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A worship service(Badarak) at St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Armenian Apostolic Church, highlighting the role of Armenian churches in preserving faith, culture, and community(Photo courtesy of Grace Yacobe).
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From Philly to Capitol Hill: Two Expressions of Armenian Identity

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The Armenian Mirror-Spectator
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By Grace Yacobe

Special to the Mirror-Spectator

WASHINGTON/PHILADELPHIA — Though a mere 139 miles separate Philadelphia from Washington, the Armenian communities in those two cities are much more different than the physical distance implies. While both communities began with a handful of Armenians, they arose at different times, with different aims.

Philadelphia’s Armenian community was established by immigrants fleeing the Armenian Genocide who strove to preserve their Armenian identity through churches, schools, and cultural organizations. Washington’s, on the other hand, developed much later, around influence and its ability to bring Armenians together in the nation’s capital to shape policy and advocate for Armenia. It drew Armenians whose careers centered on government, diplomacy, journalism and public policy: a distinction that continues today.

The difference between the two communities reflects the different historical circumstances that shaped them. Philadelphia’s Armenian community grew largely in response to displacement following the Armenian Genocide of 1915, as survivors and immigrants rebuilt their lives and created institution centered around churches, schools, cultural organization and family connections. Washington’s Armenian community developed as Armenian Americans became increasingly integrated into the political, diplomatic, and professional institutions of the United States. In 2025, 41.2 percent of federal civilian employees worked in the Washington metropolitan area, making it the nation’s largest hub for public service.

Araz Balian(left), alongside fellow members of the Hamazkayin Meghry Dance Ensemble, performs traditional Armenian folk dance during the Mother’s Day Luncheon at Armenian Martyrs’ Congregational Church in Philadelphia. (Photo courtesy of Alec Balian.)

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As the nation’s capital, Washington provided Armenians with unique opportunities to engage with government, advocacy, and public policy, shaping a community where civic involvement became closely connected to Armenian identity.

Aram Bakshian Jr., a political aide in the Reagan and Nixon Administrations and a historian of Washington’s Armenian community, wrote in the June 1995 issue of AGBU Magazine “perhaps the most ‘minimalist’ definition of an Armenian community applies to Washington, DC.” By this description, Bakshian highlights that its origins differed from traditional immigrant communities. Unlike other cities where Armenian neighborhoods formed around cultural institutions, Washington’s Armenian presence began with individuals who carried their heritage into the nation’s capital and gradually built connections through civic engagement, and professional networks rather than geography alone.

Early Armenians arrived in Washington as merchants, students and professionals but the community expanded significantly after World War II as Armenians became increasingly involved in government, diplomacy and public service. St. Mary’s Armenian Church and Soorp Khatch Armenian Apostolic Church both became an important community institution in the 1950s.

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), one of the country’s leading Armenian advocacy organizations, is headquartered in the city, strengthening the city’s role as a center for Armenian political engagement. Similarly, the Armenian Assembly of America was established in Washington in 1972 as a nonpartisan organization dedicated to advancing Armenian interests through advocacy, education and public policy.

Although Washington lacks a single Armenian neighborhood, its institutions have become the heart of community life. Maria Stepanyan, president of the University of Maryland Armenian Student Association, said that distinction defines the region.

“In other cities, you might find Armenian community centers, schools, clubs, or cultural organizations spread throughout the city. Here, our two churches — St. Mary’s and Soorp Khatch — really serve as the heart of the community,” Stepanyan said.

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The DMV — as the broad area that encompasses DC, and parts of Maryland and Virginia is known— makes these intuitions even more important, as the Armenian community is spread across a wider geographical area.

“Since there isn’t one central Armenian neighborhood, people stay connected through institutions rather than geography,” Stepanyan explained. “The churches are the strongest anchor of the community, but universities, advocacy organizations, and professional networks also play a major role.”

Washington’s location has also shaped the way many young Armenians engage with their heritage.

“Growing up here, it’s almost unusual to meet an Armenian young person who hasn’t participated in some form of advocacy,” Stepanyan said. “Many students have interned with organizations like ANCA or the Armenian Assembly of America, participated in advocacy days on Capitol Hill, or attended rallies and protests organized by groups like the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF). Because these opportunities are so accessible, advocacy becomes part of the culture of the community.”

Michael Tatevosian speaks to Leo Sarkisian Internship participants at the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), sharing his experiences in advocacy and public service with the next generation of Armenian-American leaders. (Photo courtesy of Michael Tatevosian.)

That same commitment drew Michael Tatevossian from Los Angeles to Washington after graduating from college. Tatevossian, the programs director at ANCA, became involved with the organization through a research internship while in college.

