Currently, according to the canonical structure of the united Armenian Apostolic Church, there are two Catholicosates - the Catholicosate of All Armenians, with its center in Etchmiadzin (Armenian. Մայր Աթոռ Սուրբ Էջմիածին / Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin) and Cilician (Armenian) Մեծի Տանն Կիլիկիոյ Կաթողիկոսություն / Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia), with its center (since 1930) in Antilias, Lebanon. With the administrative independence of the Cilician Catholicos, the primacy of honor belongs to the Catholicos of All Armenians, who has the title of Supreme Patriarch of the AAC.

The Catholicos of All Armenians is under the jurisdiction of all dioceses within Armenia, as well as most foreign dioceses around the world, in particular in Russia, Ukraine and other countries of the former USSR. Under the administration of the Cilician Catholicos are the dioceses of Lebanon, Syria and Cyprus.

There are also two autonomous patriarchates of the AAC - Constantinople and Jerusalem, canonically subordinate to the Catholicos of All Armenians. The Patriarchs of Jerusalem and Constantinople have the ecclesiastical degree of archbishop. The Jerusalem Patriarchate is in charge of the Armenian churches of Israel and Jordan, and the Patriarchate of Constantinople is in charge of the Armenian churches of Turkey and the island of Crete (Greece).

Church organization in Russia

• New Nakhichevan and Russian Diocese Rostov Vicariate of the AAC Western Vicariate of the AAC

• Diocese of the South of Russia AAC North Caucasus Vicariate of the AAC

Spiritual degrees in the AAC

Unlike the Greek tripartite (bishop, priest, deacon) system of spiritual degrees of hierarchy, there are five spiritual degrees in the Armenian Church.

1. Catholicos/Head of the Bishop/ (has absolute authority to perform the Sacraments, including the Ordination of all spiritual levels of the hierarchy, including bishops and Catholicoses. The ordination and anointing of bishops is performed in the concelebration of two bishops. The anointing of a Catholicos is performed in the concelebration of twelve bishops).
2. Bishop, Archbishop (differs from the Catholicos in some limited powers. The bishop can ordain and anoint priests, but usually cannot independently ordain bishops, but only concelebrate with the Catholicos in episcopal consecration. When a new Catholicos is elected, twelve bishops will anoint him, elevating him to a spiritual degree).
3. Priest, Archimandrite(performs all the Sacraments except Ordination).
4. Deacon(will serve in the Sacraments).
5. Dpir(the lowest spiritual degree received at episcopal ordination. Unlike a deacon, he does not read the Gospel at the liturgy and does not offer the liturgical cup).

Dogmatics

Christology

The Armenian Apostolic Church belongs to the group of Ancient Eastern churches. She did not participate in the IV Ecumenical Council for objective reasons and, like all the Ancient Eastern churches, did not accept its resolutions. In its dogmatics, it is based on the decisions of the first three Ecumenical Councils and adheres to the pre-Chalcedonian Christology of St. Cyril of Alexandria, who professed One of the two natures of God, the Word incarnate (miaphysitism). Theological critics of the AAC argue that its Christology should be interpreted as Monophysitism, which the Armenian Church rejects, anathematizing both Monophysitism and Dyophysitism.

Icon veneration

Among critics of the Armenian Church there is an opinion that in early period Iconoclasm was characteristic of her. This opinion could arise due to the fact that in general there are few icons and no iconostasis in Armenian churches, but this is only a consequence of the local ancient tradition, historical conditions and the general asceticism of the decoration (that is, from the point of view of the Byzantine tradition of icon veneration, when everything is covered with icons walls of the temple, this can be perceived as a “lack” of icons or even “iconoclasm”). On the other hand, such an opinion could have developed due to the fact that believing Armenians usually do not keep icons at home. IN home prayer the Cross was more often used. This is due to the fact that the icon in the AAC must certainly be consecrated by the hand of the bishop with holy chrism, and therefore it is more of a temple shrine than an indispensable attribute of home prayer.

According to critics of “Armenian iconoclasm”, the main reasons that determined its appearance are considered to be the rule of Muslims in Armenia in the 8th-9th centuries, whose religion prohibits images of people, “monophysitism”, which does not presuppose in Christ a human essence, and therefore, the subject of the image, as well as the identification of icon veneration with the Byzantine Church, with which the Armenian Apostolic Church had significant disagreements since the Council of Chalcedon. Well, since the presence of icons in Armenian churches testifies against the assertion of iconoclasm in the AAC, the opinion began to be put forward that, starting from the 11th century, in matters of icon veneration, the Armenian Church converged with the Byzantine tradition (although Armenia in subsequent centuries was under the rule of Muslims, and many The dioceses of the AAC are still located in Muslim territories today, despite the fact that there have never been any changes in Christology and the attitude towards the Byzantine tradition is the same as in the first millennium).

The Armenian Apostolic Church itself declares its negative attitude towards iconoclasm and condemns it, since it has its own history of fighting this heresy. Even at the end of the 6th - beginning of the 7th centuries (that is, more than a century before the emergence of iconoclasm in Byzantium, 8th-9th centuries), preachers of iconoclasm appeared in Armenia. The Dvina priest Hesu and several other clergy proceeded to the Sodk and Gardmank regions, where they preached the rejection and destruction of icons. The Armenian Church, represented by Catholicos Movses, theologians Vrtanes Kertoh and Hovhan Mayragometsi, ideologically opposed them. But the fight against the iconoclasts was not limited only to theology. The iconoclasts were persecuted and, captured by the Gardman prince, went to the court of the Church in Dvin. Thus, intra-church iconoclasm was quickly suppressed, but found soil in the sectarian popular movements of the mid-7th century. and the beginning of the 8th century, with which the Armenian and Alvan churches fought.

