List of churches in Aleppo

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List of active churches and cathedrals in the Syrian city of Aleppo.[1] Note that around 20 churches received varying damage during the Battle of Aleppo, which ended in December 2016.[2]

Bilingual street signs referring to church locations in the historic al-Jdayde district of Aleppo

Armenian churches[edit]

Name Consecration year Notes
Forty Martyrs Cathedral 1491 Located in the Jdayde quarter of Aleppo, it is the seat of the Armenian diocese, as well as one of the oldest operating churches in the city. Damaged by the rebels through an underground explosion on April 28, 2015.[3]
Surp Krikor Lusavorich Church (Saint Gregory the Illuminator's Church) 1933 Built in the Midan district between 1930 and 1933 by Armenian refugees from Cilicia who survived the Armenian genocide. It was consecrated on November 26, 1933.
Surp Hagop Church (Saint Jacob of Nisibis Church) 1943 Built in the Old Syriac (Assyrian) Quarter by Armenian refugees from Urfa who survived the Armenian genocide. It was consecrated on June 3, 1943.
Surp Kevork Church (Saint George's Church) 1965 Originally consecrated in 1923 as a small wooden church by Armenian refugees from Marash who survived the Armenian Genocide. The current building was consecrated on September 26, 1965, after a long construction process launched in 1937. However, the interior of the church was burnt by the rebels on October 29, 2012.[4]
Church of the Holy Mother of God 1983 Built in the Suleimaniyeh-Villat quarter by the descendants of Armenian Genocide survivors from Ayntab, and consecrated on May 1, 1983.
Name Consecration year Notes
Cathedral of Our Mother of Reliefs 1840 Located at Tilel Street near the Jdayde quarter, the church is serving as the seat of the diocese since its consecration in 1840. It was damaged after being shelled by the rebels on January 9, 2015.[5]
Church of the Holy Saviour - Saint Barbara 1937 Originally opened as a small prayer house by the Jesuit fathers. The current building was opened in 1937 on the same location, in the Suleimaniyeh district.
Church of Our Lady of Annunciation 1942 Located in the Sheikh Maqsood district, the church was originally opened in 1942. It was entirely rebuilt in 2000. However, it was heavily damaged after being shelled by the rebels on December 3, 2015.[6][7]
Holy Trinity Church 1965 Locate in the Midan district, it is also known as Zvartnots Church, consecrated on June 13, 1965, on the 50th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
Church of the Holy Cross 1993 The church was consecrated on April 24, 1993, in the Aziziyeh district.
Name Consecration year Notes
Emmanuel Church 1923 Serves as the seat of the congregation since its consecration in 1923, in the Azizyeh district. The roof of the church was heavily damaged after being shelled by rebels on January 17, 2016. The church is currently being renovated.[8]
Bethel Church 1937 Built between 1934 and 1937 in the Jabriyeh district, by Armenian refugees from Marash who survived the Armenian genocide.
Martyrs' Church 1965 Located in the Suleimaniyeh district, the church was consecrated on May 14, 1965. Suffered minor damages after being frequently shelled by the rebels during 2013.

Syriac churches[edit]

Name Consecration year Notes
Cathedral of Saint Ephrem the Syrian 1926 Serving as the seat of the diocese since its consecration on January 17, 1926. It was named after Saint Ephrem the Syrian.
Saint George the Martyr's Church 1935 Built in the Old Syriac Quarter of Aleppo by Syriac refugees from Urfa, between 1932 and 1935. It was consecrated on December 22, 1935.[9]
Church of Our Lady of Syrians 1994 Occupying the ground floor of an apartment building, the church was consecrated on October 15, 1994, in the New Syriac quarter of Aleppo.
Church of the Holy Mandylion 2003 Built in 2002-03 in the Old Syriac Quarter of Aleppo, near the Saint George the Martyr's Church. It was consecrated in 2003 in the memory of an old Syrian church of the same name in Urha.
Name Consecration year Notes
Mar Assia al-Hakim Church c. 1500 One of the historic churches of Ancient Aleppo, served as the seat of the diocese until 1970. The belfry was destroyed after being shelled by rebels on September 16, 2012,[10] while the church was severely damaged by the rebels through an underground explosion on April 28, 2015.
Saint Ephrem the Syrian's Church 1960 Built between 1958 and 1960 by Syriac refugees from Urha. It was consecrated on June 18, 1960, to commemorate the death of Saint Ephrem the Syrian.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Assumption 1970 Became the new seat of the diocese upon its consecration on March 22, 1970.
Name Consecration year Notes
Saint Joseph's Cathedral 1972 Seat of the diocese.
Name Consecration year Notes
Saint Elijah Cathedral 1873 Seat of the diocese. Frequently targeted by the rebels in 2012-15, severely damaged after a major rebel attack in May 2015.[11]
Church of Our Lady of Montligeon 1909 Severely damaged after being frequently shelled by the rebels in 2012-15.
Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus 2018 Occupying the ground floor of an apartment building, the church was consecrated on October 7, 2018, after 3 months of preparation works, in the Suleymaniyeh-Villat quarter of Aleppo.
Name Consecration year Notes
Syrian Evangelical Church of Aleppo

Greek rite churches[edit]

