Catholicossate of the Great House of Cilicia
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The Holy See of Cilicia (officially known as "the Armenian Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia" is one of two sees
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...

 of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian 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...

. Since 1930, the Catholicosate
Catholicate
A Catholicate or Catholicosate is the area of responsibility of a catholicos, a leader within any of the several churches of Eastern Christianity, especially those regarded as Oriental Orthodoxy...

 of the Holy See of Cilicia has been headquartered in Antelias
Antelias
Antelias is a town in Lebanon. It is located around 5 km to the north of Beirut. Its inhabitants are mainly Christians and include Armenians , Maronites, Greek Catholics and Greek Orthodox ....

, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...

. 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...

 has been 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...

 of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian 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...

 since 1995.

Great House of Cilicia eras

  • First Sis
    Kozan, Adana
    Kozan is a city in Adana Province, Turkey, 68 km north of the city of Adana, in the northern section of the Çukurova plain. The city is the capital of Kozan district. The Kilgen Stream, a tributary of the Ceyhan River , flows through Kozan crossing the plain south into the Mediterranean Sea....

     era, 267-301: According to the order of Catholicoi, *St. Gregory I the Enlightener
    Gregory the Illuminator
    Saint Gregory the Illuminator or Saint Gregory the Enlightener is the patron saint and first official head of the Armenian Apostolic Church...

     (also known as Gregory the Illuminator) was seated in Sis 267-301 before moving to Echmiadzin
    Echmiadzin
    Mother 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....

     in 301 where he continued in office until 325. The see was vacant until 1058.
  • Sivas era, 1058–1062
  • Tavbloor era, 1062–1066
  • Dzamendav (Zamidia, now Zamantı) era, 1066–1116
  • Dzovk (Present aka Island of Gölcük and under the lake of Hazar), era, 1116–1149
  • Hromgla (now Halfeti) era, 1149–1293
  • Second Sis era, 1293-1930 (with a holy see established in Etchmiadzin in 1441)
  • Antelias, Lebanon era, since 1930 - having transferred there from Sis
    Kozan, Adana
    Kozan is a city in Adana Province, Turkey, 68 km north of the city of Adana, in the northern section of the Çukurova plain. The city is the capital of Kozan district. The Kilgen Stream, a tributary of the Ceyhan River , flows through Kozan crossing the plain south into the Mediterranean Sea....

     in Cilicia
    Cilicia
    In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...

     in the aftermath 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...

    .

Early history of the Armenian Church

The origin of the Armenian Church dates back to the Apostolic age and according to the ancient tradition was established by St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew. In 301 AD, Christianity was officially accepted by the Armenians as the state religion.

St. Gregory the Illuminator
Gregory the Illuminator
Saint Gregory the Illuminator or Saint Gregory the Enlightener is the patron saint and first official head of the Armenian Apostolic Church...

, the patron Saint of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and King Tiridates III of Armenia
Tiridates III of Armenia
Tiridates III or Diritades III was the king of Arsacid Armenia , and is also known as Tiridates the Great ; some scholars incorrectly refer to him as Tiridates IV as a result of the fact that Tiridates I of Armenia reigned twice)...

, the ruler of the time, played a pivotal role in the official Christianization of Armenia. St. Gregory the Illuminator became the organizer of the Armenian Church hierarchy. From that time, the heads of the Armenian Church have been called Catholicos and still hold the same title.
St. Gregory chose as the site of the Catholicosate then the capital city of Vagharshapat, in Armenia. He built the pontifical residence next to the church called "Holy Mother of God" (which in recent times would take on the name of St. Etchmiadzin).

In 485 AD, the Catholicosate was transferred to the new capital Dvin
Dvin
Dvin was a large commercial city and the capital of early medieval Armenia. It was situated north of the previous ancient capital of Armenia, the city of Artaxata, along the banks of the Metsamor River, 35 km to the south of modern Yerevan...

. In the 10th century it moved from Dvin to Dzoravank
Dzoravank
Dzoravank is a small village in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia....

 and then to Aghtamar
Akdamar Island
Akdamar Island also known as Aght'amar or Akhtamar, is the second by size of four islands in Lake Van in the south of Eastern Anatolia Region, Turkey, about 0.7 km2 in size, situated about 3 km from the shoreline. At the western end of the island a hard, grey, limestone cliff rises 80 m...

