Armenian Apostolic Church
Encyclopedia
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church
, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy
, and is one of the most ancient Christian
communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301
AD, in establishing this church. The Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church traces its origins to the missions of Apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus in the 1st century.
The official name of the Church is the One Holy Universal Apostolic Orthodox Armenian Church. It is sometimes referred to as the Gregorian Church, but the latter name is not preferred by the Church, as it views the Apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus as the founders, and St. Gregory the Illuminator
as merely the first official governor of the Church.
Various legends tie the origin of the Armenian Church to the Apostles. Apostolic succession is an important concept for many churches, especially those in the east. The legend of the healing of Abgar V of Edessa
by the facecloth of Jesus has been appropriated by the Armenian Church in claiming that Abgar was a prince of Armenia. The more common tradition claims that Thaddaeus
, one of the Seventy Apostles, was sent to Armenia from nearby Edessa by Abgar (uncle of King Sanatrook of Armenia) to evangelize. The details of the story vary widely, but in all stories Thaddeus converted Sandookdht, the king's daughter. In some versions Sanatrook was also converted, but later apostatized. In other versions, he was never converted, but was always hostile to Christianity. Sanatrook martyred both Thaddeus and Sandookdht. Some versions have the apostle Bartholomew arriving in Armenia about the same time to also be martyred. Though these stories are considered historically questionable by modern scholars, Christianity reached Armenia at an early date; persecutions against Christians in 110, 230, and 287 were recorded by the outside writers Eusebius and Tertullian
.
The Kingdom of Armenia was the first state to adopt Christianity
as its religion when St. Gregory the Illuminator
converted King Tiridates III
and members of his court, an event dated to AD 301. Gregory, trained in Christianity and ordained
to the presbyterate at Caesarea, returned to his native land to preach about 287, the same time that Tiridates III took the throne. Tiridates owed his position to the Roman Emperor Diocletian
, a noted persecutor of Christianity. In addition, he became aware that Gregory was a son of Anak, the man who assassinated his father.
Tiridates imprisoned Gregory in an underground pit, called Khor Virap
, for 13 years. In 301, 37 Christian virgins, among whom was Saint Nune (St. Nino for Georgia), who later became the founder of the Georgian Orthodox Church, came to Armenia in flight from Roman persecution. Tiridates desired Rhipsime
to be his wife, but she refused. Enraged, he matyred all of them. According to legend, God
struck him with an illness that left him crawling like a beast. (The story is reminiscent of Nebuchadnezzar II in Daniel 4.) Khosrovidukht, the king’s sister, dreamed that she was told that the persecution of Christians must stop. She told Tiridates, who released Gregory from prison. Gregory healed Tiridates, who converted to Christianity and declared Armenia to be a Christian nation. It was the first.
Tiridates declared Gregory to be the first Catholicos
of the Armenian Church and sent him to Caesarea to be consecrated. Upon his return, Gregory tore down shrines to idols, built churches and monasteries
, and ordained many priests and bishops
. While meditating in the old capital city of Vagharshapat, Gregory had a vision of Christ's coming to the earth to strike it with a hammer. From the spot rose a great Christian temple with a huge cross. He was convinced that God intended him to build the main Armenian church there. With the king's help, he did so, along the lines of his vision. He renamed the city Etchmiadzin, which means "the place of the descent of the only-begotten".
Initially the Armenian church participated in the larger church world. Its Catholicos was represented at the First Council of Nicea and the First Council of Constantinople
. Although unable to attend the Council of Ephesus, the Catholicos Isaac Parthiev sent a message agreeing with its decisions.
The Armenian Church began to retreat from the larger church world in 373 when King Pap appointed Catholicos Yusik without first sending him to Caesarea for commissioning. Christianity was strengthened in Armenia in the 5th century by the translation of the Bible
into the Armenian language
by the native theologian, monk
, and scholar St. Mesrob Mashtots
. Prior to the 5th century, Armenians had their own spoken language, but it was not written, thus The Bible and Liturgy
were in Greek
rather than Armenian. The Catholicos Sahak commissioned Mesrob to create an Armenian alphabet, which he completed in 406. Subsequently the Bible and Liturgy were translated into Armenian and written down in the new script. The translation of the Bible, along with the translation of other works of history, literature
and philosophy
, caused a flowering of Armenian literature and a broader cultural renaissance.
Unlike the Bible used in other Eastern Churches
, the Armenian Bible
originally had 39 books in the Old Testament
. What are commonly called the Apocrypha
or Deuterocanonical books were not translated until the 8th century and not read in the churches until the 12th century.
in 506 the synod of the Armenian, Georgian, and Caspian-Albanian bishops was assembled during the reign of Catholicos Babken I. The participation of the Catholicoi of Georgia
and Albania
were set to make clear the position of the churches concerning the Chalcedonic Council. The "Book of Epistles" mentions that 20 bishops, 14 laymen, and many nakharar
s (rulers of Armenia) participated in the council. The involvement in the council discussion of different level of lay persons seemed to be a general rule in Armenia.
Almost a century later (609–610) the 3rd Council of Dvin was convened during the reign of Catholicos Abraham I of Aghbatank and Prince Smbat Bagratuni, with clergymen and laymen participating. The Georgian church had disagreement with Armenian as Georgian church stayed Eastern Orthodox. The council was convened to clarify the relationship between the Armenian and Georgian churches. After the Council, Catholicos Abraham wrote an encyclical letter addressed to the people, blaming Kurion and his adherents for the split. The Council never set up canons; it only deprived Georgians from taking Communion
in the Armenian Church. Despite this, the Albanian Church did stay faithful to Gregorian under the jurisdiction of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
n Church has been referred to as monophysite
by both Catholic
and Eastern Orthodox theologians because it rejected the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon
, which condemned the belief of one incarnate nature of Christ (monophysis). The Armenian Church officially severed ties with Rome and Constantinople
in 554, during the Second Council of Dvin
where the Chalcedonian dyophysite
christological formula was rejected.
However, again like other Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Armenian Orthodox Church argues that this the identification as "monophysitism" is an incorrect description of its position. It considers Monophysitism, as taught by Eutyches
and condemned at Chalcedon, a heresy and only disagrees with the formula defined by the Council of Chalcedon. The Armenian Church instead adheres to the doctrine defined by Cyril of Alexandria
, considered as a saint by the Chalcedonian Churches
as well, who described Christ as being of one incarnate nature, where both divine and human nature are united (miaphysis). To distinguish this from Eutychian and other versions of Monophysitism this position is called miaphysitism
. Whereas the prefix "mono" means "only", thus emphasising the singular nature of Christ, "mia", simply means "one" unemphatically, and allows for a compound nature.
In recent times, both Chalcedonian and anti-Chalcedonian churches have developed a deeper understanding for each other's positions, recognizing their substantial agreement while maintaining their respective theological language.
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the central religious authority for the Armenian Orthodox population in the Republic of Armenia as well as for Armenian Orthodox communities worldwide.
It is headed by a Catholicos
(the plural is Catholicoi). Although it is traditional in Eastern churches for the supreme head of the church to be named 'Patriarch
', in the Armenian Apostolic Church hierarchy, the position of the Catholicos is higher than that of the Patriarch. The Armenian Apostolic Church presently has two catholicoi (His Holiness Karekin II
, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; and Aram I
, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia), and two patriarchs, plus primates, archbishop
s and bishops, lower clergy and laity serving the Church.
The Catholicos of All Armenians represents the centralised authority of the Armenian Church. He is the supreme judge and the head of the legislative body. He is President of the Supreme Spiritual Council as well as the College of Bishops
. Ordination of bishops, blessing of Holy Chrism
, proclamation of feasts, invitation and dismissal of National-ecclesiastical assemblies, issuing decrees concerning the administration of the Armenian Church and establishing dioceses are part of his responsibilities.
Both clergy and lay are involved in the administrative structure of the Church. Led by His Holiness Karekin II, the spiritual and administrative work of the Armenian Church is carried out in the Republic of Armenia in the areas of religion, preparation of clergy, Christian education, construction of new churches, social services, and ecumenical activities. Underneath this administrative structure are the hierarchal sees:
The Catholicossate of the Great House of Cilicia located in Antelias
, Lebanon
, is a regional See with current jurisdiction of the Dioceses of Lebanon, Syria and Cyprus
as temporarily granted to her by the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem in 1929, is led by Catholicos Aram I.
