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The Armenian Church of St. John the Baptist in Rangoon

Unfortunately the records for this Church were lost during World War II.  However the Armenian cemeteries in Mandalay, Syriam and Rangoon indicate that Armenians first came to India from Iran around 1608, some of them went on to Burma and settled there, playing a prominent part in the promotion of trade, especially in the three towns mentioned above.

In the 18th century they constructed the Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator in Mandalay, on a plot of land graciously presented to them by His Majesty the King of Burma.  In this Church, divine services were held regularly until the 1920’s, when the community in Mandalay gradually moved down to Rangoon.

The Church of St. John the Baptist in Rangoon was erected by the community there in the year 1862 on land they had acquired in October 1858.  This Church was formally consecrated on the 17th July 1863 by Revd. Father Aviet Chaytor, the then resident priest.  The church was internally remodelled with a new roof during 1908-1909.

Update October 2012

I am grateful to Henri Aslanian of Hong Kong for permitting me to use photographs from his recent trip to Myanmar. I reproduce his photographs and comments with full acknowledgement and thanks to Henri.

Henri says: “….Met the only Armenian still living in Myanmar – a 86 years old Mr. Martin (Mardirossian) whose brother still lives in Bangladesh and whom I met last year in Dhaka – and visited the Armenian Church of Myanmar in Rangoon (built in 1862-exactly 150 years ago this year). The church is located in prime real estate, still standing and is under renovation. The Armenians arrived in Burma as early as 1612 and were some of the first foreigners in Burma but they left in the mid-20th century when the military government took power. They built some of the most impressive landmarks in the country including the famous Strand Hotel. Even after all these years living in Asia and travelling extensively throughout South East Asia, I am still impressed by the amazing footprints that these Armenians left in this part of the world including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and India. Part of Armenian history that many don’t know about…Very inspiring…”

 

Henri says: “…….The Armenian Church is truly a jewel… following a recent donation by a Russian Armenian, the Church is undergoing minor renovations but there are lots of seriously incredible pieces of Armenian religious items in the Church that are simply getting destroyed by humidity………

 

 

In 1895 Mesrovb Seth wrote: “…….In Surat, the Armenians erected two churches – one in the city, which is still preserved, but is not now used; and the other which lies in ruins, in their cemetery…….”

There are traces of an Armenian settlement in the city during the 16th century.  In the Armenian cemetery at Surat, which adjoins the cemeteries of the early British and Dutch, there is a tombstone of an Armenian lady who died there in 1579 A.D.  The inscription which is in Ancient Armenian translates: “In this tomb lies buried the body of the noble lady, who was named Marinas, the wife of the priest Woskan.  She was a crown to her husband, according to the proverbs of Solomon.  She was taken to the Lord of Life, a soul-afflicting cause of sorrow to her faithful husband, in the year one thousand and twenty eight of our Armenian era, on the fifteenth day of November at the first hour of Friday, at the age of 53.  Ye who see this tomb, pray to the Lord to grant mercy”.  The year 1028 of the Armenian era is equivalent to the year 1579 A.D.  Her husband, Rev. Woskan, must have been the spiritual head of the Armenians living at Surat during the reign of Akbar, the patron of their race.

If there was an Armenian priest in Surat in 1579 then there must have been a church or a chapel.  Accordingly to an unconfirmed source, the old Armenian church at Surat was destroyed by the Mogul governor at the instigation of the Turkish merchants who came to Surat, after their pilgrimage to Mecca, for the purpose of buying goods.  However, evidence of an Armenian Church can be seen on page 297 of the English Factories in India (1661-1664) which is digitised, click to follow the link) there is a rough map of Surat, (which is reproduced below) showing the positions of the prominent buildings at the time of Sivaji’s first raid on the city, in early January 1664, in which the Armenian Church is clearly shown.

The Legend marked on the map is as follows.

1. The English Factory of that time which stood in the north-western part of    the city, in what was known in 1937 as the Mullah’s Ward.

2. The Sarai and the mosqueof Mirza Zahid still standing

3. A building known as the Dadhimar or Racket Court.  It was originally a sarai and may have been the one in which some Armenians and Turkish merchants secured themselves and their goods during the raid.