 (927 AD), to Arghina (947 AD) and to Ani
Ani
Ani is a ruined and uninhabited medieval Armenian city-site situated in the Turkish province of Kars, near the border with Armenia. It was once the capital of a medieval Armenian kingdom that covered much of present day Armenia and eastern Turkey...

 (992 AD).

Early era of the Catholicosate in Cilicia (1058-1293)

After the fall of Ani and the Armenian Kingdom of Bagradits in 1045, masses of Armenians migrated to Cilicia
Cilicia
In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...

. The Catholicosate, together with the people, settled there. The seat of the church (now known as The Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia) was first established in Sivas (1058 AD) moving to Tavbloor (1062 AD), then to Dzamendav (1066 AD), Dzovk (1116 AD), Hromgla (1149 AD), and finally in Sis
Kozan, Adana
Kozan is a city in Adana Province, Turkey, 68 km north of the city of Adana, in the northern section of the Çukurova plain. The city is the capital of Kozan district. The Kilgen Stream, a tributary of the Ceyhan River , flows through Kozan crossing the plain south into the Mediterranean Sea....

 (1293), the capital of the Cilician Kingdom.

After the fall 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...

, in 1375, the Church also assumed the role of national leadership, and the Catholicos was recognized as Ethnarch (Head of Nation). This national responsibility considerably broadened the scope of the Church's mission.

Two Catholicosates starting 1441 AD

In 1441, a new Catholicos was elected in St. Etchmiadzin
Echmiadzin
Mother 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....

 in the person of Kirakos I Virapetsi of Armenia. At the same time residing Catholicos in Sis Gregory IX Mousabegian
Gregory IX of Cilicia
Catholicos Gregory IX Mousabegian was the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church at Cilicia between 1439 and 1446.-Biography:During his reign a movement began to return the Catholicate of All Armenians to historical Armenia...

 (1439–1446) remained as Catholicos of Cilicia. Therefore, since 1441, there have been two Catholicosates in the Armenian Apostolic Church with the primacy of honor of the Catholicosate of Etchmiadzin recognized by the Catholicosate of Cilicia. The Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians resides at the Holy Etchmiadzin.

Catholicosate in Sis (1293-1930)

The city of Sis (modern-day Kozan, Adana
Kozan, Adana
Kozan is a city in Adana Province, Turkey, 68 km north of the city of Adana, in the northern section of the Çukurova plain. The city is the capital of Kozan district. The Kilgen Stream, a tributary of the Ceyhan River , flows through Kozan crossing the plain south into the Mediterranean Sea....

, Turkey) was the center of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia for more than 6 centuries starting 1293, when the Catholicosate moved from Hromgla to Sis.
During 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...

, in 1915, the Armenian population and the monastery of St. Sophia of Sis, home of the Catholicosate (which dominated the town in early 20th century photographs) was destroyed.
The last residing Catholicos in Sis was Sahak II of Cilicia (Catholicos from 1902 to 1939). Sahak II followed his Armenian flock in exile from Turkey.

Catholicosate in Antelias, Lebanon (1930-Present)

Sahak II after leaving the premises of the Catholicosate in Sis stayed at various locations in Northern Syria and in Lebanon, running the affairs of the Catholicosate.

Tha ailing Catholicos who served until 1939 was aided in his later years by Papken I of Cilicia who served as Coadjutor for the Catholicos from 1931-1936. Both clergy decided to acquire a plot of land in Antelias
Antelias
Antelias is a town in Lebanon. It is located around 5 km to the north of Beirut. Its inhabitants are mainly Christians and include Armenians , Maronites, Greek Catholics and Greek Orthodox ....

, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...

, to build there the new center of the Catholicosate.

By donations from Simon and Mathilde Kayekjian, the property of the Catholicosate was purchased from the American Committee for Relief in the Near East. The latter charity which 1922-1928 had been running an Armenian orphanage on that same plot of land from 1922 to 1928. It was only natural that the Catholicosate would consider that spacious plot to build the new Catholicosate on.

The main cathedral called St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral was built through the donation of an unknown benefactor, whose name was kept a secret until his death according to his wishes. His name, Sarkis Kenadjian, was revealed only after his death.

