What is the difference between the Armenian and Georgian churches from the Russian. Armenian Apostolic Church

14.10.2019

Most historians believe that the Armenians officially became Christians in 314, and this is the latest date of the supposed. Numerous followers of the new faith appeared here long before the proclamation of the Armenian Church as a state institution.

The faith of the Armenian people is considered to be the first apostolic, that is, received directly from the disciples of Christ. Despite dogmatic differences, the Russian and Armenian churches maintain friendly relations, especially in matters of studying the history of Christianity.

Before the adoption of Christianity in ancient state paganism reigned on the banks of Sevan, leaving meager monuments in the form of stone sculptures and echoes in folk customs. According to legend, the apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew laid the foundation for the destruction of pagan temples and the establishment of Christian churches in their places. In the history of the Armenian Church, one can single out the following milestones:

I century: the sermon of the apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew, which determined the name of the future Church - Apostolic.
Middle of the 2nd century: Tertullian's mention of " in large numbers Christians" in Armenia.
314 (according to some sources - 301) - the martyrdom of the holy virgins Hripsime, Gaiania and others who suffered on Armenian soil. The adoption of Christianity by the king of Armenia Trdat III under the influence of his servant Gregory, the future saint Illuminator of Armenia. The construction of the first temple of Etchmiadzin and the establishment of the patriarchal throne in it.
405: Creation of the Armenian alphabet for translation purposes Holy Scripture and liturgical books.
451: Battle of Avarayr (war with Persia against the imposition of Zoroastrianism); Council of Chalcedon in Byzantium against the heresy of the Monophysites.
484 - removal of the patriarchal throne from Etchmiadzin.
518 - division with Byzantium in matters of religion.
XII century: attempts to reunite with Byzantine Orthodoxy.
XII - XIV centuries - attempts to accept the union - to unite with the Catholic Church.
1361 removal of all Latin innovations.
1441 - return of the patriarchal throne to Etchmiadzin.
1740 - detachment of the Syrian community of Armenians, whose religion became Catholicism. The Armenian Catholic Church spread into Western Europe, there are parishes in Russia.
1828 - the entry of Eastern Armenia into the Russian Empire, the new name "Armenian-Gregorian Church", a branch of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which remained on the territory of the Ottoman Empire.
1915 - extermination of Armenians in Turkey.
1922 - beginning of repressions and anti-religious movement in Soviet Armenia.
1945 - the election of a new Catholicos and the gradual revival of church life.

At present, despite the friendly relations between the Orthodox and Armenian churches, there is no Eucharistic communion. This means that their priests and bishops cannot serve the liturgy together, and the laity cannot be baptized and receive communion. The reason for this is differences in creed or dogma.

Ordinary believers who are not students of theology may not be aware of these barriers or may not consider them important. For them, ritual differences are more important, the cause of which is history and national customs.

In the III-IV centuries, disputes about faith were as popular as political battles are now. To resolve dogmatic issues, Ecumenical Councils were convened, the provisions of which formed the modern Orthodox dogma.

One of the main topics of discussion was the nature of Jesus Christ, who He was, God or man? Why does the Bible describe His suffering, which should not be part of the divine nature? For Armenians and Byzantines, the authority of the Holy Fathers of the Church (Gregory the Theologian, Athanasius the Great, etc.) was indisputable, but the understanding of their teachings turned out to be different.

The Armenians, among other Monophysites, believed that Christ is God, and the flesh in which He dwelt on earth was not human, but divine. Therefore, Christ could not experience human feelings and did not even feel pain. His sufferings under torture and on the cross were symbolic, apparent.

The teaching of the Monophysites was analyzed and condemned at the I.V. Ecumenical Council, where the doctrine of the two natures of Christ - divine and human - was adopted. This meant that Christ, while remaining God, accepted the present at birth. human body and experienced not only hunger, thirst, suffering, but also the mental anguish inherent in man.

When the Ecumenical Council was held in Chalcedon (Byzantium), the Armenian bishops could not take part in the discussions. Armenia was in a bloody war with Persia and on the verge of destroying statehood. As a result, the decisions of the Chalcedon and all subsequent Councils were not accepted by the Armenians, and their centuries-old separation from Orthodoxy began.

The dogma about the nature of Christ is the main difference between the Armenian Church and the Orthodox. Currently, theological dialogues are being held between the ROC and the AAC (Armenian Apostolic Church). Representatives of the learned clergy and church historians are discussing what contradictions arose due to a misunderstanding and can be overcome. Perhaps this will lead to the restoration of full communion between confessions.

Both Churches also differ in their external, ceremonial side, which is not a significant obstacle to the communion of believers. The most notable features are:

There are other features in worship, the vestments of clergy and church life.

