Faith in Action and Learning
Through a diverse and dynamic range of programmes, the Diocese of the Armenian Church in the United Kingdom and Ireland brings faith into daily life and transforms community into lived experience. These initiatives are designed to deepen spiritual understanding, foster Christian fellowship, celebrate Armenian heritage, educate and inspire all generations, and extend the pastoral presence of the Church wherever Armenians live. From prayer and study to culture, advocacy, and pilgrimage, each programme invites participation in a shared journey of faith, service, and identity rooted in the teachings of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Diocesan Programmes
Our weekly Bible Studies with the clergy aim to support the faithful of the community in search of a deeper understanding of their faith and Christian fellowship. They will study the Holy Scriptures, share their reflections, and enjoy food and drinks in a welcoming atmosphere at the Diocesan Centre in Brentford. These are not academic discussions, but a journey together through the Bible.
Bible Studies
Our outreach programme helps the Armenian Church connect with Armenians in the UK and Ireland, especially where no parish previously existed. The Primate’s Office promotes inter-parish relations and the sharing of resources. It cooperates with organisations to help establish new Mission Parishes so more Armenians in the UK can receive pastoral care, regular clergy visits, Bible studies, Sunday schools, Deacon training programmes, lectures, and social events.
Parish Outreach
Armenian Summer Festival (ASF)
The first-ever Armenian Summer Festival was hosted in 2011 under the auspices of His Grace Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, and is continued by His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan. It has since become an annual celebration of Armenian culture, history, identity, and faith, being a love letter to the diversity of our shared heritage. It offers a comprehensive programme of music, entertainment, home-made foods, market stalls, and children’s activities.
The Diocese regularly works with erudite speakers to create free educational programmes on the subjects of theology, history, ethics, and cultural heritage. We have welcomed university lecturers, professors, and other distinguished guests to discuss contemporary Christianity, Christian witness, the cultural heritage of Artsakh, and more. New lecture series are always in development as we continue to collaborate with our friends in high-level institutions.
Diocesan Lecture Series
The Bishop Grigoris Balakian Annual Lecture, launched in 2024, serves as an important platform for raising awareness and advocating for the rights and dignity of those impacted by ethnic cleansing in contemporary times. It honours the legacy of Bishop Grigoris (1875-1934), an eyewitness to the genocide of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, Primate of the Armenian Church in the UK in 1922, and a respected leader, especially in the aftermath of WWI.
Balakian Lectures
Among our goals, the Diocese works to support the spiritual growth, moral understanding, and cultural identity of Armenian children through creative, joyful, and community-centered learning. We regularly develop and host fun and educational lessons and workshops, most of which are held during school holidays. These include arts and crafts, music and dance, and religious education.
Children’s Programmes
Since the earliest centuries of Christianity, pastors and bishops organised pilgrimages for their faithful to follow in the steps of the Lord and the Apostles. The Primate’s Office continues to organise pilgrimages to Jerusalem and the Holy Land, Holy Etchmiadzin and Armenia, and the Armenian Churches and Monasteries in historic Western Armenia. These pilgrimages include Bible Studies, evening vigils, and insightful discussions about faith and our Church’s teachings.