Video by Sarkis Kassargian Shows Extent of Damage to Armenian Genocide Memorial Church in Deir Ezzor

November 11, 2017 By administrator

Armenian Genocide Memorial Church in Deir Ezzor

Extensive damage to the Armenian Genocide Memorial Church in Deir Ezzor, Syria, since 2014 can be seen in new footage posted on November 8, after Syrian government forces took control of the city, long an Islamic State stronghold.

Several plaques with Armenian characters written on them can be seen cracked or completely destroyed on the inside of the church. Rubble is piled in the entryways and windows.

The church was a memorial to the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1917, in which Armenia claims 1.5 million Armenians were killed at the hands of Turks. However, Turkey does not recognize the genocide term, and said the number was closer to 300,000. The memorial had been a major pilgrimage site, according to the BBC. Tens of thousands of Armenians once lived in Deir Ezzor, and more in other Syrian cities, many whose ancestors fled the killings in the Ottoman Empire across unforgiving desert.

When Islamic State forces took control of the city in 2014, they blew up the Martyrs’ Church, according to Armenian and Syrian news reports. Since then, other culprits have been considered, such as members of the Jabhat-al-Nusra militia in 2014, possibly using Turkish weapons. Credit: Facebook/Sarkis Kassargian via Storyful.

Photos reveal desecration of Armenian church in Turkey

September 2, 2017 By administrator

A set of secretly taken photographs show Diyarbakir’s Surp Giragos Armenian Apostolic Church in descretion, the Armenian Weekly reports.

The church has been off limits to the public since the most recent clashes between the Turkish military and Kurdish fighters in Diyarbakir.

The photographs were taken in July 2017.

Armenians from around the world flocked to Surp Giragos on Oct. 22, 2011, to attend both the consecration of the largest Armenian Church in the Middle East and the Badarak held the following day. The church had been recently renovated by the Surp Giragos Armenian Foundation, with the support of the local Kurdish-controlled municipality of the time.

During the past two tumultuous years, the church has been desecrated and largely damaged, as the photographs show.des

The Armenian Church of Akshehir, near Konya in Turkey, will become a Cultural and Hotel Center

August 18, 2017 By administrator

The Armenian church of Saint Trinity (Sourp Yerortoutioun in Armenian) in the city of Akshehir in the province of Konya (Turkey) will be renovated and transformed into a cultural center, according to information from the Ermenihaber site taken over by the newspaper Agos “.

Akshehir which is the homeland of the famous Nasretine Hodja and “the international village of humor”. The Armenian church will be transformed into a cultural center and the ancillary rooms that housed the clerics will become a small hotel. The project is developed by the Akshehir Town Hall and the Turkish Ministry of Development and Cooperation. Before the genocide of 1915 the Armenians were 4,950 in Akshehir with 4 schools and a church, Sourp Yerortoutioun (Holy Trinity). The Armenians of the area were known as carpet-makers, iron-work shoemakers.

Krikor Amirzayan

Singapore: The 182-year-old Armenian Church at Hill Street is a beautiful place worth visiting, here’s why

July 14, 2017 By administrator

Singapore Armenian Church It was built by the small but important Armenian community.

By Tanya Ong

*Editor’s note at 3pm: A photo from this article has been updated, due to feedback received from a reader.

Built in 1835, the Armenian Church is the oldest Christian church in Singapore.

The church is testament to the influence of the Armenian community in Singapore during the 19th century.

When Singapore became a trading port in 1819, the Armenians were one of the earliest merchants and traders to arrive in Singapore. Even though they were small in number, they started holding religious services from the early 1820s.

The Armenians initially worshipped in a makeshift chapel at Commercial Square (Raffles Place today). However, they requested the British authorities for land and were offered a space at the foot of Fort Canning Hill to build a church.

More than a century later, the Armenian church stands as a national monument ever since it was gazetted in 1973.