The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem
which has jurisdiction over all of the Holy Lands and the Diocese of Jordan, is led by Patriarch Archbishop Torgom Manoogian.
The Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople
and All of Turkey, which has jurisdiction in the modern day Republic of Turkey, is led by Patriarch Archbishop Mesrob Mutafyan.
The three historic aforementioned hierarchal sees administer to the Dioceses under their jurisdiction as they see fit, however, the supremacy of the Catholicosate of All Armenians in all spiritual matters remains pre-eminent.
In addition to the responsibilities of overseeing their respective Dioceses, each hierarchical See, and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, has a Monastic Brotherhood.
Seminaries
The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin operates two seminaries
, the Gevorkian Theological Seminary
at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and the Vaskenian Theological Academy
at Lake Sevan. Over a 6-year course of simultaneous study, students receive both a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree in Theology. The Great House of Cilicia operates one seminary, the Seminary of Antelias at Bikfaya
, Lebanon. Upon graduation, students receive the equivalent of a high school diploma and pre-graduate theological study. The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem operates the St. Tarkmanchatz School (high school diploma) and the Theological Seminary of the Patriarchate (pre-graduate study). The Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople has suspended the operation of its seminary, Holy Cross Patriarchal Seminary, since 1971.
St. Nersess Armenian Seminary in New Rochelle, NY also trains Armenian priests, awarding the Master of Divinity in Theology (through an affiliation with nearby OCA St. Vladimir's Seminary). St. Nersess also offers a Master of Arts in Armenian Christian Studies.
Structure
Regionally, each area of the world where the Armenian Church and faithful are located has diocese
s, which are led by a primate from the Diocesan headquarters. Each diocese is made up of parishes and smaller communities.
The spiritual and administrative bodies representing the authority of the Armenian Church are the following:
The National Ecclesiastical Assembly is the supreme legislative body presided over by the Catholicos of All Armenians. The members of the National Ecclesiastical Assembly are elected by the individual Diocesan Assemblies. The National Ecclesiastical Assembly elects the Catholicos of All Armenians.
The Council of Bishops is an administrative-deliberative body presided over by the Catholicos of All Armenians. It makes suggestions on the dogmatic, religious, church, parish and canonical issues to be discussed as agenda items during the National Ecclesiastical Assembly.
The Supreme Spiritual Council is the highest executive body of the Armenian Church and is presided over by the Catholicos of All Armenians. The members of the Council can be elected by the National Ecclesiastical Assembly or appointed by the Catholicos of All Armenians. The Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Gevorg V. Soorenian established the Supreme Spiritual Council on January 1, 1924, to replace the Synod of Bishops.
The Diocesan Assembly is the highest legislative (canonical) body of each Diocese and is headed by the Primate of the Diocese. The Diocesan delegates (representatives of each parish community) elect the delegates to the National Ecclesiastical Assembly, the members of the Diocesan Council as well as discuss and decide on administrative issues within the Diocese such as committees, budgets, building, etc. In some Dioceses, the Diocesan Assembly elects the Primate of the Diocese.
The Diocesan Council is the highest executive power of a diocese, presided over by the Primate of the Diocese. It regulates the inner administrative activity of the Diocese under the direction of the Primate. The Diocesan Assembly elects members of the Diocesan Council.
The Monastic Brotherhood consists of the celibate clergy of the monastery
who are led by an abbot
. As of 2010, there were three brotherhoods in the Armenian Church – the brotherhood of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the brotherhood of St. James at the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the brotherhood of the See of Cilicia. Each Armenian celibate priest becomes a member of the brotherhood in which he has studied and ordained in or under the jurisdiction of which he has served. The brotherhood makes decisions concerning the inner affairs of the monastery. Each brotherhood elects two delegates who take part in the National Ecclesiastical Assembly.
The Parish Assembly is the general assembly of the community presided over by the spiritual pastor. The Parish Assembly elects or appoints the members of the Parish Council and the representatives or delegates to the Diocesan Assembly.
The Parish Council is the executive-administrative body of the community. It is presided over by the spiritual pastor of the community who takes up the inner administrative affairs of the parish and is engaged in the realization of its administrative and financial activities. Members of the parish council are elected or appointed at the parish assembly.
The Armenian Apostolic Church is one of a few apostolic churches in the world to have a democratic system; the people decide if they want to keep priests in their churches and may ask for different ones, as do some other ecclesiastical constitutions, such as Baptists and other Congregational churches.
Note that the Armenian Apostolic Church should not be confused, however, with the Armenian Catholic Church
whose Patriarch-Catholicos (of the Armenian Catholic Rite) is Nerses Bedros XIX
, which is an Eastern Catholic church in communion with the Holy See
in Rome
.
, at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, having pre-eminent supremacy in all spiritual matters over the See of Cilicia, located in Antelias, Lebanon, which administers to the dioceses under its jurisdiction as they see fit. The two Sees are as follows:
The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
is the spiritual and administrative headquarters of the worldwide Armenian Church, the center of the faith of the Armenian nation – the Mother Cathedral of the Armenian Church, and the Pontifical residence of His Holiness Karekin II
, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin is a blend of the past, present and future of the worldwide Armenian Church.
Preserving the past are the numerous museums, libraries and the Mother Cathedral itself, all holding a vast richness of history and treasures. The Mother See is responsible for the preservation of artifacts, both those created by the Church and those given to the church as gifts over time.
Carrying on the work of the present and future are the innumerable departments and programs of the Armenian Church. Under the leadership and guidance of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the Mother See administers to social, cultural and educational programs for Armenia and the Diaspora.
The Mother Cathedral, founded by the Descent of Christ, has stood as a symbol against time of the Armenian faith, nation and people. The Cathedral is the most recognised landmark of the Armenian Church. Built and consecrated by St. Gregory the Illuminator
and St. Trdat the Great
in AD 303, the Cathedral is located in the city of Vagharshapat, Armenia.
St. Gregory chose the location of the Cathedral in accordance with a vision that he had. In his dream he saw "Miatsin", the Only Begotten Son of God, with glittering light on his face descending from the Heavens and with a golden hammer striking the ground where the Cathedral was to be located. Hence comes the name "Etchmiadzin", which translates literally to "the place" where the Only-Begotten Son of God descended.
The Mother Cathedral is open to the faithful everyday from 7:30 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Divine Liturgy
is celebrated every Sunday starting at 11:00 a.m., except on feast days or special occasions when it starts at 10:30 a.m. Morning services are conducted starting at 7:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday. Evening Services are conducted at 5:30 p.m. every day.
The Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia located in Antelias
, Lebanon
, is a regional See of the Armenian Apostolic Church and is an autonomous church with jurisdiction over certain segments of the Armenian diaspora
.
Catholicos Aram I
is the current head and Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia. The See has current jurisdiction over dioceses and prelacies in Lebanon, Syria
, Cyprus
, Greece
, Iran
, the Persian Gulf, the United States, Canada
and Venezuela
. In the United States and Canada, there are also Prelacies and Dioceses that are related to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, so there is duality of representation of Armenian Apostolic churches in these two countries.
The primacy of honour of the Catholicossate of Etchmiadzin (Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin) has always been recognized by the Catholicosate of Great House of Cilicia.
The history of the Holy See of Cilicia as an autocephalous church is as follows: after the fall of Ani and the Armenian Kingdom of the Bagradits in 1045, masses of Armenians migrated to Cilicia
and the Catholicossate settled there. The seat of the church (now known as the Catholicossate of the Great House of Cilicia) was first established in Sivas (AD 1058) moving to Tavbloor (1062), then to Dzamendav (1066), Dzovk (1116), Hromgla (1149), and finally to Sis
(1293), then-capital of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
. Beginning in 1293 and continuing for more than 6 centuries, the city of Sis (modern-day Kozan, Adana
, Turkey) was the center of the Catholicossate of the Great House of Cilicia.
After the fall of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
, in 1375, the Church continued in its leadership role in the Armenian community, and the Catholicos was recognized as Ethnarch (Head of Nation).
