the Holy See of Cilicia.
During the first years of its consecration, the church was surrounded with tombsstones of the Armenian cemetery, until 1579 when the cemetery was moved and only clergymen and the elites of the community were allowed to be buried in the church yard.
The church was renovated again in 1616 by the donation of the community leader-emir Khoja Bedig Chelebi and the supervision of his brother Khoja Sanos Chelebi. At the end of the year the church was reopened with the presence of Catholicos Hovhannes IV of Aintab (Hovhannes 4th Aintabtsi) and Bishop Kachatur Karkaretsi.
In 1624, as a result of the growing number of Armenian residents and pilgrims, the Armenian prelacy started to build a quarter near the church, which is still keeping its original name Hokedun (Spiritual House). It was designated to serve as a settlement for the Armenian pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. The Hokedun was built by the donation of Khoja Gharibjan.
Nowadays, the church has 3 altar
s, an upper story built in 1874 and a baptismal font
placed in 1888.
The church never had a belfry until 1912 when a belfry tower was erected by the donation of Syrian-Armenian philanthropist Rizkallah Tahhan from Brazil
. During the second half of the 20th century, the interior of the church underwent massive renovations to match the requirements of Armenian churches. On 28 May 1991, by the donation of Keledjian brothers from Aleppo, a khachkar
-memorial was placed in the yard near the church entry dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide
.
On 26 April 2000, the Armenian community of Aleppo marked the 500th anniversary of the first enlargement of the church under the patronage of His Holiness Aram I
Catholicos, during the period of Archbishop Souren Kataroyan.
With the initiative of Archbishop Souren Kataroyan, the majority of the icons were renovated between 1993 and 1996 by the Armenia
n expert Andranik Antonyan.
of Aleppo, in the memory of Catholicos
Zareh I of the Great House of Cilicia, who had served as archbishop
of the diocese of Aleppo before becoming catholicos.
within the Forty Martyrs Carhedral complex. The old building of the prelacy which is located between the museum and the current church, is under renovation. The church complex also contains the Haygazian Armenian School, the Avetis Aharonian
theatre and the Nikol Aghbalian
branch of Hamazkayin
Educational and Cultural Society. The current building of the prelacy stands next to the church, just few meters away.
The Forty Martyrs Armenian Cathedral of Aleppo
, Syria
is a 15th century Armenian Apostolic church located in the old Christian district of Aleppo, at Salibeh street of Jdeydeh quarter. It is significant among Armenian churches for having three altars. The church has no dome, but the bell tower is considered to be one of the unique samples of the baroque architecture
in Aleppo. It is significant for being one of the oldest functioning churches in the Armenian diaspora
.
under Tigranes the Great
subjugated Syria, and chose Antioch
as one of the four capitals of the short lived Armenian Empire. After 301 AD, when Christianity
became the official state religion of Armenia and its population, Aleppo became an important center for Armenian pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. Yet, the Armenians did not form into an organized community in Aleppo until the Armenian presence grew noticeably during the 11th century at the times of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
, when a considerable number of Armenian families and merchants settled in the city creating their own businesses and residences. With the foundation of Armenian schools, churches and later on the prelacy, Armenians presented themselves as a well-organized community during the 14th century.
The Armenian population of Aleppo continued to grow as Aleppo was swallowed into the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire had a large indigenous Armenian population in its Eastern Anatolia region, from where some Armenians moved to Aleppo in search of economic opportunity. The Armenian presence in Aleppo grew exponentially after 1915, when it became an immediate haven for refugees of survivors of the Armenian Genocide
. Tens of thousands of Armenian refugees, likely well over 100,000, settled in Aleppo during this period. By some estimates, Armenians accounted for a quarter of Aleppo's population by the middle of the twentieth century, by which time they had become a respected, upwardly mobile community. Later, as a result of political upheaval in Syria, Armenians began to emigrate to Lebanon and later to Europe, the Americas and Australia, especially in the 1970s and 1980s. Nonetheless, Aleppo remains a center of the worldwide Armenian diaspora
, ranging between 50,000 and 70,000 Armenians residents.
