Was it fate or simply a twist of history that led to the founding of the Église évangélique arménienne Marseille Saint-Antoine? Marseille is after all home to the largest Armenian community in Europe. This community boasts cultural centers and churches. Several neighborhoods have a significant Armenian presence.
Most Armenians fled the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1922. They joined a smaller and older Armenian community of merchants. These merchants had settled in Marseille starting in the mid-nineteenth century. The different waves of Armenian immigrants and refugees number around 80000 people. They maintain ties to Armenia family and culinary traditions. Many eventually thrived here.
The Armenian quarter in Marseille was established in the 17th century. It sat behind the current Hôtel de Ville. Repositories belonging to merchants and an Armenian chapel were found there. The first Armenian printing house in Marseille was established in 1669 by Archbishop Oskan Yerevantsi. It was located on rue de la Loge.
From 1850 onwards Armenian merchants from commercial centers in the Ottoman Empire began to voyage to Marseille. They established their businesses there. This also marked the beginnings of community life. One of the old streets of the city was named Rue Armeny due to the presence of so many Armenian merchants.
There was an influx of Armenian migrants from the Ottoman Empire to Marseille during the massacres of 1894-1896. This happened again following the Genocide at the start of the 20th century. These destitute Armenians were sent to military camps transformed into refugee camps. The largest of these was called Camp Oddo. It took in around 5500 refugees between 1922 and 1927. Armenians then settled in Saint-Louis Saint-André and Saint-Antoine. They also settled along rue de Lyon and boulevard Oddo. Other settlements included Saint-Henri Saint-Jérôme Saint-Julien Saint-Loup Saint-Marguerite and Campagne Frèze. The most notable of all was Beaumont.
The Armenians who had arrived in the 19th century helped the new arrivals. They helped them to organise themselves and deal with the French authorities. The Armenian National Union was formed in Marseille in 1923. Its initial objective was to support the refugees in Camp Oddo. Homenetmen the scouting union was formed in 1924 in Camp Oddo. It was known as L’Union Générale Arménienne de Scoutisme et de Culture Physique de Marseille UGA. La Croix Bleue des Arméniens de France was also formed first in the region. The three major Armenian diaspora political parties Ramgavar Hnchakian and Dashnakstoutiune all established themselves in Marseille in the early 20th century.
Today the Armenian population of Marseille is said to be over 80000. The total population of Marseille is some 900000. Almost one in ten people are Armenian there. Marseille continues to be an arrival port for Armenians coming from different areas. Successive waves of migration have come from Lebanon and Turkey including Istanbul and eastern Turkey. More recently migrants have arrived from the Republic of Armenia and now Syria. These waves of arrivals create a real mosaïque of different groups. From within there is an impression of great diversity. From outside there is the impression of a strong community gathered around its schools and churches like the Église évangélique arménienne Marseille Saint-Antoine.
Armenians in Beaumont today number around 15000 to 17000. They are mostly artisans craftsmen shoemakers and businessmen. Two Armenian schools Hamaskaïne a bilingual French-Armenian school established in 1980 and Notre-Dame-du-Sacré-Coeur continue to function. A Genocide memorial was built in 2006. 100 almond and pomegranate trees were planted nearby in memory of the victims at the Parc du Souvenir.
The Ani Cultural Centre focuses on Armenian culture and Christianity. Jean Daniel Sahagian pastor of the Armenian Evangelical Church of Beaumont established it in 1987. The Église évangélique arménienne Marseille Saint-Antoine stands as a testament to faith resilience and community. It is a place where Armenian culture and Christian values intertwine. It enriches the vibrant tapestry of Marseille.