When world’s first Armenian journal was published in city

A simple signage board declaring 1712, the year when the church was first built, is the only way one could spot the white facade of the centuries-old institution, which is easy to miss in the bustling Armenian Street, drowned by the hawkers’ cries and constant honking of vehicles in the congested thoroughfare. Step into the annals of the church, and the sounds fade away, replaced by stillness, only interrupted by the gongs from the belfry, announcing the beginning of service. 

On Tuesday, Armenians from the city and other metros gathered at this church to commemorate the death anniversary of Rev. Fr. Haruthiun Shmavonian, interred in the church’s premises. 

Very Rev. Movses Sargsyan, Pastor, Indian-Armenian Spiritual Pastorate, who serves the community in India, flew down from Kolkata, which has a sizeable Armenian population, to conduct the service. “After a regular service in Armenian, which we observe every Sunday, a memorial prayer was held for the repose of souls and to commemorate the death anniversary of Rev. Fr. Haruthiun Shmavonian, which falls on February 9. We also prayed for our ancestors, who are interred here,” said the Armenian pastor, who has been in India for the past two years. The service followed the Eastern Episcopal practices, which include the pastor leading the prayer facing the altar. 

The service was also attended by Very Rev. Joseph J Thaliaparampil, Cor-Episcopa from the St Thomas Orthodox Cathedral, and other Indian priests. “The language was different but despite that, it was interesting to view the religious liturgy,” said Very Rev. Joseph, who presented a picture of Geevarghese Mar Gregorios of Parumala, the first Indian Christian saint to the Armenian pastor. 

Chennai’s Armenian links go back a long way, when the predominantly trading community rose in prominence around the 1700s. In fact, the first constitution for an independent Armenia was drafted by the community here in 1781. 

Historian Nivedita Louis said that Armenians traded with Portuguese, Dutch and British here. “For instance, Khwoja Petrus Woskan, a merchant, was one of the few Armenians allowed to live in the White Town part of the city. When French Governor in Pondicherry, Joseph François Dupleix, attacked Madras, Woscan’s property was seized. He refused to surrender to the French because of his trade allegiance with the British and escaped to Tranquebar. Once the war was over, he revived his trade in Madras,” she said, adding that the Armenian Church (back then, a wooden structure) itself was destroyed during the French invasion and was rebuilt as a stone edifice in 1772.

Gathered around the tombstone of Rev. Fr. Haruthiun Shmavonian, Very Rev. Movses chants the hymns in Armenian, accompanied by other members – the sounds resounding in a church that has been in existence for more than 300 years here.