In 1441, a new Catholicos was elected in St. Etchmiadzin
in the person of Kirakos I Virapetsi of Armenia. At the same time the residing Catholicos in Sis, Gregory IX Mousabegian
(1439–1446), remained as Catholicos of Cilicia. Since 1441, there have continued to be two Catholicossates in the Armenian Church, each having equal rights and privileges, and each with its respective jurisdictions.
During the First World War and the 1915 Armenian Genocide
, the Armenian population and the home of the Catholicossate at the Monastery of St. Sophia of Sis (which can be seen to dominate the town in early 20th century photographs), was destroyed.
The last residing Catholicos in Sis was Sahag II of Cilicia (Catholicos from 1902 to 1939), who followed his Armenian flock into exile from Turkey.
Since 1930, the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia (also known as Holy See of Cilicia) has been headquartered in Antelias
, Lebanon
.
The division between the two sees intensified during the Soviet period and to some extent reflected the politics of the Cold War
. The ARF
Dashnaktsutyun nationalist political party that had dominated the independent Republic of Armenia from 1918 to 1920 and was active in the diaspora, saw the Church and clergy, with its worldwide headquarters at Echmiadzin in the Soviet Republic of Armenia, as a captive Communist puppet, and accused its clergy in the US as unduly influenced by Communists, particularly as the clergy were reluctant to participate in nationalist events and memorials that could be perceived as anti-Soviet. On December 24, 1933, a group of assassins attacked Eastern Diocese Archbishop Levon Tourian as he walked down the aisle of Holy Cross Armenian Church
in the Washington Heights
neighborhood of New York City during the Divine Liturgy, and killed him with a butcher knife. Nine Tashnags were later arrested, tried and convicted. The incident divided the Armenian community, as Tashnag sympathizers established congregations independent of Etchmiadzin, declaring loyalty instead to the See based in Antelias in Lebanon. The division was formalized in 1956 when the Antelias (Cilisian) See broke away from the Echmiadzin See.
The separation has become entrenched in the United States, with most large Armenian communities having two parish churches, one answering to each See, even though they are theologically indistinguishable. There have been numerous lay and clergy efforts at reunion, especially since the fall of the Soviet Union.
In 1995, Karekin II, Catholicos of Cilicia for the period 1983–1994, was elected Catholicos in Echmiadzin upon the death of Vazgen I
, becoming Karekin I
Catholicos of All Armenians, and serving as Supreme head of the church until 1999. He was not able, however, to unite the two Catholicossates, despite having headed both.
speaking, the Church has much in common both with the Latin Rite in its externals, especially as it was at the time of separation, as well as with the Eastern Orthodox Churches. For example, their bishops wear mitre
s almost identical to those of Western bishops. They usually do not use a full iconostasis
, but rather a curtain (which was also used in the West at the time of separation). The liturgical music is Armenian chant
. Many of the Armenian churches also have pipe organs to accompany their chant.
Armenian priests below the rank of bishop are allowed to be married before ordination and their descendants' surnames are prepended with the prefix "Ter" (or "Der" in Western Armenian), meaning "Lord", to indicate their lineage. Such a married priest is known as a kahana.
The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the Nativity of Jesus
in combination with the Feast of the Epiphany, putting Armenian Christmas on 6 January in the church's calendar. This contrasts with the more common celebration of Christmas
on 25 December, a later Christian tradition originated in Rome, to which Armenia was not subject at the time.
Since 1923, the church has mainly used the Gregorian Calendar
shared by most civil authorities and Western Christian churches (not the traditional Armenian calendar
). The only exception is the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, where the old Julian calendar
is used, putting Nativity celebrations on 19 January in the Gregorian calendar.
In 2009, further constitutional amendments were drafted that would make it a crime for non-traditional religious groups to proselytize on adherents of the Apostolic Church. Minority groups would also be banned from spreading 'distrust' in other faiths. These draft amendments were put on hold after strong criticism voiced by the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Armenian
religious minorities and human rights groups also expressed serious concern over the amendments, with human rights activist Stepan Danielian stating "the Armenian Apostolic Church today wants to have a monopoly on religion". The Armenian Church defines religious groups operating outside its domain as "sects" and, in the words of spokesman Bishop Arshak Khachatrian, considers that "their activities in Armenia are nothing but a denial of the creed of the Armenian Apostolic Church, which is considered the national religion of the Armenian people". Hrant Bagratyan
, former Prime Minister of Armenia, has condemned the close association the Armenian Apostolic Church has with the Armenian government, calling the Church an "untouchable" organisation that is secretive of its income and expenditure.
government introduced a law entitled "Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organisations", article 8 of which stated that only the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church is allowed to preach on the territory of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
. However, the law did make processes available for other religious institutions to get approval from the government if they wished to worship within the Republic.
The Armenian presence in Israel is primarily to be found in the Armenian Quarter
of Jerusalem and, in particular, in association with the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem
.
Also of particular importance are the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople
in Turkey and the Armenian Apostolic Church of Iran
(see also Christians in Iran). These churches represent the largest Christian ethnic minority in both of these predominantly Muslim
countries, Turkey and Iran.
Women are generally not allowed at the altar of the Armenian church, although in practice exceptions are made to allow for altar girls and lay readers, especially when a parish is so small that not enough boys or men are regularly available to serve.
Women commonly serve the church in the choir and at the organ, on parish councils, as volunteers for church events, fundraisers, and Sunday schools, as supporters through Women's Guilds, and as staff members in church offices.
In the case of a married priest (Der Hayr), the wife of the priest generally plays an active role in the parish and is addressed by the title Yeretzgin.
The Armenian Church allows for divorce and remarriage.
both in historic Armenia
and in the diaspora
. Armenian communities seeking to keep the traditions of their homeland built churches with designs inspired by historic landmarks such as the cathedrals of Ani
, Zvartnots and Etchmiadzin. This tradition still continues into the present day as Armenian immigration has shifted away from the traditional areas of outmigration in Europe and the Middle East into the Americas
and Australia
.
Armenian church communities frequently erect Khachkars (stone crosses) and similar monuments on the parish grounds to commemorate the Armenian Genocide
. Stones, bricks, or walls near the monument record the names of deceased members of the local community and their ancestors. Khatchkars are a common feature of interior and exterior church walls and are often found on Armenian gravestones.
State religion
A state religion is a religious body or creed officially endorsed by the state...
, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy
Oriental Orthodoxy
Oriental Orthodoxy is the faith of those Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople and the First Council of Ephesus. They rejected the dogmatic definitions of the Council of Chalcedon...
, and is one of the most ancient Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301
301
Year 301 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Postumius and Nepotianus...
AD, in establishing this church. The Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church traces its origins to the missions of Apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus in the 1st century.
The official name of the Church is the One Holy Universal Apostolic Orthodox Armenian Church. It is sometimes referred to as the Gregorian Church, but the latter name is not preferred by the Church, as it views the Apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus as the founders, and St. Gregory the Illuminator
Gregory the Illuminator
Saint Gregory the Illuminator or Saint Gregory the Enlightener is the patron saint and first official head of the Armenian Apostolic Church...
as merely the first official governor of the Church.
History
Osroene
Osroene, also spelled Osrohene and Osrhoene and sometimes known by the name of its capital city, Edessa , was a historic Syriac kingdom located in Mesopotamia, which enjoyed semi-autonomy to complete independence from the years of 132 BC to AD 244.It was a Syriac-speaking kingdom.Osroene, or...
by the facecloth of Jesus has been appropriated by the Armenian Church in claiming that Abgar was a prince of Armenia. The more common tradition claims that Thaddaeus
Thaddaeus
Thaddaeus or Thaddeus is a man's given name.As of the 1990 Census, 'Thaddeus' was the 611th most popular male name in the United States and 'Thad' was the 846th most popular....
, one of the Seventy Apostles, was sent to Armenia from nearby Edessa by Abgar (uncle of King Sanatrook of Armenia) to evangelize. The details of the story vary widely, but in all stories Thaddeus converted Sandookdht, the king's daughter. In some versions Sanatrook was also converted, but later apostatized. In other versions, he was never converted, but was always hostile to Christianity. Sanatrook martyred both Thaddeus and Sandookdht. Some versions have the apostle Bartholomew arriving in Armenia about the same time to also be martyred. Though these stories are considered historically questionable by modern scholars, Christianity reached Armenia at an early date; persecutions against Christians in 110, 230, and 287 were recorded by the outside writers Eusebius and Tertullian
Tertullian
Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, anglicised as Tertullian , was a prolific early Christian author from Carthage in the Roman province of Africa. He is the first Christian author to produce an extensive corpus of Latin Christian literature. He also was a notable early Christian apologist and...
