The 182-Year-Old Armenian Church in Singapore Rich in Armenian History

• 05.22.2017, 20:27
•  Asia,  World

Straits Times

The 182-year-old Armenian Apostolic Church of St Gregory the Illuminator in Singapore is a favorite stop for tourists. About 100 visitors come every day, many of them Armenian.

As Straits Times reports, the church was built in 1835 and was officially opened and consecrated in 1836. It was dedicated to St Gregory the Illuminator, who was the first head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The church, designed by architect George D. Coleman, was given a colonial design on the exterior, with a notably Armenian interior. It has since gone through a number of refurbishments.

Most major holidays in the Orthodox Christian calendar are celebrated here, such as Easter and Christmas, which is celebrated on Jan 6 according to Orthodox beliefs.

There is no resident priest for the tiny community here. Father Zaven Yazichyan conducts a traditional Armenian Divine Liturgy service, or Sourp Badarak, for around 20 people.

Though he lives in Myanmar, Father Zaven, 36, travels here about five or six times a year to conduct a Divine Liturgy at church.

It is also noted that In the early 1970s, tombstones of Armenians who died in Singapore were taken to the church grounds from Bukit Timah Cemetery and placed in what is now known as the Memorial Garden.