Calendar and ritual features

Vardapet (archimandrite) staff, Armenia, 1st quarter of the 19th century

Matah

One of the ritual features of the Armenian Apostolic Church is the matah (literally “offering salt”) or charity meal, mistakenly perceived by some as an animal sacrifice. The main meaning of matah is not in sacrifice, but in bringing a gift to God in the form of showing mercy to the poor. That is, if this can be called a sacrifice, then only in the sense of donation. This is a sacrifice of mercy, and not a blood sacrifice like the Old Testament or pagan ones.

The mataha tradition traces back to the words of the Lord:

When you make lunch or dinner, do not invite your friends, nor your brothers, nor your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they invite you and you receive reward. But when you make a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed that they cannot repay you, for you will be rewarded at the resurrection of the righteous. Luke 14:12-14

Matah in the Armenian Apostolic Church is performed on various occasions, most often as gratitude to God for mercy or with a request for help. Most often, matah is performed as a vow for the successful outcome of something, for example, the return of a son from the army or recovery from a serious illness of a family member, and is also performed as a petition for the repose of the deceased. However, it is customary to make matah as a public meal for parish members during large periods. church holidays or in connection with the consecration of a church.

Participation in the rite of the clergyman is limited solely to the consecration of the salt with which the matah is prepared. It is forbidden to bring an animal to church, and therefore it is slaughtered by the donor at home. For matah, a bull, ram or poultry is slaughtered (which is perceived as a sacrifice). The meat is boiled in water with the addition of blessed salt. They distribute it to the poor or host a meal at home, and the meat should not be left for the next day. So the meat of a bull is distributed to 40 houses, a ram - to 7 houses, a rooster - to 3 houses. Traditional and symbolic mate, when a dove is used, it is released into the wild.

Forward post

The advanced fast, currently unique to the Armenian Church, occurs 3 weeks before Lent. The origin of fasting is associated with the fast of St. Gregory the Illuminator, after which he healed the sick king Trdat the Great.

Trisagion

In the Armenian Church, as in other Ancient Eastern Orthodox churches, unlike the Orthodox churches of the Greek tradition, the Trisagion hymn is sung not to the Divine Trinity, but to one of the Persons of the Triune God. More often this is perceived as a Christological formula. Therefore, after the words “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal,” depending on the event celebrated at the Liturgy, an addition is made indicating one or another biblical event.

So in the Sunday Liturgy and on Easter it is added: “... who rose from the dead, have mercy on us.”

During the non-Sunday Liturgy and on the feasts of the Holy Cross: “... who was crucified for us, …”.

On the Annunciation or Epiphany (Christmas and Epiphany): “... who appeared for us, …”.

On the Ascension of Christ: “... that he ascended in glory to the Father, …”.

On Pentecost (Descent of the Holy Spirit): “... who came and rested on the apostles, …”.

And others…

Communion

Bread In the Armenian Apostolic Church, when celebrating the Eucharist, according to tradition, unleavened is used. The choice of Eucharistic bread (unleavened or leavened) is not given dogmatic significance.

Wine When celebrating the sacrament of the Eucharist, the whole thing is used, not diluted with water.

The consecrated Eucharistic bread (Body) is immersed by the priest into the Chalice with consecrated wine (Blood) and, broken into pieces with the fingers, is served to the communicant.

Sign of the Cross

In the Armenian Apostolic Church, the sign of the cross is three-fingered (similar to the Greek) and is performed from left to right (like the Latins). The AAC does not consider other versions of the Sign of the Cross, practiced in other churches, to be “wrong,” but perceives them as a natural local tradition.

Calendar features

The Armenian Apostolic Church as a whole lives according to the Gregorian calendar, but communities in the diaspora, on the territory of churches using the Julian calendar, with the blessing of the bishop can also live according to the Julian calendar. That is, the calendar is not given a “dogmatic” status. The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, according to the status quo accepted between the Christian churches that have rights to the Holy Sepulcher, lives according to the Julian calendar, like the Greek Patriarchate.

An important prerequisite for the spread of Christianity was the existence of Jewish colonies in Armenia. As is known, the first preachers of Christianity usually began their activities in those places where Jewish communities were located. Jewish communities existed in the main cities of Armenia: Tigranakert, Artashat, Vagharshapat, Zareavan, etc. Tertullian in his book “Against the Jews,” written in 197, telling about the peoples who adopted Christianity: Parthians, Lydians, Phrygians, Cappadocians, also mentions Armenians. This evidence is confirmed by Blessed Augustine in his essay “Against the Manichaeans.”

At the end of the 2nd - beginning of the 3rd centuries, Christians in Armenia were persecuted by the kings Vagharsh II (186-196), Khosrov I (196-216) and their successors. These persecutions were described by the Bishop of Cappadocian Caesarea Firmilian (230-268) in his book “The History of the Persecution of the Church.” Eusebius of Caesarea mentions the letter of Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, “On repentance to the brothers in Armenia, where Meruzhan was the bishop” (VI, 46. 2). The letter dates from 251-255. It proves that in the middle of the 3rd century there was a Christian community organized and recognized by the Universal Church in Armenia.

Adoption of Christianity by Armenia

The traditional historical date for the proclamation of Christianity as the “state and only religion of Armenia” is considered to be 301. According to S. Ter-Nersesyan, this happened no earlier than 314, between 314 and 325, but this does not negate the fact that Armenia was the first to adopt Christianity at the state level. Saint Gregory the Illuminator, who became the first first hierarch of the state Armenian Church (-), and the king of Great Armenia, Saint Trdat III the Great (-), who before his conversion was the most severe persecutor of Christianity.

According to the writings of Armenian historians of the 5th century, in 287 Trdat arrived in Armenia, accompanied by Roman legions, to regain his father's throne. In the estate of Yeriza, Gavar Ekegeats, when the king was performing a ritual of sacrifice in the temple of the pagan goddess Anahit, Gregory, one of the king’s associates, as a Christian, refused to sacrifice to the idol. Then it is revealed that Gregory is the son of Anak, the murderer of Trdat’s father, King Khosrow II. For these “crimes” Gregory is imprisoned in the Artashat dungeon, intended for death row. In the same year, the king issued two decrees: the first of them ordered the arrest of all Christians within Armenia with the confiscation of their property, and the second ordered the death penalty for harboring Christians. These decrees show how dangerous Christianity was considered for the state.