Name Consecration year Notes
Church of the Dormition of Our Lady c. 1500 One of the historic churches of Ancient Aleppo, served as the seat of the diocese until 2000. Damaged by the rebels through an underground explosion on April 28, 2015.
Saint George's Church
Church of Saints Peter and Paul
Saint Elijah the Prophet's Cathedral 2000 The church became the seat of the diocese upon its consecration on December 17, 2000. The church was entirely built through donations of the Greek community members in Aleppo.
Saint Joseph's Church 2002 Consecrated on March 17, 2012 by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Beroea and Alexandretta. The church is co-administered by the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Aleppo.
Name Consecration year Notes
Cathedral of Virgin Mary 1843 Seat of the diocese. Frequently targeted by the rebels in 2012-15, severely damaged after a major rebel attack in May 2015.
Saint Demetrius Church 1933 Named after Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki.
Saint Michael the Archangel Church 1935
Saint Matilda Church 1964
Saint George's Church 1969 Named after Saint George, one of the largest places of worship in Aleppo.
Saint Theresa Church 1995
Church of Our Lady of Joy 2009-12 Located in the Sheikh Maqsood district, the church was damaged after being shelled by the rebels on April 17, 2016.[12]
Church of Our Lady of Annunciation at the Monastery of John Chrysostom 2015 The church was not consecrated due to the break-out of the battles in Aleppo. It was partly damaged after rebel attack in October–November 2016.[13]

Latin rite churches[edit]

Name Consecration year Notes
Church of the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary 1891
Church of Saint Bonaventure 1910 The church auffered minor damages on March 18, 2012, after a car bomb claimed by the Free Syrian Army.
Church of Mary of the Passion of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary Monastery 1932
Saint Vartan's Church and Monastery 1936 Frequently targeted by the rebels in 2012-15, suffered major damages after being attacked by the Turkmen Sultan Murad Division in April 2015.[14]
Saint Francis of Assisi Church 1937 Consecrated on October 10, 1937 to serve as the seat of Apostolic Vicariate of Aleppo between until 2011.
Church and Monastery of the Society of Jesus 1955 Slightly damaged after being shelled by the rebels in January 2016.
Church of Saint Anthony of Padua of the Holy Land Monastery Named after Saint Anthony of Padua.
Church of Jesus the Worker of the Carmelite Monastery 1977
Church of Our Lady of Annunciation
Cathedral of the Child Jesus 2011 Became the seat of the Apostolic Vicariate of Aleppo upon its consecration on January 15, 2011.

Arab Evangelical churches[edit]

Name Consecration year Notes
National Evangelical Church of Aleppo 1848 Located in the Jdayde quarter, served as the seat of the congregation until the break-up of the Battle of Aleppo, when two-thirds of the church building was destroyed by the rebels, through an underground explosion on November 6, 2012.[15] In 2021, a comprehensive renovation of the church began.[16]
National Presbyterian Church of Aleppo 2015 Located in the Suleimaniyeh-Villat quarter, the church became the seat of the congregation upon its consecration on December 25, 2015, after a construction period of less than 1 year.[17]
  • Christian Evangelical Alliance of Syria
Name Consecration year Notes
Church of Jesus Light for All Nations (Nour el-Alam) 1985 Occupying the ground floor of an apartment building, the church was opened in 1985, in the Suleymaniyeh-Villat quarter of Aleppo.
  • Christian Baptist Alliance of Syria
Name Consecration year Notes
Aleppo Baptist Evangelical Church 2003 Occupying the ground floor of an apartment building in the New Syriac quarter since January 2003, the church sustained serious damages as a result of a rocket hit by the armed opposition groups on May 15, 2014.

Further reading[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Qenshrin.com: Guide to the Christian congregations in Aleppo (in Arabic)". Archived from the original on 2011-03-01.
  2. ^ Stiftung Gerda Henkel. "Damage Assessment". L.I.S.A. WISSENSCHAFTSPORTAL GERDA HENKEL STIFTUNG (in English and Arabic). Retrieved 2020-02-18.
  3. ^ Update: Aleppo's Forty Martyrs Church Compound Suffers Damage, Church Unharmed
  4. ^ Armenian Church Burned in Aleppo
  5. ^ Armenian Catholic Cathedral in Aleppo Bombed Hours Before Mass
  6. ^ بالصور.. قذائف الفصائل الإسلامية تدمر كنيسة السيدة العذراء في الشيخ مقصود
  7. ^ كنيسة القديسة مريم العذراء في مرمى المرتزقة
  8. ^ Children dead and Armenian Evangelical Church in Aleppo damaged in rocket attacks and bombings in Syria
  9. ^ "Syrian Orthodox Archdiocese of Aleppo Syria". Collegio Sant Anselmo. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  10. ^ "Mar Assia church is damaged". Syrcata.org. 2012-10-01. Archived from the original on 2013-11-27. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  11. ^ استهداف جديد للكنائس في ساحة فرحات في حلب - شاهد الصور
  12. ^ على حي الشيخ مقصود بحلب يسفر عن تدمير جزء من كنيسة مريم العذراء[dead link]
  13. ^ النظام يستميت لاستعادة "ضاحية الأسد"..وروسيا تقصف حلب من البحر
  14. ^ ثوار حلب داخل كنيسة (دير وارطان) في حي الميدان
  15. ^ VBS and Aleppo Presbyterian Church, Syria
  16. ^ @SyriaRebuilt (March 15, 2021). "With the war over in Jdaydeh, and necessary infrastructure of the neighbourhood restored, they now rebuild their or…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  17. ^ @SyriaRebuilt (March 15, 2021). "Having been the only Arab Evangelical church in the city, the Arab Evangelical community of the city built a new ch…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.