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Liturgy to bring life to Armenian church after 50 years
May 11, 2014- 2 Comments
By Evie Andreou
THE DIVINE Liturgy will echo within the walls of the Armenian Church
of Virgin Mary in northern Nicosia for the first time in 50 years
today.
For the hundreds of the Armenian Cypriots attending ` some from abroad
` it will be a profoundly emotional moment as they return to a church
and its surrounding buildings which once formed the core of their
everyday lives. The medieval church of Virgin Mary, or Sourp
Azdvadzadzin, is located in the heart of what was the Armenian quarter
of Nicosia until 1964, when the community abandoned the area during
the inter-communal troubles. The last liturgy took place in January
1964.
`I don't know if I will be able to control my tears when I hear the
choir sing from the balcony,' said Sebouh Tavitian who as a boy used
to serve in the church every day with his cousin.
I met Tavitian and other members of the Armenian Cypriot community at
the church on Friday when they went to clean and prepare it for
today's service.
He remembers the time when the church compound met most of the
community's religious, educational and social needs from births,
baptisms, weddings and funerals. Within its confines was a pre-school
and elementary school, the Armenian Bishopric, the monument to the
genocide and even a scouts' hall.
`I am very emotional. I belong to the generation that grew up in the
area. I attended all schools here, I served the church every day with
my cousin, I was baptised here, and my parents got married here as
well as all my relatives,' said Tavitian.
`Back then there was no TV, no computers. We used to spend our time
playing football in the church's yard, we were also scouts.'
Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra, the spokesman of the Armenian MP Vartkes
Mahdessian, explained how Armenian was spoken everywhere.
`On funerals they would plaster announcements on the electricity poles
to inform everyone. Opposite the church complex is the first hotel in
Nicosia established in 1875 by the Soultanian family. The Armenian
Club was one of the oldest clubs in Nicosia, it was established in
1902, and it hosted the community's cultural events,' he said.
For Sirvat Kouyoumdjian, a member of the Women's Church Committee and
once a resident of the quarter, her most vivid memory was the church's
icon.
`There used to be an icon of Saint George in the church and it was a
miracle maker. People used to come and place their babies' shoes in
front of it so that they would grow and be healthy,' she said
`This is my first time here since 1964. I was sleepless for two
nights,' said another helper, Elsie Utidjian. `I used to live in
Tanzimat Street. I was baptised in the church and attended both
pre-school and elementary school here.'
`I have mixed feelings. I am excited. I am very happy I was able to be
part of the group that helped prepare the church,' said Anahid
Eskidjian also a member of the Women's Church Committee with Utidjian
and Kouyoumdjian.
Like them, she also went to school there, as did her brother who has
been living in the United States since 1964. He, and many former
pupils who now live abroad, have returned especially for the service.
`It will be like a reunion after all these years,' said Eskidjian.
The liturgy will be carried out by the Armenian Archbishop Varoujan
Herkelian, and the Armenian Church's Choir will take its traditional
place in the balcony.
HISTORIC BUILDING
Sourp Azdvadzadzin was originally a Latin church built in 1308-1310
after being commissioned by King Henry II of Cyprus. It stood on an
earlier 12th century church which, before being destroyed by
earthquake in 1303, had housed religious orders and been a nunnery.
The monastery came under the Armenian Church in 1504. Two firmans
(edicts) issued in 1571 and 1614 during the Ottoman rule, confirm the
Armenian ownership of the church.
Over time the church underwent various changes. It was restored in
1688, 1884 and 1904. Between 1960 and 1961, the Antiquities Department
replaced the medieval tombstones in the floor and installed new
flooring.
Between 1964 and 1998 the church complex was used as barracks for the
Turkish Cypriot militia and Turkish soldiers.
It was restored between 2009 and 2012 by the UNDP-ACT and USAID
funding in close co-operation with the office of the Armenian
Representative Vartkes Mahdessian and the Armenian Prelature of
Cyprus.
http://cyprus-mail.com/2014/05/11/liturgy-to-bring-life-to-armenian-church-after-50-years/
May 11, 2014- 2 Comments
By Evie Andreou
THE DIVINE Liturgy will echo within the walls of the Armenian Church
of Virgin Mary in northern Nicosia for the first time in 50 years
today.
