The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

Activities and Schedule

Sunday: Matins 9:30 A.M., Divine Liturgy 10:00 A.M. Please call the church office for information on the summer schedule.

Description

St. Stephen's Armenian Apostolic Church is located in the heart of the Armenian community in Watertown, which is one of the centers of the Armenian population in America. It serves a wide-ranging Armenian population and seeks to preserve Armenian religious and cultural traditions. St. Stephen's congregation worshipped in a rented church on Berkeley Street in Boston from 1933-42 until financial resources were secured to construct a church in Watertown. The ground-breaking ceremony was held in 1956 and the church opened on October 20, 1957. St. Stephen's is affiliated with the Armenian Cultural Education Center in Watertown and is primarily comprised of Armenians from Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Romania, Bulgaria, and Armenia. Services are conducted in Armenian, but English translation books are readily available.

St. Stephen's offers Bible study for adults and operates three schools: a daily, bilingual preschool affiliated with the St. Stephen's Armenian Elementary school; a Sunday school for students through grade twelve; and a weekly Saturday school for late middle school and high school students that teaches Armenian history, language, and literature. The church hall is the site of many cultural activities and plays a key role for the community as meeting space for several organizations.

St. Stephen's also publishes a bi-monthly newsletter to inform the Armenian community of church news and cultural events, the mailing list for which comprises over 1000 families. An annual picnic is held on the second Sunday in August and an annual bazaar on the first Friday and Saturday in November. In addition, a youth group is being formed for late high school and college-age students.