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Heritage church without a priest
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/chennai/heritage-church-without-priest-504
June 24, 2012 By Temshinaro DC chennai .Tags: Church, Religion
Marrying off spiritsNot a single day passes without T. Alexander
lighting a candle at the altar of the Armenian Church.
As caretaker, Alexander lives in the premises of the church in the
busy streets of George Town in the city.
Unfortunately the church is left without a priest and there has been
no Sunday service in the last six decades as there are no Armenians in
the city. Alexander, however, makes it a point to ring the church's
huge bells every Sunday.
Armenian Church is funded by the Armenian Apostolic Church and
maintained by the Armenian Church Committee of Kolkata. Also called
the Armenian Church of Virgin Mary, it was built by Persians and is
considered to be one of the oldest churches in India.
The church was built in 1712 by Persians who arrived in India as
traders. It was reconstructed in 1772.
The bodies of 350 Armenians are buried at the church's cemetery. Rev.
Haruthiun Shmavonian (1750-1824) who published Azdarar, the first
Armenian newspaper in the world in 1794 from erstwhile Madras, is also
interred here.
The church is famous for its belfry adjacent to the main church. The
six large bells are rung every Sunday at 9:30 am by the caretaker. The
bells are of different sizes from 21 to 26 inches and weighs around
150 kg each. Believed to be the largest and heaviest bells of Chennai,
they were manufactured and brought from London at different dates.
Alexander said, `We do not allow people to climb the stairs to see the
six bells as the wooden stairs are three centuries old.'
The pictures on the walls are works of former caretaker of the church,
George Gregorian, who lived in India for 50 years.
Mr Alexander said, `Visiting hours is from 9:30 am to 2:30 every day.
So please do come and visit the church. This is a heritage place that
should be seen by everyone.'
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/chennai/heritage-church-without-priest-504
June 24, 2012 By Temshinaro DC chennai .Tags: Church, Religion
Marrying off spiritsNot a single day passes without T. Alexander
lighting a candle at the altar of the Armenian Church.
As caretaker, Alexander lives in the premises of the church in the
busy streets of George Town in the city.
Unfortunately the church is left without a priest and there has been
no Sunday service in the last six decades as there are no Armenians in
the city. Alexander, however, makes it a point to ring the church's
huge bells every Sunday.
Armenian Church is funded by the Armenian Apostolic Church and
maintained by the Armenian Church Committee of Kolkata. Also called
the Armenian Church of Virgin Mary, it was built by Persians and is
considered to be one of the oldest churches in India.
The church was built in 1712 by Persians who arrived in India as
traders. It was reconstructed in 1772.
The bodies of 350 Armenians are buried at the church's cemetery. Rev.
Haruthiun Shmavonian (1750-1824) who published Azdarar, the first
Armenian newspaper in the world in 1794 from erstwhile Madras, is also
interred here.
The church is famous for its belfry adjacent to the main church. The
six large bells are rung every Sunday at 9:30 am by the caretaker. The
bells are of different sizes from 21 to 26 inches and weighs around
150 kg each. Believed to be the largest and heaviest bells of Chennai,
they were manufactured and brought from London at different dates.
Alexander said, `We do not allow people to climb the stairs to see the
six bells as the wooden stairs are three centuries old.'
The pictures on the walls are works of former caretaker of the church,
George Gregorian, who lived in India for 50 years.
Mr Alexander said, `Visiting hours is from 9:30 am to 2:30 every day.
So please do come and visit the church. This is a heritage place that
should be seen by everyone.'