.
The Kingdom of Armenia was the first state to adopt Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
as its religion when St. Gregory the Illuminator
Gregory the Illuminator
Saint Gregory the Illuminator or Saint Gregory the Enlightener is the patron saint and first official head of the Armenian Apostolic Church...
converted King Tiridates III
Tiridates III of Armenia
Tiridates III or Diritades III was the king of Arsacid Armenia , and is also known as Tiridates the Great ; some scholars incorrectly refer to him as Tiridates IV as a result of the fact that Tiridates I of Armenia reigned twice)...
and members of his court, an event dated to AD 301. Gregory, trained in Christianity and ordained
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
to the presbyterate at Caesarea, returned to his native land to preach about 287, the same time that Tiridates III took the throne. Tiridates owed his position to the Roman Emperor Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
, a noted persecutor of Christianity. In addition, he became aware that Gregory was a son of Anak, the man who assassinated his father.
Tiridates imprisoned Gregory in an underground pit, called Khor Virap
Khor Virap
The Khor Virap is an Armenian Apostolic Church monastery located in the Ararat plain in Armenia, near the border with Turkey, about south of Artashat, Ararat Province...
, for 13 years. In 301, 37 Christian virgins, among whom was Saint Nune (St. Nino for Georgia), who later became the founder of the Georgian Orthodox Church, came to Armenia in flight from Roman persecution. Tiridates desired Rhipsime
Rhipsime
Rhipsime, sometimes called Hripsime , Ripsime, Ripsima or Arsema was an Armenian virgin and martyr of Roman origin. She and her companions in martyrdom are venerated as the first Christian martyrs of Armenia....
to be his wife, but she refused. Enraged, he matyred all of them. According to legend, God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
struck him with an illness that left him crawling like a beast. (The story is reminiscent of Nebuchadnezzar II in Daniel 4.) Khosrovidukht, the king’s sister, dreamed that she was told that the persecution of Christians must stop. She told Tiridates, who released Gregory from prison. Gregory healed Tiridates, who converted to Christianity and declared Armenia to be a Christian nation. It was the first.
Tiridates declared Gregory to be the first Catholicos
Catholicos
Catholicos, plural Catholicoi, is a title used for the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and in some cases is borne by the designated head of an autonomous church, in which case the holder might have other titles such as Patriarch...
of the Armenian Church and sent him to Caesarea to be consecrated. Upon his return, Gregory tore down shrines to idols, built churches and monasteries
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
, and ordained many priests and bishops
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
. While meditating in the old capital city of Vagharshapat, Gregory had a vision of Christ's coming to the earth to strike it with a hammer. From the spot rose a great Christian temple with a huge cross. He was convinced that God intended him to build the main Armenian church there. With the king's help, he did so, along the lines of his vision. He renamed the city Etchmiadzin, which means "the place of the descent of the only-begotten".
Initially the Armenian church participated in the larger church world. Its Catholicos was represented at the First Council of Nicea and the First Council of Constantinople
First Council of Constantinople
The First Council of Constantinople is recognized as the Second Ecumenical Council by the Assyrian Church of the East, the Oriental Orthodox, the Eastern Orthodox, the Roman Catholics, the Old Catholics, and a number of other Western Christian groups. It was the first Ecumenical Council held in...
. Although unable to attend the Council of Ephesus, the Catholicos Isaac Parthiev sent a message agreeing with its decisions.
The Armenian Church began to retreat from the larger church world in 373 when King Pap appointed Catholicos Yusik without first sending him to Caesarea for commissioning. Christianity was strengthened in Armenia in the 5th century by the translation of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
into the Armenian language
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
by the native theologian, monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
, and scholar St. Mesrob Mashtots
Saint Mesrob
Saint Mesrop Mashtots was an Armenian monk, theologian and linguist. He is best known for having invented the Armenian alphabet, which was a fundamental step in strengthening the Armenian Church, the government of the Armenian Kingdom, and ultimately the bond between the Armenian Kingdom and...
. Prior to the 5th century, Armenians had their own spoken language, but it was not written, thus The Bible and Liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
were in Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
rather than Armenian. The Catholicos Sahak commissioned Mesrob to create an Armenian alphabet, which he completed in 406. Subsequently the Bible and Liturgy were translated into Armenian and written down in the new script. The translation of the Bible, along with the translation of other works of history, literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, caused a flowering of Armenian literature and a broader cultural renaissance.
Unlike the Bible used in other Eastern Churches
Eastern Christianity
Eastern Christianity comprises the Christian traditions and churches that developed in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, Northeastern Africa, India and parts of the Far East over several centuries of religious antiquity. The term is generally used in Western Christianity to...
, the Armenian Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
originally had 39 books in the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
. What are commonly called the Apocrypha
Apocrypha
The term apocrypha is used with various meanings, including "hidden", "esoteric", "spurious", "of questionable authenticity", ancient Chinese "revealed texts and objects" and "Christian texts that are not canonical"....
or Deuterocanonical books were not translated until the 8th century and not read in the churches until the 12th century.
Oriental Orthodoxy in Caucasus and the break with the Georgian Orthodox Church
At the First Council of DvinDvin
Dvin was a large commercial city and the capital of early medieval Armenia. It was situated north of the previous ancient capital of Armenia, the city of Artaxata, along the banks of the Metsamor River, 35 km to the south of modern Yerevan...
in 506 the synod of the Armenian, Georgian, and Caspian-Albanian bishops was assembled during the reign of Catholicos Babken I. The participation of the Catholicoi of Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
and Albania
Caucasian Albania
Albania is a name for the historical region of the eastern Caucasus, that existed on the territory of present-day republic of...
were set to make clear the position of the churches concerning the Chalcedonic Council. The "Book of Epistles" mentions that 20 bishops, 14 laymen, and many nakharar
Nakharar
Nakharar was a hereditary title of the highest order given to houses of the ancient and medieval Armenian nobility.-Nakharar system:Medieval Armenia was divided into large estates, which were the property of an enlarged noble family and were ruled by a member of it, to whom the title of Nahapet...
s (rulers of Armenia) participated in the council. The involvement in the council discussion of different level of lay persons seemed to be a general rule in Armenia.
Almost a century later (609–610) the 3rd Council of Dvin was convened during the reign of Catholicos Abraham I of Aghbatank and Prince Smbat Bagratuni, with clergymen and laymen participating. The Georgian church had disagreement with Armenian as Georgian church stayed Eastern Orthodox. The council was convened to clarify the relationship between the Armenian and Georgian churches. After the Council, Catholicos Abraham wrote an encyclical letter addressed to the people, blaming Kurion and his adherents for the split. The Council never set up canons; it only deprived Georgians from taking Communion
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
in the Armenian Church. Despite this, the Albanian Church did stay faithful to Gregorian under the jurisdiction of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Miaphysitism versus monophysitism
Like all Oriental Orthodox Churches, the ArmeniaArmenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n Church has been referred to as monophysite
Monophysitism
Monophysitism , or Monophysiticism, is the Christological position that Jesus Christ has only one nature, his humanity being absorbed by his Deity...
by both Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
and Eastern Orthodox theologians because it rejected the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon
Council of Chalcedon
The Council of Chalcedon was a church council held from 8 October to 1 November, 451 AD, at Chalcedon , on the Asian side of the Bosporus. The council marked a significant turning point in the Christological debates that led to the separation of the church of the Eastern Roman Empire in the 5th...
, which condemned the belief of one incarnate nature of Christ (monophysis). The Armenian Church officially severed ties with Rome and Constantinople
Patriarch of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarch is the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome – ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....
in 554, during the Second Council of Dvin
Dvin
Dvin was a large commercial city and the capital of early medieval Armenia. It was situated north of the previous ancient capital of Armenia, the city of Artaxata, along the banks of the Metsamor River, 35 km to the south of modern Yerevan...
where the Chalcedonian dyophysite
Dyophysite
Dyophysite is a theological term used in understanding how the divine and human are related in the person of Jesus Christ, an area of study known as Christology...
christological formula was rejected.
