– SURP HOVHANNES MIGIRDICH AYAZMA CHAPEL
This church was built on the site of a Byzantine monastery called “Panaia Perivlebdos” (Surp Asdvadzadzin, Saint Mary) by Muslims of Ottoman nationality. It was called the “Watery Monastery” by the holy spring and large cistern underneath. After the conquest of Istanbul, Fatih Sultan Mehmet settled the Armenians who were migrated from the villages to Istanbul in Samatya. In 1461, the Bursa Armenians brought their Spiritual Leader Bishop Hovagim to Istanbul and recognized him as the “Armenian Patriarch”. The church, which belonged to the Greeks here and was handed over to the Armenians, was used as the Patriarchate Central Church until 1641. A fire that occurred in 1660 destroyed half of the church and was rebuilt with three other churches by Imperial Architect Melidon Kalfa Araboğlu in 1722 during the time of Patriarch Hovhannes Golod. However, these were reduced to ashes in a fire in 1782. The church was restored in 1804 during the reign of Patriarch Hovhannes XI of Bayburt. Later, in 1832, it was restored again with the efforts of Architect Hagop Amira Güllabyan and Architect Minas Kalfa. However, the church and the Sahakyan Nunyan and Vartuhyan mixed schools adjacent to it were reduced to ashes in a fire in 1866. Finally, in 1885, with the financial support of the Mikayel and Hovhannes Hakobyan brothers and the architecture of Bedros Nemtze, the school was rebuilt in brick. The church has a high bell tower. Its last restoration was carried out in 2006 and it was opened for worship by His Holiness Patriarch Mesrob II.
Some of the benefactors buried in the church courtyard are as follows:
Mikayel Efendi Hagopyan 1831-1904
Diruhi M. Hagopyan 1851-1919
Beyazci Manug Ağa Mınagyan 1818-1878
Gümüşçü Kasbar Efendi Haçaduryan 1796-1872
Mikayel Haçaduryan (Gümüşyan) 1848-1872