A chapel in memory of the one and a half million Armenian martyrs was built, followed by a residence for the Catholicos (called Veharan) and a new Seminary building, constructed one after the other. The chapel was built after the donation of Armenian-Cypriot
Armenians in Cyprus
Armenians in Cyprus or Armenian-Cypriots are ethnic Armenians that live in Cyprus. Armenian-Cypriots maintain a notable presence of about 3.500 on the island , mostly centred in the capital Nicosia, but also with communities in Larnaca...

 benefactor and art collector Vahram Utidjian, the son of the famous official translator for the British Apisoghom Utidjian. Catholicos Sahag II died in 1939. However the Museum is a much later development and built and inaugurated in 1997.

The complex of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia (in Antelias
Antelias
Antelias is a town in Lebanon. It is located around 5 km to the north of Beirut. Its inhabitants are mainly Christians and include Armenians , Maronites, Greek Catholics and Greek Orthodox ....

, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...

) includes:
  • St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral built in 1940
  • The Catholicosate Library (established 1932)
  • "Cilicia" church museum (1997)
  • Chapel dedicated to the memorial of 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...

    , built after the donation of Armenian-Cypriot Vahram Utidjian.
  • The "Veharan" , the location of the catholicos' residence.


The Catholicosate complex also includes the mausoleum / cemetery where a number of the heads of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia are buried. For a certain period, the Catholicosate also hosted an elementary Armenian school within the Catholicosate complex but the school was closed later on.

A theological seminary is located in the nearby mountains in Bikfaya
Bikfaya
Bikfaya is a town in the Matn District region of Mount Lebanon. Its stone houses with red-tiled roofs resting amidst pine and oak forests make Bikfaya one of the most sought-after suburbs of Beirut and one of Lebanon's most popular summer resorts.-Culture:...

 that also serves as summer residence for the Catholicos and the clergy.

Hask

The Catholicossate has its own publishing house and has a number of publications, most notably the monthly "Hask" (in Armenian
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...

 Հասկ), the official organ of the Holy See of Cilicia.

Others

The Catholicoastae publishes also a great number of books in Armenian and other languages mainly in church literature as well as Armenian historical, cultural and literary subjects and series/collections of important Armenian literature.

The Holy See of Cilicia also organizes an annual book fair on the occasion of Feast of the Holy Translators
Holy Translators
The Holy Translators is a group of literary figures, and saints of the Armenian Apostolic Church, who founded the Armenian alphabet, translated the Bible, and started a movement of writing and translating important works into Armenian language....

 (known also as Surb Tarkmantchats), an official holiday on the calendar of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian 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...

 to commemorate the legacy of the translators of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...

 and other Christian religious books to Armenian language
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...

 in the 5th century.

Hask Armenological Review

It also publishes the annual "Hask Armenological Review" (in Armenian
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...

 Հասկ Հայագիտական Հանդէս) on Armenian studies

Prelacies and Dioceses, and Churches

(in parenthesis, the residence of the Prelate / Archbishop / Bishop)

  • Canada
    • Prelacy of Canada (in Montreal)
      • Quebec
      • Ontario
        • St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church, Toronto
          St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church, Toronto
          St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church Established in 1983, St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church is located at 45 Hallcrown Place in Toronto, Ontario in the municipality of North York. It belongs to the Holy See of Cilicia.-History:...

          , Ontario
        • Sourp Nishan Armenian Apostolic Church, Cambridge, Ontario
        • St. Paul Armenian Apostolic Church, St. Catharines, Ontario
      • British Columbia
        • St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church, Vancouver, British Columbia

  • Lebanon
    • Diocese of Lebanon (in Beirut)
    • Diocese of Lebanon (in Anjar)
    • Diocese of Lebanon (in Bourj Hammoud)
    • Diocese of Lebanon (in Antelias)

  • Syria (three dioceses)
    • Diocese of Aleppo, Syria (in Aleppo)
    • Diocese of Jezireh, Syria (in Kamishli)
    • Diocese of Damascus, Syria (in Damascus)

  • Cyprus
    • Diocese of Cyprus (in Nicosia)
      • Nicosia
        • Sourp Asdvadzadzin
          Sourp Asdvadzadzin
          Sourp Asdvadzadzin is the Armenian Apostolic cathedral in Strovolos, Nicosia, Cyprus.Following the 1963-1964 inter-communal troubles, the Armenian-Cypriot community of Nicosia lost its mediaeval church Notre Dame de Tyre to extremist Turkish-Cypriots. As a result, President Makarios granted them...

