Armenian Diocese of Beroea

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 ar-Raqqah. 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 and churches

The prelacy building in Aleppo

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 between 1432 and 1442.^[1] The estimated population of the diocese all over Syria is around 70,000 Armenians.^[2] The prelacy has the following church buildings under its jurisdiction in Syria:^[3]

• Forty Martyrs Cathedral of Aleppo.
• Surp Krikor Lusavorich (Saint Gregory the Illuminator) Church of Aleppo.
• Surp Kevork Church of Aleppo.
• Surp Hagop Church of Aleppo.
• Church of the Holy Mother of God of Aleppo.
• Surp Hripsime Church of Yacoubiyah village.
• Surp Anna Church of Yacoubiyah village.
• Holy Mother of God Church of Latakia.
• Holy Mother of God Church of Kessab.
• Holy Mother of God Church of Karadouran, Kessab.
• Surp Stepanos Chapel of Karadouran, Kesab.
• Surp Kevork Armenian Church of Ghnemiyeh village.
• Surp Stepanos Church of Aramo village.
• Holy Mother of God Church of Ar-Raqqah.
• Holy Cross Church of Tell Abyad.
• Armenian Genocide Martyrs' Memorial Church-Complex of Deir ez-Zor.
• Holy Resurrection Chapel of Margadeh village.

Gallery

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  Forty Martyrs Cathedral, Aleppo

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  Church of the Holy Mother of God, Aleppo

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  Saint Gregory Church of Aleppo in 1936

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  Surp Kevork Church of Aleppo, burnt by the Syrian armed opposition during the Syrian Civil War

References