Kharput

Armenian Uniat diocese created in 1850. The city of Kharput, Armenian Kharpert, which means "rocky fortress", is very ancient. Although it was built under the first Armenian kings it has nevertheless no history. It is situated on a mountain about 4350 feet high and there are still to be seen the ruined fortress and ancient tower, also walls rather well preserved. Because of its height and also owing to its lack of water, Kharput is being by degrees abandoned by its inhabitants, who have preferred to take up their abode in Mezré, a city about three miles distant in the plain. The two cities are in constant communication and Kharput still contains 30,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of the vilayet of Mamouret-ul-Aziz recently created. The Armenian Catholic diocese numbers 3000 faithful, 8 parishes, 6 churches, 3 chapels, 14 stations, 14 primary schools, chiefly at Kharput-Mezré and Malatia. There are about 72,000 Christians throughout the vilayet, which contains about 600,000 inhabitants. The Armenian Protestants have a large American mission at Kharput, which is the headquarters of all those in Armenia.

CUINET, La Turquie d'Asie, II (Paris, 1892), 317-357; Missiones Catholicoe (Rome, 1907), 755.

S. VAILHÉ