ILLUMINATING THE CHURCH OF ST. GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR

Daily News Egypt
April 13, 2009 Monday

Northeast of Ramsis station, along the street of the same name,
an unimposing gate opens into the Armenian Church of St. Gregory
the Illuminator. If it were not enclosed, it would be impossible to
miss the ornate exterior of the newly renovated church gleaming in
stark contrast to the decrepit surrounding buildings, reflecting the
Armenian minority’s continued devotion to their traditional culture.

The three-year renovation of the Church led by Nairy Hampikian,
an architect of Armenian origin, cost LE 1 million and employed
27 fulltime staff, expanding to 78 depending on the stage of the
project. Funding was provided by the Parish.

Armenian immigration to Egypt began in earnest in the 1920s, fleeing
from the Turkish genocide. During the 1940s, 40,000 Armenians lived
in Egypt, many of whom would later leave as a result of Nasser’s
nationalization policies. The current Armenian population in Egypt
is estimated to number between 7,000-10,000, concentrated in Cairo
and Alexandria.

The Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator is one of two Armenian
churches in Cairo and the only Armenian Apostolic Church in the
city. The church was erected in 1928, after four years of construction,
by prominent Armenian architect Levon Nafilian. The church embodies
the two archetypes of classical Armenian architecture: employing
stone materials and topped with a conical dome.

The structure is not only beautifully renovated, but belies innovative
building techniques employed first by Nafilian and later replicated
by Hampikian. During Nafilian’s time, stone ceased to function as the
main building material for church structure and was replaced by more
secure reinforced concrete.

Nafilian retained the traditional style Armenian architecture is
known for, but only superficially. The skeleton of the Church is
constructed with reinforced concrete but the exterior’s cladding is
made of narrow stone blocks.

Nearly every element of the church is made with reinforced concrete
and painted to look like a different building material. The dome,
viewed from inside the church, looks as if it were constructed with
wooden paneling, but as Hampikian explained, it is reinforced concrete
painted to resemble wood.

The 16 imposing marble columns that caught my eye when I first arrived
turned out to be reinforced concrete painted to look like marble. The
illusion is complete.

"We have no secrets from our friends," Hampikian joked as she
catalogued materials used in the structure. She explained the
renovation project took care to preserve the integrity of the initial
design by employing similar building materials and techniques to the
conservation effort.

During the lengthy renovation stage, the church’s basement was
re-framed for increased structural support, the exterior was fortified
with new stones, the dome was repaired, stained glass windows were
renovated, and columns were rebuilt. The interior was cleaned and
the paint gleams as brightly as if it were a new coat.

The importance of the reconstructed church lies with the Armenian
community’s ties to religion. "I can’t imagine the community without
a church, it’s essential," said Mariam Karapetian, wife of Armenian
ambassador to Egypt, who was on hand to commemorate the renovation
ceremony last week.

"They celebrate everything, weddings, funerals. In everything, in
every community affair, the church is involved," she explained.

Many will have the opportunity to admire the structure’s new
appearance. "Every week, we have a liturgy… [for] about 60-100 and
[for] big ceremonies like Easter and Christmas the church is full,"
said Ashot Mnatsakanian, the bishop of Church of St. Gregory the
Illuminator. In addition to prayer services, the church is open every
day to visitors.

The community has high hopes for the renovation. "This maybe [a] new
wave of belief… for the young people to get closer to the church,"
Karapetian envisioned.

The outside grounds have also been renovated and the enclosed outer
courtyard of greenery combined with polished exterior seems alien
among Cairo’s dilapidated grey architecture. The renovation project
highlights the Armenian community’s attempts to reinvent itself by
preserving their heritage, using new techniques in a new world to
strengthen their ties to the traditional.

As a crowd gathered on the dark wooden pews of the church to
commemorate the completion of the renovation, the sweet smell
of incense wafted around the sanctuary and the noise of Cairo’s
ever-present cacophony fade away. A calm moment snatched from everyday
life in the metropolis.