According to tradition, the church originated in the missions of ApostlesBartholomew andThaddeus (Jude) in the 1st century. St.Gregory the Illuminator was the first officialprimate of the church. It is sometimes referred to as theArmenian Apostolic Orthodox Church,Armenian Church orArmenian Gregorian Church.[10][11][12]
The Armenian Apostolic Church believes inapostolic succession through the apostlesBartholomew[14] andThaddeus (Jude).[15][16][17] According to tradition, the latter of the two apostles is said to have curedAbgar V ofEdessa of leprosy with theImage of Edessa, leading to his conversion in AD 30. Thaddaeus was then commissioned by Abgar to proselytize throughout Armenia, where he converted KingSanatruk's daughter, who was eventuallymartyred alongside Thaddeus when Sanatruk later fell intoapostasy. After this, Bartholomew came to Armenia, bringing a portrait of theVirgin Mary, which he placed in anunnery he founded over a former temple ofAnahit. Bartholomew then converted the sister of Sanatruk, who once again martyred a female relative and the apostle who converted her. Both apostles ordained native bishops before their execution, and some other Armenians had been ordained outside of Armenia byJames the Just.[16][17] Scholars includingBart Ehrman, Han J.W. Drijvers, andWalter Bauer dismiss the conversion ofAbgar V[18] as fiction.
When King Tiridates III made Christianity the state religion of Armenia between 300 and 301, it was not an entirely new religion there. It had penetrated the country from at least the third century, and may have been present even earlier.[21]
Tiridates declared Gregory to be the firstCatholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church and sent him toCaesarea to be consecrated. Upon his return, Gregory tore down shrines to idols, built churches and monasteries, and ordained manypriests andbishops. While meditating in the old capital city ofVagharshapat, Gregory had a vision of Christ descending to the earth and striking it with a hammer. From that spot arose 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 in accordance with his vision, renaming the cityEtchmiadzin, which means "the place of the descent of theOnly-Begotten".[22]
Initially, the Armenian Apostolic Church participated in the larger Christian world and was subordinated to the Bishop of Caesarea.[23] Its catholicos was represented at theFirst Council of Nicea (325).St. Vrtanes I, the thirdCatholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church (333–341), sent a letter with specific questions toMacarius, theOrthodox Bishop of Jerusalem (312–335/36), taken toJerusalem by a delegation of Armenian priests on the occasion of theEncaenia, in dedication of theChurch of the Holy Sepulchre in September 335. In Macarius's letter to theArmenians in 335, it seeks to correct irregularities in the initiation rites ofbaptism and theeucharist in use in theArmenian Church by articulating the practices in Jerusalem. In so doing, it reveals the divergent forms being practiced inArmenia, which have strong echoes of oldEast Syriac Rite.Orthopraxy was conceived byVrtanes and his Armenian colleagues in terms of liturgical performance in Jerusalem. In 353, KingPapas (Pap) appointed CatholicosHusik without first sending him to Caesarea for commissioning.[24] The Armenian catholicos was still represented at theFirst Council of Constantinople (381).
As Gregory was consecrated by the bishop of Caesarea, he also accepted theByzantine Rite. However, the Armenian Church, due to the influence of the Church inEdessa, the large presence ofSyriacs in Armenia, as well as the number of Syriac priests that arrived in Armenia with Gregory, also cultivated theWest Syriac or Antiochian Rite. Since Armenians at the time did not have an alphabet, its clergy learnedGreek andSyriac. From this synthesis, the newArmenian Rite came about, which had similarities both with the Byzantine and theAntiochian Syriac rite.[25]
Although unable to attend theCouncil of Ephesus (431), CatholicosIsaac Parthiev (Sahak Part'ew) sent a message agreeing with its decisions.[27] However, non-doctrinal elements in theCouncil of Chalcedon (451) caused certain problems to arise.
In 609–610, theThird Council of Dvin was convened during the reign of Catholicos Abraham I of Aghbatank and PrinceSmbat Bagratuni, with clergymen and laymen participating. The Georgian Church disagreed with the Armenian Church, having approved theChristology of Chalcedon. This 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 CatholicosKurion of the Georgian Church and his adherents for the schism. The council never set up canons; it only deprived Georgians from takingcommunion in the Armenian Church.[29][need quotation to verify][30]
During the 15th century, the Armenian Church participated in theCouncil of Basel-Ferrara-Florence, which was an effort amongst theRoman Catholics, the Eastern Orthodox, and theOriental Orthodox Churches at achieving unity.[34] None of these councils resulted in any lasting, permanent reunification amongst the various Christian churches.
