Holy See of Cilicia

Catholicosate
of the Great House of Cilicia
Holy See of Cilicia
Catholicosate; of the Great House of Cilicia; Holy See of Cilicia
	File:Holy-see-of-cilicia-coat-of-arms.gif The coat of arms of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia
Classification	Oriental Orthodox
Primate	Catholicos Aram I
Language	Armenian
Headquarters	Antelias, Lebanon; Previously Sis, Turkey
Territory	Cilicia and Western Armenia
Possessions	Middle East, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania, and Africa.
Founder	The Apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus
Independence	Apostolic Era
Recognition	by Armenian Apostolic Church as an autocephalous church
Members	200,000
Official website	Armenian Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia

The Armenian Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia (Template:Lang-hy) is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church.^[2] Since 1930, the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia has been headquartered in Antelias, Lebanon. Aram I is the Catholicos of Cilicia since 1995.

Great House of Cilicia eras

First Sis era, 267-301: According to the order of Catholicoi, *St. Gregory I the Enlightener (also known as Gregory the Illuminator) was seated in Sis 267-301 before moving to Etchmiadzin in 301 where he continued in office until 325.
In 485 AD, the Catholicosate was transferred to the new capital of Armenia Dvin. In the 10th century it moved from Dvin to Dzoravank and then to Aghtamar (927 AD), to Arghina (947 AD) and to Ani (992 AD)
Sivas era, 1058–1062
Tavbloor era, 1062–1066
Dzamendav (Zamidia, now Zamantı) era, 1066–1116
Dzovk (Present aka Island of Gölcük and under the lake of Hazar), era, 1116–1149
Hromgla (now Halfeti) era, 1149–1293
Second Sis era, 1293-1930 (with the Catholicosate of All Armenians returned to Etchmiadzin in 1441)
Antelias, Lebanon era, since 1930 - having transferred there from Sis in Cilicia in the aftermath of the Armenian genocide.

Early history of the Armenian Church

The origin of the Armenian Church dates back to the Apostolic age and according to the ancient tradition was established by St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew. In 301 AD, Christianity was officially accepted by the Armenians as the state religion.^[3]

Early era of the Catholicosate in Cilicia (1058–1293)

Catholicosate in Sis (1293–1930)

The city of Sis (modern-day Kozan, Adana, Turkey) was the center of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia for more than six centuries, starting in 1293 when the Catholicosate moved from Hromgla to Sis. The monastery of St. Sophia of Sis, home of the Catholicosate, dominates the town in early 20th-century photographs. During the Armenian genocide, in 1915, the Armenian population in Cilicia was mostly destroyed.^[4]

Two Catholicosates starting in 1441 AD

In 1441, a new Catholicos of All Armenians was elected in Holy Etchmiadzin in the person of Kirakos I Virapetsi of Armenia. At the same time the retiring Catholicos in Sis Gregory IX Mousabegian (1439–1446) remained as the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia. Therefore, since 1441, there have been two Catholicosates in the Armenian Apostolic Church. The Catholicos of All Armenians resides in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

Catholicosate in Antelias, Lebanon (1930–present)

In 1922 the American Committee for Relief in the Near East established an orphanage in Antilias for survivors of the genocide. It continued operating until 1928. After the foundation's Executive Committee was petitioned in 1929 by Sahak II, in 1930 the now-vacant buildings of the orphanage were leased to the Cilicia Catholicosate for a period of five years to be used as a seat for the Catholicosate and a seminary for training priests and teachers. The foundation also agreed to contribute $6000-$7000 yearly towards running costs.^[5]

Publications

Hask

The Catholicossate has its own publishing house and has a number of publications, most notably the monthly "Hask" (in Armenian Հասկ), the official organ of the Holy See of Cilicia.

Others

The Catholicosate also publishes a great number of books in Armenian and other languages, mainly on church literature as well as Armenian historical, cultural and literary subjects and series/collections of important Armenian literature.

The Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia also organizes an annual book fair on the occasion of Feast of the Holy Translators (known also as Surb Tarkmantchats), an official holiday on the calendar of the Armenian Apostolic Church to commemorate the legacy of the translators of the Bible and other Christian religious books to Armenian language in the 5th century.

Hask Armenological Review

It also publishes the annual "Hask Armenological Review" (in Armenian Հասկ Հայագիտական Հանդէս) on Armenian studies

Prelacies and Dioceses, and Churches

(in parentheses, the residence of the Prelate / Archbishop / Bishop)

Canada
- Armenian Prelacy of Canada

United States of America
- Armenian Prelacy of the Eastern United States
- Armenian Prelacy of the Western United States

Ontario
- St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church, Toronto, Ontario

Lebanon
- Armenian Diocese of Lebanon, in Beirut
Syria
- Armenian Diocese of Beroea, in Aleppo
Cyprus
- Armenian Diocese of Cyprus, in Nicosia
  - Nicosia
    - Sourp Asdvadzadzin church (1981).
    - Old Sourp Asdvadzadzin church (1308), as of 1964 under Turkish occupation.
    - Sourp Boghos chapel (1892).
    - Sourp Haroutiun chapel (1938).
    - Sourp Amenapergitch chapel (1995).
- Famagusta
- Ganchvor church (1346), as of 1964 under Turkish occupation.
- Larnaca
- Sourp Stepanos church (1909).
- Limassol
- Sourp Kevork church (1939).