It was erected to replace a small chapel in the old Christian cemetery. The church was named in the honour of a group of Roman soldiers who faced martyrdom near the city of Sebastia in Lesser Armenia
, and were all venerated in Christianity as the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
. Until the end of the 15th century the church was of very small size with a capacity of only 100 believers. In 1499, large-scale renovation works were applied and within two years, the church was enlarged and a new prelacy building (Armenian Prelacy of Beria or Beroea) was erected in the church yard, funded by the donation of an Armenian elite named Reyis Baron Yesayi. In the following years, the church frequently became a temporary seat of various Armenian catholicoi of the Holy See of Cilicia.
During the first years of its consecration, the church was surrounded with tombsstones of the Armenian cemetery, until 1579 when the cemetery was moved and only clergymen and the elites of the community were allowed to be buried in the church yard.
The church was renovated again in 1616 by the donation of the community leader-emir Khoja Bedig Chelebi and the supervision of his brother Khoja Sanos Chelebi. At the end of the year the church was reopened with the presence of Catholicos Hovhannes IV of Aintab (Hovhannes 4th Aintabtsi) and Bishop Kachatur Karkaretsi.
In 1624, as a result of the growing number of Armenian residents and pilgrims, the Armenian prelacy started to build a quarter near the church, which is still keeping its original name Hokedun (Spiritual House). It was designated to serve as a settlement for the Armenian pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. The Hokedun was built by the donation of Khoja Gharibjan.
Nowadays, the church has 3 altar
s, an upper story built in 1874 and a baptismal font
placed in 1888.
The church never had a belfry until 1912 when a belfry tower was erected by the donation of Syrian-Armenian philanthropist Rizkallah Tahhan from Brazil
. During the second half of the 20th century, the interior of the church underwent massive renovations to match the requirements of Armenian churches. On 28 May 1991, by the donation of Keledjian brothers from Aleppo, a khachkar
-memorial was placed in the yard near the church entry dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide
.
On 26 April 2000, the Armenian community of Aleppo marked the 500th anniversary of the first enlargement of the church under the patronage of His Holiness Aram I
Catholicos, during the period of Archbishop Souren Kataroyan.
With the initiative of Archbishop Souren Kataroyan, the majority of the icons were renovated between 1993 and 1996 by the Armenia
n expert Andranik Antonyan.
of Aleppo, in the memory of Catholicos
Zareh I of the Great House of Cilicia, who had served as archbishop
of the diocese of Aleppo before becoming catholicos.
within the Forty Martyrs Carhedral complex. The old building of the prelacy which is located between the museum and the current church, is under renovation. The church complex also contains the Haygazian Armenian School, the Avetis Aharonian
theatre and the Nikol Aghbalian
branch of Hamazkayin
Educational and Cultural Society. The current building of the prelacy stands next to the church, just few meters away.
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
is a 15th century Armenian Apostolic church located in the old Christian district of Aleppo, at Salibeh street of Jdeydeh quarter. It is significant among Armenian churches for having three altars. The church has no dome, but the bell tower is considered to be one of the unique samples of the baroque architecture
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
in Aleppo. It is significant for being one of the oldest functioning churches in the Armenian diaspora
Armenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...
.
Armenians in Aleppo
The first significant Armenian presence in the city of Aleppo dates to the 1st century BC, when ArmeniaArmenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
under Tigranes the Great
Tigranes the Great
Tigranes the Great was emperor of Armenia under whom the country became, for a short time, the strongest state east of the Roman Republic. He was a member of the Artaxiad Royal House...
subjugated Syria, and chose Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
as one of the four capitals of the short lived Armenian Empire. After 301 AD, when Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
became the official state religion of Armenia and its population, Aleppo became an important center for Armenian pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. Yet, the Armenians did not form into an organized community in Aleppo until the Armenian presence grew noticeably during the 11th century at the times of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia , also known as the Cilician Armenia, Kingdom of Cilician Armenia or New Armenia, was an independent principality formed during the High Middle Ages by Armenian refugees fleeing the Seljuk invasion of Armenia...
, when a considerable number of Armenian families and merchants settled in the city creating their own businesses and residences. With the foundation of Armenian schools, churches and later on the prelacy, Armenians presented themselves as a well-organized community during the 14th century.