By 1903, theTsarist government of theRussian Empire moved to confiscate the property of the Armenian Church.[35] By 1905, property was returned to the Armenian Church.
During theFirst World War, the Armenian Church suffered persecution from theOttoman Empire. TheArmenian genocide occurred during the war, and both clergy and laity were persecuted and murdered in an effort toethnically cleanse the region.[36] During and after the Armenian genocide, theArmenian diaspora spread, bringing Armenian Apostolic Christianity with them.
On April 23, 2015, the Armenian Apostolic Churchcanonized all the victims of the Armenian genocide; this service is believed to be the largest canonization service in history.[37][38][39] Approximately 1.5 million is the most frequently published number of victims, however, estimates vary from 700,000 to 1,800,000. It was the first canonization by the Armenian Apostolic Church in four hundred years.[40]
Like allOriental Orthodox churches, the Armenian Church has been historically referred to asmiaphysis by both Roman Catholic andEastern Orthodox theologians because it rejected the decisions of theCouncil of Chalcedon, which condemned the belief of one incarnate nature of Christ (monophysis) by Eutyches. This formula is not followed by the Armenian church instead the church adheres to Miaphysitism which is different. The Armenian Church officially severed ties withRome andConstantinople in 610, during the Third Council of Dvin where theChalcedoniandyophysite christological formula was rejected.[41]
However, again like other Oriental Orthodox,[42] the Armenian Apostolic Church argues that the identification as "monophysitism" is an incorrect description of its position.[43] It considers the doctrine as taught byEutyches and condemned at Chalcedon a heresy and disagrees with the formula defined by the Council of Chalcedon.[43] The Armenian Church instead adheres to the doctrine defined byCyril of Alexandria, considered as a saint by theChalcedonian 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 calledmiaphysitism.[44][45] Whereas the prefix "mono-" (<Greek μονο- < μόνος) means "single, alone, only",[46][47] thus emphasising the singular nature of Christ, "mia" (μία "one"FEM),[48] simply means "one" unemphatically, and allows for a compound nature.
Ecumenically, the Armenian and Roman churches established a common Christological declaration.[49] This was also done by the Coptic, Syriac Orthodox, and Malankara Orthodox churches.[50][51]
The Armenian Church does not ordain women to the priesthood.[52] Historically, however, monastic women have been ordained as deacons within a convent environment.[53] When ordained to the diaconate, "men and women are ordained to the diaconate using the same rite, with both having functions of chanting the Gospel and serving in the Divine Liturgy."[54] Monastic women deacons generally do not minister in traditional parish churches or cathedrals, although the late Sister Hripseme did minister and serve during public liturgies, including in the United States.[55] The Armenian Church's last monastic deaconess was Sister Hripsime Sasounian (died in 2007) and on 25 September 2017, Ani-Kristi Manvelian, a twenty-four-year-old woman, was ordained in Tehran's St. Sarkis Mother Church as the first parish deaconess after many centuries.[56]
Women also serve asaltar girls and lay readers, especially when a parish is so small that not enough boys or men are regularly available to serve.[57][58] 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 titleYeretzgin.[59][60]
According toThe Armenian Church byArchdeacon Dowling published in 1910, the Armenian Apostolic Church was composed of four patriarchal provinces, comprising at that date seventy-two, six, and two dioceses inTurkey,Russia, andIran, respectively.[61]
TheArmenian Patriarchate of Constantinople (Armenian:Պատրիարքութիւն Հայոց Կոստանդնուպոլսոյ) and All of Turkey, which has jurisdiction in the modern-day Republic of Turkey. Its seat is in Istanbul, Turkey and is headed since 2019 by the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, ArchbishopSahak II Mashalian.[62]
The status of the Armenian Apostolic Church within Armenia is defined inthe country's constitution. Article 8.1 of the Constitution of Armenia states: "The Republic of Armenia recognizes the exclusive historical mission of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church as a national church, in the spiritual life, development of the national culture and preservation of the national identity of the people of Armenia." Among others, ethnographerHranush Kharatyan has questioned the constitutionality of the phrase "national church".[67]
In 2009, further constitutional amendments were drafted that would make it a crime for non-traditional religious groups to proselytize on adherents of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Minority groups would also be banned from spreading 'distrust' in other faiths.[68]Hrant Bagratyan, former Prime Minister of Armenia, condemned the close association of the Armenian Apostolic Church with the Armenian government, calling the church an "untouchable" organisation that is secretive of its income and expenditure.[69]
The Armenian Apostolic Church is "seen by many as the custodian of Armenian national identity."[70] "Beyond its role as a religious institution, the Apostolic Church has traditionally been seen as the foundational core in the development of the Armenian national identity as God's uniquely chosen people."[71] According to a 2018 survey by thePew Research Center, in Armenia 82% of respondents say it is very or somewhat important to be a Christian to be truly Armenian.[72] In a 2024 survey in Armenia, 79% of respondents self-identified as belonging to the Armenian Apostolic Church.[73]