Iran
- Armenian Diocese of Isfahan, in New Julfa
- Armenian Diocese of Atrpatakan, in Tabriz

Gallery

A khatchkar on the premises
Aram I
Partial view of the Catholicosate complex on the Mediterranean Sea in Antelias
Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral (1940)
Interior of the St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral
Memorial chapel to the Armenian genocide at the Catholicosate premises in Antelias
The Veharan, the residence of the Catholicos in Antelias, Lebanon
Holy Mother of God Church (Sourp Asdvadzadzin) at the seminary in Bikfaya

References

^ Mekaelian, M. (2018, September 24). The Necessity of Preserving Western Armenian. The Armenian Weekly. https://armenianweekly.com/2018/09/24/the-necessity-of-preserving-western-armenian/
^ "Frequently Asked Questions on the Cilician See of the Armenian Apostolic Church / Georgy S Thomas". Malankara Orthodox TV. 3 October 2017. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
^ Herszenhorn, David M. (October 3, 2013). "Armenian Church, Survivor of the Ages, Faces Modern Hurdles" – via NYTimes.com.
^ "Documents 119-129. Bryce. Armenians. XV---Cicilia (Vilayet of Adan and Sankjak of Marash)". net.lib.byu.edu.
^ Anon, "The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia", Boston 1948.

Sources

Stopka, Krzysztof (2016). Armenia Christiana: Armenian Religious Identity and the Churches of Constantinople and Rome (4th-15th century). Kraków: Jagiellonian University Press. ISBN 9788323395553.

External links

Official site of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia

[1] Mekaelian, M. (2018, September 24). The Necessity of Preserving Western Armenian. The Armenian Weekly. https://armenianweekly.com/2018/09/24/the-necessity-of-preserving-western-armenian/

[2] "Frequently Asked Questions on the Cilician See of the Armenian Apostolic Church / Georgy S Thomas". Malankara Orthodox TV. 3 October 2017. Retrieved 2020-01-01.

[3] Herszenhorn, David M. (October 3, 2013). "Armenian Church, Survivor of the Ages, Faces Modern Hurdles" – via NYTimes.com.

[4] "Documents 119-129. Bryce. Armenians. XV---Cicilia (Vilayet of Adan and Sankjak of Marash)". net.lib.byu.edu.

[5] Anon, "The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia", Boston 1948.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

v t e Oriental Orthodoxy
Eastern Christian communion of autocephalous churches from Armenia, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan and parts of the Middle East, and India
Autocephalous churches	Coptic Orthodox Church Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Armenian Apostolic Church Holy See of Cilicia Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church Syriac Orthodox Church Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
Autonomous churches	Armenian Apostolic: Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem Syriac Orthodox: Malankara Jacobite Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church: Brahmavar (Goan) Orthodox Church
Independent churches	British Isles Malabar Independent Syrian Church Syncretic Oriential Catholic Churches: Communion of Western Orthodox Churches Celtic Orthodox Church
Liturgy	Alexandrian Rite Anaphora of Saint Gregory Armenian Rite West Syriac Rite Liturgy of Saint James Liturgy of Saint Basil Liturgy of Saint Cyril Malankara Rite

v t e Modern Armenian churches and seminaries
Armenia	Yerevan Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral Holy Trinity Saint John the Baptist Saint Sarkis (Kentron) Saint Sarkis (Nor Nork) Saint Anna Church Holy Vartanants Martyrs Church Elsewhere Gyumri Holy Saviour's Church Holy Mother of God Church of the Holy Saviour Vagharshapat Church of the Holy Archangels Oshakan Saint Mesrop Mashtots Church Abovyan Saint John the Baptist Church Seminaries Gevorkian Theological Seminary Vaskenian Theological Academy
Caucasus	Tbilisi, Georgia Ejmiatsin Church Vank Monastery Church of the Red Gospel Church of the Holy Seal Azerbaijan Saint Gregory Church of Baku Ghazanchetsots Cathedral Kanach Zham
Russia	Moscow Armenian Cathedral Saint Catherine's Armenian Church, Saint Petersburg
Europe	Austria Mekhitarist Monastery of Vienna France Paris Cathedral Italy Mekhitarist Monastery of Venice (San Lazzaro) Santa Croce degli Armeni Romania Armenian Church, Bucharest United Kingdom Church of St Yeghiche St Sarkis
Middle East	Cyprus Holy Mother of God Cathedral, Nicosia Lebanon Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia Armenian Catholic Patriarchate Cathedral of St Elias and St Gregory the Illuminator Syria Church of the Holy Mother of God Cathedral of the Forty Martyrs of Sebastia St. Hagop Church St. Gregory the Illuminator Church Holy Trinity Church Holy Cross Church Armenian Genocide Memorial Church (Der Zor) Iran St. Sargis Church, Tehran Holy Mother of God Church, Tehran St. Vartanants Church, Tehran Shoghakat Church, Tabriz Turkey Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople St. Giragos Armenian Church Kartal Surp Nişan Armenian Orthodox Church Taksim Surp Harutyun Church
Asia	Singapore Saint Gregory
United States	Church of Our Savior, Worcester Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church, New York City Holy Cross Armenian Cathedral, Montebello Holy Trinity Church, Fresno St. Stephen's Armenian Apostolic Church St. Vartan Cathedral Saint Sarkis of Dearborn Seminaries St. Nersess Armenian Seminary

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF 2
National	United States France BnF data