Religious Alliances and Imperial Ambitions: The Jesuit Mission to Little Armenia (1881)

This paper investigates the Jesuit mission to Little Armenia, initiated in 1881, emphasizing the collaboration between the Holy See and France amidst escalating competition with Protestant powers within the Ottoman Empire. The study aims to scrutinize the Jesuits' endeavors to advance France's religious-cultural activities until the severance of relations between the Holy See and France. The Jesuits provided religious and educational assistance, thus promoting French influence among Ottoman Christians. This research contends that the partnership between the Holy See and France facilitated through the Jesuit mission, exemplifies the significant impact of religion on France's international policies during the Third Republic. Drawing on a diverse array of historical sources, including diplomatic records, missionary accounts, and scholarly works, this study offers a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between the Jesuits, the Holy See, and France within the intricate political and religious context of the late nineteenth-century Ottoman Empire.