Armenian Community In SwedenThe Armenian catholic church as we know it today may be young in years, but its ties with this Scandinavian country go as far back as the 10th century AD. According to the Swedish legend dating from the 10th century, a navigator by the name of Petrus was so enchanted by the beauty of an Armenian princess,that he travelled to Armenia and married her. Traces of the Armenian influence are seen in many Swedish literary works and research documents, especially in the Middle Ages. Historians believe that the Swedes learned the art of needlework from the Armenians along with some musical tunes during that era. But despite the repeated references, there is little or no mention of any real and continuous Armenian presence in Sweden until the 18th century when better documentation has helped catalogue the ties between Armenians and this Scandinavian country. Apart from individual contacts, a group of Armenians from Turkey accompanied Swedish King Karl XII to Sweden in 1714 and stayed on and integrated into the Swedish society over the years. It is also a historical fact that many Armenians were employed by the Swedish Embassy in the Ottoman Turkey. Among those are Paris University graduate Hagop Tchamichoglu (Tchamichian) who served in the Swedish Embassy in Constantinople in the early 1700s and Hovhannes Mouradgian who held a key position as interpreter at the same Embassy in the mid 1700s. Over the years, the Mouradgian family became closely associated with Swedish diplomatic life in the Ottoman Empire. The senior Mouradgians son and grandson, Ignatius Mouradgea dOhsson and Abraham Constantin dOhsson, are well known by Swedish historians. Both Catholic Armenians, they served in key diplomatic posts for many years.
Another Armenian, Abraham Constantin, who was educated in France, served in the Swedish diplomatic corps and at various times was posted in Spain, Holland and Germany. He died in Berlin in 1851. Abraham completed his education at Uppsala University in Sweden, studying Swedish literature, history, mythology and culture. He worked closely with famous Swedish scientist John Berzelius and became an honarary member of the Scientific Union of Uppsala in recognition of his research in chemistry.But the Mouradgea dOhsson, who were decorated by the royal family and given their own coat of arms in appreciation of their work, were not the only people involved in the Swedish diplomatic life. Jean Anastatsi, an Armenian merchant from Damascus, served as Swedish Consul General in Egypt from 1828 to 1857. Paul Serphino (Serafian) held a similarly important post at the Swedish Embassy in Constantinople.
The trend continued over many decades. Ohan Demirjian, the son of Stepan Bey Demirjian who served as the Foreign Minister of Egypt from 1844-1853 and was instrumental in the opening of the Suez Canal, established close ties with the Swedish royal family.Demirjian, who settled in Sweden and was granted citizenship in 1867, is well known in Swedish academic circles as the author of two books on the commercial relations and contacts between European countries of the era and the Orient. According to recent research, Demirjian built a small chapel on the outskirts of Stockholm. The building still stands and architechts familiar with Armenian church structures are convinced that its interior style, especially its arches and altar-like section, is very close to that seen in Armenian churches worldwide.
The Armenian Catholic Community in Sweden is not numerous. We have 150 families spread over Sweden. We have two Masses a month in Stockholm. After the Mass we usually teach Armenian language to those who dont speak Armenian at all. Every first Sunday of every month we have Mass in Sdertlje, where we have a little community. We periodically have Mass as well in another city called Trollhttan where a small Armenian Catholic community is settled.