           church (1981).
        • Old Sourp Asdvadzadzin
          Notre Dame de Tyre
          Notre Dame de Tyre is a 14th century monastery in Nicosia, Cyprus.The existing building is gothic in style and consists of a square nave, with a semi-octagonal apse, cross vaults an arch covering the western part, a bell tower and convent buildings to the north of the church...

           church (1308), as of 1964 under Turkish occupation.
        • Sourp Boghos
          Sourp Boghos
          Sourp Boghos is an Armenian Apostolic chapel in Nicosia, Cyprus.The chapel is located in the old Armenian cemetery near the Ledra Palace hotel, very near the town centre of Nicosia and was built in 1892 by the will and testament of Boghos Odadjian, a translator for the British administration of...

           chapel (1892).
        • Sourp Haroutiun
          Sourp Haroutiun
          Sourp Haroutiun is an Armenian Apostolic chapel in Ayios Dhometios, Nicosia, Cyprus.The chapel is located in the second Armenian cemetery to the west of Ayios Dhometios, Nicosia and was built in 1938 by rich businessman Haroutiun Bohdjalian, who was later buried in this cemetery ,.The cemetery has...

           chapel (1938).
        • Sourp Amenapergitch
          Sourp Amenapergitch
          Sourp Amenapergitch is an Armenian Apostolic chapel in Strovolos, Nicosia, Cyprus.The chapel is located within the premises of the Kalaydjian Rest Home for the Elderly in Strovolos, Nicosia, very near the AYMA club and the Sourp Asdvadzadzin church...

           chapel (1995).
      • Halevga
        • Sourp Magar
          Sourp Magar
          Sourp Magar is an Armenian monastery located in a forested valley in the Pentadhaktylos range in the Republic of Cyprus. As a result of Cyprus dispute and the invasion of the Turkish army in 1974, the site presently falls within the de-facto Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Magaravank stands...

           monastery (1425), as of 1974 under Turkish occupation.
      • Famagusta
        • Ganchvor
          Ganchvor monastery
          Ganchvor Sourp Asdvadzadzin is the Armenian Apostolic church in Famagusta, Cyprus.- History :The church is located in the north-west side of the walled city of Famagusta, opposite the Carmelite church. It is a fortress-like building built in 1346 by Armenian refugees from Cilicia...

           church (1346), as of 1964 under Turkish occupation.
      • Larnaca
        • Sourp Stepanos
          Sourp Stepanos
          Sourp Stepanos is the Armenian Apostolic church in Larnaca, Cyprus.The church is located in the town centre of Larnaca and was originally built in 1909 as a small chapel in memory of Adana's patron saint, Sourp Stepanos , by Armenian refugees who fled the Adana massacre. Following a fund-raising...

           church (1909).
      • Limassol
        • Sourp Kevork
          Sourp Kevork
          Sourp Kevork is the Armenian Apostolic church in Limassol, Cyprus.The church is located near the town centre of Limassol and was built in 1939 on land purchased and donated by Mrs Satenig Soultanian, in memory of her father, Kevork...

           church (1939).

  • Greece
    • Diocese of Greece (in Athens)

  • Iran (3 diocese)
    • Diocese of Tehran, Iran
    • Diocese of Isfahan, Iran
    • Diocese of Tabriz, Azerbaijan, Iran

  • Gulf
    • Diocese of Kuwait and the Persian Gulf Countries (in Kuwait)

  • Venezuela
    • Vicariate of Venezuela (in Caracas)

Location

The Holy See of Cilicia is located in Antelias
Antelias
Antelias is a town in Lebanon. It is located around 5 km to the north of Beirut. Its inhabitants are mainly Christians and include Armenians , Maronites, Greek Catholics and Greek Orthodox ....

, Matn District
Matn District
Matn , sometimes spelled Metn, is a district in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of Lebanon, east of the Lebanon's capital Beirut...

 at 33°55′5.79"N 35°35′7.18"E (33.918275, 35.585328), on a large plot overlooking the Beirut - Tripoli highway and the Mediterranean Sea.

See also

  • Armenian Apostolic Church
    Armenian 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...

  • Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
    Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
    Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin is the spiritual and administrative headquarters of the worldwide Armenian Apostolic Church and the Pontifical Residence of the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians....

  • List of Armenian Catholicoi of Cilicia

External links

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