Church of Saint Gayane. Vagharshapat

Church of St. Hripsime. Vagharshapat

The adoption of Christianity by Armenia is closely associated with the martyrdom of the holy virgins Hripsimeyanki. According to legend, a group of Christian girls originally from Rome, hiding from the persecution of Emperor Diocletian, fled to the East and found refuge near the capital of Armenia, Vagharshapat. King Trdat, enchanted by the beauty of the maiden Hripsime, wanted to take her as his wife, but met desperate resistance, for which he ordered all the girls to be martyred. Hripsime and 32 friends died in the north-eastern part of Vagharshapat, the teacher of the maidens Gayane, along with two maidens, died in the southern part of the city, and one sick maiden was tortured right in the winepress. Only one of the virgins - Nune - managed to escape to Georgia, where she continued to preach Christianity and was subsequently glorified under the name of Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Nino.

The execution of the Hripsimeyan maidens caused the king a strong mental shock, which led to a serious nervous illness. In the 5th century, people called this disease “pig disease,” which is why sculptors depicted Trdat with a pig’s head. The king's sister Khosrovadukht repeatedly had a dream in which she was informed that Trdat could only be healed by Gregory, imprisoned. Gregory, who miraculously survived after spending 13 years in a stone pit in Khor Virap, was released from prison and solemnly received in Vagharshapat. After 66 days of prayer and preaching the teachings of Christ, Gregory healed the king, who, having thus come to faith, declared Christianity the religion of the state.

The previous persecutions of Trdat led to the virtual destruction of the sacred hierarchy in Armenia. To be ordained a bishop, Gregory the Illuminator solemnly went to Caesarea, where he was ordained by the Cappadocian bishops led by Leontius of Caesarea. Bishop Peter of Sebastia performed the ceremony of enthroning Gregory to the episcopal throne in Armenia. The ceremony took place not in the capital Vagharshapat, but in distant Ashtishat, where the main episcopal see of Armenia, founded by the apostles, had long been located.

King Trdat, together with the entire court and princes, was baptized by Gregory the Illuminator and made every effort to revive and spread Christianity in the country, and so that paganism could never return. Unlike Osroene, where King Abgar (who, according to Armenian legend, is considered an Armenian) was the first of the monarchs to adopt Christianity, making it only the sovereign’s religion, in Armenia Christianity became the state religion. And that is why Armenia is considered the first Christian state in the world.

To strengthen the position of Christianity in Armenia and the final departure from paganism, Gregory the Illuminator, together with the king, destroyed pagan sanctuaries and, in order to avoid their restoration, built Christian churches in their place. This began with the construction of the Etchmiadzin Cathedral. According to legend, Saint Gregory had a vision: the sky opened, a ray of light descended from it, preceded by a host of angels, and in a ray of light Christ descended from heaven and struck the Sandarametk underground temple with a hammer, indicating its destruction and the construction of a Christian church on this site. The temple was destroyed and filled up, and in its place a temple dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos was erected. This is how the spiritual center of the Armenian Apostolic Church was founded - Holy Etchmiadzin, which translated from Armenian means “the Only Begotten descended.”

The newly converted Armenian state was forced to defend its religion from the Roman Empire. Eusebius of Caesarea testifies that Emperor Maximin II Daza (-) declared war on the Armenians, “who had long been friends and allies of Rome, moreover, this god-fighter tried to force zealous Christians to sacrifice to idols and demons and thereby made them enemies instead of friends and enemies instead of allies ... He himself, together with his troops, suffered failures in the war with the Armenians” (IX. 8,2,4). Maximin attacked Armenia in last days of his life, in 312/313. Within 10 years, Christianity in Armenia took such deep roots that the Armenians took up arms against the strong Roman Empire for their new faith.

During the time of St. Gregory, the Alvan and Georgian kings accepted the faith of Christ, respectively making Christianity the state religion in Georgia and Caucasian Albania. Local churches, whose hierarchy originates from the Armenian Church, maintaining doctrinal and ritual unity with it, had their own Catholicos, who recognized the canonical authority of the Armenian First Hierarch. The mission of the Armenian Church was also directed to other regions of the Caucasus. So the eldest son of Catholicos Vrtanes Grigoris went to preach the Gospel to the country of the Mazkuts, where he later suffered martyrdom by order of King Sanesan Arshakuni in 337.

After much hard work (according to legend, by Divine revelation), Saint Mesrop created the Armenian alphabet in 405. The first sentence translated into Armenian was “To know wisdom and instruction, to understand the sayings of understanding” (Proverbs 1:1). With the assistance of the Catholicos and the Tsar, Mashtots opened schools in various places in Armenia. Translated and original literature originates and develops in Armenia. The translation work was led by Catholicos Sahak, who first of all translated the Bible from Syriac and Greek into Armenian. At the same time, he sent his best students to famous cultural centers of that time: Edessa, Amid, Alexandria, Athens, Constantinople and other cities for improvement in Syriac and Greek languages and translations of the works of the Church Fathers.

In parallel with translation activities, the creation of original literature of various genres took place: theological, moral, exegetical, apologetic, historical, etc. The contribution of the translators and creators of Armenian literature of the 5th century to the national culture is so great that the Armenian Church canonized them as saints every year solemnly celebrates the memory of the Council of Holy Translators.

Defense of Christianity from persecution of the Zoroastrian clergy of Iran

Since ancient times, Armenia was alternately under the political influence of either Byzantium or Persia. Starting from the 4th century, when Christianity became the state religion first of Armenia and then of Byzantium, the sympathies of the Armenians turned to the west, to their Christian neighbor. Well aware of this, the Persian kings from time to time made attempts to destroy Christianity in Armenia and forcibly impose Zoroastrianism. Some nakharars, especially the owners of the southern regions bordering Persia, shared the interests of the Persians. Two political movements emerged in Armenia: Byzantophile and Persophile.