The Armenian population of Aleppo continued to grow as Aleppo was swallowed into the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire had a large indigenous Armenian population in its Eastern Anatolia region, from where some Armenians moved to Aleppo in search of economic opportunity. The Armenian presence in Aleppo grew exponentially after 1915, when it became an immediate haven for refugees of survivors of the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
. Tens of thousands of Armenian refugees, likely well over 100,000, settled in Aleppo during this period. By some estimates, Armenians accounted for a quarter of Aleppo's population by the middle of the twentieth century, by which time they had become a respected, upwardly mobile community. Later, as a result of political upheaval in Syria, Armenians began to emigrate to Lebanon and later to Europe, the Americas and Australia, especially in the 1970s and 1980s. Nonetheless, Aleppo remains a center of the worldwide Armenian diaspora
Armenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...
, ranging between 50,000 and 70,000 Armenians residents.
Church history
The Armenian church of the Forty Martyrs in Aleppo was mentioned for the first time in 1476, in the second edition of the book The Exploit of the Holy Bible, written by Father Melikseth in Aleppo.It was erected to replace a small chapel in the old Christian cemetery. The church was named in the honour of a group of Roman soldiers who faced martyrdom near the city of Sebastia in Lesser Armenia
Lesser Armenia
Lesser Armenia , also known as Armenia Minor and Armenia Inferior, refers to the Armenian populated regions, primarily to the West and North-West of the ancient Armenian Kingdom...
, and were all venerated in Christianity as the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste or the Holy Forty were a group of Roman soldiers in the Legio XII Fulminata whose martyrdom in 320 for the Christian faith is recounted in traditional martyrologies.They were killed near Sebaste, in Lesser Armenia, victims of the persecutions of Licinius,...
. Until the end of the 15th century the church was of very small size with a capacity of only 100 believers. In 1499, large-scale renovation works were applied and within two years, the church was enlarged and a new prelacy building (Armenian Prelacy of Beria or Beroea) was erected in the church yard, funded by the donation of an Armenian elite named Reyis Baron Yesayi. In the following years, the church frequently became a temporary seat of various Armenian catholicoi of the Holy See of Cilicia.
During the first years of its consecration, the church was surrounded with tombsstones of the Armenian cemetery, until 1579 when the cemetery was moved and only clergymen and the elites of the community were allowed to be buried in the church yard.
The church was renovated again in 1616 by the donation of the community leader-emir Khoja Bedig Chelebi and the supervision of his brother Khoja Sanos Chelebi. At the end of the year the church was reopened with the presence of Catholicos Hovhannes IV of Aintab (Hovhannes 4th Aintabtsi) and Bishop Kachatur Karkaretsi.
In 1624, as a result of the growing number of Armenian residents and pilgrims, the Armenian prelacy started to build a quarter near the church, which is still keeping its original name Hokedun (Spiritual House). It was designated to serve as a settlement for the Armenian pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. The Hokedun was built by the donation of Khoja Gharibjan.
Nowadays, the church has 3 altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
s, an upper story built in 1874 and a baptismal font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
placed in 1888.
The church never had a belfry until 1912 when a belfry tower was erected by the donation of Syrian-Armenian philanthropist Rizkallah Tahhan from Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. During the second half of the 20th century, the interior of the church underwent massive renovations to match the requirements of Armenian churches. On 28 May 1991, by the donation of Keledjian brothers from Aleppo, a khachkar
Khachkar
A khachkar or khatchkar is a carved, cross-bearing, memorial stele covered with rosettes and other botanical motifs. Khachkars are characteristic of Medieval Christian Armenian art found in Armenia.-Description:...
-memorial was placed in the yard near the church entry dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
.
On 26 April 2000, the Armenian community of Aleppo marked the 500th anniversary of the first enlargement of the church under the patronage of His Holiness Aram I
Aram I
His Holiness Aram I is the head of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia and has been Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church since 1995...
Catholicos, during the period of Archbishop Souren Kataroyan.
