History

The Armenian Protestant Church of Ourfa

This Armenian Protestant Church building was located at one tip of the Tilfandir District, adjacent to the American Mission.

The Armenian Protestant Church was founded in 1880 and was designed by the architect Kel Krikor. Pastor Hagop Abouhayatian played a large role in ensuring the construction of this church.

He was a native of Ourfa, and in 1877 he traveled to Germany where he raised funds to support the construction of the church.

During those days of pogroms and persecution, the Armenian Protestant Church was spared, most probably thanks to the efforts of the American mission.

During the years of the Genocide, the Turkish authorities converted the church into a storehouse for a local orphanage.

by Houshamadyan from Mano Chil

Vigen Avetisyan

Recent Posts

A Tower Crowned by a Lion-Rider: Reading a Bronze Age Cult Vessel Through the Lens of the Armenian Highlands

A small, weathered piece of fired clay — barely 31 centimeters tall — sits today…

3 days ago

A Hand Reaching Through Three Millennia: The Bronze Pendant from Yeghvard

Pendant (Amulet) in the Shape of a Human Hand | 7th–6th centuries BC | Yeghvard…

1 week ago

Duduk (Tsiranapogh): The Ancient Voice of Armenia from the Bronze Age to UNESCO Heritage

Introduction The duduk (Armenian: դուդուկ)—traditionally known as tsiranapogh (ծիրանափող, “apricot-wood pipe”)—is one of the most…

2 weeks ago

The Earliest Known Mention of Yerevan in Armenian Epigraphy: The 874 Inscription of Sevanavank

Perched on the rocky peninsula of Lake Sevan, the medieval monastery of Sevanavank preserves one…

3 weeks ago

The Land of Kajants: Language, Kings, and Gods

Reconsidering the Language and Sacred Heritage of Urartu in Armenian Historical Thought For more than…

1 month ago

Hayasa-Azzi: A Powerful Armenian Kingdom of the Armenian Highlands

Among the earliest known states of the Armenian Highlands, few are as historically important as…

1 month ago