Church of St Yeghiche, South Kensington facts for kids
St Yeghiche Armenian Church (Armenian: Սուրբ Եղիշե եկեղեցի) is a very important church for the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church in Great Britain. It is the largest Armenian church in the country. You can find it in South Kensington, London, facing Cranley Gardens.
A Church with a Rich History
This beautiful building was first built in 1867. It was originally known as St Peter's Anglican Church. A successful builder named Charles James Freake had it built. For many years, it served as a local church for the Church of England in Kensington.
From Anglican to Armenian
In 1972, the Church of England decided that St Peter's was no longer needed for their services. This meant the building became available for a new purpose. In January 1973, the Anglican services stopped.
The Armenian Orthodox Church then showed interest in using the building. In 1998, a kind person bought the church building. They paid for it to be repaired and updated. New features were added to make it suitable for Armenian church services, known as the Divine Liturgy.
Other Armenian Churches in London
St Yeghiche Armenian Church is not the only Armenian church in Kensington. Another one is St Sarkis. St Sarkis has a more traditional Armenian architectural style.