Icons
The church is rich for both ancient and modern-day icons, with more than 30 samples:- The Mother of God (canvas, 96x118, 1663 by Der-Megerdich)
- Virgin Mary with Jesus (canvas, 115x145cm, 1669 by an unknnown Armenian painter)
- The Baptism of Jesus (canvas, 66x90cm, from the 17th century)
- The Worship of the Magi (canvas, 112x134cm, from the 17th century by an unknnown Armenian painter)
- Saint John The Baptist (wood paint, 39x76cm , 1720 by Kevork Anania)
- Saint Joseph (wood paint, 39x76cm, 1720 by Kevork Anania)
- Virgin Mary with Jesus (wood paint, 46x126cm, 1729 by Kevork Anania)
- The Baptism of Jesus Christ (wood paint, 86x105cm, 1756 by Kevork Anania)
- Virgin Mary surrounded by The Apostles (canvas, 70X80cm, from the late 18th century by an unknnown Armenian painter)
- The Last Judgment, one of the most famous icons of the Aleppine school (canvas, 400x600cm, 1703 by Nehmatallah Hovsep)
With the initiative of Archbishop Souren Kataroyan, the majority of the icons were renovated between 1993 and 1996 by the Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n expert Andranik Antonyan.
Church of the Holy Mother of God
The old church of the Holy Mother of God was built before 1429, at a time when the Armenian community was formed as a significant community in Aleppo with its own clergymen, scholars and the prelacy. This small church has witnessed several renovations, in 1535, 1784, 1849 and 1955 respectively. The church remained active until the beginnings of the 20th century, when it was turned into a library. In 1991, the building was turned into the Zarehian Treasury of the Armenian Apostolic ChurchArmenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
of Aleppo, in the memory of Catholicos
Catholicos
Catholicos, plural Catholicoi, is a title used for the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and in some cases is borne by the designated head of an autonomous church, in which case the holder might have other titles such as Patriarch...
Zareh I of the Great House of Cilicia, who had served as archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of the diocese of Aleppo before becoming catholicos.
Current status
The Forty Martyrs Cathedral is the seat of the Armenian prelacy of Aleppo and one of the oldest acting churches in the city. It is also one of the oldest functioning churches in the Armenian diaspora. In 1991, the old church of the Holy Mother of God was reopened as Zarehian Treasury; the museum of the Armenian Apostolic ChurchArmenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
within the Forty Martyrs Carhedral complex. The old building of the prelacy which is located between the museum and the current church, is under renovation. The church complex also contains the Haygazian Armenian School, the Avetis Aharonian
Avetis Aharonian
Avetis Aharonyan was an Armenian politician, writer, public figure and revolutionary, also part of the Armenian national movement.Aharonyan was born in 1866 in Iğdır, Erivan Governorate, Russian Empire...
theatre and the Nikol Aghbalian
Nikol Aghbalian
Nikol Poghosi Aghbalian was an Armenian public figure and historian of literature, the editor of "Horizon" paper....
branch of Hamazkayin
Hamazkayin
Hamazkayin , short for Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society, is a major cultural organization of the Armenian Diaspora, with a presence in every significant Armenian community worldwide...
Educational and Cultural Society. The current building of the prelacy stands next to the church, just few meters away.
Gallery
The Forty Martyrs Armenian Cathedral of Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
is a 15th century Armenian Apostolic church located in the old Christian district of Aleppo, at Salibeh street of Jdeydeh quarter. It is significant among Armenian churches for having three altars. The church has no dome, but the bell tower is considered to be one of the unique samples of the baroque architecture
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
in Aleppo. It is significant for being one of the oldest functioning churches in the Armenian diaspora
Armenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...
.
Armenians in Aleppo
The first significant Armenian presence in the city of Aleppo dates to the 1st century BC, when ArmeniaArmenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
under Tigranes the Great
Tigranes the Great
Tigranes the Great was emperor of Armenia under whom the country became, for a short time, the strongest state east of the Roman Republic. He was a member of the Artaxiad Royal House...
subjugated Syria, and chose Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
as one of the four capitals of the short lived Armenian Empire. After 301 AD, when Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
became the official state religion of Armenia and its population, Aleppo became an important center for Armenian pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. Yet, the Armenians did not form into an organized community in Aleppo until the Armenian presence grew noticeably during the 11th century at the times of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia , also known as the Cilician Armenia, Kingdom of Cilician Armenia or New Armenia, was an independent principality formed during the High Middle Ages by Armenian refugees fleeing the Seljuk invasion of Armenia...
