SOAR - Antwerp Chapter
SOAR-Antwerp became part of the SOAR family in April 2018. There are approximately 11,000 Armenians in Belgium today. The earliest records of Armenians in Belgium date to the 4th century, when Armenian priests, merchants, and intellectuals dropped anchor in Belgian ports. By the late 15th century, Armenians had established a hospice, and Armenian merchants started exporting cotton goods, spices, perfumes and other materials to markets in the East. The size of the Armenian community did not start growing considerably until the end of the First World War and the forced mass exodus of Armenians from Turkey following the 1915 Armenian Genocide. Armenians were known for trading diamonds, rugs, and tobacco. An Armenian church, “Eglise Armenienne Apostolique Sainte Marie-Madeleine” is the main church of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox community. It is related to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The church structure was erected and consecrated in May 1990.