After the Third Ecumenical Council, those persecuted in Byzantine Empire supporters of Nestorius found refuge in Persia and began to translate and disseminate the writings of Diodorus of Tarsus and Theodore of Mopsuestia, which were not condemned at the Council of Ephesus. Bishop Akakios of Melitina and Patriarch Proclus of Constantinople warned Catholicos Sahak about the spread of Nestorianism in letters.

In his response messages, the Catholicos wrote that preachers of this heresy had not yet appeared in Armenia. In this correspondence, the foundation of Armenian Christology was laid on the basis of the teachings of the Alexandrian school. The letter of Saint Sahak addressed to Patriarch Proclus, as an example of Orthodoxy, was read out in 553 at the Byzantine “Fifth Ecumenical” Council of Constantinople.

The author of the life of Mesrop Mashtots, Koryun, testifies that “false books brought to Armenia appeared, empty legends of a certain Roman named Theodoros.” Having learned about this, Saints Sahak and Mesrop immediately took measures to condemn the champions of this heretical teaching and destroy their writings. Of course, we were talking here about the writings of Theodore of Mopsuestia.

Armenian-Byzantine church relations in the second half of the 12th century

Over the course of many centuries, the Armenian and Byzantine churches made repeated attempts to reconcile. For the first time in 654 in Dvina under Catholicos Nerses III (641-661) and Emperor of Byzantium Konstas II (-), then in the 8th century under Patriarch Herman of Constantinople (-) and Catholicos of Armenia David I (-), in the 9th century under the Patriarch of Constantinople Photius (-, -) and Catholicos Zacharias I (-). But the most serious attempt to unite churches took place in the 12th century.

In the history of Armenia, the 11th century was marked by the migration of the Armenian people to the territory of the eastern provinces of Byzantium. In 1080, the ruler of Mountain Cilicia, Ruben, a relative of the last king of Armenia, Gagik II, annexed the flat part of Cilicia to his possessions and founded the Armenian Principality of Cilicia on the northeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. In 1198 this principality became a kingdom and existed until 1375. Together with the royal throne, the patriarchal throne of Armenia (-) also moved to Cilicia.

The Pope wrote a letter to the Armenian Catholicos, in which he recognized the Orthodoxy of the Armenian Church and, for the perfect unity of the two Churches, invited the Armenians to mix water into the Holy Chalice and celebrate the Nativity of Christ on December 25. Innocent II also sent a bishop's staff as a gift to the Armenian Catholicos. From that time on, the Latin staff appeared in use in the Armenian Church, which bishops began to use, and the Eastern Greco-Cappadocia staff became the property of the archimandrites. In 1145, Catholicos Gregory III turned to Pope Eugenius III (-) for political assistance, and Gregory IV turned to Pope Lucius III (-). Instead of helping, however, the popes again suggested that the AAC mix water into the Holy Chalice, celebrate the Nativity of Christ on December 25, etc.

King Hethum sent the pope's message to Catholicos Constantine and asked for an answer. The Catholicos, although full of respect for the Roman throne, could not accept the conditions that the pope proposed. Therefore, he sent a 15-point message to King Hethum, in which he rejected the teachings of the Catholic Church and asked the king not to trust the West. The Roman throne, having received such a response, limited its proposals and, in a letter written in 1250, proposed to accept only the doctrine of the filioque. To respond to this proposal, Catholicos Constantine convened the Third Council of Sis in 1251. Without reaching a final decision, the council turned to the opinion of church leaders in Eastern Armenia. The problem was new for the Armenian Church, and it is natural that in the initial period there could be different opinions. However, no decision was ever made.

The 16th-17th centuries saw the period of the most active confrontation between these powers for a dominant position in the Middle East, including power over the territory of Armenia. Therefore, from that time on, the dioceses and communities of the AAC were divided on a territorial basis into Turkish and Persian for several centuries. Both of these parts of the single church developed in the 16th century different conditions, had different legal status, which affected the structure of the AAC hierarchy and the relationships of various communities within it.

After the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1461, the Patriarchate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Constantinople was formed. The first Armenian patriarch in Istanbul was the Archbishop of Bursa Hovagim, who headed the Armenian communities in Asia Minor. The patriarch was endowed with broad religious and administrative powers and was the head (bashi) of a special “Armenian” millet (ermeni milleti). In addition to the Armenians themselves, the Turks included in this millet all Christian communities that were not included in the uniting Greek Orthodox Christians in the territory Ottoman Empire"Byzantine" millet. In addition to believers of other non-Chalcedonian Ancient Eastern Orthodox churches, the Maronites, Bogomils and Catholics of the Balkan Peninsula were included in the Armenian millet. Their hierarchy was administratively subordinate to the Armenian Patriarch in Istanbul.

In the 16th century, other historical thrones of the AAC also found themselves on the territory of the Ottoman Empire - the Akhtamar and Cilician Catholicosates and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Despite the fact that the Catholicoses of Cilicia and Akhtamar were higher in spiritual rank than the Patriarch of Constantinople, who was only an archbishop, they were administratively subordinate to him as the Armenian ethnarch in Turkey.

The throne of the Catholicos of all Armenians in Etchmiadzin ended up on the territory of Persia, and the throne of the Catholicos of Albania, subordinate to the AAC, was also located there. Armenians in the territories subordinate to Persia almost completely lost their rights to autonomy, and the AAC here remained the only public institution that could represent the nation and influence social life. Catholicos Movses III (-) managed to achieve a certain unity of governance in Etchmiadzin. He strengthened the position of the church in the Persian state, obtaining from the government an end to bureaucratic abuses and the abolition of taxes for the AAC. His successor, Pilipos I, sought to strengthen the ties of the church dioceses of Persia, subordinate to Etchmiadzin, with dioceses in the Ottoman Empire. In 1651 he convened local cathedral AAC in Jerusalem, at which all contradictions caused by the political division between the autonomous thrones of the AAC were eliminated.