, when a considerable number of Armenian families and merchants settled in the city creating their own businesses and residences. With the foundation of Armenian schools, churches and later on the prelacy, Armenians presented themselves as a well-organized community during the 14th century.
The Armenian population of Aleppo continued to grow as Aleppo was swallowed into the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire had a large indigenous Armenian population in its Eastern Anatolia region, from where some Armenians moved to Aleppo in search of economic opportunity. The Armenian presence in Aleppo grew exponentially after 1915, when it became an immediate haven for refugees of survivors of the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
. Tens of thousands of Armenian refugees, likely well over 100,000, settled in Aleppo during this period. By some estimates, Armenians accounted for a quarter of Aleppo's population by the middle of the twentieth century, by which time they had become a respected, upwardly mobile community. Later, as a result of political upheaval in Syria, Armenians began to emigrate to Lebanon and later to Europe, the Americas and Australia, especially in the 1970s and 1980s. Nonetheless, Aleppo remains a center of the worldwide Armenian diaspora
Armenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...
, ranging between 50,000 and 70,000 Armenians residents.
Church history
The Armenian church of the Forty Martyrs in Aleppo was mentioned for the first time in 1476, in the second edition of the book The Exploit of the Holy Bible, written by Father Melikseth in Aleppo.It was erected to replace a small chapel in the old Christian cemetery. The church was named in the honour of a group of Roman soldiers who faced martyrdom near the city of Sebastia in Lesser Armenia
Lesser Armenia
Lesser Armenia , also known as Armenia Minor and Armenia Inferior, refers to the Armenian populated regions, primarily to the West and North-West of the ancient Armenian Kingdom...
, and were all venerated in Christianity as the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste or the Holy Forty were a group of Roman soldiers in the Legio XII Fulminata whose martyrdom in 320 for the Christian faith is recounted in traditional martyrologies.They were killed near Sebaste, in Lesser Armenia, victims of the persecutions of Licinius,...
. Until the end of the 15th century the church was of very small size with a capacity of only 100 believers. In 1499, large-scale renovation works were applied and within two years, the church was enlarged and a new prelacy building (Armenian Prelacy of Beria or Beroea) was erected in the church yard, funded by the donation of an Armenian elite named Reyis Baron Yesayi. In the following years, the church frequently became a temporary seat of various Armenian catholicoi of the Holy See of Cilicia.
During the first years of its consecration, the church was surrounded with tombsstones of the Armenian cemetery, until 1579 when the cemetery was moved and only clergymen and the elites of the community were allowed to be buried in the church yard.
The church was renovated again in 1616 by the donation of the community leader-emir Khoja Bedig Chelebi and the supervision of his brother Khoja Sanos Chelebi. At the end of the year the church was reopened with the presence of Catholicos Hovhannes IV of Aintab (Hovhannes 4th Aintabtsi) and Bishop Kachatur Karkaretsi.
In 1624, as a result of the growing number of Armenian residents and pilgrims, the Armenian prelacy started to build a quarter near the church, which is still keeping its original name Hokedun (Spiritual House). It was designated to serve as a settlement for the Armenian pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. The Hokedun was built by the donation of Khoja Gharibjan.
Nowadays, the church has 3 altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
s, an upper story built in 1874 and a baptismal font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
placed in 1888.
The church never had a belfry until 1912 when a belfry tower was erected by the donation of Syrian-Armenian philanthropist Rizkallah Tahhan from Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. During the second half of the 20th century, the interior of the church underwent massive renovations to match the requirements of Armenian churches. On 28 May 1991, by the donation of Keledjian brothers from Aleppo, a khachkar
Khachkar
A khachkar or khatchkar is a carved, cross-bearing, memorial stele covered with rosettes and other botanical motifs. Khachkars are characteristic of Medieval Christian Armenian art found in Armenia.-Description:...
-memorial was placed in the yard near the church entry dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
.
On 26 April 2000, the Armenian community of Aleppo marked the 500th anniversary of the first enlargement of the church under the patronage of His Holiness Aram I
Aram I
His Holiness Aram I is the head of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia and has been Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church since 1995...
