190 Years of Faith: Celebrating the Legacy of the Armenian Church in Singapore

From March 26 to 28, the Armenian Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator, Singapore’s oldest Christian landmark, commemorated its 190th anniversary with a series of high-profile international events. The celebrations commenced with the blessing of the newly established Armenian Heritage Centre and community hall, facilities designed to bolster the preservation of Armenian culture and language within the region.

The milestone attracted approximately 110 participants from 14 nations, including delegations from Australia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and India. During the Gala Dinner held on March 27 at the Wyndham Hotel, the focus remained on the community’s extraordinary resilience in maintaining its spiritual and cultural heritage. A fundraiser organized by the “Armenian Street” charitable fund successfully raised resources dedicated to the ongoing preservation of the church’s historic grounds, which are maintained entirely by volunteers.

The festivities concluded on March 28 with a Pontifical Holy Mass presided over by His Grace Archbishop Vardan Navasardyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Australia and New Zealand. The event was attended by the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Zareh Sinanyan, and Armenia’s Ambassador to Singapore, H.E. Serob Bejanyan. Discussions throughout the visit highlighted strategic cooperation and the strengthening of ties between Armenia and the diverse Armenian communities of the Far East.