According to a 2015 survey 79% of people in Armenia trust it, while 12% neither trust it nor distrust it, and 8% distrust the church.[74]
As both Eastern and Western Armenia came under Persian and Ottoman rule, the Armenian Apostolic Church was the centre of many Armenian liberation activities.[75]
After a while the Armenian Apostolic Church resumed its activities. There were weddings, baptisms, and every SundayPatarag at a free will attendance basis. The Armenian Apostolic Church since 1989 restored or constructed more than 30 churches worldwide. In 2009 theRepublic of Artsakh government introduced a law entitled "Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organisations", article 8 of which provided that only the Armenian Apostolic Church is allowed to preach on the territory of the Republic of Artsakh. 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.[76] Since the downfall of Artsakh, the population has returned to Armenia or spread throughout the diaspora.
Outside ofWest Asia, there are notable Armenian Apostolic congregations in various countries. In 2024, the church had 600,000 members in North America and 10,000 members in South America; they also had 25,000 members in Europe.[77]
Early medieval opponents of the Armenian Church in Armenia included thePaulicians (7th–9th centuries) and theTondrakians (9th–11th centuries).
The power relationship between Catholic and secular rulers was sometimes a source of conflict. In 1037 kingHovhannes-Smbat of Ani deposed and imprisonedCatholicos Petros, who he suspected of holding pro-Byzantine views, and appointed a replacement catholicos. This persecution was highly criticized by the Armenian clergy, forcing Hovhannes-Smbat to release Petros and reinstall him to his former position. In 1038 a major ecclesiastical council was held in Ani, which denied the king the right to elect or remove a catholicos.[85]
Gerard Libaridian argued that because Armenians consider the church a national institution, it "must be respected and guarded at all times. Therefore the critical attitude regarding Armenian historical institutions is rarely applied to the Armenian Church, as it is seen as a venerable institution that unites all Armenians."[91] Stepan Danielyan, a scholar on religion, argued in 2013 that "When Armenia became independent with the collapse of the Soviet Union, a great deal was expected of the church, but those expectations have not been fulfilled. The church continues to ignore the things most people are worried about – vitally important social, economic and political problems and endless corruption scandals."[92]
In independent Armenia, the Armenian Apostolic Church has often been criticized for its perceived support of the governments ofRobert Kocharyan andSerzh Sargsyan despite the formalseparation of church and state in Armenia.[93][94][95][96][97] According to former Prime MinisterHrant Bagratyan religion and state management "have completely gotten mixed up". He described the church as an "untouchable" organization that is secretive of its income and expenditure.[98] Large-scale construction of new churches in the independence period[99] and the negligence of endangered historic churches by the Apostolic church (and the government) have also been criticized.[100]
In recent years, a few high-profile leaders of the church have been involved in controversies.[100] In 2013 Navasard Ktchoyan, the Archbishop of theAraratian Diocese and Prime MinisterTigran Sargsyan were alleged to have been partners with a businessman charged with laundering US$10.7 million bank loan and then depositing most of it in accounts he controlled in Cyprus.[101] In 2011 it was revealed that Ktchoyan drives aBentley (valued at $180,000–280,000). Pointing out the 34% poverty rate in Armenia,Asbarez editor Ara Khachatourian called it "nothing but blasphemy". He added "Archbishop Kchoyan's reckless disregard and attitude is even more unacceptable due to his position in the Armenian Church."[102]
In October 2013 Father Asoghik Karapetyan, the director of the Museum of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, stated on television that a non-Apostolic Armenian is not a "true Armenian". A spokesperson for the Armenian Apostolic Church stated that it is his personal view.[103] The statement received considerable criticism,[104] though Asoghik did not retract his statement.[105] In an editorial in the liberalAravot daily Aram Abrahamyan suggested that religious identity should not be equated with national (ethnic) identity and it is up to every individual to decide whether they are Armenian or not, regardless of religion.[106]
In 2019, the church issued a statement opposing ratification of theIstanbul Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence on the grounds that the convention recognized rights fortransgender individuals.[107]
^Tchilingirian, Hratch (2007). Bayram, Balcı; Motika, Raoul (eds.).Religion et politique dans le Caucase post-soviétique. Institut français d’études anatoliennes. pp. 277–311.ISBN978-2-7068-1967-4.The Catholicosate of All Armenians – also known as the "Mother See of Holy Ejmiatsin" – is the supreme ecclesiastical centre of the Church, located in the town of Vagharshapat, 25 km from Yerevan. It is recognised as "preeminent" among the four Hierarchical Sees of the Church
^Erwin Fahlbusch (2011). "Armenian Apostolic Church". In John Mbiti (ed.).The Encyclopedia of Christianity Online. Brill.doi:10.1163/2211-2685_eco_a599.