“I’ve always been a policy nut, but after graduating, I moved to Washington, D.C., to pursue a career in public service,”  he said.

Tatevossian said he did not find it difficult to find his place in Washington after leaving the large Armenian population in California..

“While the community here is much smaller than in Los Angeles, it’s incredibly welcoming and closely connected. Through the ANCA, I quickly found a strong network of Armenians who share many of the same professional and community interests,” he noted.

He added that he believed Washington’s professional environment grows into fruitful relationships strengthening its overall community.

“Professional connections here have grown into genuine friendships for me. These relationships go on to sustain community events, organizations, and tradition,” he added.

Tatevossian argues that a community’s strength is not measured not by its size, but by the people willing to invest in it.

“Communities thrive because the representatives of that community, and those within it, invest their time and energy into building relationships and creating opportunities for others,” he said. “In Los Angeles, the community is all around you — you sort of take it for granted. Here in D.C., and in other places across the country, you have to seek it out. That intention will ensure its growth for the next generation.”

St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church in Washington, D.C., representing the historic Armenian presence in the nation’s capital(Photo courtesy of Grace Yacobe).

Philadelphia Story

Today Philadelphia is home to five Armenian churches, an Armenian school, in addition to many bakeries and restaurants, businesses, with nearly twice the Armenian population of the Washington metropolitan area.

Before the Armenian Genocide, only a small number of Armenians lived in the Philadelphia area. As the Genocide displaced thousands of Armenians, many of those refugees settled in there. The city offered opportunities to rebuild their lives through its growing manufacturing economy, particularly  in textile and garment industries. Affordable neighborhoods and land allowed Armenian families to establish churches, cultural organizations, and eventually schools that became the foundation for community life.

Tanya Bardakjian’s family settled in Philadelphia when her mother obtained a work visa to work as a seamstress in the 1970s from Aleppo. Although their closest family was in New York, they eventually became connected to the Armenian community through St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Armenian Church in the suburbs of Philadelphia.

Bardakjian, a Global Medical Affairs Lead at Sarepta Therapeutics, witnessed her parents establish the Philadelphia chapter of the Tekeyan Cultural Association.

“A robust Armenian community needs a church and cultural associations.” Bardakjian said, “A school is an added bonus because it brings people together.”

These institutions developed quickly as the Armenian population grew in the early part of the century. St. Sahag & St. Mesrob Armenian Apostolic Church was established in 1917, followed by the Armenian Martyrs’ Congregational Church in 1925, St. Mark’s Armenian Catholic Church in 1926, and St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church and Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church.

One of the most important preservers of the Armenian identity in Philadelphia was the Armenian Sisters Academy (ASA). Founded in 1967, the ASA was established by request of Msgr. Stephen Stepanian, and the pastor of St. Mark’s Armenian Catholic Church in Philadelphia. Three Armenian sisters, Sr. Valentine, Sr. Hripsime and Sr. Arousiag, arrived from Lebanon to establish a full time Armenian day school with an initial enrollment of 16 students. The school quickly became a community effort and with the support of the greater community the school moved to a larger campus and enrollment numbers skyrocketed. Many of the school’s graduates frequently rank in the top 20 percent in the nation according to TerraNova test scores, and are often accepted at top-tier universities.

Araz Balian, a 2022 graduate of ASA, believes institutions such as the school and the churches remain the defining strength of Philadelphia’s community.

“What makes our community unique is how close we are. We have a deep love and support for one another, and our five Armenian churches and one Armenian school work together as one united community,” she said.

Philadelphia’s strength has long been its close-knit relationships formed though churches, schools and community organizations. Balian believes each has something valuable to offer.

“I think Philadelphia can be inspired by Washington’s dedication to advocacy and its efforts to influence public policy in support of Armenia. At the same time, Philadelphia’s close-knit community and strong relationships are something that any Armenian community can appreciate and learn from,” she said.

Maria Stepanyan (left) poses with friends, including author Grace Yacobe (second from left), during a gathering at St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church in Washington, D.C., to watch the USA vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina soccer match (Photo courtesy of Grace Yacobe).

In both areas, maintaining identity, values, language, and Armenian heritage requires purpose. Separated by just 139 miles, they have become two different expressions of the same goal: ensuring that the Armenian identity continues to thrive for generations to come.

(Grace Yacobe is a Penn State student driven by culture, curiosity, and a big cup of coffee. She serves as president of the Armenian Student Association at Penn State and writes about science, culture, public policy, and the people and stories shaping our communities.)

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