Renegation of Armenians

Armenians who wish to convert to Orthodoxy will not have to be baptized again. The rite of accession is performed over them, where a public renunciation of the teachings of the Monophysite heretics is supposed. Only after this, a Christian from the AAC can proceed to the Orthodox Sacraments.

There are no strict regulations in the Armenian Church regarding the admission of the Orthodox to the Sacraments; Armenians are also allowed to take communion in any of Christian churches.

Hierarchical arrangement

The head of the Armenian Church is the Catholicos. The name of this title comes from the Greek word καθολικός - "universal". The Catholicos leads all local churches, standing above their patriarchs. The main throne is located in Etchmiadzin (Armenia). Currently, the Catholicos is Karekin II, the 132nd head of the church after St. Gregory the Illuminator. Below the Catholicos are the following sacred degrees:

The Armenian diaspora in the world has about 7 million people. All these people are held together by folk traditions associated with religion. In places of permanent residence, Armenians try to erect a temple or a chapel, where they gather for prayer and holidays. In Russia, churches with characteristic ancient architecture can be found on the Black Sea coast, in Krasnodar, Rostov-on-Don, Moscow and others. major cities. Many of them are named in honor of the Great Martyr George - the beloved saint of the entire Christian Caucasus.

The Armenian Church in Moscow is represented by two beautiful churches: the Resurrection and the Transfiguration. Transfiguration Cathedral- cathedral, i.e. the bishop constantly serves in it. Nearby is his residence. Here is the center of the Novo-Nakhichevan diocese, which includes all the former republics of the USSR except the Caucasian ones. The Church of the Resurrection is located at the national cemetery.

In each of the temples you can see khachkars - stone arrows made of red tuff, decorated with fine carvings. This expensive work performed by special masters in memory of someone. The stone is delivered from Armenia as a symbol of the historical homeland, reminding every Armenian in the Diaspora of his sacred roots.

The oldest diocese of the AAC is located in Jerusalem. Here it is headed by the patriarch, who has a residence at the church of St. James. According to legend, the temple was built on the site of the execution of the Apostle James, nearby was the house of the Jewish high priest Anna, in front of whom Christ was tortured.

In addition to these shrines, the Armenians also keep the main treasure - the third part of Golgotha granted by Constantine the Great (in the Church of the Resurrection of Christ). This property entitles the Armenian representative along with the Jerusalem Patriarch to participate in the ceremony of the Holy Light ( Holy Fire). In Jerusalem, a daily service is performed over the Tomb. Mother of God belonging in equal shares to Armenians and Greeks.

The events of church life are covered by the Shagakat TV channel in Armenia, as well as the English and Armenian-language Armenian Church YouTube channel. Patriarch Kirill with the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church regularly take part in the celebrations of the AAC, connected with the centuries-old friendship of the Russian and Armenian peoples.

Information related to the ancient period of history Armenian Church, are few. The main reason for this is that the Armenian alphabet was created only at the beginning of the century.

The history of the first centuries of the existence of the Armenian Church was passed down orally from generation to generation, and only in the 5th century was it recorded in writing in historiographic and hagiographic literature.

A number of historical testimonies (in Armenian, Syriac, Greek and Latin) confirm the fact that Christianity was preached in Armenia by the holy apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew, who were thus the founders of the Church in Armenia.

According to the Holy Tradition of the Armenian Church, after the Ascension of the Savior, one of His disciples, Thaddeus, having arrived in Edessa, healed the king of Osroene Avgar from leprosy, ordained Addea to the bishopric and went to Great Armenia with the preaching of the Word of God. Among the many converted by him to Christ was the daughter of the Armenian king Sanatruk Sandukht. For the confession of Christianity, the apostle, along with the princess and other converts, accepted by order of the king martyrdom in Shavarshan, in Artaz Gavar.

A few years later, in the 29th year of the reign of Sanatruk, the Apostle Bartholomew, after preaching in Persia, arrived in Armenia. He converted the sister of King Vogui and many nobles to Christ, after which, by order of Sanatruk, he was martyred in the city of Arebanos, which is located between lakes Van and Urmia.

A fragment of a historical work has come down to us, which tells about the martyrdom of Sts. Voskeanov and Sukiaseanov in Armenia at the end - beginning of centuries. The author refers to the "Word" of Tatian (II century), who was well acquainted with the history of the apostles and the first Christian preachers. According to this scripture, the disciples of the Apostle Thaddeus, headed by Chryusius (Greek "gold", in Armenian "waxes"), who were Roman ambassadors to the Armenian king, after the martyrdom of the apostle, settled at the source of the Euphrates River, in the gorges of Tsaghkeats. After the accession of Artashes, they, having come to the palace, began to preach the Gospel.