4. The Armenian Church

5. Shows the position of the French factory established a little later

6. Is the site of the subsequent English factory, near the Mullas’ Water Gate.

During the interval between destruction of the old church and the erection of a new church in 1778 dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the Armenian residents of Surat held divine services at a house set apart for the purpose.

The church built in 1778 was pulled down some years later (after 1907) by the wardens of the Armenian church of Bombay, as it had fallen into disrepair and the site was later used as a playground for school children.  The Armenian scholar and writer Mesrovb J. Seth visited the church in January 1907 and observed that “it was still standing, although a portion of the roof had fallen, but the altar, the sacristies (vestries) on either side of the altar, the gallery for ladies on the west side of the church, were in a fair state of preservation, as also the priest quarters on the left side of the main gate.”  He continued “the beautiful church, with historical associations, was, in the absence of devout worshippers, found in the indisputable possession of thousands of owls, bats, crows, cats, rats, snakes and scorpions which howled, screeched, and hissed ominously when the present writer, at the risk of his life, entered the sacred edifice where his revered grandfather, Seth Mackertich Agazar Seth, had worshipped during the last quarter f the 18th century.”  Seth continues “there is a Mortuary chapel in the Armenian cemetery at Surat which is still standing and it will continue to exist as a valuable landmark of the once-flourishing Armenian colony in that historic city, because it has fortunately come under the control of the Public Works Department as a “Protected Monument” thanks to the solicitude of the late Lord Curzon for the Preservation of Ancient Monuments in India.  We could find no date, either inside or outside the beautiful chapel, showing the year of its construction, but in all probability it must have been erected during the 17th century, because there is a grave inside that chapel, with a tombstone bearing the date 1695.

Khojah Phanoos Kalandar, the “Armenian merchant of eminency”, as the English called him, was a native of Julfa (Ispahan) but had settled down at Surat, where his only son’s grave, in the mortuary chapel at the Armenian cemetery bears an inscription in classical Armenian of  which the following is a translation: “This is the tomb of Kalandar, the son of Phanoos Kalandar of Julfa who departed this life on Saturday, the 6th March 1695″”

The Armenians settle in Agra during the 17th and 18th centuries when there was a large number of them who traded in precious stones, silks and spices.  However, Mesrovb Seth wote in 1895: “…….Akbar the Great adopted the youthful and promising son of a Mr. Jacob, an Armenian merchant, whom he had met at Kashmere.  This singular adoption was made several years before Jehangeer (Akbar’s son) was born, whose birth in 1570 he attributed to the advent of the Armenians into Agra and their erection, in 1562, of an (Armenian) Christian church there at the express wish of their royal patron.”

So an Armenian Church having being built in Agra in 1562 meant there must have been a least one Armenian priest in spiritual charge of the colony from that time onward.

Agra was the capital of the then Moghul Empire.  The Armenians gained favour with Akbar, the Moghul Emperor, who was tolerant and granted them freedom of religion, language and trade.  Hence the Armenians prospered there til towards the end of the 18th century.  When the city’s commercial importance began to decline, the Armenians gradually moved from Agra to Bombay where the Armenians had already formed a commercial colony during the second part of the 17th century.

No less than seven Armenian priests are known to have worked in Agra during the lifetime of Zu’lqarnain and later, while the Jesuits were also at work in the same area.  The Armenian priests were

 

Strange but true facts – I: Three Armenian Churches in India, Calcutta, Dacca and Madras were all built at No.2 Armenian Street. The Armenian churches at Calcutta, Dacca, Madras and Saidabad were each erected on the site of an old Armenian cemetery The oldest Christian graves at Surat, Agra, Calcutta, Dacca and Madras are all Armenian

Strange but true facts – II: In 1907  six baskets, containing a large number of Armenian manuscripts, books and pontifical bulls (Kondaks) belonging to the Armenian church at Gwalior which was erected by Colonel Jacob Petrus, were sold as waste paper for six Rupees only by a descendant of the Colonel † †The descendant told this to Mesrovb Seth in Agra in October 1919

Strange but true facts – III: The Holy Nazareth Church had the official foundation stone laid in 1707, although a wooden chapel existed even before that.  So why do the Church registers only start at 1793?  According to Joseph Emin in his book “The Life and Adventures of Joseph Emin” published in 1792 he says that: “At one time there were three wardens of the Calcutta church, a dispute arose between the three, one of them took away the records [registers] to his house and nothing previous to 1793 has survived this most unfortunate proceeding”. So fellow Armenian family history researchers and enthusiasts, the graves listed on THIS website will be the only comprehensive record of Armenian deaths and some births in India prior to 1793

