The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia and Its Churches

Following the weakening of Armenian political power in the historic highlands, Armenian principalities developed in Cilicia, along the northeastern Mediterranean.

The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia was formally established in 1198/1199 and survived until 1375.

Its political and cultural life reflected close interactions with Byzantine, Latin Christian, and Middle Eastern traditions.

Church architecture in Cilicia incorporated Armenian building traditions alongside regional influences.

Monasteries and ecclesiastical centers contributed to theological scholarship, manuscript illumination, and diplomacy.

The kingdom's contacts with European crusader states and the Roman Catholic Church generated important theological and political exchanges.

The Armenian Catholicosate eventually became established at Sis, which remained a major ecclesiastical center for centuries.

The Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia now has its seat in Antelias, Lebanon.