However, in the 2nd half of the 17th century, a confrontation arose between Etchmiadzin and the growing power of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Patriarch Egiazar of Constantinople, with the support of the Sublime Porte, was proclaimed the Supreme Catholicos of the AAC, as opposed to the legitimate Catholicos of all Armenians with the throne in Etchmiadzin. In 1664 and 1679, Catholicos Hakob VI visited Istanbul and held negotiations with Yeghiazar on unity and division of powers. In order to eliminate the conflict and not destroy the unity of the church, according to their agreement, after the death of Hakob (1680), the Etchmiadzin throne was occupied by Yegiazar. Thus, a single hierarchy and a single supreme throne of the AAC were preserved.

The confrontation between the Turkic tribes that took place mainly on the territory of Armenia tribal unions Ak-Koyunlu and Kara-Koyunlu, and later wars between the Ottoman Empire and Iran led to enormous destruction in the country. The Catholicosate in Etchmiadzin made efforts to preserve the idea of ​​national unity and national culture, improving the church-hierarchical system, but the difficult situation in the country forced many Armenians to seek salvation in foreign lands. By this time, Armenian colonies with the corresponding church structure already existed in Iran, Syria, Egypt, as well as in Crimea and Western Ukraine. In the 18th century, the positions of the AAC strengthened in Russia - Moscow, St. Petersburg, New Nakhichevan (Nakhichevan-on-Don), Armavir.

Catholic proselytism among Armenians

Simultaneously with the strengthening of economic ties of the Ottoman Empire with Europe in XVII-XVIII centuries there was an increase in the propaganda activity of the Roman Catholic Church. The AAC as a whole took a sharply negative position towards the missionary activities of Rome among the Armenians. Nevertheless, in the middle of the 17th century, the most significant Armenian colony in Europe (in Western Ukraine), under powerful political and ideological pressure, was forced to convert to Catholicism. At the beginning of the 18th century, the Armenian bishops of Aleppo and Mardin openly spoke out in favor of converting to Catholicism.

In Constantinople, where the political interests of East and West intersected, European embassies and Catholic missionaries from the Dominican, Franciscan and Jesuit orders launched active proselytizing activities among the Armenian community. As a result of the influence of Catholics, a split occurred among the Armenian clergy in the Ottoman Empire: several bishops converted to Catholicism and, through the mediation of the French government and the papacy, separated from the AAC. In 1740, with the support of Pope Benedict XIV, they formed the Armenian Catholic Church, which became subordinate to the Roman throne.

At the same time, the ties of the AAC with Catholics played a significant role in the revival of the national culture of the Armenians and the dissemination of European ideas of the Renaissance and Enlightenment. Since 1512 in Amsterdam (printing house of the monastery of Agop Megaparta), and then in Venice, Marseille and other cities Western Europe books began to be published Armenian language. The first Armenian printed publication Holy Scripture was carried out in 1666 in Amsterdam. In Armenia itself cultural activities was very difficult (the first printing house opened here only in 1771), which forced many members of the clergy to leave the Middle East and create monastic, scientific and educational associations in Europe.

Mkhitar Sebastatsi, fascinated by the activities of Catholic missionaries in Constantinople, founded a monastery on the island of San Lazzaro in Venice in 1712. Having adapted to local political conditions, the brethren of the monastery (Mkhitarists) recognized the primacy of the Pope; nevertheless, this community and its branch that arose in Vienna tried to remain aloof from the propaganda activities of Catholics, engaging exclusively in scientific and educational work, the fruits of which earned national recognition.

In the 18th century, the Catholic monastic order of the Antonites acquired great influence among Armenians who collaborated with Catholics. Antonite communities in the Middle East were formed from representatives of the Ancient Eastern churches who converted to Catholicism, including from the AAC. The Order of Armenian Antonites was founded in 1715, and its status was approved by Pope Clement XIII. TO end of the XVIII centuries, the majority of the episcopate of the Armenian Catholic Church belonged to this order.

Simultaneously with the development of the pro-Catholic movement on the territory of the Ottoman Empire, the AAC created Armenian cultural and educational centers of national orientation. The most famous of them was the school of the monastery of John the Baptist, founded by the clergyman and scientist Vardan Bagishetsi. The Armashi monastery became very famous in the Ottoman Empire. Graduates of this school enjoyed great authority in church circles. By the time of the patriarchate of Zakaria II in Constantinople at the end of the 18th century, the most important area of ​​​​activity of the Church became the education of the Armenian clergy and preparation necessary personnel for the administration of dioceses and monasteries.

AAC after the annexation of Eastern Armenia to Russia

Simeon I (1763-1780) was the first among the Armenian Catholicos to establish official ties with Russia. By the end of the 18th century, the Armenian communities of the Northern Black Sea region found themselves part of the Russian Empire as a result of the advance of its borders in the North Caucasus. The dioceses located on Persian territory, primarily the Albanian Catholicosate with its center in Gandzasar, launched active activities aimed at the annexation of Armenia to Russia. The Armenian clergy of the Erivan, Nakhichevan and Karabakh khanates sought to get rid of the power of Persia and linked the salvation of their people with the support of Christian Russia.

With the beginning of the Russian-Persian War, Tiflis Bishop Nerses Ashtaraketsi contributed to the creation of Armenian volunteer detachments, which made a significant contribution to the victories of Russian troops in Transcaucasia. In 1828, according to the Treaty of Turkmanchay, Eastern Armenia became part of Russian Empire.

The activities of the Armenian Church under the rule of the Russian Empire proceeded in accordance with the special “Regulations” (“Code of Laws of the Armenian Church”), approved by Emperor Nicholas I in 1836. According to this document, in particular, the Albanian Catholicosate was abolished, the dioceses of which became part of the AAC itself. Compared to other Christian communities in the Russian Empire, the Armenian Church, due to its confessional isolation, occupied a special position that could not be significantly affected by certain restrictions - in particular, the Armenian Catholicos had to be ordained only with the consent of the emperor.