Here are some pictures of the architectural masterpiece:

The church was designed by G.D. Coleman, the man behind other prominent buildings such as The Arts House and St. Andrews Cathedral.

In his design of the Armenian Church, he incorporated certain features of traditional Armenian architecture. These include the cupola (the small structure on top of the building that often crowns a roof) and the vaulted ceiling.

The Armenian Church was also built in the plan of a cross, as seen in this aerial photo:

Additionally, Coleman understood that the architectural design of the building had to take Singapore’s tropical climate into consideration. He ensured that the church had sufficient windows and doors to ventilate its interior.

Other than functionality, the church’s interior is distinctive also because of its circular design. It is the only church in Singapore to have a circular interior.

Its interior and vaulted ceiling can be seen here:

Other than notable architecture, it is also significant because of its Memorial Garden.

Within the church grounds, the Memorial Garden is home to tombstones of prominent Armenians who have made significant contributions to Singapore. Many of the tombstones were recovered from the exhumed cemeteries at Fort Canning Hill and Bukit Timah.

Among them are Agnes Joaquim and Catchick Moses. Agnes Joaquim is known for her hybridisation of the Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid, Singapore’s national flower, and Catchick Moses co-founded The Straits Times.

Since 1973, the church has been carefully restored and maintained to preserve it for future generations.

Top image from National Heritage Board’s Facebook.

1819 is a labour of love by Mothership.sg where we tell stories from Singapore’s history, heritage & culture. Follow us

Source: http://mothership.sg/2017/07/the-182-year-old-armenian-church-at-hill-street-is-a-beautiful-place-worth-visiting-heres-why/

Ancient Armenian church being restored in Aleppo

July 12, 2017 By administrator

The ancient Forty Martyrs Armenian Cathedral of Aleppo, Syria, and which was repeatedly attacked by militants, has begun to be restored.

But a large-scale restoration is needed, and this work is expected to take at least two years.

Solely the bell tower of the church was not damaged in the fighting.

The building materials needed for the restoration have been brought.

Local residents—moreover, both the Christian and Muslim communities—have collected some of the money needed for the restoration of this Armenian church.

12th century Byzantine chapel cross stolen in southern Turkey

May 29, 2017 By administrator

The cross of a 12th century Byzantine chapel, located outside the ancient city of Myra in the southern province of Antalya, has reportedly been stolen.

Demre District Governor Murat Uz said an investigation has been opened into the theft, and they believe the 20-centimeter long marble cross was stolen in the last three or four days, Hurriyet Daily News reports.

“The Culture and Tourism Ministry will make the necessary statement soon,” said Uz.

The theft was noticed by security officials at Myra and a family living next to the chapel.

The Byzantine chapel was unearthed during excavations in 2010 carried out by Professor Nevzat Çevik, a member of the Akdeniz University Archaeology Department and the head of the Myra excavations, and Professor Engin Akyürek from the Byzantine History Department of Istanbul University.

The ancient chapel was restored with the contributions of then Culture Minister Ertuğrul Günay and taken under protection with tight security measures.

The 5.5-meter deep chapel is closed to visitors and is covered to prevent damage from the rain.

There are also Santa Claus, Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ figures at the entrance of the chapel.

Faithful do not allow Armenian church in Singapore to fade away

May 21, 2017 By administrator

In a small sanctuary in Singapore’s oldest church, the Very Reverend Father Zaven Yazichyan conducts a traditional Armenian Divine Liturgy service.

Though he lives in Myanmar, Father Zaven, 36, travels here about five or six times a year to conduct a Divine Liturgy at the 182-year-old Armenian Apostolic Church of St Gregory the Illuminator, according to Straits Times.

With only an estimated 80 to 100 Armenians living in Singapore, there is no resident priest for the tiny community here, and there has not been one since the 1930s. But its loyal worshippers are not about to let this pillar of Armenian identity, formally recognized as a national monument in 1973, fade away.