However, again like other Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Armenian Orthodox Church argues that this the identification as "monophysitism" is an incorrect description of its position. It considers Monophysitism, as taught by Eutyches
Eutyches
Eutyches was a presbyter and archimandrite at Constantinople. He first came to notice in 431 at the First Council of Ephesus, for his vehement opposition to the teachings of Nestorius; his condemnation of Nestorianism as heresy precipitated his being denounced as a heretic...
and condemned at Chalcedon, a heresy and only disagrees with the formula defined by the Council of Chalcedon. The Armenian Church instead adheres to the doctrine defined by Cyril of Alexandria
Cyril of Alexandria
Cyril of Alexandria was the Patriarch of Alexandria from 412 to 444. He came to power when the city was at its height of influence and power within the Roman Empire. Cyril wrote extensively and was a leading protagonist in the Christological controversies of the later 4th and 5th centuries...
, considered as a saint by the Chalcedonian Churches
Council of Chalcedon
The Council of Chalcedon was a church council held from 8 October to 1 November, 451 AD, at Chalcedon , on the Asian side of the Bosporus. The council marked a significant turning point in the Christological debates that led to the separation of the church of the Eastern Roman Empire in the 5th...
as well, who described Christ as being of one incarnate nature, where both divine and human nature are united (miaphysis). To distinguish this from Eutychian and other versions of Monophysitism this position is called miaphysitism
Miaphysitism
Miaphysitism is a Christological formula of the Oriental Orthodox Churches and of the various churches adhering to the first three Ecumenical Councils...
. Whereas the prefix "mono" means "only", thus emphasising the singular nature of Christ, "mia", simply means "one" unemphatically, and allows for a compound nature.
In recent times, both Chalcedonian and anti-Chalcedonian churches have developed a deeper understanding for each other's positions, recognizing their substantial agreement while maintaining their respective theological language.
Structure and leadership
It is headed by a Catholicos
Catholicos
Catholicos, plural Catholicoi, is a title used for the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and in some cases is borne by the designated head of an autonomous church, in which case the holder might have other titles such as Patriarch...
(the plural is Catholicoi). Although it is traditional in Eastern churches for the supreme head of the church to be named 'Patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
', in the Armenian Apostolic Church hierarchy, the position of the Catholicos is higher than that of the Patriarch. The Armenian Apostolic Church presently has two catholicoi (His Holiness Karekin II
Karekin II
Catholicos Karekin II is the current head of the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church.He was born as Ktrij Nersessian in Voskehat, Armenia, on August 21, 1951. He entered the Gevorkian Theological Seminary at Echmiadzin in 1965 and graduated with honors in 1971. He was ordained to the diaconate deacon...
, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; and Aram I
Aram I
His Holiness Aram I is the head of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia and has been Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church since 1995...
, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia), and two patriarchs, plus primates, archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
s and bishops, lower clergy and laity serving the Church.
The Catholicos of All Armenians represents the centralised authority of the Armenian Church. He is the supreme judge and the head of the legislative body. He is President of the Supreme Spiritual Council as well as the College of Bishops
College of Bishops
The term "College of Bishops" is used in Catholic theology to denote the bishops in communion with the Pope as a body, not as individuals...
. Ordination of bishops, blessing of Holy Chrism
Chrism
Chrism , also called "Myrrh" , Holy anointing oil, or "Consecrated Oil", is a consecrated oil used in the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Rite Catholic, Oriental Orthodox, in the Assyrian Church of the East, and in Old-Catholic churches, as well as Anglican churches in the administration...
, proclamation of feasts, invitation and dismissal of National-ecclesiastical assemblies, issuing decrees concerning the administration of the Armenian Church and establishing dioceses are part of his responsibilities.
Both clergy and lay are involved in the administrative structure of the Church. Led by His Holiness Karekin II, the spiritual and administrative work of the Armenian Church is carried out in the Republic of Armenia in the areas of religion, preparation of clergy, Christian education, construction of new churches, social services, and ecumenical activities. Underneath this administrative structure are the hierarchal sees:
The Catholicossate of the Great House of Cilicia located in Antelias
Antelias
Antelias is a town in Lebanon. It is located around 5 km to the north of Beirut. Its inhabitants are mainly Christians and include Armenians , Maronites, Greek Catholics and Greek Orthodox ....
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, is a regional See with current jurisdiction of the Dioceses of Lebanon, Syria and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
as temporarily granted to her by the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem in 1929, is led by Catholicos Aram I.
The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem
Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem
The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem also known as the Armenian Patriarchate of St. James is located in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem. The Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem remains under the authority of the Catholicos of Armenia and of all Armenians of the Armenian Apostolic Church...
which has jurisdiction over all of the Holy Lands and the Diocese of Jordan, is led by Patriarch Archbishop Torgom Manoogian.
The Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople
Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople
The Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople , one of the smallest Patriarchates of the Oriental Orthodox Church but one that has exerted a very significant political role and today still exercises a spiritual authority....
and All of Turkey, which has jurisdiction in the modern day Republic of Turkey, is led by Patriarch Archbishop Mesrob Mutafyan.
The three historic aforementioned hierarchal sees administer to the Dioceses under their jurisdiction as they see fit, however, the supremacy of the Catholicosate of All Armenians in all spiritual matters remains pre-eminent.
In addition to the responsibilities of overseeing their respective Dioceses, each hierarchical See, and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, has a Monastic Brotherhood.
Seminaries
The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin operates two seminaries
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
, the Gevorkian Theological Seminary
Gevorkian Theological Seminary
Gevorkian Theological Seminary is a theological school-college of the Armenian Apostolic Church founded by Catholicos Gevork IV in 1874. It is located in the city of Vagharshapat within the complex of the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin, Republic of Armenia.-History:During the tenure of Catholicos...
at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and the Vaskenian Theological Academy
Vaskenian Theological Academy
Vaskenian Theological Academy is a theological academy of the Armenian Apostolic Church on the Sevan peninsula on the shores of Lake Sevan in Armenia...
at Lake Sevan. Over a 6-year course of simultaneous study, students receive both a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree in Theology. The Great House of Cilicia operates one seminary, the Seminary of Antelias at Bikfaya
Bikfaya
Bikfaya is a town in the Matn District region of Mount Lebanon. Its stone houses with red-tiled roofs resting amidst pine and oak forests make Bikfaya one of the most sought-after suburbs of Beirut and one of Lebanon's most popular summer resorts.-Culture:...
, Lebanon. Upon graduation, students receive the equivalent of a high school diploma and pre-graduate theological study. The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem operates the St. Tarkmanchatz School (high school diploma) and the Theological Seminary of the Patriarchate (pre-graduate study). The Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople has suspended the operation of its seminary, Holy Cross Patriarchal Seminary, since 1971.
St. Nersess Armenian Seminary in New Rochelle, NY also trains Armenian priests, awarding the Master of Divinity in Theology (through an affiliation with nearby OCA St. Vladimir's Seminary). St. Nersess also offers a Master of Arts in Armenian Christian Studies.
Structure
Regionally, each area of the world where the Armenian Church and faithful are located has diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s, which are led by a primate from the Diocesan headquarters. Each diocese is made up of parishes and smaller communities.
The spiritual and administrative bodies representing the authority of the Armenian Church are the following:
The National Ecclesiastical Assembly is the supreme legislative body presided over by the Catholicos of All Armenians. The members of the National Ecclesiastical Assembly are elected by the individual Diocesan Assemblies. The National Ecclesiastical Assembly elects the Catholicos of All Armenians.
The Council of Bishops is an administrative-deliberative body presided over by the Catholicos of All Armenians. It makes suggestions on the dogmatic, religious, church, parish and canonical issues to be discussed as agenda items during the National Ecclesiastical Assembly.
The Supreme Spiritual Council is the highest executive body of the Armenian Church and is presided over by the Catholicos of All Armenians. The members of the Council can be elected by the National Ecclesiastical Assembly or appointed by the Catholicos of All Armenians. The Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Gevorg V. Soorenian established the Supreme Spiritual Council on January 1, 1924, to replace the Synod of Bishops.