Latter Day Saints (LDS) film numbers of Armenian records in Asia

1.  these records have been transcribed in full and are on the FIBIS database. www.fibis.org

This Holy Church was erected in the name of the holy Apostle Peter. Mr. Jacob Petrus of Hamadan in Persia, better known as Hakob Hamadanchi built St. Peter Armenian Church of Bombay which is situated in Medows Street.  The Armenian community of Bombay lived mainly in Armenian Lane a locality close to the church, where they flourished as traders and lived in opulent residences.

At the foot of the altar of the church is a square tablet with an inscription in Armenian, the translation of which is: “This holy church was erected in the name of the holy Apostle Peter, during the Patriarchate of His Holiness Lucas, the Catholicos of all the Armenians, by the munificence of Mr. Jacob of Hamadan, to the memory of his late parents, Mr. Petrus, his father, and Zanazan Khatoon his mother, the foundation-stone of which was laid by Archbishop James, who was on an evangelical tour in India on bhelaf of the Holy See of Etchmiatzin in the year of our Lord 1796, on the 14^th day of Thirah (12^th October)”. Another tablet, over the door of the sacristy, bears the following inscription, which says “The outside parts of this holy church with the budlings attached thereto were repaired by the munificence of Agah Jacob, son of Arratoon Thageantz, to the memory of his late mother, the noble lady Thamar, and his sister [Miss] Anna, dead in Christ.  The repairs were executed through the instrumentality of Archbishop James on the 3^rd day of Shams [4^th April] in the year of our Lord 1801”.

The church in Bombay was the sister church to the Armenian church at Surat.  When the Surat Church was finally closed down in 1861 because there were no Armenian community left there, the Wardens of Bombay, had all the sacred books, vessels and vestments of Surat brought to Bombay for preservation there. Amongst these was a manuscript Bible in the Armenian language which was written at Surat in 1658, there was also an old chasuble (shoorjar) belonging to the Surat Church on which the year 1782 was beautifully embroidered in gold thread.

The early Armenians in Bombay “…….wore Persian dress, and dyed their hair and whiskers with henna.  Armenian ladies passed their time either engaged in the care of their families, or in receiving and paying visits, drinking coffee or sherbet, embroidering and making delicious confections of Hulwah and various sweetmeats.  They have very considerable influence on their families, understand business admirably, and are commonly entrusted with the full control of their property.  Their condition is easy and agreeable, little restraint being placed upon their conduct, a slight degree of personal seclusion being considered honorable and dignified”.

The last person to be buried in the Armenian churchyard at Bombay, and as a mark of deep respect, was Mr. William Michael, the warden of the church for several years, who died on the 23^rd July 1886, aged 55 years.

Gradually it decayed and was replaced by a new and beautiful Church in 1957.  It was designed by a well known Armenian architect of Beyrouth, Mr. M.H. Altounian and was constructed on the plot of the old church.  The blessing of the foundation stone o was performed by His Grace Archbishop Yegheshe Derderian of Jerusalem during a visit to Bombay in June 1956 in the company of Revd. Father Shahe Ajamian.  The new church was consecrated on the 14^th April 1957 by His Grace Bishop Terenik Poladian.  A six storey building was erected in front of it and named “Ararat” (after Mount Ararat of Biblical times on which Noah’s Ark rested”).  The “Ararat” building is the property of the church.

 

Armenians settle here and flourished as businessmen during the 17th and 18th centuries.  When Chinsurah lost its commercial importance, the Armenians transferred their businesses to Calcutta towards the end of the 18th century.

The Armenian Church here is the second oldest in Bengal.  It was erected in 1695 , the foundation stone being laid by Khojah Johannes Margar.  The Church was completed in 1697 by his brother Joseph,  and dedicated to St. John the Baptist in memory of his deceased brother Johannes.  Khojah Johannes died suddenly on the 27th November 1697 and he was interred inside the church. This church is today the only remaining landmark of the once large and flourishing Armenian colony.