Catholicos, during the period of Archbishop Souren Kataroyan.
Icons
The church is rich for both ancient and modern-day icons, with more than 30 samples:- The Mother of God (canvas, 96x118, 1663 by Der-Megerdich)
- Virgin Mary with Jesus (canvas, 115x145cm, 1669 by an unknnown Armenian painter)
- The Baptism of Jesus (canvas, 66x90cm, from the 17th century)
- The Worship of the Magi (canvas, 112x134cm, from the 17th century by an unknnown Armenian painter)
- Saint John The Baptist (wood paint, 39x76cm , 1720 by Kevork Anania)
- Saint Joseph (wood paint, 39x76cm, 1720 by Kevork Anania)
- Virgin Mary with Jesus (wood paint, 46x126cm, 1729 by Kevork Anania)
- The Baptism of Jesus Christ (wood paint, 86x105cm, 1756 by Kevork Anania)
- Virgin Mary surrounded by The Apostles (canvas, 70X80cm, from the late 18th century by an unknnown Armenian painter)
- The Last Judgment, one of the most famous icons of the Aleppine school (canvas, 400x600cm, 1703 by Nehmatallah Hovsep)
With the initiative of Archbishop Souren Kataroyan, the majority of the icons were renovated between 1993 and 1996 by the Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n expert Andranik Antonyan.
Church of the Holy Mother of God
The old church of the Holy Mother of God was built before 1429, at a time when the Armenian community was formed as a significant community in Aleppo with its own clergymen, scholars and the prelacy. This small church has witnessed several renovations, in 1535, 1784, 1849 and 1955 respectively. The church remained active until the beginnings of the 20th century, when it was turned into a library. In 1991, the building was turned into the Zarehian Treasury of the Armenian Apostolic ChurchArmenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
of Aleppo, in the memory of Catholicos
Catholicos
Catholicos, plural Catholicoi, is a title used for the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and in some cases is borne by the designated head of an autonomous church, in which case the holder might have other titles such as Patriarch...
Zareh I of the Great House of Cilicia, who had served as archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of the diocese of Aleppo before becoming catholicos.
Current status
The Forty Martyrs Cathedral is the seat of the Armenian prelacy of Aleppo and one of the oldest acting churches in the city. It is also one of the oldest functioning churches in the Armenian diaspora. In 1991, the old church of the Holy Mother of God was reopened as Zarehian Treasury; the museum of the Armenian Apostolic ChurchArmenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
within the Forty Martyrs Carhedral complex. The old building of the prelacy which is located between the museum and the current church, is under renovation. The church complex also contains the Haygazian Armenian School, the Avetis Aharonian
Avetis Aharonian
Avetis Aharonyan was an Armenian politician, writer, public figure and revolutionary, also part of the Armenian national movement.Aharonyan was born in 1866 in Iğdır, Erivan Governorate, Russian Empire...
theatre and the Nikol Aghbalian
Nikol Aghbalian
Nikol Poghosi Aghbalian was an Armenian public figure and historian of literature, the editor of "Horizon" paper....
branch of Hamazkayin
Hamazkayin
Hamazkayin , short for Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society, is a major cultural organization of the Armenian Diaspora, with a presence in every significant Armenian community worldwide...
Educational and Cultural Society. The current building of the prelacy stands next to the church, just few meters away.
Gallery
The Forty Martyrs Armenian Cathedral of Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
is a 15th century Armenian Apostolic church located in the old Christian district of Aleppo, at Salibeh street of Jdeydeh quarter. It is significant among Armenian churches for having three altars. The church has no dome, but the bell tower is considered to be one of the unique samples of the baroque architecture
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
in Aleppo. It is significant for being one of the oldest functioning churches in the Armenian diaspora
Armenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...
.