Ani Umedyan, 35, a volunteer at the church who has worshipped there for nine years, moved to Singapore with her husband from Armenia in 2008 and speaks passionately about seeing it grow.

“When I first started worshipping here, there were only about 20 or so people. Now that more expats have come, there are more people and we are happy to see the church crowded with about 40 to 50 people at each service,” said the musician.

When asked what keeps him motivated to keep flying back to conduct services for such a small crowd, Father Zaven said: “Every soul is important. Even if there are only a few people, it is my duty and honor to minister to them.”

Another draw for the Armenian community here is music. The Armenian Heritage Ensemble was established in 2009 to encourage learning of the history and culture of Armenians.

“The aim is to expose people to the church, to our culture and our heritage through music,” said one of the church’s four trustees, Pierre Hennes, 44.

Another trustee, Gevorg Sargsyan, 35, added that the concerts bring life to the church.

Armenian church to turn into library in Turkey

March 1, 2017 By administrator

Armenia-church-to-library

The Armenian Saint Holy Mather of God Church located in Kayseri city of Turkey is planned to serve as library. Referring to Hurriyet newspaper report, Ermenihaber writes that the church has previously served as an exhibition hall, then a kindergarten and finally – a police station. The source informs the Turkish government has allocated some 6 million liras (USD 1, 600 billion) for renovation works before the building will open its doors as a public library.

Kayseri Mayor Mustafa Chelik has noted the decision to turn the church into library appears to be the most optimal, considering the designation of the structure. Apart from it, the report says a café is planned to operate adjacent to the library.

The opening of the building is scheduled for Autumn 2017, once the renovations works are completed.

Citing lack of relevant documents, the Turkish source indicates no date the church was built, noting the architectural solutions of the structure clearly reveal its Armenian origin.

Turkey: A Mosque and an Islamic School Now Stand in the Place of the Armenian Church of Samsun

January 24, 2017 By administrator

The Surp Nigogayos Armenian Apostolic Church, The Selahiye mosque (Photo: Haber), Samsun, 1912. Female pupils and teachers of the Armenian school. The identity of only one is known; Youliane Sarkissian (seated on right) (Photo: Norayr Dadourian collection, Los Angeles/Houshamadyan)

By Uzay Bulut,

In a short TV report, the local “Samsun Haber TV” station (samsunhaber.tc) recently covered the Armenian past of the Selahiye neighborhood in the northern Turkish city of Samsun.

In the report, Emin Kirbiyik, the head of the Samsun Local History Community, said that the 30 August Islamic Imam-Hatip Middle School, which offers an Islamic curriculum to pupils, and the Selahiye mosque in the neighborhood, were built on the property that housed an Armenian church before 1915. The church Kirbiyik refers to is the Surp Nigogayos Armenian Apostolic Church.

Also, the Gazi Pasa (Ghazi Pasha) Primary School near the 30 August Imam Hatip Middle School served as the home of the church’s Armenian priest and as an Armenian orphanage, said Kirbiyik. Some houses in the area still carry traces of Armenian architecture.

The church was destroyed in 1936 and replaced by the 30 August Primary School. The official website of the school also confirms the TV report:

“The construction of the 30 August Primary School was begun in 1936 and completed in 1938. The building was built on the foundation of the Armenian Church, which was destroyed.”

According to the website of Gazi Pasa Primary School:

“There used to be a church where the 30 August Primary School is today. And the Gazi Pasa Primary School was the guesthouse of the priest of the church. This school was once used as ‘Darul Eytam’ [orphanage] by Armenians back in those days. The decision to use this building as a school was made by Kazim Pasha, the governor of the city. In 1930, it was opened as an official primary school.”

Today, Samsun does not have an Armenian community, but the Selahiye neighborhood, as well as the rest of Samsun, was home to many Armenians before the Armenian Genocide.

