Armenian Church of the Holy Nazareth
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The Armenian Holy Church of Nazareth () is an 18th-century
Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
Apostolic church in
Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, serving as the centre of the Armenian Community in Kolkata and the seat of the Armenian Vicariate of India and the Far East. It is affiliated with the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin 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 ...
. It was first built in the year 1688 and rebuilt in 1724 on the old cemetery of the Armenian community, through the efforts of ''Agha Nazar'' after the original wooden structure perished in a fire in 1707.


General information

The Holy Nazareth Church is located in the northwest corner of
Burrabazar Burrabazar (also spelt ''Bara Bazar'') is a neighbourhood of Central-North Kolkata, in Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Bazar Kolkata In between Sutanuti haat made way for Bazar Kolkata, some time in the 18th century ...
in the Central
Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
area. In the years 1995 to 1997 the Calcutta Armenians applied to the Calcutta High Court to become independent of the Apostolic Church of Etchmiadzin and the High Court by order of Justice S. K. Hazari ordered that the Church and Armenian community would be independent of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is possibly the oldest church in the Kolkata area. It was rebuilt in 1724 by Agha Jakob Nazar after a fire destroyed the previous Armenian church that had been built on the land in 1688. The first Armenians who settled in India, who were renowned merchants and traders and they built strong community structures including alms houses, chapels and schools to benefit the local Armenians. The early traders signed agreements with the British East India Company codifying their cultural, religious and trading rights. The entire Calcutta Armenian Community, barring a few, were all descendants of the Armenians of Julfa now in Iran. Very few had connections with Armenia or the Etchmiadzin Apostolic Church. Religious opinions and interventions were sought from the Church authorities of Julfa and very little or no contact was made with Etchmiadzin. The Church at no 2, Armenian St, Calcutta 700001 is known to be the oldest Christian church in Calcutta. There are two chapels. St. Mary's Chapel is situated in the Tangra area of east Calcutta. The chapel of rest of St. Gregory, also known to the local Armenians as the 'small church', is situated in the Park Circus area of Calcutta. The Armenian Churches of Calcutta are managed under High Court orders in suit no 413 of 1888 – John Gregory Apcar and others versus Thomas Malcolm and Sir Gregory Charles Paul, the Advocate General of Bengal. The Church of St. John at Chinsurah is also managed under the same order of the High Court of Calcutta in Suit no 413 of 1888. All the properties. movable and immovable, of the Armenian trusts for Calcutta Armenians are owned and managed by the government through the Official Trustee. The cemetery, dotted with potted plants, is perhaps most famous for being the final resting place of ''Rezabeebeh Sookia''. Her grave dates back to 1630, which makes it the oldest Christian grave in Kolkata, and proves that the arrival of the Armenians to the city predates that of the English in 1690. The church's interior is decorated with marble. A staircase leads to a galleries section where the walls are adorned with inset frescoes and paintings. The altar in the church is adorned with a cross, the Gospel text and twelve candlesticks symbolising
Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
's
Twelve Apostles In Christian theology and ecclesiology, the apostles, particularly the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Twelve Disciples or simply the Twelve), were the primary disciples of Jesus according to the New Testament. During the life and minist ...
. The altar is also decorated with three paintings by English artist AE Harris, "Holy Trinity", "Last Supper" and "The Enshrouding of Our Lord". The Church at Armenian st was built over an Armenian graveyard and grave stones of the Calcutta Armenians surround the Church on all sides and some gravestones can even be found inside the Church. On the east side of the Churchyard the remains of an Armenian Persian type bath can be found on a boundary wall of Hamam St. 'Hamam' is the Persian word for 'bath'. The main Church at no. 2, Armenian St. has been used for a few services for worshippers of other Orthodox Churches such as the Syrian and Russian orthodox communities


History

On 22 June 1688, the British
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and South ...
signed a contract with the Armenians residing in India. The contract was signed by Sir
Josiah Child Sir Josiah Child, 1st Baronet, , (c. 1630/31 – 22 June 1699) was an English economist, merchant and politician. He was an economist proponent of mercantilism and governor of the East India Company. He led the company in the Anglo-Mughal War. ...
, who represented the
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and South ...
; and Khoja Sarhad and Khoja Fanush, who represented the Armenian community in Bengal. In accordance with the agreement, the East India Company had to build churches throughout
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
in areas that were inhabited by at least 40 Armenians, with the provision of 50 pounds as a salary for the priests in those churches. In 1708, which is officially considered the founding date of the church (although 1705 and 1707 have also been given as dates by sources), the East India Company built a small wooden church on what is now the site of the southeast wing of the Church of Holy Nazareth. In 2008, it celebrated its tercentenary. Later, an Armenian named Aga Nazar (Jakob Nazar) raised money and built the church in 1724. The present church building was built in 1764 by Aga Mamed Hazar Maliyar on land donated by an Armenian named Kenanentekh Phanoosh, and was designed by Kavond (or Hevond) from
Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. The interior of the church was designed by Catchick Arakiel. Arakiel also built a monastery for priests and erected a high wall around the cemetery. In addition, he donated a clock to be fitted in the church structure. In 1790, Catchick Arakiel attached a room to the clergy and set the clock on the belfry. The expensively decorated interiors, including a combination of black and white marble, were placed with the support of wealthy Armenians, such as Sir Catchick Paul Chater. The outer buildings were all built at the expense of wealthy Calcutta Armenians such as Arathoon Stephen, builder and owner of the world-famous Calcutta Grand Hotel.


See also

*
Armenians in India The association of Armenians with India and the presence of Armenians in India are very old, and there has been a mutual economic and cultural association of Armenians with India. History The earliest documented references to the mutual rel ...
*
Elihu Yale Elihu Yale (5 April 1649 – 8 July 1721) was a British-American colonial administrator and philanthropist. Although born in Boston, Massachusetts, he only lived in America as a child, spending the rest of his life in England, Wales and India ...
*
Paul Chater Sir Catchick Paul Chater ( hy, Փոլ Չաթեր; ; 8 September 1846 – 27 May 1926) was a prominent British businessman of Armenian descent in colonial Hong Kong, whose family roots were in Calcutta, India. Biography Early life Chater was ...
(born Khachik Pogose Astwachatoor)-
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n born
Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...
-
Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
businessman who left the residue of his estate to the Calcutta Armenian Church after his death in 1926


References


External links


The Church of Holy Nazareth Kolkata
{{Dioceses of the Armenian Apostolic Church Armenian diaspora in India Armenian Apostolic churches in India Churches in Kolkata Churches completed in 1724 1724 establishments in India 18th-century churches in India 18th-century Oriental Orthodox church buildings