Our Diocese:
Serving the Armenian faithful across the UK and Ireland
The Armenian community in the UK and Ireland has a rich and enduring history, rooted in early links with Britain and strengthened through trade, faith, and shared heritage. From the 19th-century Armenian merchants of Manchester to today’s active parishes across the UK and Ireland, the community has remained steadfast in preserving its spiritual, cultural, and communal life. Guided by the Armenian Apostolic Church, this legacy continues through worship, education, and service, uniting generations around a shared faith and identity.
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The life of the Armenian community in the UK and Ireland began in the 19th century in Manchester, though Armenians had settled in Britain as early as Roman times. Links between Armenia and Britain were strengthened during the Crusades, notably when Richard I of England married Berengaria of Cyprus, with the Armenian King of Cilicia acting as his best man. Further connections developed in India, where Armenian traders worked closely with British companies such as the East India Company, valued for their linguistic and commercial expertise.
For centuries, Armenians lived in western Asia Minor, including Constantinople (Istanbul) and Smyrna (Izmir), many of them engaged in the cotton trade. These links naturally led to Manchester—“Cottonopolis”—where Armenian firms established agencies in the 1830s and 1840s. By 1862, around thirty Armenian businesses were thriving in the city. As the community prospered, they built the Holy Trinity Armenian Church, which opened on Easter Sunday in 1870 and has since served as both a place of worship and a social centre.
In the early 20th century, Manchester held a prominent position within the Armenian Diaspora. Although the community later declined with the fall of the cotton trade, it remains one of the largest and most active Armenian communities in the UK.
Today, Armenian parishes exist throughout the UK and Ireland. The Diocese includes two major churches in London—St. Sarkis and St. Yeghiche—and provides outreach to communities in Manchester, Guildford, Birmingham, Dublin, Glasgow, Cardiff, and Oxford. Rooted in a heritage that began with Saints Thaddeus and Bartholomew and guided by St. Gregory the Illuminator, the Diocese continues to preserve Armenian faith and culture through worship, education, and community life.
In 2022, the Armenian Church Trust UK purchased a new building to serve as the Diocesan headquarters. Renovated and opened in March 2023, the Armenian Diocesan Centre (Arajnortaran) is now a vibrant hub for community life, featuring a chapel, halls, conference facilities, library, offices, and accommodations. It hosts many diocesan events, including lectures, workshops, conferences, and fundraising activities.
Our Mission
“As Bishop and Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church in the United Kingdom and Ireland, my mission is to lead our faithful closer to God by preaching, teaching, and living the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, in faithfulness to the sacred doctrines and traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church”.
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“As Bishop and Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church in the United Kingdom and Ireland, my mission is to lead our faithful closer to God by preaching, teaching, and living the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, in faithfulness to the sacred doctrines and traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Through prayer, collective worship, and humble service, I seek to nurture a living and active faith within our communities, encouraging spiritual growth and deepening our relationship with Christ. At the heart of my ministry is a commitment to love of God and neighbour, the protection of the sanctity of family life, service to our communities, and respect for all life and God’s creation.
I am dedicated to preserving and advancing our rich spiritual and cultural heritage, ensuring that it remains a living treasure for future generations. I strive to make the Diocese a true spiritual home for Armenians across the United Kingdom and Ireland—welcoming, supportive, and rooted in faith.
United with the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Catholicosate of All Armenians, and as part of the family of Oriental Orthodox Churches, I seek to strengthen our unity, foster ecumenical friendship, and bear faithful witness to Christ in today’s world.”
Our Priests
Rev. Fr. Shnork Bagdassarian
Fr. Shnork Kahana Baghdassarian was ordained a priest on 16th October 1993 at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. His first assignment at the Holy See was as the Editorial Assistant of the Holy Etchmiadzin Journal. In 1985, Fr. Shnork was sent to London to continue his theological studies and to serve at the St Sarkis Armenian Church under the spiritual direction of His Eminence Archbishop Yeghishe Gizirian.
Pastor of St. Sarkis Church
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After his graduation from Heythrop College, University of London, he returned to Armenia and continued his service in the Homeland as a lecturer and member of the newly formed Christian Teaching Centre. He also set up and managed the Holy Etchmiadzin Media Office under the direction of His Holiness Vasken I.