^Augusti, Johann Christian Wilhelm; Rheinwald, Georg Friedrich Heinrich; Siegel, Carl Christian Friedrich.The Antiquities of the Christian Church. p. 466.
^Scott, Michael (2016-11-01).Ancient Worlds: A Global History of Antiquity. Basic Books.ISBN978-0-465-09473-8.
^Grousset, René (1984) [1947].Histoire de l'Arménie (in French). Payot. p. 122.. Estimated dates vary from 284 to 314. Garsoïan (op.cit. p. 82), following the research of Ananian, favours the latter.
^"HISTORY".ՀԱՅ ԱՌԱՔԵԼԱԿԱՆ ԵԿԵՂԵՑՈՒ Արևմտյան Եվրոպայի Հայրապետական Պատվիրակություն. Retrieved2023-01-30.
^ab"The Aršakuni Dynasty (A.D. 12-[180?]-428)" by Nina Garsoïan, inArmenian People from Ancient to Modern Times, ed. R.G. Hovannisian, Palgrave Macmillan, 1997, Volume 1, p. 81.
^van Lint, Theo Maarten (2009). "The Formation of Armenian Identity in the First Millenium".Church History and Religious Culture.89 (1/3): 269.
^See Drasxanakertci,History of Armenia, 78ff; Atiya,History of Eastern Christianity, 316ff; Narbey,A Catechism of Christian Instruction According to the Doctrine of the Armenian Church, 88ff.
^"Armenian Church Councils". Archived fromthe original on 2011-04-25. Retrieved2010-02-11.The 3rd Council of Dvin was convened during the reign of Catholicos Abraham I of Aghbatank and Prince Smbat Bagratooni, with clergymen and laymen participating. The Georgian Church was split from the Armenian Church and the Catholicos had repeatedly tried to turn to Catholicos Kurion of the Georgian Church. The council was convened to clarify the relationship of the Armenian Church towards the Georgian Church. After the Council, Catholicos Abraham wrote an encyclical letter addressed to the people where he blamed Kurion and his adherents for the split. The Council never set up canons; it only deprived Georgians from taking communion in the Armenian Church.
^Terzian, Shelley (2014). "Central effects of religious education in Armenia from Ancient Times to Post-Soviet Armenia". In Wolhuter, Charl; de Wet, Corene (eds.).International Comparative Perspectives on Religion and Education. AFRICAN SUN MeDIA. p. 28.ISBN978-1-920382-37-7.
^"Եկեղեցին պետք է մտածի, քանի դեռ ուշ չէ. "Ժամանակ"".Aravot (in Armenian). 10 February 2015.Իսկ հանրային կարծիքն այն է, որ ինչպես բիզնեսն ու իշխանությունները, այնպես էլ եկեղեցին և բիզնեսը սերտաճած են, և այս առումով եկեղեցական ղեկավարության բարքերը չեն տարբերվում հանրապետության ղեկավարության բարքերից:
Vrej Nerses Nersessian (2007)."Armenian Christianity"(PDF). In Parry, Ken (ed.).Blackwell Companion to Eastern Christianity. Malden, MA: Blackwell. pp. 23–46. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 13 August 2011.
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