St. Mary’s Armenian Church
Khoja Petros Arathoon built the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at Saidabad in 1758, at his own expense in memory of his parents and brothers.
A prominent Armenian merchant benefactor who was a resident in Saidabad was Manatsaken Vardon. He was the Founder of the Armenian Philanthropic Academy, which was inaugurated on April 2, 1821. Manatsaken Vardon passed away on October 13, 1827 and is buried in the church at Saidabad.
The church closed down after its last sermon in 1860. In 2005, the newly elected Church Committee of Kolkata carried out a major restoration programme the likes of which has never been witnessed in the annals of the Armenian community of India.
On December 5, 2006, the St. Mary’s Armenian Church of Saidabadwas re-consecrated by His Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian. It is a matter of great delight that regular services are held today at Saidabad attended by the Armenian community of Kolkata and the children of the Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy.
In November 14, 2008, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, visited the church.
ST. MARY’S ARMENIAN CHURCH OF SAIDABAD (1758)
Girbijapara, P.O. Khagra, Saidabad
Murshidabad, WB, INDIA