Joseph was the elder brother of the two and they went into partnership together in Hyderabad (Deccan) in 1666.  They started a business together in Mylapore, with a joint capital of Rs 27,550 only, the major portion of which (Rs,18,550) was deposited by Khojah Joseph Margar, whilst his younger brother Johannes  added only Rs. 9000 as his contribution to the business.

After the suddenly and untimely death of Khojah Johannes Margar in November 1697 the partnership automatically ceased and the final accounts made up.  It was found that a net profit of two million rupees had been made in 30 years on the original capital of Rs. 27,500.

The brothers were the sons of the illustrious merchant-diplomat, Margar Avag Sheenentz, known as Marcara Avanchinz, who played an important part in the French East India Company in India in the second half of the 17th century.

Although Armenians lived and died in fairly large numbers at Chinsurah between the years 1695 and 1868, there are no more than 100 graves within the church, 28 of them being inside the church itself.

Records indicate that:

between the years 1826 and 1868 sixteen marriages were solemnized in the Church.
between the years 1817 and 1867 seventy two baptisms took place, and
between the years 1817 and 1881 fifty seven burials

No records appear to exist between the years 1695 when it was built and 1817, but of course there would have been many more births, marriages and burials in that ‘lost’ 122 years.

The church was originally built without a steeple, and this was added and erected in 1822 through the generosity of Mrs. Sophia Bagram a wealthy Armenian lady from Calcutta, in memory of her husband, Simon Phanoos Bagram.

The town of Chinsurah is about 35 miles from Calcutta.  Sadly, no Armenians reside there but once a year, on the Sunday nearest to the Feast Day of St. John The Baptist, the Armenians from Calcutta go on a pilgrimage accompanied by their Priest who performs Holy Mass and offers prayers for the repose of the departed buried there.  After the service, a large community lunch is served to the congregation which is hosted by the Armenian Church, Calcutta.

List of Priests who have served at the Armenian Church, Calcutta

Early Armenian community statistics between 1811-1835

List of Armenian Advocates in of the Calcutta High Court, India 1855-1893

Benefactors who have donated to the Armenian Church, Calcutta

The first Armenian Church, a wooden structure was built by public contribution on 22nd June 1688 and was named St. John.  The East India Company for 7 years contributed £40/- per year towards the maintenance of a priest, this Church was destroyed by fire in 1707.  Three hundred years later in January 2008, a huge fire raged out of control for 5 days in Bura Bazaar very close to the current church and for many long hours the current priest, Father Oshagan Gulgulian along with the dedicated guardians of the church; the committee and wardens,  worried intently about the fire spreading to this, the Holy Church of Nazareth.  On the 5th day after the fire began, his prayers were answered and the fire was eventually put out and the church and the surrounding area was blessed and left unscathed.  It stood on the periphery of a fire ravaged scene standing tall and bright like a phoenix from a flame  Had the fire spread just a few hundred yards further, this church, due to celebrate it’s 300th anniversary this year (2008), would also have been lost in the same fashion as the first church in 1707.  Thankfully, that tragedy was averted.

St. John’s Church having been razed to the ground, The Holy Church of Nazareth was built seventeen years later in 1724 on the old burial ground of the Armenian community, by Agha Nazar and the architect was an Armenian from Iran named Mr. Levon Ghevond.  The belfry and steeple were added just 10 years later by Mr. Manual Hazarmalian in 1734.  Repaired and renovated in 1763 by Khojah Petrus Arratoon who also embellished the church and built two additional altars, one on the right hand side of the main altar, in memory of his brother Gorgin Khan, who was assassinated near Monghyr, and the other on the left side to commemorate his memory. In 1789 Agha Catchick Arakiel presented an English clock to the Church which he had ordered from the firm of Alexander Hare of London.  The clock arrived in Calcutta in 1792 and was fixed in the clock tower.  Also in 1789, he had the church compound enclosed by a substantial wall, which today is still standing as is the parsonage within the grounds.  Unfortunately, he did not see the installation of the clock as it was 2 years after Mr. Arakiel’s death which occurred on the 25th July 1790.