Armenians in Aleppo
The first significant Armenian presence in the city of Aleppo dates to the 1st century BC, when ArmeniaArmenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
under Tigranes the Great
Tigranes the Great
Tigranes the Great was emperor of Armenia under whom the country became, for a short time, the strongest state east of the Roman Republic. He was a member of the Artaxiad Royal House...
subjugated Syria, and chose Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
as one of the four capitals of the short lived Armenian Empire. After 301 AD, when Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
became the official state religion of Armenia and its population, Aleppo became an important center for Armenian pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. Yet, the Armenians did not form into an organized community in Aleppo until the Armenian presence grew noticeably during the 11th century at the times of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia , also known as the Cilician Armenia, Kingdom of Cilician Armenia or New Armenia, was an independent principality formed during the High Middle Ages by Armenian refugees fleeing the Seljuk invasion of Armenia...
, when a considerable number of Armenian families and merchants settled in the city creating their own businesses and residences. With the foundation of Armenian schools, churches and later on the prelacy, Armenians presented themselves as a well-organized community during the 14th century.
The Armenian population of Aleppo continued to grow as Aleppo was swallowed into the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire had a large indigenous Armenian population in its Eastern Anatolia region, from where some Armenians moved to Aleppo in search of economic opportunity. The Armenian presence in Aleppo grew exponentially after 1915, when it became an immediate haven for refugees of survivors of the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
. Tens of thousands of Armenian refugees, likely well over 100,000, settled in Aleppo during this period. By some estimates, Armenians accounted for a quarter of Aleppo's population by the middle of the twentieth century, by which time they had become a respected, upwardly mobile community. Later, as a result of political upheaval in Syria, Armenians began to emigrate to Lebanon and later to Europe, the Americas and Australia, especially in the 1970s and 1980s. Nonetheless, Aleppo remains a center of the worldwide Armenian diaspora
Armenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...
, ranging between 50,000 and 70,000 Armenians residents.
Church history
The Armenian church of the Forty Martyrs in Aleppo was mentioned for the first time in 1476, in the second edition of the book The Exploit of the Holy Bible, written by Father Melikseth in Aleppo.It was erected to replace a small chapel in the old Christian cemetery. The church was named in the honour of a group of Roman soldiers who faced martyrdom near the city of Sebastia in Lesser Armenia
Lesser Armenia
Lesser Armenia , also known as Armenia Minor and Armenia Inferior, refers to the Armenian populated regions, primarily to the West and North-West of the ancient Armenian Kingdom...
, and were all venerated in Christianity as the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste or the Holy Forty were a group of Roman soldiers in the Legio XII Fulminata whose martyrdom in 320 for the Christian faith is recounted in traditional martyrologies.They were killed near Sebaste, in Lesser Armenia, victims of the persecutions of Licinius,...
. Until the end of the 15th century the church was of very small size with a capacity of only 100 believers. In 1499, large-scale renovation works were applied and within two years, the church was enlarged and a new prelacy building (Armenian Prelacy of Beria or Beroea) was erected in the church yard, funded by the donation of an Armenian elite named Reyis Baron Yesayi. In the following years, the church frequently became a temporary seat of various Armenian catholicoi of the Holy See of Cilicia.
During the first years of its consecration, the church was surrounded with tombsstones of the Armenian cemetery, until 1579 when the cemetery was moved and only clergymen and the elites of the community were allowed to be buried in the church yard.
The church was renovated again in 1616 by the donation of the community leader-emir Khoja Bedig Chelebi and the supervision of his brother Khoja Sanos Chelebi. At the end of the year the church was reopened with the presence of Catholicos Hovhannes IV of Aintab (Hovhannes 4th Aintabtsi) and Bishop Kachatur Karkaretsi.
In 1624, as a result of the growing number of Armenian residents and pilgrims, the Armenian prelacy started to build a quarter near the church, which is still keeping its original name Hokedun (Spiritual House). It was designated to serve as a settlement for the Armenian pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. The Hokedun was built by the donation of Khoja Gharibjan.
Nowadays, the church has 3 altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
s, an upper story built in 1874 and a baptismal font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
placed in 1888.
The church never had a belfry until 1912 when a belfry tower was erected by the donation of Syrian-Armenian philanthropist Rizkallah Tahhan from Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. During the second half of the 20th century, the interior of the church underwent massive renovations to match the requirements of Armenian churches. On 28 May 1991, by the donation of Keledjian brothers from Aleppo, a khachkar
Khachkar
A khachkar or khatchkar is a carved, cross-bearing, memorial stele covered with rosettes and other botanical motifs. Khachkars are characteristic of Medieval Christian Armenian art found in Armenia.-Description:...
