Diocese Of Shirak
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Diocese of Shirak ( hy, Շիրակի թեմ ''Shiraki t'em''), is one of the dioceses of the
Armenian Apostolic Church , native_name_lang = hy , icon = Armenian Apostolic Church logo.svg , icon_width = 100px , icon_alt = , image = Էջմիածնի_Մայր_Տաճար.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , a ...
covering the northern, central and south-western parts of the
Shirak Province Shirak ( hy, wikt:Շիրակ, Շիրակ, ) is a provinces of Armenia, province (''Administrative divisions of Armenia, marz'') of Armenia. It is located in the north-west of the country, bordering Turkey to the west and Georgia (country), Geor ...
of
Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
. It almost covers 4/5th of the province, as the south-eastern town of
Artik Artik (Armenian: ), is a town and urban municipal community in the Shirak Province of Armenia. As of the 2011 census, the town had a population of 19,534. As per the 2016 official estimate, the population of Artik is around 18,800. Artik is famou ...
and its surrounding villages are excluded. The diocese was officially founded on September 6, 1920, upon a kontakion issued by Catholicos
George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. Born duri ...
. The seat of the diocese is the Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in
Gyumri Gyumri ( hy, Գյումրի, ) is an urban municipal community and the second-largest city in Armenia, serving as the administrative center of Shirak Province in the northwestern part of the country. By the end of the 19th century, when the city w ...
. The prelacy building is located on Rizhkov and Varpetats streets near the cathedral, at the centre of Gyumri.


History

In the final days of the
First Republic of Armenia The First Republic of Armenia, officially known at the time of its existence as the Republic of Armenia ( hy, Հայաստանի Հանրապետութիւն), was the first modern Armenian state since the loss of Armenian statehood in the Middle ...
, the diocese was established upon a ''
kontakion The kontakion (Greek , plural , ''kontakia'') is a form of hymn performed in the Orthodox and the Eastern Catholic liturgical traditions. The kontakion originated in the Byzantine Empire around the 6th century and is closely associated with Sain ...
'' issued by Catholicos George V on September 6, 1920 after being separated from the
Araratian Pontifical Diocese Araratian Pontifical Diocese ( hy, Արարատյան Հայրապետական թեմ ''Araratyan Hayrapetakan t'em'') is the largest diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church and one of the oldest dioceses in the world, covering the city of Yereva ...
. The prelacy building of the Diocese of Shirak is located on Rizhkov and Varpetats Streets of Gyumri, near the
Vartanants Square Vartanants Square ( hy, Վարդանանց Հրապարակ ''Vartanants Hraparak'') or Vardanants Square, is the large central town square in Gyumri, Armenia. It is bordered by the Abovyan street from the west, Gai street from the north, Shahumya ...
. It was designed by
Hovhannes Katchaznouni Hovhannes Kajaznuni or Katchaznouni (; 14 February 1868 – 15 January 1938) was an Armenian architect and politician who served as the first Prime Minister of the First Republic of Armenia from June 6, 1918 to August 7, 1919. He was a member of ...
and built at the beginning of the 20th century. On December 2, 2012, the southern town of
Artik Artik (Armenian: ), is a town and urban municipal community in the Shirak Province of Armenia. As of the 2011 census, the town had a population of 19,534. As per the 2016 official estimate, the population of Artik is around 18,800. Artik is famou ...
and the surrounding 23 villages were separated from the Diocese of Shirak to form the newly established
Diocese of Artik Diocese of Artik ( hy, Արթիկի թեմ ''Artiki t'em''), is a diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church covering the southern part of Shirak Province of Armenia, including the towns of Artik, Maralik, and their surrounding villages. The dioc ...
. Currently, the diocese has 30 active churches under its jurisdiction in the city of Gyumri, along with many other churches in the Shirak Province.Churches of Shirak
/ref> From 1999 the prelate is Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan.


References

{{coord missing, Armenia Shirak Christianity in Armenia Oriental Orthodox dioceses in Armenia