The Diocesan Assembly is the highest legislative (canonical) body of each Diocese and is headed by the Primate of the Diocese. The Diocesan delegates (representatives of each parish community) elect the delegates to the National Ecclesiastical Assembly, the members of the Diocesan Council as well as discuss and decide on administrative issues within the Diocese such as committees, budgets, building, etc. In some Dioceses, the Diocesan Assembly elects the Primate of the Diocese.
The Diocesan Council is the highest executive power of a diocese, presided over by the Primate of the Diocese. It regulates the inner administrative activity of the Diocese under the direction of the Primate. The Diocesan Assembly elects members of the Diocesan Council.
The Monastic Brotherhood consists of the celibate clergy of the monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
who are led by an abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
. As of 2010, there were three brotherhoods in the Armenian Church – the brotherhood of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the brotherhood of St. James at the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the brotherhood of the See of Cilicia. Each Armenian celibate priest becomes a member of the brotherhood in which he has studied and ordained in or under the jurisdiction of which he has served. The brotherhood makes decisions concerning the inner affairs of the monastery. Each brotherhood elects two delegates who take part in the National Ecclesiastical Assembly.
The Parish Assembly is the general assembly of the community presided over by the spiritual pastor. The Parish Assembly elects or appoints the members of the Parish Council and the representatives or delegates to the Diocesan Assembly.
The Parish Council is the executive-administrative body of the community. It is presided over by the spiritual pastor of the community who takes up the inner administrative affairs of the parish and is engaged in the realization of its administrative and financial activities. Members of the parish council are elected or appointed at the parish assembly.
The Armenian Apostolic Church is one of a few apostolic churches in the world to have a democratic system; the people decide if they want to keep priests in their churches and may ask for different ones, as do some other ecclesiastical constitutions, such as Baptists and other Congregational churches.
Note that the Armenian Apostolic Church should not be confused, however, with the Armenian Catholic Church
Armenian Catholic Church
|- |The Armenian Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church sui juris in union with the other Eastern Rite, Oriental Rite and Latin Rite Catholics who accept the Bishop of Rome as spiritual leader of the Church. It is regulated by Eastern canon law...
whose Patriarch-Catholicos (of the Armenian Catholic Rite) is Nerses Bedros XIX
Nerses Bedros XIX
Nerses Bedros XIX is the current patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church. He was the second son and the fifth of eight children born to Elias Taza and Josephine Azouz...
, which is an Eastern Catholic church in communion with the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
Two Catholicosates
The Armenian Apostolic Church currently has two sees, with the Catholicos of All Armenians residing in Etchmiadzin, ArmeniaArmenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, having pre-eminent supremacy in all spiritual matters over the See of Cilicia, located in Antelias, Lebanon, which administers to the dioceses under its jurisdiction as they see fit. The two Sees are as follows:
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin is the spiritual and administrative headquarters of the worldwide Armenian Apostolic Church and the Pontifical Residence of the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians....
is the spiritual and administrative headquarters of the worldwide Armenian Church, the center of the faith of the Armenian nation – the Mother Cathedral of the Armenian Church, and the Pontifical residence of His Holiness Karekin II
Karekin II
Catholicos Karekin II is the current head of the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church.He was born as Ktrij Nersessian in Voskehat, Armenia, on August 21, 1951. He entered the Gevorkian Theological Seminary at Echmiadzin in 1965 and graduated with honors in 1971. He was ordained to the diaconate deacon...
, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin is a blend of the past, present and future of the worldwide Armenian Church.
Preserving the past are the numerous museums, libraries and the Mother Cathedral itself, all holding a vast richness of history and treasures. The Mother See is responsible for the preservation of artifacts, both those created by the Church and those given to the church as gifts over time.
Carrying on the work of the present and future are the innumerable departments and programs of the Armenian Church. Under the leadership and guidance of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the Mother See administers to social, cultural and educational programs for Armenia and the Diaspora.
The Mother Cathedral, founded by the Descent of Christ, has stood as a symbol against time of the Armenian faith, nation and people. The Cathedral is the most recognised landmark of the Armenian Church. Built and consecrated by St. Gregory the Illuminator
Gregory the Illuminator
Saint Gregory the Illuminator or Saint Gregory the Enlightener is the patron saint and first official head of the Armenian Apostolic Church...
and St. Trdat the Great
Tiridates III of Armenia
Tiridates III or Diritades III was the king of Arsacid Armenia , and is also known as Tiridates the Great ; some scholars incorrectly refer to him as Tiridates IV as a result of the fact that Tiridates I of Armenia reigned twice)...
in AD 303, the Cathedral is located in the city of Vagharshapat, Armenia.
St. Gregory chose the location of the Cathedral in accordance with a vision that he had. In his dream he saw "Miatsin", the Only Begotten Son of God, with glittering light on his face descending from the Heavens and with a golden hammer striking the ground where the Cathedral was to be located. Hence comes the name "Etchmiadzin", which translates literally to "the place" where the Only-Begotten Son of God descended.
The Mother Cathedral is open to the faithful everyday from 7:30 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Divine Liturgy
Divine Liturgy
Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy. As such, it is used in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches. Armenian Christians, both of the Armenian Apostolic Church and of the Armenian Catholic Church, use the same term...
is celebrated every Sunday starting at 11:00 a.m., except on feast days or special occasions when it starts at 10:30 a.m. Morning services are conducted starting at 7:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday. Evening Services are conducted at 5:30 p.m. every day.
Great House of Cilicia
Antelias
Antelias is a town in Lebanon. It is located around 5 km to the north of Beirut. Its inhabitants are mainly Christians and include Armenians , Maronites, Greek Catholics and Greek Orthodox ....
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, is a regional See of the Armenian Apostolic Church and is an autonomous church with jurisdiction over certain segments of the Armenian diaspora
Armenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...
.
Catholicos Aram I
Aram I
His Holiness Aram I is the head of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia and has been Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church since 1995...
is the current head and Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia. The See has current jurisdiction over dioceses and prelacies in Lebanon, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, the Persian Gulf, the United States, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. In the United States and Canada, there are also Prelacies and Dioceses that are related to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, so there is duality of representation of Armenian Apostolic churches in these two countries.
The primacy of honour of the Catholicossate of Etchmiadzin (Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin) has always been recognized by the Catholicosate of Great House of Cilicia.
The history of the Holy See of Cilicia as an autocephalous church is as follows: after the fall of Ani and the Armenian Kingdom of the Bagradits in 1045, masses of Armenians migrated to Cilicia
Cilicia
In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...
and the Catholicossate settled there. The seat of the church (now known as the Catholicossate of the Great House of Cilicia) was first established in Sivas (AD 1058) moving to Tavbloor (1062), then to Dzamendav (1066), Dzovk (1116), Hromgla (1149), and finally to Sis
Kozan, Adana
Kozan is a city in Adana Province, Turkey, 68 km north of the city of Adana, in the northern section of the Çukurova plain. The city is the capital of Kozan district. The Kilgen Stream, a tributary of the Ceyhan River , flows through Kozan crossing the plain south into the Mediterranean Sea....
(1293), then-capital of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia , also known as the Cilician Armenia, Kingdom of Cilician Armenia or New Armenia, was an independent principality formed during the High Middle Ages by Armenian refugees fleeing the Seljuk invasion of Armenia...
. Beginning in 1293 and continuing for more than 6 centuries, the city of Sis (modern-day Kozan, Adana
Kozan, Adana
Kozan is a city in Adana Province, Turkey, 68 km north of the city of Adana, in the northern section of the Çukurova plain. The city is the capital of Kozan district. The Kilgen Stream, a tributary of the Ceyhan River , flows through Kozan crossing the plain south into the Mediterranean Sea....
, Turkey) was the center of the Catholicossate of the Great House of Cilicia.
After the fall of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia , also known as the Cilician Armenia, Kingdom of Cilician Armenia or New Armenia, was an independent principality formed during the High Middle Ages by Armenian refugees fleeing the Seljuk invasion of Armenia...
, in 1375, the Church continued in its leadership role in the Armenian community, and the Catholicos was recognized as Ethnarch (Head of Nation).
