Armenian Diocese of Beroea

Diocese of Beroea
Բերիոյ Հայոց Թեմ

Location
Country Syria
Statistics
Population
- Total		 (as of 2011 est.)
70,000
Information
Denomination Armenian Apostolic Church
Rite Armenian Rite
Established 1432
Cathedral Forty Martyrs Cathedral, Aleppo
Current leadership
Patriarch Aram I
Primate Archbishop Shahan Sarkisian
Website
Official website

Armenian Diocese of Beroea (Armenian: Բերիոյ Հայոց Թեմ Berio Hayots Tem), is one of the oldest dioceses of the Armenian Apostolic Church outside the historic Armenian territories, covering the Syrian city of Aleppo and the governorates of Deir ez-Zor, Idlib, Latakia and Raqqa. It is known as Beroea, being named after one of the ancient names of Aleppo; when the city was renamed Beroea (Βέροια) in 301 BC by Seleucus Nicator until the Arab conquest of Syria and Aleppo in 637 AD. The seat of the bishop is the Forty Martyrs Cathedral of Aleppo. It is under the jurisdiction of the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian Church.

History

The presence of Armenians in northern Syria dates back to the 1st century BC. Under Tigranes the Great, Armenians invaded Syria and the city of Antioch was chosen as one of the four capitals of the short-lived Armenian Empire.

In the Middle Ages, Armenia was conquered by the Arab Islamic Caliphate during the first half of the 7th century. Thousands of Armenians were carried into slavery by the Arab invaders to serve in other regions of the Umayyad Caliphate including the Muslim-controlled Syria.[1]

Another wave of Armenian migrants arrived in Cilicia and northern Syria during the 2nd half of the 11th century, when Armenia was conquered by the Seljuq Turks. Most Armenians established themselves in Cilicia where they founded the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. Many other Armenians have preferred to settle in northern Syria. Armenian quarters were formed during the 11th century in Antioch, Aleppo, Ayntab, Marash, Kilis, etc.

The prelacy building in Aleppo
Archbishop Shahan Sarkisian, the current prelate of the diocese

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However, the Armenian population of Syria and its surrounding areas has greatly diminished after the invasion of the Mongols under Hulagu Khan in 1260.

After the decline of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia during the 14th century, a new wave of Armenian migrants from the Cilician and other towns of northern Syria arrived in Aleppo. They have gradually developed their own schools and churches to become a well-organized community during the 15th century.

The Armenian Diocese of Beroea was founded in 1432 in Aleppo by the Great House of Cilicia. Hovakim of Beroea became the first bishop of Aleppo, serving as primate of the diocese between 1432 and 1442.[2]

The estimated population of the diocese all over Syria was around 70,000 Armenians before the breakout of the Syrian Civil War.[3]

Active churches

Here is the list of churches in Syria functioning under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Beroea, along with their location and year of consecration:[4]

Chapels

References

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