St. Thomas Armenian Apostolic Church

St. Thomas Armenian Apostolic Church Welcome to the St. Thomas Armenian Church official page, and welcome to our church! Join us - keep faith & culture alive in the Armenian diaspora. Rev.

The Armenian Church of Bergen County (The Saint Thomas Armenian Church) is the result of a deep inner dream that was in the hearts of a group of foresighted second-generation Armenians whose burning desire was to build a church for the ever-growing Armenian Community of Bergen County. The seed for such a church was planted by Archbishop Tiran Nersoyan, formerly the Primate of the Armenian Church o

f North America. That seed was germinated by our own Haig Markarian of Bergen County, who repeatedly carried the message “the Church is a must,” to everyone he met and everywhere he went. By constant diligence and world-of-mouth campaigning, he eventually managed to gather his group of friends to join in an initial meeting in order to fulfill the need for an Armenian Church. They formed a committee and sent invitations to their friends to attend a dinner in April of 1958 at the Swiss Chalet restaurant in Ramsey, New Jersey. There they discussed the possibility of building a church to continue the Armenian heritage and culture in our children by keeping them together through a common purpose. Everyone was enthusiastic, and thus completed forms listing their names and addresses, as well as the names and ages of their children. A ‘Mr. & Mrs.” Club was formed, chaired by Vahan Najarian. The purpose of the club was two-fold: to encourage more Armenians to join, and for the purpose of raising funds. A Board of Trustees was selected to organize a parish and to discuss a site for the Church. The Trustees were: Jack Charshafian, Chairman; Armen Bogossian, Treasurer; Peter Daghlian, Secretary; Dr. Gerard Balakian, Anoosh Poosikian, Haig Tashjian, Malcolm Topalian, Richard Turnamian, Vahan Najarian, Stephan Ananian, and Haig Markarian. ARCHITECTURE

The plans for the Church were completed in 1964, just before the start of construction. March 12, 1961: The altar is consecrated by Primate Archbishop Sion Manoogian, and the first Holy Badarak is celebrated. February 1962: Der Arnak Kasparian becomes the parish Priest. April 25, 1964: Contracts signed to build the Church. May 23, 1964: Blessing of cornerstones by Archbishop Manoogian. April 4, 1965: Consecration of St. Thomas Armenian Apostolic Church.

1986: Expansion of the complex, including addition of the Atrium, classrooms, and a larger kitchen. July 1, 1991: V. Fr. Papken Anoushian, Esq. becomes the parish priest.

Did you make your reservation already?Come to have a fun and relaxing night with the community at the St. Thomas Armenia...
05/20/2026

Did you make your reservation already?
Come to have a fun and relaxing night with the community at the St. Thomas Armenian Apostolic Church

Join us for a one-of-a-kind tradition that has been celebrated for over 60 years! We are excited to share our rich cultu...
05/13/2026

Join us for a one-of-a-kind tradition that has been celebrated for over 60 years!

We are excited to share our rich culture, delicious food, desserts, and music with the community, and we do so with great joy and pride.

Bring your family and friends to experience a day filled with Armenian hospitality!

**Kid-Friendly Activities Include:**
- Bouncy House
- Bubble Party
- Balloon Art
- Petting Zoo
- Pony Rides
- Face Painting
- Playground

Additionally, there will be raffles and DJ music. We can't wait to see you there!

05/13/2026
Join us on Friday May 1st for a Cocktail Party /Mixer! A wonderful opportunity to mingle, connect, and enjoy an evening ...
04/27/2026

Join us on Friday May 1st for a Cocktail Party /Mixer! A wonderful opportunity to mingle, connect, and enjoy an evening together!

Join us for a special screening event featuring live Zoom participation by director Diana Mkrtchyan as the Cultural Comm...
04/16/2026

Join us for a special screening event featuring live Zoom participation by director Diana Mkrtchyan as the Cultural Committee of St. Thomas Armenian Church presents Ojakh, On the Other Side of the Silence on Sunday, April 19 at 2:00 PM. The film, inspired by the journey of Turkish photographer Erhan Arik, is presented in Armenian, French, and Turkish with English subtitles. Admission is free, and a wine and cheese reception will follow.

03/13/2026

Save the dates for 2 great events!!
May 1st —Spring Mixer
June 5th —Sip and Paint

Address

174 Essex Drive
Tenafly, NJ
07670

Telephone

(201) 567-5446

Website

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