In 1441, a new Catholicos was elected in St. Etchmiadzin
Echmiadzin
Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin is a 4th century Armenian church in the town of Ejmiatsin, Armenia. It is also the central cathedral of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin of the Armenian Apostolic Church....
in the person of Kirakos I Virapetsi of Armenia. At the same time the residing Catholicos in Sis, Gregory IX Mousabegian
Gregory IX of Cilicia
Catholicos Gregory IX Mousabegian was the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church at Cilicia between 1439 and 1446.-Biography:During his reign a movement began to return the Catholicate of All Armenians to historical Armenia...
(1439–1446), remained as Catholicos of Cilicia. Since 1441, there have continued to be two Catholicossates in the Armenian Church, each having equal rights and privileges, and each with its respective jurisdictions.
During the First World War and the 1915 Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
, the Armenian population and the home of the Catholicossate at the Monastery of St. Sophia of Sis (which can be seen to dominate the town in early 20th century photographs), was destroyed.
The last residing Catholicos in Sis was Sahag II of Cilicia (Catholicos from 1902 to 1939), who followed his Armenian flock into exile from Turkey.
Since 1930, the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia (also known as Holy See of Cilicia) has been headquartered in Antelias
Antelias
Antelias is a town in Lebanon. It is located around 5 km to the north of Beirut. Its inhabitants are mainly Christians and include Armenians , Maronites, Greek Catholics and Greek Orthodox ....
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
Reasons for the division
The division of the two Catholicossates stemmed from frequent relocations of Church headquarters due to political and military upheavals.The division between the two sees intensified during the Soviet period and to some extent reflected the politics of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. The ARF
ARF
-Organizations:* Advertising Research Foundation* Animal Rescue Foundation* Animal Rights Federation, an animal rights advocacy organization* Armenian Revolutionary Federation* Armtec Infrastructur Co.'s ticker symbol as of 2011...
Dashnaktsutyun nationalist political party that had dominated the independent Republic of Armenia from 1918 to 1920 and was active in the diaspora, saw the Church and clergy, with its worldwide headquarters at Echmiadzin in the Soviet Republic of Armenia, as a captive Communist puppet, and accused its clergy in the US as unduly influenced by Communists, particularly as the clergy were reluctant to participate in nationalist events and memorials that could be perceived as anti-Soviet. On December 24, 1933, a group of assassins attacked Eastern Diocese Archbishop Levon Tourian as he walked down the aisle of Holy Cross Armenian Church
Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church (New York City)
Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church is a significant Armenian Apostolic Churchin Washington Heights, Manhattan, New York City at 580 West 187th Street. It occupies the former second location of the Lutheran church of The Lutheran Church of Our Saviour, established in 1897 as a mission church of...
in the Washington Heights
Washington Heights, Manhattan
Washington Heights is a New York City neighborhood in the northern reaches of the borough of Manhattan. It is named for Fort Washington, a fortification constructed at the highest point on Manhattan island by Continental Army troops during the American Revolutionary War, to defend the area from the...
neighborhood of New York City during the Divine Liturgy, and killed him with a butcher knife. Nine Tashnags were later arrested, tried and convicted. The incident divided the Armenian community, as Tashnag sympathizers established congregations independent of Etchmiadzin, declaring loyalty instead to the See based in Antelias in Lebanon. The division was formalized in 1956 when the Antelias (Cilisian) See broke away from the Echmiadzin See.
The separation has become entrenched in the United States, with most large Armenian communities having two parish churches, one answering to each See, even though they are theologically indistinguishable. There have been numerous lay and clergy efforts at reunion, especially since the fall of the Soviet Union.
In 1995, Karekin II, Catholicos of Cilicia for the period 1983–1994, was elected Catholicos in Echmiadzin upon the death of Vazgen I
Vazgen I
His Holiness Vazgen I was the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church between 1955 and 1994, in one of the longest reigns of the Armenian Catholicoi. A native of Romania, he began his career as a philosopher, before becoming a Doctor of Theology and a member of the local Armenian clergy...
, becoming Karekin I
Karekin I
Karekin I , served as the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church between 1995 and 1999...
Catholicos of All Armenians, and serving as Supreme head of the church until 1999. He was not able, however, to unite the two Catholicossates, despite having headed both.
Two Patriarchates: Constantinople and Jerusalem
The Armenian Apostolic Church also has two Patriarchates of high authority both under the jurisdiction of the Catholicos of All Armenians. They are:- Armenian Patriarchate of JerusalemArmenian Patriarchate of JerusalemThe Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem also known as the Armenian Patriarchate of St. James is located in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem. The Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem remains under the authority of the Catholicos of Armenia and of all Armenians of the Armenian Apostolic Church...
in the Armenian QuarterArmenian QuarterThe Armenian Quarter is one of the four quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem. The Armenian Quarter is the smallest of the four quarters, with the smallest number of residents....
of Jerusalem headed by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Torkom ManoogianTorkom ManoogianPatriarch Torkom Manoogian is the current Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem serving the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem as Archbishop under the authority of the Catholicos of Armenia and of all Armenians of the Armenian Apostolic Church... - Armenian Patriarchate of ConstantinopleArmenian Patriarchate of ConstantinopleThe Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople , one of the smallest Patriarchates of the Oriental Orthodox Church but one that has exerted a very significant political role and today still exercises a spiritual authority....
in Istanbul, Turkey headed since 1998 by Patriarch of Constantinople Archbishop Mesrob II MutafyanPatriarch Mesrob II Mutafyan of ConstantinopleArchbishop Mesrob II Mutafyan, also known as Mesrop Mutafyan, is the 84th Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople...
Comparison to other churches
LiturgicallyLiturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
speaking, the Church has much in common both with the Latin Rite in its externals, especially as it was at the time of separation, as well as with the Eastern Orthodox Churches. For example, their bishops wear mitre
Mitre
The mitre , also spelled miter, is a type of headwear now known as the traditional, ceremonial head-dress of bishops and certain abbots in the Roman Catholic Church, as well as in the Anglican Communion, some Lutheran churches, and also bishops and certain other clergy in the Eastern Orthodox...
s almost identical to those of Western bishops. They usually do not use a full iconostasis
Iconostasis
In Eastern Christianity an iconostasis is a wall of icons and religious paintings, separating the nave from the sanctuary in a church. Iconostasis also refers to a portable icon stand that can be placed anywhere within a church...
, but rather a curtain (which was also used in the West at the time of separation). The liturgical music is Armenian chant
Armenian chant
Armenian chant is the melismatic monophonic chant used in the liturgy of the Armenian Apostolic Church.Armenian chant, like Byzantine chant, consists mainly of hymns. The chants are grouped in an oktoechos. The oldest hymns were in prose, but later versified hymns, such as those by Nerses...
. Many of the Armenian churches also have pipe organs to accompany their chant.
Armenian priests below the rank of bishop are allowed to be married before ordination and their descendants' surnames are prepended with the prefix "Ter" (or "Der" in Western Armenian), meaning "Lord", to indicate their lineage. Such a married priest is known as a kahana.
The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the Nativity of Jesus
Nativity of Jesus
The Nativity of Jesus, or simply The Nativity, refers to the accounts of the birth of Jesus in two of the Canonical gospels and in various apocryphal texts....
in combination with the Feast of the Epiphany, putting Armenian Christmas on 6 January in the church's calendar. This contrasts with the more common celebration of Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
on 25 December, a later Christian tradition originated in Rome, to which Armenia was not subject at the time.
Since 1923, the church has mainly used the Gregorian Calendar
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar, or Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582, a papal bull known by its opening words Inter...
shared by most civil authorities and Western Christian churches (not the traditional Armenian calendar
Armenian calendar
The Armenian calendar is the traditional calendar of Armenia. It is a solar calendar based on the same system as the ancient Egyptian model, having an invariant 365-day year with no leap year rule...
). The only exception is the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, where the old Julian calendar
Julian calendar
The Julian calendar began in 45 BC as a reform of the Roman calendar by Julius Caesar. It was chosen after consultation with the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria and was probably designed to approximate the tropical year .The Julian calendar has a regular year of 365 days divided into 12 months...
is used, putting Nativity celebrations on 19 January in the Gregorian calendar.