The confessional differences of the AAC in the empire, where Byzantine-style Orthodoxy dominated, were reflected in the name “Armenian-Gregorian Church”, invented by Russian church officials. This was done in order not to call the Armenian Church Orthodox. At the same time, the “non-Orthodoxy” of the AAC saved it from the fate that befell the Georgian Church, which, being of the same faith with the Russian Orthodox Church, was practically liquidated, becoming part of the Russian Church. Despite the stable position of the Armenian Church in Russia, there was serious oppression of the AAC by the authorities. In 1885-1886 Armenian parish schools were temporarily closed, and since 1897 they were transferred to the Ministry of Education. In 1903, a decree was issued on the nationalization of Armenian church properties, which was canceled in 1905 after mass outrage among the Armenian people.

In the Ottoman Empire, the Armenian church organization also acquired a new status in the 19th century. After the Russian-Turkish War of 1828-1829, thanks to the mediation of European powers, Catholic and Protestant communities were created in Constantinople, which included a significant number of Armenians. Nevertheless, the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople continued to be considered by the Sublime Porte as the official representative of the entire Armenian population of the empire. The election of the patriarch was approved by the Sultan's charter, and the Turkish authorities tried in every possible way to bring him under their control, using political and social levers. The slightest violation of the limits of competence and disobedience could lead to deposition from the throne.

Increasingly wider layers of society were involved in the sphere of activity of the Constantinople Patriarchate of the AAC, and the Patriarch gradually acquired significant influence in the Armenian Church of the Ottoman Empire. Without his intervention, internal church, cultural or political issues of the Armenian community were not resolved. The Patriarch of Constantinople acted as a mediator during Turkey’s contacts with Etchmiadzin. According to the “National Constitution”, developed in 1860-1863 (in the 1880s, its operation was suspended by Sultan Abdul Hamid II), the spiritual and civil administration of the entire Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire was under the authority of two councils: the spiritual (of 14 bishops chaired by the patriarch) and secular (of 20 members elected by a meeting of 400 representatives of Armenian communities).

The religion of Armenia is very diverse. It includes Christianity, Islam, Yazidism and Frengi. The majority of Armenians are believers. It is believed that the most widespread religion is Christianity.

Christianity in Armenia

About 94% of the total population preach Christianity and belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church. This is one of the oldest in the world. Few people know that Armenia is the first Christian state in the world: in 301, faith in the Heavenly King and his son Christ became the state religion of the country. Bartholomew and Thaddeus are considered the first preachers here.

In 404, the Armenian alphabet was created, and in the same year the Bible was translated into Armenian, and in 506 the Armenian Church officially separated from the Byzantine Church, which significantly influenced the further history of the state, its political and social activities.

Catholicism in Armenia

But Christianity is not the only one whose adherents live in Armenia. There are Armenian Catholics (there are about 36 parishes in total), which are called “Franks”. Franks (or Frengs) live in Northern Armenia. Initially, they appeared together with the crusaders, but later, in the 16th-19th centuries, Catholics began to be called Franks. Frankish Armenians are divided into three groups:
- HBO-francs,
- has-franks,
- Mshetsi-Franks.

The division of Catholics is not connected with the peculiarities of religious views, it is connected with the place of residence of adherents of a given faith.

Islam in Armenia

There are also followers of Islam living in Armenia, although it should be noted that this religion is mainly practiced by Kurds, Azerbaijanis and Persians. The capital, Yerevan, is home to the famous Blue Mosque. It was built in 1766 and at the beginning of the 20th century was one of the seven operating mosques in the capital. This beautiful building is not only of a religious nature. It is also a symbol of interfaith friendship.

Other religions

There are also evangelical Armenians who left the Apostolic Church because they believed that its teachings and traditions were not in accordance with the Bible. Pseudo-Protestant sectarianism, Khemshilami and Sunnism of the Hanafi persuasion are also common among Armenians. Some Armenians deny God and belong to the society of atheists.

Despite all the diversity of religion, it is worth considering the fact that God is the same in all faiths and teachings, although he has different names and names.

Christianity has embraced most of the inhabitants of the Earth, not leaving Armenia aside. It was Christianity that played an important role in the fate of the republic when it lost its independence. In fact, the Christian church had to take on part of the state power, which allowed it to preserve the ethnicity and unique culture of the state.

A question from a reader and my answer on one of the sites:

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Hello. It is known that there are three denominations in Christianity - Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism. Which of these denominations does the Armenian Apostolic Church belong to? Armenians are not Protestants, that’s for sure, but they are not Orthodox either. Russians say that the AAC is not Orthodox. Maybe we are Catholics? After all, we have a Catholicos.

Elena.

Elena, the division of Christianity into three denominations is very arbitrary. There are much more denominational movements in Christianity and their number directly depends on what and how to count. For example, there are many neo-Protestant or pseudo-Protestant sects that consider themselves to be Protestantism, which is actually not the case. Protestant Churches are completely traditional, national-state Churches, formed during the Reformation era with separation from the Roman Catholic Church. These Churches include the Lutheran, Anglican and Reformed Churches. And neo and pseudo-Protestant sects, ranging from Baptists to charismatics, only mimic Protestantism, which is rejected primarily by the real Protestant Churches themselves. Nevertheless, according to the three-part scheme you know, they all belong to Protestantism.

And if we adhere to this three-part scheme, then the Armenian Church, of course, belongs to the Orthodox Churches. However, it should be taken into account that among Russians, only their Greek church tradition, received from Byzantium, is revered by Orthodoxy. This is why the Greek Orthodox do not consider local Churches of other ancient Eastern traditions to be Orthodox Churches. Meanwhile, there are local Orthodox Churches of the ancient eastern peoples, which each have their own unique church tradition. This group of Churches includes the Syrian, Indo-Malabar, Coptic, Ethiopian, Eritrean Orthodox Churches, as well as the Armenian Apostolic Church. The Armenian Church is the only one in this group that does not use the word Orthodox in its official self-name, nevertheless, it is Orthodox. Thus, if we conditionally unite all these Churches into one denomination, then it turns out that Orthodoxy in a three-part scheme is itself divided into two groups - Orthodox Churches of the Byzantine tradition (which includes the Russian Church) and Orthodox Churches of ancient Eastern traditions (which includes the Armenian Church ). At the same time, it is important to remember that all these Churches are original and have their own ritual and their own theology, and therefore their unification into one group is also conditional. They could well be attributed each to a separate denomination, as, for example, the Roman Church is a separate Catholic denomination.

