St. Mary’s Armenian Church

St. Mary’s Armenian Church of Madras
St. Mary’s Armenian Church of Madras

The first Armenian church in Chennai was built n 1712 in the Esplanade of the city.

The second Armenian church, dedicated to the Holy Virgin Mary was built in 1772 at the site of the old Armenian burial ground on which stood a chapel, where services were conducted while the present church was being built. The ground belonged to Agah

Shameer. The Armenian Church at Madras was once well known for possessing a large number of rare and valuable manuscripts and books.

The churchyard houses the remains of Rev. Father Arathoon Shumavon the ‘Father of Armenian Journalism’ who published “Azdarar”, the first Armenian journal in the world. He passed away on February 9, 1824. In April 1904 Mesrovb Seth paid his first visit to the church.

In November 9, 2008, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, reconsecrated the church.

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