According to the statistics of the Patriarchate and the Ottoman population census of 1914, there were 35,907 Armenians in Samsun (Canik). There were also 49 churches and 74 schools. The Armenian community also greatly contributed to the culture of the city. Tomas Fasulyeciyan, one of the founders of Ottoman theater, for example, established the first theater in Samsun in 1890’s.

Professor Raymond Kevorkian describes the extermination process of Armenian communities from Samsun in his book The Armenian Genocide: A Complete History.

Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian Roots of Samsun

Samsun is located in northeastern Anatolia, or the ancient Pontos region.

Samsun, like other ancient Pontian cities, was established by Greeks from Miletus in about the 7^th century B.C. Many famous churches, monasteries and schools are testaments to the resilience of Hellenism and Christianity in the region. Pontos gave the world many great thinkers, such as the philosopher Diogenes of Sinope (Sinop) and the geographer Strabo of Amasia (Amasya).

Assyrians too are deeply rooted in the region. According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, edited by Geoffrey W. Bromiley, in Pontos, “There are traces of Assyrian culture from the third millennium B.C.”

The history of Samsun is also closely linked with Armenia and Armenian highlands. Under Byzantine rule, Samsun was a part of the administrative region of Armenia.

According to “Armenian Pontus: The Trebizond-Black Sea Communities,” edited by Professor Richard G. Hovannisian, “There were Armenian communities in the Pontus-Black Sea region across the centuries until their violent elimination in the first decades of the twentieth century.”

The book is an invaluable source for those who want to discover the Armenian roots of northern Turkey.

Today, Samsun is an all-Muslim, Turkish city. The indigenous Greek, Armenian, and Assyrian communities have been exterminated. This change in demographics and culture was accomplished through mass murder, forced deportations, forced conversions to Islam, and forced seizures of the property by the perpetrators.

It has been 102 years since the Armenian Genocide, but the Turkish government is still in proud denial. How long will it take Turkey to finally stop denying the destruction and the infinite suffering brought to the victims of the Armenian Genocide as well as all other natives of Turkey?

Source: http://armenianweekly.com/2017/01/24/samsun-uzay-bulut/

Historic Assyrian church in Turkey given to Islamic school foundation

January 19, 2017 By administrator

Yet another example of intolerance has taken place in the southeastern Turkish city of Sanliurfa (Urfa)—the historic Assyrian Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in the city is now being used as a municipality-owned cultural center and the foundation of the Islamic school of Harran University, The Armenian Weekly reports.

According to sources, the church was used actively until 1924, when Assyrians (Syriac Christians) left for Aleppo.

Locals call the church “the Regie Church”, because Tekel, the Turkish tobacco and alcoholic beverage company, had once used it as a tobacco factory. This tobacco factory had been known as the Regie Tobacco Company in Ottoman times, and was nationalized in 1925.

It was also used as a grape storehouse for decades. After its restoration in 1998, it hosted a carpet-making class. In 2002, it became the “Kemalettin Gazezoglu Cultural Center,” named after the governor of the city. Today, a part of it has been given to a foundation that runs the Islamic school at the city’s university.

Turkey has used the historic church for many different purposes—except for its intended purpose: a church.

Called Edessa in ancient times, Urfa has been inhabited since prehistoric times. The modern city was founded in 304 B.C by Seleucus I Nicator.

In the late 2nd century, as the Seleucid dynasty disintegrated, it successively became a Parthian, Armenian, and Roman state, and eventually an Eastern Roman (Byzantine) province. It was frequently conquered during periods when the Byzantine central government was weak, due to its location on the eastern frontier of the Empire. It fell to the Muslim conquest in 639 but was briefly retaken by Byzantium in 1031. It then fell to the Turkic Zengid dynasty in 1144, and was eventually absorbed by the Ottoman Empire in 1517.

Edessa was an important early center of Syriac Christianity. For Armenians, too, the city is significant since it is believed that the Armenian alphabet was invented there.

But the traces of Assyrian, Armenian, and Greek Christians have been systematically erased from the city by Muslim governments and residents throughout centuries.