Armenian church of Nazareth (Calcutta) – Wikipedia
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L’ Armenian church of Nazareth (commonly called Armenian Church of Calcutta ) is a religious building of Calcutta (India) belonging to the Armenian apostolic church. Located in Burrabazar, the commercial district of the city of Calcutta it was founded in 1610 and is one of the oldest places of Christian worship in Calcutta. The Church is considered to be the “mother church” of the Armenian community in India.
Armenian merchants are found in the Kalikata region, by the Hooghly river, sixty years before the arrival of Job Charnock, considered the founder of the city.
A first church, the Saint-Jean church, is built by popular subscription in 1688. Built in wood It was destroyed by a devastating fire in 1707. This was the very first Armenian church in India is rebuilt in bricks and mortar in 1724 , on what was the burial of the Armenian community, in Barrabazar. The very generous contribution of Agha Nazar, an Armenian trader, allows her to give his name to the church: the new building will be called ” Nazareth church ‘.
The architect is an Armenian from Persian named Levon Ghevond. The bell tower was added ten years later (1734) by Manuel Hazarmall. In 1763, the church was restored and renovated by Khojah Petros Tortoon, who embellished and enriched the inner furniture, adding two side altars, one to the right of the main altar, in memory of his brother Gorgin Khan, Minister of Mir Qasim (Nawab of Bengal from 1760 to 1764), and the other on the left in his own memory. She then acquires the aspect she still has today.
In 1789 Agha Catchik Arakiel donated a clock he commanded in London and brought at his expense in Calcutta. Arrival in 1792, the clock was installed at the top of the bell tower. The same benefactor builds a home for the clergy.
At XX It is century the Church gave hospitality to members of the Russian Orthodox community who was able to celebrate its liturgical services there.
Outside [ modifier | Modifier and code ]
- The church is surrounded by tombstones of great seniority. One of them, who is the tomb of a certain Rezabeebeh, woman of ‘Charitable sookias ’is dated . She would be the oldest Christian tomb at Calcutta. However, as registration is in English unlike many others (in Armenian) there is some doubt about it.
Interior [ modifier | Modifier and code ]
- The interior is decorated with marbles. A staircase leads to a upper gallery whose walls are decorated with frescoes.
- The main altar is surmounted by the cross and 12 candlesticks symbolizing the twelve apostles. Three paintings by the English artist A.harris adorn the sanctuary: the Holy Trinity’ , the Last Supper and the Burial of our Lord .
An institution of teaching was opened in 1821, in Calcutta. First mixed, the female section was closed in 1842. In 1884 the institution was transferred from ‘Old China Bazar Street (near the church) to’ Mirza Ghalib Street ‘(formerly’ Free School Street ‘) where he still find. In 1888 the university department was opened and affiliated at the University of Calcutta. From that time he held his name Armenian College Which remains after the closure of the university department in 1892.
In 1949 the Armenian College “became mixed again by merging with the” Davidian Girls School ‘. In 1958 Upper secondary education included three sections: humanities, sciences and fine arts. Good renown, the institution was (in 1971) the only Armenian institution of teaching in the east of Iran and the oldest, outside Armenia. The student population, very international, was made essentially young people belonging to the Armenian Apostolic Church.
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