In 1993, the Trustees of St Sarkis Armenian Church, with the Blessing of Archbishop Yeghishe Gizirian, appointed Fr Shnork as Pastor of St Sarkis Church. In parallel with his pastoral responsibilities, he continued his postgraduate studies at Heythrop College, graduating with a Diploma in Pastoral Theology (1994) and an MA in Pastoral Liturgy (1996).
Fr Shnork has served in various charitable and voluntary organisations and committees, both Armenian and Ecumenical, including Aid Armenia, CRAG, Education Committee, 1700th Anniversary Committee, Hayastan Fund, KCC (Kensington Council of Churches), COOC-GB (Council of Oriental Orthodox Churches of GB), and AECA (Anglican Eastern Churches Association).
Rev. Fr. Nshan Alaverdyan
Fr. Nshan Gevorg Alaverdyan was
ordained a priest on September 21, 2014 by Haykazun Najarian and appointed spiritual shepherd of the Nor Nork 1st Church in the Araratian Patriarchal Diocese while continuing prison visits. In 2018, he began serving in the Armenian Diocese of Great Britain and Ireland and was appointed pastor of St. Yeghiche Church by Hovakim Manukyan; he is married with two children.
Pastor of St. Yeghiche Church
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Fr. Nshan Gevorg Alaverdyan was born on January 17, 1981, in the village of Varser in the Sevan region. In 1987-1998, he studied at R. R. Petrosyan Secondary School and at the Gevorgyan Theological Seminary in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in 1998-2007. He served in the National Army from 2004 to 2006.
On December 25, 2003, Bishop Sion Adamyan ordained him a deacon. Since 2007, he has served with the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and was the Deacon of the secretary of the Echmiadzin Foreign Language Department. In February-April 2011, he served in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin Communication Department. In 2011-2014, he served as a visiting deacon in the spiritual care of the penitentiary institutions.
On September 21, 2014, Bishop Haykazun Najarian ordained him a priest. He was appointed as a spiritual shepherd of a newly-reconstructed Nor Nork 1st Chuch of the Araratian Patriarchal Diocese, in parallelly continuing his prison visits. On February 20, 2018, Fr. Nshan was called to serve in the Armenian Diocese of Great Britain and Ireland. On April 12, he was appointed pastor of St. Yeghiche Church by His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan. He’s married, has two children.
Our Deacons
Nairi Afrikyan
Nairi Afrikyan is an Armenian-born contemporary artist based in London. He studied Fine Art at Central Saint Martins (University of the Arts London), where he developed a conceptually driven artistic practice.
His work explores themes of memory, loss, and cultural identity, with a particular focus on the lasting impact of the Armenian Genocide and its role in shaping collective memory across generations.
In addition to his artistic work, Nairi Afrikyan is actively involved in the Armenian community in the UK. He has been serving as a deacon in the Armenian Apostolic Church since 2010 and contributes to various cultural and community initiatives.
Vatche Hisarlian
Vatche Hisarlian was born in Istanbul in 1990. He studied at Merametciyan and Mkhitaryan Varjaran Armenian schools and later completed his BA in Communication Studies. He built a career in the events industry, gaining extensive experience over the years, and eventually founded Vank Coffee, a brand he remains deeply passionate about.
After moving to London, Vatche became an active altar server at St. Yeghiche Armenian Church. In 2025, he was ordained as a deacon by His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan. He is currently pursuing Orthodox Christian Studies in Cambridge, serves as Co‑Secretary of the Catholic–Oriental Orthodox Regional Forum, and is a member of the Parish Council of St. Yeghiche Armenian Church.
Vatche is married and has a daughter.
Adam Vazgen Malkhasian
Adam Vazgen Malkhasian is a political scientist whose research focuses on contemporary phenomena through a philosophico-theological lens.
His clerical experience includes service connected to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Ecumenical Department of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and the former office of RA military chaplaincy.
He currently serves at his home parish of St Sarkis as Parish Council Secretary and Public Relations Manager.
He works the Diocese extends to contributing to the development of the Armenian Orthodox Catechism programme, alongside Fr Nshan and Acolyte Movses, and supports the Bishops efforts in representing Armenian ecclesial and communal interests.