For the hundreds of the Armenian Cypriots attending ` some from abroad
` it will be a profoundly emotional moment as they return to a church
and its surrounding buildings which once formed the core of their
everyday lives. The medieval church of Virgin Mary, or Sourp
Azdvadzadzin, is located in the heart of what was the Armenian quarter
of Nicosia until 1964, when the community abandoned the area during
the inter-communal troubles. The last liturgy took place in January
1964.
`I don't know if I will be able to control my tears when I hear the
choir sing from the balcony,' said Sebouh Tavitian who as a boy used
to serve in the church every day with his cousin.
I met Tavitian and other members of the Armenian Cypriot community at
the church on Friday when they went to clean and prepare it for
today's service.
He remembers the time when the church compound met most of the
community's religious, educational and social needs from births,
baptisms, weddings and funerals. Within its confines was a pre-school
and elementary school, the Armenian Bishopric, the monument to the
genocide and even a scouts' hall.
`I am very emotional. I belong to the generation that grew up in the
area. I attended all schools here, I served the church every day with
my cousin, I was baptised here, and my parents got married here as
well as all my relatives,' said Tavitian.
`Back then there was no TV, no computers. We used to spend our time
playing football in the church's yard, we were also scouts.'
Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra, the spokesman of the Armenian MP Vartkes
Mahdessian, explained how Armenian was spoken everywhere.
`On funerals they would plaster announcements on the electricity poles
to inform everyone. Opposite the church complex is the first hotel in
Nicosia established in 1875 by the Soultanian family. The Armenian
Club was one of the oldest clubs in Nicosia, it was established in
1902, and it hosted the community's cultural events,' he said.
For Sirvat Kouyoumdjian, a member of the Women's Church Committee and
once a resident of the quarter, her most vivid memory was the church's
icon.
`There used to be an icon of Saint George in the church and it was a
miracle maker. People used to come and place their babies' shoes in
front of it so that they would grow and be healthy,' she said
`This is my first time here since 1964. I was sleepless for two
nights,' said another helper, Elsie Utidjian. `I used to live in
Tanzimat Street. I was baptised in the church and attended both
pre-school and elementary school here.'
`I have mixed feelings. I am excited. I am very happy I was able to be
part of the group that helped prepare the church,' said Anahid
Eskidjian also a member of the Women's Church Committee with Utidjian
and Kouyoumdjian.
Like them, she also went to school there, as did her brother who has
been living in the United States since 1964. He, and many former
pupils who now live abroad, have returned especially for the service.
`It will be like a reunion after all these years,' said Eskidjian.
The liturgy will be carried out by the Armenian Archbishop Varoujan
Herkelian, and the Armenian Church's Choir will take its traditional
place in the balcony.
HISTORIC BUILDING
Sourp Azdvadzadzin was originally a Latin church built in 1308-1310
after being commissioned by King Henry II of Cyprus. It stood on an
earlier 12th century church which, before being destroyed by
earthquake in 1303, had housed religious orders and been a nunnery.
The monastery came under the Armenian Church in 1504. Two firmans
(edicts) issued in 1571 and 1614 during the Ottoman rule, confirm the
Armenian ownership of the church.
Over time the church underwent various changes. It was restored in
1688, 1884 and 1904. Between 1960 and 1961, the Antiquities Department
replaced the medieval tombstones in the floor and installed new
flooring.
Between 1964 and 1998 the church complex was used as barracks for the
Turkish Cypriot militia and Turkish soldiers.
It was restored between 2009 and 2012 by the UNDP-ACT and USAID
funding in close co-operation with the office of the Armenian
Representative Vartkes Mahdessian and the Armenian Prelature of
Cyprus.
http://cyprus-mail.com/2014/05/11/liturgy-to-bring-life-to-armenian-church-after-50-years/