page_title: Armenians in Lebanon
section_title: Apostolic (Orthodox) Armenians
hierarchical_section_title: Armenians in Lebanon / Religion / Apostolic (Orthodox) Armenians
caption_attribution_description: English: Sourp Asdvadzadzin Armenian church in Bikfaya, Lebanon. Հայերեն: Սուրբ Աստուածածին Եկեղեցին, Պիքվայայի վանք, Լիբանան։
context_page_description: The Armenians in Lebanon are Lebanese citizens of Armenian descent. There has been an Armenian presence in Lebanon for centuries. According to Minority Rights Group International, there are 156,000 Armenians in Lebanon, around 4% of the population. Prior to the Lebanese Civil War, the number was higher, but the community lost a portion of its population to emigration. After surviving the Armenian genocide, and initially settling in shanty towns in Lebanon, the Armenian population gradually grew and expanded until Beirut became a center of Armenian culture. The Armenians became one of Lebanon’s most prominent and productive communities.
context_section_description: The Holy See of Cilicia is located in Antelias (a northern suburb of Beirut). It was relocated there in 1930 from Sis (historical Cilicia, now in Turkey) after the Armenian genocide.  Alongside the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin located in Armenia, it is one of the two sees of the Armenian Apostolic Church (the national church of Armenians). The Catholicos, the leader of the Holy See of Cilicia, has his summer residence in Bikfaya in the Matn District also north of Beirut.  The seminary of the Armenian Apostolic Church is also on site at Bikfaya. The affairs of the Lebanese Armenian Orthodox population however are run by an independent body, the Armenian Prelacy of Lebanon (Aratchnortaran Hayots Lipanani) with its own Armenian Primate of Lebanon Bishop Shahé Panossian as head.
  The Armenian Apostolic churches in Lebanon include:
  The Saint Gregory the Illuminator Mother Cathedral (Sourp Krikor Lousavoritch Mayr Dajar) which serves as the church for the Holy See of Cilicia (Catholicossate of the Great House of Cilicia - In Armenian "Gatoghigosaran Medzi Danen Guiligio" (Antelias, Lebanon). The big complex also contains a memorial chapel dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide, an Armenian library, printing presses, Armenian museum and "Veharan", residence of the catholicos of Cilicia and premises for the clergy.
  Holy Sign (Saint Nshan) Armenian Orthodox Church (Downtown Beirut) which serves as the church for the Armenian Apostolic Archbishopric of Lebanon and head office of the Armenian Primate of Lebanon.
  Saint Hagop Armenian Apostolic Church (Jetawi, Achrafieh, Beirut)
  Saint George (Sourp Kevork) Armenian Apostolic Church (Hadjin, Mar Mikhael, Beirut)
  Armenian Apostolic Church of the Assumption (Khalil Badaoui, Beirut)
  Armenian Apostolic Church of the Assumption (Jounieh, Kesrouan, Lebanon)
  Forty Martyrs (Karasoun Manoug) Armenian Apostolic Church (Marash, Bourj Hammoud)
  Holy Mother of God (Sourp Asdvadzadzin) Armenian Apostolic Church (Adana, Bourj Hammoud)
  Saint Vartan Armenian Apostolic Church (Tiro, Bourj Hammoud)
  Saint Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church (Sis, Bourj Hammoud)
  Saint Paul (Sourp Boghos) Armenian Apostolic Church (Anjar, Beqaa, Lebanon)
  Holy Pentecost Armenian Apostolic Church (Tripoli, North Lebanon)
  Holy Mother of God (Sourp Asdvadzadzin) Armenian Apostolic Church - a complex that also includes the Zarehian Tebrevank (both in Bickfaya, Metn) and the commemorative statue of the Armenian Genocide
caption: Holy Mother of God Church (Sourp Asdvadzadzin) at the Armenian Seminary in Bikfaya
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