One
of the oldest churches in Chennai, the Armenian Church
on No: 116 Armenian Street, remains a place of peace and
tranquility in the midst of the cacophony of street vendors
outside. The Church complex includes a small chapel, where
regular services used to be held and a Belfry tower.Now a
deserted place, with a few visitors, mostly foreign tourists,
this church was bustling with activity in the 17th and 18th
century, when almost 200 Armenian families lived in Chennai.
The church complex, in olden times had served as a mortuary
and cemetery as well. This particular emblem on the tombstone
has motifs of scissors, scale and balance, to signify "cut,
measure and weigh justly".
The bells in the Belfry tower. They were cast in England
and shipped exclusively for this church. Each bell weighs
200 kilograms.
The Church corridor, where many tombstones of Armenians buried
in the 17th century, can be seen.
Built initially in 1712 near Fort St George, this church
was destroyed in the French seige in 1746. It was completly
rebuilt in 1772 at Armenian Street
The Belfry tower, which is the only church in Chennai to
boast 6 iron bells. The bells are rung every sunday.
