Church of the Holy Mother of God (Aleppo)

This article is about the church in Aleppo, Syria. For other churches with the same name, see Church of the Holy Mother of God.

Church of the Holy Mother of God Սուրբ Աստուածածին Եկեղեցի كنيسة السيدة العذراء مريم
Location within Aleppo
Basic information
Location	Suleimaniyeh Area, Elias IV Patriarch Street, Aleppo, Syria
Geographic coordinates
Affiliation	Armenian Apostolic Church, Diocese of Beroea
Region	Aleppo
Year consecrated	1 May 1983
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	active
Architectural description
Architect(s)	Kevork Karajerjian (Lebanon), Kegham Khrigian
Architectural type	Church
Architectural style	Armenian
Groundbreaking	1972

Church of the Holy Mother of God (also Surp Asdvadzadzin, Surp Asdvatsatsin, Surp Asdvatsatsna, Virgin Mary church) is an Armenian Apostolic church in Suleimaniyeh area of Aleppo, Syria, near the Quweiq river. The construction of the church is active since its consecration which took place on 1 May 1983, by Karekin II, Catholicos of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia.

Background

The current church of the Holy Mother of God is considered the continuation of the historic church of the Holy Mother of God of the old Christian Jdeydeh quarter, which was opened in 1429 and operated until the beginnings of the 20th century, within the courtyard of the Forty Martyrs Cathedral of Aleppo, when it was turned into a library and recently to the Zarehian Museum in 1991.

History

File:Holy aleppo1.jpg

The church at night

The absence of a church to serve the large Armenian community of the Suleimaniyeh area of Aleppo, arose the idea of building a new church, which became true with the donations of Armenian benefactors -especially those whose roots were from the Cilician city of "Aintab" (nowadays Gaziantep)- and throughout the efforts of father Zarmayr Hindoyan, the spiritual leader of Aintabian Armenians in Aleppo.

The ground-blessing ceremony took place on 10 September 1972 with the presence of Khoren I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, during the period of Bishop Datev Sarkissian. The construction work was finished completely in 1982. The consecration ceremony took place on 1 May 1983 under the patronage of Karekin II.

Nowadays, the church itself plays a big role in the life of the Armenians of Aleppo. It is usually crowded with the faithful during regular Sunday masses. Many Armenians are members of the church.

The church has a large hall opened in 1987 with a stage downstairs, used for cultural meetings, concerts, seminars and celebrations.

In 1993 a Khachkar-memorial by Sarkis Balmanougian was erected in the right side of the main entrance of the church, to commemorate the victims of the Armenian Genocide. The church was completely renovated in 1998.

Adjacent to the church is the Armenian Gertasirats High School and the Zohrab Kaprielian Theatre.

Gallery

• Surp Asdvadzadzin11.jpg

  During Palm Sunday

• Surp Asdvadzadzin12.jpg

  Side view

• Holy aleppo2.jpg

  The altar

• 

  Gertasirats High School at the church complex

See also

• Armenians in Syria
• Armenian Apostolic Church
• Echmiadzin
• List of Armenian Catholicoi of Cilicia
• Cathedral of the Forty Martyrs (Aleppo)
• Holy See of Cilicia

External links

• Official site of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia
• Armenian Prelacy of Beroea (Aleppo, Syria)