Our Lady of Cilicia Armenian Catholic Cathedral

Cathedral of Our Lady of Cilicia of the Armenian Catholics The Cathedral Monastery of Our Lady of Cilicia for the Armenian Catholics is a prominent religious center established in 1742 AD after the election of Archbishop Ibrahim Arzivian, who embraced Catholicism. In 1749, the patriarchal seat was moved to the Monastery of Our Lady of Bzommar, which became an important religious and educational center where the Patriarchal Congregation of Bzommar Fathers was founded. The monastery serves as a spiritual and cultural center for the Armenian Catholic community in Aleppo, hosting various religious and educational activities. It is also considered a symbol of Armenian Catholic heritage in the region, bearing witness to a long history of faith and culture. It was founded by displaced Armenian families from Marash. The design follows a three-aisled basilica style, with ceilings featuring intersecting vaults. It is adorned with a principal icon called “Our Lady of Salvation,” painted by Harout Avdian in 1915 in memory of the survivors of the massacres. In 1950, a twin bell tower measuring 28 meters in height was added. In 2016, the façade suffered damage from shrapnel and was restored with the original marble by the artists of Kleiṣ. The monastery hosts liturgical Armenian-Arabic musical concerts performed by the “Cilicia Choir,” and the internal guide explains the history of Eastern-Armenian encounters through archival paintings displayed under the crypt.