Official position of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the Republic of Armenia
The status of the Armenian Apostolic Church within the Republic of Armenia is defined in the country's constitution. A 2005 amendment to the constitution granted the Church an "exclusive mission" within Armenia's spiritual and cultural life.In 2009, further constitutional amendments were drafted that would make it a crime for non-traditional religious groups to proselytize on adherents of the Apostolic Church. Minority groups would also be banned from spreading 'distrust' in other faiths. These draft amendments were put on hold after strong criticism voiced by the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Armenian
religious minorities and human rights groups also expressed serious concern over the amendments, with human rights activist Stepan Danielian stating "the Armenian Apostolic Church today wants to have a monopoly on religion". The Armenian Church defines religious groups operating outside its domain as "sects" and, in the words of spokesman Bishop Arshak Khachatrian, considers that "their activities in Armenia are nothing but a denial of the creed of the Armenian Apostolic Church, which is considered the national religion of the Armenian people". Hrant Bagratyan
Hrant Bagratyan
Hrant Bagratyan was born on October 18, 1958, in Yerevan, Armenia. He was the Prime Minister of Armenia from February 2, 1993 until November 4, 1996. He was a member of the Pan-Armenian National Movement party. He has PhD in Economics, author of more than 52 scientific articles and 7 books...
, former Prime Minister of Armenia, has condemned the close association the Armenian Apostolic Church has with the Armenian government, calling the Church an "untouchable" organisation that is secretive of its income and expenditure.
Armenian religious communities in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh)
Due to the Bolshevik revolution and the subsequent annexation of Armenia by the U.S.S.R., all functioning religious institutions in Armenia and Artsakh were closed down, and their clergymen either exiled or shot. The Armenian Apostolic Church resumed its activities in 1989 and, over the next 20 years, more than 30 churches were restored or constructed. In 2009, the ArtsakhNagorno-Karabakh Republic
The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic , or Artsakh Republic is a de facto independent republic located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia...
government introduced a law entitled "Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organisations", article 8 of which stated that only the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church is allowed to preach on the territory of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic , or Artsakh Republic is a de facto independent republic located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. However, the law did make processes available for other religious institutions to get approval from the government if they wished to worship within the Republic.
Armenian Apostolic communities in the world
Today there are large Armenian Apostolic congregations in many countries in Western Europe, North and South America, and in South Asia.The Armenian presence in Israel is primarily to be found in the Armenian Quarter
Armenian Quarter
The Armenian Quarter is one of the four quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem. The Armenian Quarter is the smallest of the four quarters, with the smallest number of residents....
of Jerusalem and, in particular, in association with the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem
Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem
The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem also known as the Armenian Patriarchate of St. James is located in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem. The Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem remains under the authority of the Catholicos of Armenia and of all Armenians of the Armenian Apostolic Church...
.
Also of particular importance are the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople
Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople
The Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople , one of the smallest Patriarchates of the Oriental Orthodox Church but one that has exerted a very significant political role and today still exercises a spiritual authority....
in Turkey and the Armenian Apostolic Church of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
(see also Christians in Iran). These churches represent the largest Christian ethnic minority in both of these predominantly Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
countries, Turkey and Iran.
Women in the Armenian Church
The Armenian Church does not ordain women to the priesthood. Historically, however, monastic women have been ordained as deaconesses within a convent environment. While they are truly ordained, these deaconesses do not minister in traditional parish churches or cathedrals to lay worshippers.Women are generally not allowed at the altar of the Armenian church, although in practice exceptions are made to allow for altar girls and lay readers, especially when a parish is so small that not enough boys or men are regularly available to serve.
Women commonly serve the church in the choir and at the organ, on parish councils, as volunteers for church events, fundraisers, and Sunday schools, as supporters through Women's Guilds, and as staff members in church offices.
In the case of a married priest (Der Hayr), the wife of the priest generally plays an active role in the parish and is addressed by the title Yeretzgin.
The Armenian Church allows for divorce and remarriage.
Armenian religious architecture
The Armenian Apostolic Church has been a prime patron of Armenian architectureArmenian architecture
Armenian architecture is an architectural style developed over the last 4,500 years of human habitation in the Armenian Highland and used principally by the Armenian people.- Common characteristics of Armenian architecture:...
both in historic Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
and in the diaspora
Armenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...
. Armenian communities seeking to keep the traditions of their homeland built churches with designs inspired by historic landmarks such as the cathedrals of Ani
Cathedral of Ani
The Cathedral of Ani is an Armenian church built in 1001 AD by the architect Trdat in the ruined ancient Armenian capital of Ani, located in what is now the extreme eastern tip of Turkey, on the border with modern Armenia...
, Zvartnots and Etchmiadzin. This tradition still continues into the present day as Armenian immigration has shifted away from the traditional areas of outmigration in Europe and the Middle East into the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Armenian church communities frequently erect Khachkars (stone crosses) and similar monuments on the parish grounds to commemorate the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
. Stones, bricks, or walls near the monument record the names of deceased members of the local community and their ancestors. Khatchkars are a common feature of interior and exterior church walls and are often found on Armenian gravestones.
See also
- List of Orthodox Churches
- Eastern ChristianityEastern ChristianityEastern Christianity comprises the Christian traditions and churches that developed in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, Northeastern Africa, India and parts of the Far East over several centuries of religious antiquity. The term is generally used in Western Christianity to...
- Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia
- Armenian Patriarchate of ConstantinopleArmenian Patriarchate of ConstantinopleThe Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople , one of the smallest Patriarchates of the Oriental Orthodox Church but one that has exerted a very significant political role and today still exercises a spiritual authority....
- Armenian Patriarchate of JerusalemArmenian Patriarchate of JerusalemThe Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem also known as the Armenian Patriarchate of St. James is located in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem. The Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem remains under the authority of the Catholicos of Armenia and of all Armenians of the Armenian Apostolic Church...
- Gevorkian Theological SeminaryGevorkian Theological SeminaryGevorkian Theological Seminary is a theological school-college of the Armenian Apostolic Church founded by Catholicos Gevork IV in 1874. It is located in the city of Vagharshapat within the complex of the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin, Republic of Armenia.-History:During the tenure of Catholicos...
- VardapetVardapetA Vardapet is a highly-educated archimandrite in the Armenian Apostolic Church tradition who holds a Doctorate in Theology.In the English-speaking world, the best-known of the doctor-monks of Armenia is Mekhitar of Sebaste, founder of an Armenian Catholic community of monks, the...
; Armenian doctor-monks
Lists
- List of Catholicoi of Armenia
- List of Armenian Catholicoi of Cilicia
- List of Armenian Patriarchs of Jerusalem
- List of Armenian Patriarchs of Constantinople
External links
- Arak29 Divine Liturgy of Armenian Apostolic Church
- Arak29 Sharakan (Hymns)
- Arak29 Losses of the Armenian Church During the Armenian Genocide
- Arak29 Get to the Root of it
- Arak29 Yeznik – Refutation of the Sects
Main Catholicossate and Patriarchate sites
- Armenian Apostolic Church Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
- Armenian Catholicossate of the Great House of Cilicia
- Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem
- Armenian Patriarchate in Turkey
Armenian Churches Worldwide: Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
- Araratian Patriarchal Diocese
- Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada
- Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
- The Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Western)
- Armenian Churches in India
- DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND
Armenian churches worldwide: See of Cilicia
- Armenian Prelacy of Canada
- Armenian Prelacy of Greece
- Armenian Prelacy of Lebanon
- Armenian Prelacy of Beroea (Aleppo, Syria)
- Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
- Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
General
- Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church, Faith of our Fathers
- Armenian Apostolic (Orthodox) Church Library Online: English | Armenian | Russian
- Prayer Book of the Armenian Church
- Armeniapedia – Armenian Apostolic Church
- SAIN.org Information on the Armenian Church
- Embassy of the Republic of Armenia to the US General Information
- Directory of Armenian Churches Worldwide Apostolic Churches in Asia
- Armenian Apostolic Church—from the website of the Catholic Near East Welfare AssociationCatholic Near East Welfare AssociationThe Catholic Near East Welfare Association is an agency of the Holy See, founded by Pope Pius XI in 1926 to support the churches and peoples of the Middle East, Northeast Africa, India and Eastern Europe. Its first President was Edmund A. Walsh, S.J. The current President is the Reverend Monsignor...
- Lusamut: In the Days of Armenian Catholicoi