-memorial was placed in the yard near the church entry dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
.
On 26 April 2000, the Armenian community of Aleppo marked the 500th anniversary of the first enlargement of the church under the patronage of His Holiness Aram I
Aram I
His Holiness Aram I is the head of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia and has been Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church since 1995...
Catholicos, during the period of Archbishop Souren Kataroyan.
Icons
The church is rich for both ancient and modern-day icons, with more than 30 samples:- The Mother of God (canvas, 96x118, 1663 by Der-Megerdich)
- Virgin Mary with Jesus (canvas, 115x145cm, 1669 by an unknnown Armenian painter)
- The Baptism of Jesus (canvas, 66x90cm, from the 17th century)
- The Worship of the Magi (canvas, 112x134cm, from the 17th century by an unknnown Armenian painter)
- Saint John The Baptist (wood paint, 39x76cm , 1720 by Kevork Anania)
- Saint Joseph (wood paint, 39x76cm, 1720 by Kevork Anania)
- Virgin Mary with Jesus (wood paint, 46x126cm, 1729 by Kevork Anania)
- The Baptism of Jesus Christ (wood paint, 86x105cm, 1756 by Kevork Anania)
- Virgin Mary surrounded by The Apostles (canvas, 70X80cm, from the late 18th century by an unknnown Armenian painter)
- The Last Judgment, one of the most famous icons of the Aleppine school (canvas, 400x600cm, 1703 by Nehmatallah Hovsep)
With the initiative of Archbishop Souren Kataroyan, the majority of the icons were renovated between 1993 and 1996 by the Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n expert Andranik Antonyan.
Church of the Holy Mother of God
The old church of the Holy Mother of God was built before 1429, at a time when the Armenian community was formed as a significant community in Aleppo with its own clergymen, scholars and the prelacy. This small church has witnessed several renovations, in 1535, 1784, 1849 and 1955 respectively. The church remained active until the beginnings of the 20th century, when it was turned into a library. In 1991, the building was turned into the Zarehian Treasury of the Armenian Apostolic ChurchArmenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
of Aleppo, in the memory of Catholicos
Catholicos
Catholicos, plural Catholicoi, is a title used for the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and in some cases is borne by the designated head of an autonomous church, in which case the holder might have other titles such as Patriarch...
Zareh I of the Great House of Cilicia, who had served as archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of the diocese of Aleppo before becoming catholicos.
Current status
The Forty Martyrs Cathedral is the seat of the Armenian prelacy of Aleppo and one of the oldest acting churches in the city. It is also one of the oldest functioning churches in the Armenian diaspora. In 1991, the old church of the Holy Mother of God was reopened as Zarehian Treasury; the museum of the Armenian Apostolic ChurchArmenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
within the Forty Martyrs Carhedral complex. The old building of the prelacy which is located between the museum and the current church, is under renovation. The church complex also contains the Haygazian Armenian School, the Avetis Aharonian
Avetis Aharonian
Avetis Aharonyan was an Armenian politician, writer, public figure and revolutionary, also part of the Armenian national movement.Aharonyan was born in 1866 in Iğdır, Erivan Governorate, Russian Empire...
theatre and the Nikol Aghbalian
Nikol Aghbalian
Nikol Poghosi Aghbalian was an Armenian public figure and historian of literature, the editor of "Horizon" paper....
branch of Hamazkayin
Hamazkayin
Hamazkayin , short for Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society, is a major cultural organization of the Armenian Diaspora, with a presence in every significant Armenian community worldwide...
Educational and Cultural Society. The current building of the prelacy stands next to the church, just few meters away.
Gallery
See also
- Armenian Apostolic ChurchArmenian Apostolic ChurchThe Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
- EchmiadzinEchmiadzinMother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin is a 4th century Armenian church in the town of Ejmiatsin, Armenia. It is also the central cathedral of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin of the Armenian Apostolic Church....
- List of Armenian Catholicoi of Cilicia
- Church of the Holy Mother of God (Aleppo)
- Holy See of Cilicia