Armenians in America

Where is the Armenian Church of America headquartered?
The Armenian Church of America is divided into two dioceses.  The Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) is headed by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian and oversees parishes from the Atlantic Coast to New Mexico.  It is headquartered at St. Vartan Cathedral, 630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016; 212-686-0710. 

The Western Diocese, led by Archbishop Vatché Hovsepian, is at 3325 N. Glen Oaks Blvd., Burbank, CA 91504; 818-558-7474.  Archbishop Hovnan Derderian serves as Primate for the Canadian Diocese, headquartered at 615 Stuart Ave., Outremont, Quebec, H2V 3H2; 514-276-9479.

Who is the Primate and what is his role?
The Primate is the head bishop of a diocese, who serves as the spiritual head and administrative head of the church.  In the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), the Primate is Archbishop Khajag Barsamian.

Who chooses the Primate?
The diocesan Primate is chosen by a vote of Diocesan delegates (priests and lay community leaders elected by their parishes) during the Diocesan Assembly.  The Primate serves a four-year term.  The current primate, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, has served three full terms, being first elected on Mary 5, 1990.

When did the Armenian Church arrive in America?
A small number of Armenian immigrants began arriving in the United States in 1834 in search of higher education at American universities.  The first Armenian Church was built in Worcester, MA, in 1891.  The first Armenian clergyman had arrived earlier, in response to a petition by 300 Armenian residents of the city. 

By 1897, as the number of Armenian immigrants grew, there were six clergymen serving the Armenian Church in America.  With the exception of Worcester, services were held in non-Armenian sanctuaries, notably Episcopalian churches.  The Armenian Church of America was officially established by Catholicos Mkrtich Khrimian in 1898.

Did Genocide cause many Armenians to immigrate to America?
Larger groups of Armenians began arriving in the 1880s and ’90s to escape Ottoman Turkish oppression, especially the massacres of 1895-96.  The influx of Arme­nian immigrants to the New World reached its peak in the aftermath of the 1915 Armenian Genocide, when large numbers of Armenians living in Turkey were systematically persecuted, deported and exterminated by the Ottoman regime during World War I.  By the 1950s, it was calculated that around 200,000 Armenians were living in the U.S. and Canada -- a result of the influx of Genocide survivors and their descendents.

Where are the largest Armenian populations in America?
There are close to one million Armenians in the United States and Canada.  Major centers of Armenian population include New York City, Detroit, Boston , Philadelphia, and Glendale, CA.  New Armenian immigrants from the former Soviet Union are causing growth in communities such as Kansas City and St. Louis, MO; Hartford, CT; Fargo, ND; Erie, PA; Chicago, IL; Jacksonville, FL; Brooklyn and Queens, NY; and Nashville, TN.