On the south side of the Church can be seen the oldest Christian grave in Calcutta.  The inscription reads “This is the tomb of Reza Beebeh, wife of Charitable Sookias who died on 31st July 1630”.  A little further from the south side of the church was Sookias Lane where the Sookias family lived. And today, the name Sookias is still very much associated with the Church by way of Mr. Haik Sookias Jr., who is a past Chairman of the Church Committee. A large number of prominent Armenians are buried in the churchyard.  Amongst them is a Mr. Shircore (in Persian the name means lion-eater).  It is recorded that he fought and killed a lion bare handed; but died of his wounds later.

Within the compound of the church grounds was a well stocked library.  It was made over to the wardens and commissionaires of the Holy church of Nazareth for the perusal of the Reverend Priests in Calcutta in May 1896.

Over the years, the Church has been fortunate to have received many gifts and bequests, particularly in the 18th century.  Many others by their wills have left large sums, amongst whom was the late Sir Catchick Paul Chater of Hongkong.  He was born in Calcutta in September 1846, and died in Hongkong in May 1926.  By his will he left a very substantial sum of his enormous wealth to the Armenian Church.  One of the many ways in which his legacy has been utilised is by the building of an old peoples home for the Armenian community which was named the “Sir Paul Chater Home”.  The foundation stone was laid by Mr. S.K. Sen, the Official Trustee of West Bengal on 21st November 1952.  More about Sir Catchick Paul Chater can be read here.

 

 

List of names of benefactors who left large bequests to the Armenian Church, Calcutta
Sir Catchick Paul Chater	Mr. T.M. Thaddeus	Mrs Sarah Chater
Mr. Z.T. Manuk	John Michael and Wife Mary	Miss Maryn and Miss Mary Gregory Apcar
Mr. Nicholas Mackertich Carapiet	Mrs. Helen Moses	Miss L.M. Christian
Mr. Arratoon Galoost	Mrs. C. Lumbrugen	Mr. Joseph Ephraim
Mr. Thomas Seth Apcar	Col. S.T. Avetoom	Dr. S.J. Manuk [Manook]
Joseph Paul	Miss Amy Apcar	Arratoon Petrus
Petrus Stephen	Arratoon Apcar Senior and Gregory Apcar Senior	Seth Arratoon Apcar
A.S. Mackertich	A.G. Apcar	Massey Babjab
Gevork Manuk	Anna Iscar Zorab

Below is a register of names of officiating Pastors and Priests of the Armenian Holy Church of Nazareth, Calcutta, from 1793 – 1957

