Armenian Church of Atlanta

Information about this center is no longer updated. This data was last updated on 11 October 2009.

Phone: 770-641-9267
Website: http://www.armenianchurchofatlanta.org
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Overview

The Armenian Apostolic Church, also known as the Armenian Orthodox Church, traces its origins to the earliest centuries of the Christian era. It belongs to the family of Oriental Orthodox Churches, which includes the Coptic, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Syriac, and Malankara (Indian) Churches. The Armenian Church maintains two separate jurisdictions in the United States: one is under the Catholicate of Cilicia, currently based in Antelias, Lebanon; the other, to which the Armenian Church of Atlanta belongs, is under the ancient see of Etchmiadzin in the modern Republic of Armenia.

Activities and Schedule

The Divine Liturgy is celebrated once a month, on Sundays at 2 P.M., at Epiphany Byzantine Catholic Church (pictured above) in Roswell, Georgia. For details, see the church website.

History

A group of Armenian families living in the Atlanta area came together in 1992 and, wishing to form a church, petitioned the diocese in New York. At first they were able to have liturgy only a few times each year, but as the church became more established, the diocese committed to sending a priest on a monthly basis. In the early days, the community met in people's homes. Since 1995, however, they have been able to hold services at a local Byzantine Catholic church, the same church where the Coptic Orthodox community had formerly been worshipping. In 2001 the church bought two acres of land, which were consecrated by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian the following year. In 2004 an adjacent piece of property was also purchased. The land is only about a mile and a half from Roswell City Hall, and the community is currently raising money to build a parish hall and sanctuary.

The Church and Its Liturgy

The Armenian Church of Atlanta presently meets in Epiphany Byzantine Catholic Church, a beautiful church situated on a large, wooded property. The Byzantine Catholic congregation is typically finished by around twelve-thirty, allowing the Armenian parish to hold their service later in the afternoon. The liturgy is usually celebrated by Bishop Vicken Aykazian, who travels once a month from Washington, D.C., though other priests occasionally fill in for him. Depending on the time of year, Sunday liturgies at the Armenian church draw between twenty and eighty people, though at Christmas and Easter attendance swells into the hundreds. With the exception of a brief general confession recited in English shortly before communion, the service is in classical Armenian. People stand for most of the service, which lasts about an hour. Dress is modest, though not overly formal. A small choir sings a cappella, and the congregation joins in for the better-known hymns. After the liturgy and a short sermon in Armenian, the community enjoys coffee and refreshments, or sometimes a meal together.