As for the word Catholicos, it, being the same root as the word Catholicism, has nothing to do with this concept itself. This Greek word means “universal,” and indicates the spiritual degree of the supreme patriarch of the entire local Church. The spiritual degree of Catholicos is found in almost all Eastern Churches, and not just in the Armenian Church. The name Catholic Church comes from the fact that the Roman Church, having united many peoples, lays claim to the status of “Universal”, i.e. The “One Universal” Church, from which all others “separated.” It is precisely this claim that creates the Catholic teaching that the Pope is the head of all Christians in the world and the vicar of God on earth. Naturally, such a claim of the Roman Catholics is rejected by all others. historical churches. The same Catholic Church under the control of the Pope also includes the formally autonomous, so-called. "Eastern Catholic Churches", which are communities of eastern peoples that once separated from the local Eastern Orthodox Churches. Communities that separated from the Greek Orthodox Churches are called “Greek Catholic Churches,” and among these we are most familiar with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. But there is also the Syro-Catholic Church, the Coptic-Catholic Church, etc.... The Armenians did not escape Catholic proselytism. In the 18th century, based on a number of Armenians who converted to Catholicism, the so-called The Armenian Catholic Church, which is present throughout the Middle East and even in Armenia, and in its rites and traditions is practically no different from the real Armenian Apostolic Church. But this is just mimicry. Armenian Catholics differ from believers of the AAC in that they obey not the Catholicos of all Armenians, but the Pope, and, accordingly, profess the teachings of the Catholic Church.

The Christian world is so secularized that the European nations, which were once the stronghold of evangelical values, are called post-Christian civilization. The secularity of society makes it possible to embody the most phantasmagoric aspirations. The new moral values ​​of Europeans come into conflict with what religion preaches. Armenia is one of the few examples of fidelity to thousand-year-old ethnocultural traditions. In this state, at the highest legislative level, it is evidenced that the centuries-old spiritual experience of the people is a national treasure.

What is the official religion in Armenia?

More than 95% of the country's three million population are members of the Armenian Apostolic Church. This Christian community is one of the oldest in the world. Orthodox theologians classify the Transcaucasian community of believers among five other, so-called anti-Chalcedonian communities. The established theological definition does not provide a comprehensive answer to the question of what religion is in Armenia.

The Orthodox call the Armenians monophysites - recognizing in Christ one physical essence; Armenian Orthodox theologians accuse the Orthodox of the opposite. These dogmatic subtleties are understandable only to theologians. Upon closer examination, it turns out that the mutual accusations are wrong. The official name of the community of believers in Armenia is “One Holy Ecumenical Apostolic Orthodox Armenian Church.”

The first Christian state in the world

A whole decade before the adoption of the Edict of Milan by the Great, in 301, King Trdat III broke relations with paganism and proclaimed Christianity as the state religion. During times terrible persecution The ruler took a decisive and unexpected step against the followers of Jesus throughout the Roman Empire. This was preceded by turbulent events in Transcaucasia.

Emperor Diocletian officially proclaims Trdat king of Armenia, which was part of the Roman province of Cappadocia. In 287, through mediation, he returned to his homeland and assumed the throne. Being a pagan, Trdat begins to zealously fulfill the command to begin the persecution of Christians. The brutal execution of 40 Christian girls makes a sharp turn in the fate of the king and his subjects.

Great educator of the Armenian people

The baptism of an entire people occurred thanks to the educational activities of St. Gregory. He was a descendant of the noble Arksaid family. For his confession of faith, Gregory suffered many torments. Through the prayers of Saint Trdat, he was punished with mental illness for torturing Christian women. Gregory forced the tyrant to repent. After this, the king was healed. Having believed in Christ, he was baptized along with his courtiers.

In Caesarea, the main city of Cappadocia, in 302, Gregory was elevated to the rank of bishop. After returning to Armenia, he begins to baptize the people, build churches and schools for preachers. In the capital of King Trdat III, by revelation from above, the saint founded a temple, which was later named Etchmiadzin. On behalf of the enlightener, the Armenian Church is called Gregorian.

Centuries of struggle

Christianity, as the official religion of Armenia, became an irritant to the rulers of neighboring Persia. Iran took decisive action to eradicate the new faith and introduce Zoroastrianism. This was greatly facilitated by pro-Persian landowners. From 337 to 345, Shapur II, having executed tens of thousands of Christians in Persia itself, made a series of devastating campaigns in Transcaucasia.

Shahinshah Yazdegerd II, wanting to strengthen his position in Transcaucasia, sent an ultimatum in 448. The Council of clergy and laity assembled in Artashat gave the answer that the Armenians recognize the secular power of the Persian ruler, but religion should remain inviolable. With this resolution, Armenia rejected the proposal to accept an alien faith. The uprising began. In 451, the largest battle in the history of the country took place on the Avarayr field. Although the defenders lost the battle, the persecution was suspended. After this, for another thirty years Armenia fought for its faith, until in 484 a peace treaty was concluded with Persia, according to which the Armenians were allowed to freely practice Christianity.

Administrative structure of the Armenian Apostolic Church

Until 451, the Armenian Apostolic Church represented one of the local communities of the united Christian Church. However, due to an incorrect assessment of the decisions of the fourth, a misunderstanding arose. In 506, the Armenian Church officially separated from the Byzantine Church, which significantly influenced the history of the state, its political and social activities.

The main religion of Armenia is practiced on five continents by more than 9 million believers. The spiritual head is the patriarch-catalicos, whose title indicates that he is the spiritual leader of the Nation both in Armenia itself and of Armenians scattered throughout the world.