Date	Name	Date	Name
1755	Padre Daniel*	1893-1897	Rev. Sylvester Hovannesian
1779	Padre Dionysius Manasser**	1892-1895	Rev. Rethevos Davidian
1793	Carapiet Margar***	1894-1899	Rev/ {sacl Ter Hacobian
1793-1797	Rev. Hacob Ter Petrosian	1896-1900	Rev. Andrews G. Apcarian
1793-1802	Rev. Galstaun Martyrosian	1898-1901	Rev. Mesrobe C. Davidian
1794-1795	Rev. Gevork Babanian	1899-1903	Rev. Barsiegh P. Alexy
1795-1813	Rev. Hovsep Stephannosian	1900-1904	Rev. Mackertich Petrosian
1798-1802	Rev. Martyrose Davidian	1902-1905	Rev. Essai Ter S Johannes
1803-1807	Rev. Lucas Ter Gevorgian	1903-1907	Rev. Carapiet Thoomikian
1803-1804	Rev. Gabriel Ter Stephannosian	1904-1907	Rev. Psack H. Hacobian
1805-1808	Rev. Aviet Ter Minasian	1907-1912	Rev. Vardan S. Vardanian
1808-1813	Rev. Harouthiun Ter Minasian	1907-1910	Rev. Mashtotz Israelian
1808-1813	Rev. Marcar Ter Carapietian	1908-1911	Rev. Sarkies Gregorian
1812-1814	Rev. Zakaria Ter Petrosian	1912-1920	Rev. Barsegh P. Alexy
1814-1821	Rev. Aviet Ter Minasian	1912-1917	Rev. Marcar C. Davidian
1814-1822	Rev. Lucas Ter Gevorgian	1913-1917	Rev. Garegin Johannes
1821-1828	Rev. Hovsep Stephannosian	1917-1922	Rev. Essai Ter S. Johannes (Archpriest)
1821-1826	Rev. Galoost Harouthiunian	1917-1922	Rev. Carapiet Thoomikian
1822-1826	Rev. Hovsep Ter Mackertchian	1920-1926	Rev. Vahan Aghanian
1825-1829	Rev. Abraham Ter Karapietian	1922-1927	Rev. Nierses P. Paul
1826-1827	Rev. Harouthiun Ayvazian	1923-1927	Rev. Garegin Johannes
1826-1827	Rev. Catchatour Harouthiunian	1926-1929	Rev. Hambardzoom S. Vardanian
1826-1831	Rev. Anton Avagian	1927-1930	Rev. Carapiet Thoomikian
1826-1830	Rev. Hovannes Galstanian	1927-1929	Rev. Essai Ter S. Johannes
1827-1828	Rev. Hovannes Mackertchian	1929-1933	Rev. Vahan Aghanian
1830-1834	Rev. Harouthiun Eghiaian	1929-1933	Rev. Nierses P. Paul
1831-1836	Rev. Lazar Gregorian	1930-1933	Rev. Hovakim Basis
1831-1837	Rev. Hovannes Ter Avietian	1933-1935	Rev. Theodore Isaac (Archimandrite)
1836-1840	Rev. Anton Avagian	1933-1936	Rev. Vartannes Nazareth
1837-1842	Rev. David Mackertchian	1933-1936	Rev. Garegin Johannes
1838-1841	Rev. Eliazar Andreasian	1936-1942	Rev. Nierses S. David
1841-1845	Rev. Carapiet Ter Abrahamian	1936-1940	Rev. Hambardzoom S. Vardanian
1842-1843	Rev. Abraham Ter Carapietian	1940-1944	Rev. Garegin Johannes
1842-1844	Rev. Harouthiun Ter Eliazarian	1942-1949	Rev. Vardan S. Vardanian
1843-1846	Rev. Petrose Antonian	1944-1947	Rev. Hambardzoom S. Vardanian
1844-1847	Rev. Carapiet Gregorian	1948-1958	Rev. Aramais Mirzaian
1844-1847	Rev. Marcar Andreasian	1948-1953	Rev. Avetice Edgarian
1844-1872	Rev. Hovannes Khachikian (Vicar)	1953-1956	Rev. B.S. David
1845-1846	Rev. Mathevos Gregore Karibian	1957	Rev. Pogose Petrossian
1846-1849	Rev. Barsiegh Galstanian (Archpriest)	1957-1962	Bishop Asoghik Ghazarian
1846-1849	Rev. Martyrose Ter Hovakiemian	1961	Archbishop Haikazoon Abrahamian
1850-1856	Rev. Mackertich Ter C. Gregorian	1964	Archbishop Haikazoon Abrahamian
1850-1856	Rev. Mackertich H Ter Lucasian	1964-1968	Rev. Vazken Stepanian (Priest at Bombay)
1852-1854	Rev. Hovannes Galstanian	1964-1970	Rev. Fr. Kegham Zakarian
1856-1860	Rev. Harouthiun Ter S. Ter Harouthiunian	1966	Archbishop Haikazoon Abrahamian
1856-1860	Rev. Nicholaose Ter H Eghiaian (Archpriest)	1967-1968	Archbishop Haikazoon Abrahamian
1860-1863	Rev. Mackertich H. Ter Lucasian (Archpriest)	1968-1972	Archbishop Haikazoon Abrahamian
1861-1863	Rev. Sylvester Hovhannesian	1968-1974	Rev. Fr. Vazken Stephanian
1863-1865	Rev. Galstaun Nazarethian	1968	Mario Stepanian (Deacon)
1863-1867	Rev. Dyonisius Ter Eliazarian	1969	Phoghose Aratoon (Deacon)
1863-1866	Rev. Aristakes Hovannesian	1969	Sam Aviet (Deacon)
1866-1868	Rev. Retevos Davidian	1969-1970	Martyrose Aivaz (Deacon)
1866-1869	Rev. Ephiphan H. Gregorian	1972	Archbishop Haikazoon Abrahamian
1866-1869	Rev. Nicholaose Ter H. Eghiaian (Archpriest)	1972	Bishop Vahan Terian
1869-1872	Rev. Aviet Astvatsatourian	1973-1974	Very Rev. Fr. Hair Woskan Kalpakian
1870-1873	Rev. Martyrose Ter Hovakimian (Archpriest)	1974-1981	Very Rev. Fr. Vazken Tatoyan
1870-1873	Rev. Gregor Ter Marcarian	1982-1984	Rev. Fr. Hagop Guekchian
1874-1876	Rev. Nicholaose Ter H Eghiaian (Archpriest)	1985-2000	Anthony Galstaun (Deacon)
1872-1875	Rev. Gasper Ter Simonian	2000-2003	Rev. Fr. Sahak Sahakyan
1874-1875	Rev. Gregor Ter Harouthiunian	2003-2004	Very Rev. Fr. Ghevond Ghervondyan
1875-1877	Rev. Barsgh Ter Gevork Gasparian	2005-2007	Very Rev. Fr. Oshagan Gulgulian
1875-1878	Rev. Dyonisius Ter Eliazarian	2005-2009	Tigran Baghoumyan (Deacon)
1877-1881	Rev. Minas Barseghian	2007-2008	Very Rev. Fr. Oshagan Gulgulian
1878-1882	Rev. Mackertich Petrosian	2008-2009	Haroutyn Hambardzumyan (Deacon. Became Rev. Fr. Avetis below)
1880-1884	Rev. Martyrose G. Apcarian	2009-2010	Rev. Fr. Avetis Hambardzumyan (ordained a Priest in Kolkata)
1882-1885	Rev. Mesrobe C. Davidian	2010-2013	Very Rev. Fr. Khoren Hovhannisian (defrocked in 2002, refrocked 2009, defrocked again 2017)
1883-1885	Rev. Rethevos Davidian	2010-2010	Very Rev. Ignatious Malkhasyan
1885-1888	Rev. Psack H. Hacobian	2010-2015	Rev. Fr. Geghard Ghabaghyan
1885-1892	rev. Gregor Ter Marcarian	2010-2011	Samvel Harutiunian (Deacon)
1885-1889	Rev. Galstaun Ter Barseghian	2013-2016	Ver Rev. Fr. Zaven Yakichyan
1886-1891	Rev.Elisha H. Mackertoumian	2013-2015	Rev. Fr. Arsen Saroyan
1889-1893	Rev. Barsegh Ter Gevork Gasparian	2016-2021	Rev. Fr. Movses Sargsyan
		2016	Varazdat Kocharyan (Deacon)

