Pontifical Visit of His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians to Celebrate the 300th Anniversary of the Armenian Holy Church of Nazareth of Calcutta, and Re-consecration of St. Mary?s Armenian Church of Chennai, India.
During the week of November 8 to the 15, 2008 the Armenian community of Calcutta will celebrate the 300th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of the Holy Church of Nazareth; the Church was initially built in 1707.
St. Mary?s Armenian Church in Chennai (formerly Madras) was built in 1712. The home of the fist Armenian periodical in the world, Azdarar, was printed in Chennai in the year 1794. Under the auspices of the Armenian Church Committee it has recently been fully restored and renovated, as have some of the other Armenian churches. St. Mary?s Church will be re-consecrated during this event.
The Pastor, and the Armenian Church Committee members would like to extend an invitation to everyone who is interested to joining them in this historical event.
A variety of events have been planned for the week, which will include a Hrashapar service, Pontifical Liturgy, and Thanksgiving service at the Holy Nazareth Armenian Church. A cultural seminar, inauguration of the Community Centre at Tangra and Ground Breaking ceremony of Armenian College Sports Complex, tours to the Armenian Churches in Kolkata as well as a visit to the oldest Armenian Churches in West Bengal, which are St. John the Baptist Armenian Church built in 1695 in Chinsurah and Holy Virgin Mary Armenian Church built in 1758 in Saidabad.
You will also have the opportunity to visit the 2-Century-old Armenian College & Philanthropic Academy that has recently undergone some major upgrades under the direction of Fr. Oshagan Gulgulian and the Davidian Girls? School to meet and interact with the students as well as explore the city and other local historical sites.
Many members of the local community as well as national and international dignitaries will attend some or all aspects of the program. An open invitation is extended to everyone who feels that this would be an event of interest.
A detailed program of events will be available shortly. You may request it by contacting Fr. Gulgulian at [email protected] or the Armenian Church Committee [email protected] for all questions or comments you may contact the same. In order to assist us, it is necessary for anyone interested in attending, to please contact Liz Chater at [email protected]. For those in the USA please contact Helena Cray at [email protected].
Source: Press Release by the Holy Nazareth Armenian Church of Kolkata
Armenian Holy Church Of Nazareth
2 Armenian Street, Kolkata – 700 001, India
Tel: 0091-33-2242-6124
Fax: 0091-33-2242 3408
E-mail: [email protected]
OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS THE SUPPORT OF THE ARMENIANS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD BY ATTENDING THIS CELEBRATION AND BEING PART OF A ONCE IN A LIFETIME HISTORICAL EVENT.
LET US ALL COME TOGETHER AND RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT THESE UNSELFISH INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEIR TIME AND LIVES FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR LEGACY.
Sireli Helen, im kardziqov menq barekamner enq qani vor eim naxniner2 exel en Tarxanyanner, vorondz jarangordn em es
Harganqnerov Ashot Vardanyan
Sincerely,
Ashot Vardanyan
[email protected]
Head of the Department of Territorial AdministrationTEL. +374 91 709720,Armenia Orhnetsek Harkeli Very Rev. Fr. Oshagan Gulgulian,
I was very pleased to see you again in our St. Mary Armenian Church on December 14 2008 for our Church and Fr. Vartan Joulfayan's 10th Anniversary.
God Bless you.
Suzan Ohanian
Hello to one and all…..
How wonderful to read about our old school and the Holy Armenian Churches of Calcutta.
I was a student at the Davidian Girls' School / Armenian College from 1958 to 1968.
My aunt and uncle, Lucy and Larry Martin and cousins, Marguerite and Anita, lived in Brabourne House and were very active in the community and church affairs.
My aunt Lucy died last year at the age of 89, in New Delhi where her daughter Anita and family live.
Due to unavoidable circumstances, I was unable to make the trip this time around, but am so glad to read so many wonderful articles and see the many wonderful pictures of our beloved school. (I bet Poladian would be twisting his hand at me again and saying “Aghchi, inch kaness gor?”.)…
Best wishes to everyone, old and young AC/DGS wallas all over the world…
Janet Stephen
Dear Sir/Madam, As an Armenian from Canada my wife and I have always desired to reside in Spain along with our 2 young daughters, ages 7 & 8. We definitely want our girls to enrol in Armenian schools, learn their mother tongue and be involved within an Armenian community where they can learn more about their heritage and embrace it, so may be one day they may pass it on to their off springs, and keep our race alive. being an Armenian is incomplete if it is only recognized by the last name. How can the Armenian Community help or support such an Objective? look forward to hearing from you? Thank you in advance for caring. Sincerely, Alain Kechichian
Hi My Mother was born in Calcutta in 1927. Her Parents were, I believe, caretakers of the Armenian Church. My Father, an Englishman in the RAF met my mother during the second world war, married her and brought her back to the UK.
My Mother never spoke of her Armenian heritage but her mother, my grandmother, Anna Carapiet died in 1973(?) In Calcutta.
At long last I hope to visit Calcutta and visit my grandmothers grave later this year, I never met her.
Is there someway I can trace more about her?
John Thorogood