The residence of the Armenian Patriarch since 1441 is located in. The jurisdiction of the Catholicos includes dioceses in all CIS countries, as well as in Europe, Iran, Egypt, North and Australia and Oceania, vicariates in India and Far East. The Armenian patriarchs in Istanbul (Constantinople), Jerusalem and the Great House of Cilicia (modern Kozan in Turkey) are canonically subordinate to the Etchmiadzin Catholicosate.

Features of the Armenian Church

The Armenian Church is an almost mono-ethnic religious community: the overwhelming majority of believers are Armenians. The small Udin community in northern Azerbaijan and several thousand Azerbaijani Tats belong to this denomination. For the Bosha gypsies assimilated by Armenians, wandering in Transcaucasia and Syria, this is also their native religion. Armenia retains the Gregorian chronology of the church calendar.

The liturgical features are as follows:

• Bread for communion is used, as in the Catholic tradition, unleavened, and wine is not dissolved in water.
• The Liturgy is served exclusively on Sundays and on special occasions.
• The sacrament of unction is performed only on clergy, and immediately after death.

Divine services in Armenian churches are performed in the ancient language of Grabar, and the priest delivers the sermon in modern Armenian. Armenians cross themselves from left to right. Only the son of a priest can become a priest.

Church and State

According to the Constitution, Armenia is secular state. A specific legislative act defining what Christianity is state religion Armenia, no. However, the spiritual and moral life of society cannot be imagined without the participation of the Church. Thus, Serzh Sargsyan considers interaction between the state and the church to be vital. In his speeches, he declares the need to preserve the relationship between secular and spiritual power both at the present historical stage and in the future.

Armenian legislation establishes certain restrictions on the freedom of activity of other religious denominations, thereby showing which religion is dominant in Armenia. The Law of the Republic of Armenia “On Freedom of Conscience,” adopted back in 1991, regulates the position of the Apostolic Church as a national religious association.

Other religions

The spiritual image of society is formed not only by orthodox religion. Armenia is home to 36 parishes of the Armenian Catholic Church community, which are called “Franks”. The Franks appeared in the 12th century along with the Crusaders. Under the influence of the Jesuits' preaching, a small community of Armenians accepted the jurisdiction of the Vatican. Over time, supported by missionaries of the Order, they united into the Armenian Catholic Church. The residence of the patriarch is located in Beirut.

The small communities of Kurds, Azerbaijanis and Persians living in Armenia profess Islam. In Yerevan itself in 1766 the famous

The idea that in reality there is not much difference and, in the end, all Churches are talking about the same thing, to put it mildly, is far from the truth. In fact, the Armenian Apostolic Church has serious reasons to claim that it has retained special fidelity to the apostolic tradition. Each Church has taken a special name for itself; the Armenian Church calls itself Apostolic. In fact, the name of each of the Churches is much longer than just Catholic, Orthodox, Apostolic. Our Church is called the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church (Orthodox - in the sense of the truth of faith). Look how many definitions there are, but we most often use one, the closest and dearest to us and the most characteristic.

For centuries, our Church has had to defend the purity of the dogmas of faith. In 451, not only the Armenian Church, but also other Eastern Orthodox Churches - Coptic, Syrian, Ethiopian - did not accept the decision of the Council of Chalcedon, having significant dogmatic reasons. There were serious grounds for fears that Chalcedon was restoring what was condemned at the Third Ecumenical Council of Ephesus - primarily the heresy of Nestorius.

The main reason for the disagreement is that the Armenians preferred to remain faithful to the theological tradition of the Alexandrian school, founded by the great feat primarily of St. Athanasius the Great and Cyril of Alexandria. Only after the death of the latter was it possible to implement the decisions taken by the Council of Chalcedon. The cathedral was led not by clergy, but by Emperor Marcian himself and Empress Pulcheria. It must be admitted that Chalcedon only confirmed the already existing theological contradictions between the Alexandrian and Antiochian schools. These differences had roots in different spiritual and cultural layers; they arose as a result of the collision of the holistic religious contemplation of the East and differential Hellenistic thinking, the unity and dualism of the confession of the Savior, the specific and generalized perception of the human reality of Christ.

The Armenians remained faithful to the decisions of the three Ecumenical Councils, which without distortion defined the faith coming from the apostolic period. We did not have an empire, we did not even have time for respite, forced to constantly fight for existence. We did not try to adapt Christology to imperial ambitions, to the service of empire. Christianity was the main thing for us, for the sake of it we were ready to give up what we had - this property was mainly life. As for the churches with which, unfortunately, we do not have Eucharistic communion, we must take from them all the best. There is a lot of good there, especially in Russian spiritual literature, in the amazing evidence of spiritual life. We have a special spiritual closeness with the Russian people. We constantly pray for the restoration of the Eucharistic unity of the Church of Christ. But until this happens, everyone must be in their own spiritual reality. This does not mean that we prohibit our believers from going to Russian Orthodox churches. Thank God, we are not characterized by such fanaticism. You can come in, light a candle, and pray. But during Sunday liturgy you must be in your Church.

Sometimes a dispute arises when Armenians themselves can prove that they are not Orthodox. This creates an absurd situation - the person actually claims that his faith is not true. Orthodox Christians in Russia do not consider Armenians Orthodox. The same is reflected in our theological tradition - we recognize the Orthodoxy of only five eastern churches - ours, Coptic, Ethiopian, Syrian, Indian-Malabar. The Chalcedonian Churches, from the point of view of the doctrine of the AAC, are not considered Orthodox. In our theological literature they are simply called the Greek Church, the Roman Church, the Russian Church, etc. True, we can also briefly call our Church Armenian.

Of course, Churches have their own official name, and in official relations we call them what they call themselves. But, recognizing all the differences between us and the Orthodox Chalcedonians, we cannot shy away from the assertion that we have the Orthodox, in other words, the correct, true faith.

Father Mesrop (Aramyan).

From an interview with Aniv magazine