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Church of the Holy Mother of God Սուրբ Աստուածածին Եկեղեցի كنيسة السيدة العذراء مريم
Religion
Affiliation	Armenian Apostolic Church, Diocese of Beroea
Region	Aleppo
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	active
Year consecrated	1 May 1983
Location
Location	Suleimaniyeh Area, Elias IV Patriarch Street, Aleppo, Syria
Location in Aleppo
Geographic coordinates	36°13′11″N 37°09′31″E / 36.2198°N 37.1587°E / 36.2198; 37.1587
Architecture
Architect(s)	Kevork Karajerjian (Lebanon), Kegham Khrigian
Type	Church
Style	Armenian
Groundbreaking	1972

Church of the Holy Mother of God (Armenian: Սուրբ Աստուածածին Եկեղեցի), is an Armenian Apostolic church located in the Sulaimaniyeh district of Aleppo, Syria. The church is active since its consecration on May 1 May 1983, by then-Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia Karekin II.

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

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.

In 1617, according to Simeon of Poland, the church, together with the Church of the Forty Martyrs, was renovated and enlarged by Khoja Sanos.

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

• During Palm Sunday
• Side view
• The altar
• Gertasirats High School at the church complex

See also

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

References

1. Armenian sites of Aleppo. Armenian Prelacy of PeriaCo. 1992. p. 40.
2. Bournoutian, George (2007). The Travel Accounts of Simēon of Poland. Costa Mesa, California: Mazda Publishers. p. 265. ISBN 978-1-56859-161-2.

External links

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

v t e Modern Armenian churches and seminaries
Armenia	Yerevan Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral Holy Trinity Saint John the Baptist Saint Sarkis (Kentron) Saint Sarkis (Nor Nork) Saint Anna Church Holy Vartanants Martyrs Church Elsewhere Gyumri Holy Saviour's Church Holy Mother of God Church of the Holy Saviour Vagharshapat Church of the Holy Archangels Oshakan Saint Mesrop Mashtots Church Abovyan Saint John the Baptist Church Seminaries Gevorkian Theological Seminary Vaskenian Theological Academy
Caucasus	Tbilisi, Georgia Ejmiatsin Church Vank Monastery Church of the Red Gospel Church of the Holy Seal Azerbaijan Saint Gregory Church of Baku Ghazanchetsots Cathedral Kanach Zham
Russia	Moscow Armenian Cathedral Saint Catherine's Armenian Church, Saint Petersburg
Europe	Austria Mekhitarist Monastery of Vienna France Paris Cathedral Italy Mekhitarist Monastery of Venice (San Lazzaro) Santa Croce degli Armeni Romania Armenian Church, Bucharest United Kingdom Church of St Yeghiche St Sarkis
Middle East	Cyprus Holy Mother of God Cathedral, Nicosia Lebanon Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia Armenian Catholic Patriarchate Cathedral of St Elias and St Gregory the Illuminator Syria Church of the Holy Mother of God Cathedral of the Forty Martyrs of Sebastia St. Hagop Church St. Gregory the Illuminator Church Holy Trinity Church Holy Cross Church Armenian Genocide Memorial Church (Der Zor) Iran St. Sargis Church, Tehran Holy Mother of God Church, Tehran St. Vartanants Church, Tehran Shoghakat Church, Tabriz Turkey Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople St. Giragos Armenian Church Kartal Surp Nişan Armenian Orthodox Church Taksim Surp Harutyun Church
Asia	Singapore Saint Gregory
United States	Church of Our Savior, Worcester Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church, New York City Holy Cross Armenian Cathedral, Montebello Holy Trinity Church, Fresno St. Stephen's Armenian Apostolic Church St. Vartan Cathedral Saint Sarkis of Dearborn Seminaries St. Nersess Armenian Seminary

• Armenian Apostolic churches in Syria
• Churches in Aleppo
• Churches completed in 1983