* Padre Daniel was an Armenian priest at the Armenian Holy Church of Nazareth in 1755, details extracted from the Will of Catchick Coja Maul dated 17th November 1755.

** Padre Dionysius Manasser was an Armenian priest in Calcutta in 1779, details extracted from his Will dated 2nd February 1779, Calcutta.

*** Carapiet Margar was an Armenian priest at the Armenian Holy Church of Nazareth in 1793, details extracted from the marriage register entries for 1793.

 

My thanks to Mario Stepanian, son of Rev. Vazken Stepanian for assistance with information and dates in the 1960’s and 1970’s.
Also Very Rev. Fr. Zaven Yakichyan for updating the list in February 2014

Armenian population snapshot below.

	1814	1815	1836
Male	269	272	290	For 1836 the adults of all ages were 313 and children 192.  The number of houses in which the 505 people resided were 101
Female	195	208	215
Total	464	480	505

 

Year	Births	Marriages	Deaths
1811	10	7	12
1812	8	2	12
1813	8	4	14
1814	13	5	21
1815	9	4	21
1816	11	7	15
1817	11	3	20
1819	5	1	23
1820	11	5	17
1821	16	4	16
1822	12	5	16
1823	8	2	10
1824	7	6	21
1825	15	5	19
1826	8	3	19
1827	18	5	15
1829	12	4	15
1830	9	4	14
1831	19	3	17
1832	13	2	17
1833	13	3	23
1834	9	7	16
1835	19	4	7
Total	280	99	395

 

An early statistical snapshot of the Armenian community in Calcutta gives you an idea of the thriving community. The Births, Marriages and Deaths of the Armenian population of Calcutta for a 25year period from 1811 to 1835 inclusive.*

 

Armenian population count in Calcutta for the years*

 

*Taken from “Statistics of the Colonies of the British Empire 1839, From the Official Records of the Colonial Office”
By Robert Montgomery Martin.

Armenian Advocates of the Calcutta High Court from 1855-1893