Being busy with the war in the east, Artashes asked the preachers to come back to him after his return and continue talking about Christ. In the absence of the king, the Voskeans converted to Christianity some of the courtiers who arrived from the country of the Alans to Queen Satenik, for which they were martyred by the royal sons. The Alanian princes converted to Christianity left the palace and settled on the slopes of Mount Jrabashkh, where, having lived for 44 years, they were martyred led by their leader Sukias by order of the Alanian king.

Dogmatic features of the Armenian Church

The dogmatic theology of the Armenian Church is based on the teachings of the great Fathers of the Church - centuries: St. Athanasius of Alexandria (†370), St. Basil the Great (†379), St. Gregory the Theologian (†390), St. Gregory of Nyssa (†394), St. Cyril of Alexandria (†444) and others, as well as on the dogmas adopted at the Nicene (325), Constantinople (381) and Ephesus (431) Ecumenical Councils.

The break with Orthodoxy in the Armenian Church arose in the question of the union of two - Divine and human - natures in Christ (the Monophysite heresy).

Russian theologian of the late 19th century. I. Troitsky, analyzing Nerses Shnorhali's Statement of Faith, came to the following conclusions.

Nerses Shnorhali, in accordance with the Council of Chalcedon, defines the incarnation as a combination of two natures: Divine and human.
According to the Orthodox Church, it recognizes the body of Jesus Christ as consubstantial with the body of the Virgin Mary, avoiding the delusion of Eutychius about the otherness of the body of Christ with the human body in general.
According to the Orthodox Church, it recognizes that all essential properties both natures were completely preserved in union, and thus rejects both the disappearance of human nature in the Divine and the transformation of one nature into another.
According to the Orthodox Church, it recognizes the communion of properties.
According to the Orthodox Church condemns Eutyches and the Monophysites.

From the Middle Ages to recent years The Armenian Church called the Orthodox Dyophysite, and the Armenian Orthodox Church - Monophysite.

In Aargus (Denmark), a dialogue began between theologians of the Orthodox and Ancient Eastern Churches. The parties came to the following conclusions:

The Orthodox Churches are not dyophysite, for dyophysitism is Nestorianism, and the Orthodox Churches reject Nestorianism.
The ancient Eastern Churches, including the Armenian one, are not Monophysite, for Monophysitism is a Eutychian heresy, which is anathematized by the Armenian Church.

The dialogue continues to this day.

Church organization

The Catholicosate of Etchmiadzin is religiously subordinate to the Cilician Catholicosate (Antilias), the Jerusalem and Constantinople Patriarchates and diocesan administrations: in the USA (California and North American), in South America, in Western Europe (center - in Paris), in the Near and Middle East (Iranian-Azerbaijani, Tehran, Isfahan, Iraqi, Egyptian), in the Far East (Indian-Far Eastern), in the Balkans (Romanian, Bulgarian and Greek).

Armenians living within Turkey are subordinate to the Armenian-Gregorian Patriarch of Constantinople, while those living within Persia, Russia and Armenia are under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Etchmiadzin. This last patriarch is considered the head of all Armenians of the Gregorian confession and has the title of catholicos. The main foundations of the hierarchical structure and administration of the Armenian Gregorian Church are similar to those adopted in the Orthodox Church.

Etchmiadzin: city and temple

Until 1945, Echmiadzin was called Vagharshapat. This city was founded by King Vagharsh, and for a century and a half it was even the Armenian capital. There are almost no traces of those times left. But Soviet times, when the city was the administrative center of the Armenian SSR, many things are reminiscent here. I must say right away that there are three Etchmiadzins in Armenia: the city already familiar to us, the cathedral and the monastery that has developed around it. On the territory of the latter is the residence of the Catholicos - the head of the Armenian Church. For Armenians, Etchmiadzin is the center of attraction, if not the universe. Every Armenian is obliged to visit here, no matter how far from his homeland he lives, no matter where he was born. Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II: "Holy Etchmiadzin is not only an Armenian, but also a world shrine. We are pleased to note that the heads of fraternal churches regularly visit Holy Etchmiadzin, and together we lift up a prayer to our Lord, asking for peace for peace and brotherhood for peoples. Children of others Churches visit the capital city in order to join our history, church and traditions."

Christianity was brought to Armenia by the companions of Christ, the apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew. Therefore, the Armenian Church is called Apostolic. In 301, earlier than anywhere else, Christianity became the state religion. Largely due to the preaching of the first bishop of Armenia, Gregory the Illuminator. Subsequently, he was canonized as a saint, in memory of him the Apostolic Church is also called the Armenian-Gregorian. The construction of the cathedral was started by the first bishop of Armenia Gregory. He had a vision: the only begotten son of God descended to earth and with a golden hammer indicated the place where the holy altar should stand. Therefore, the cathedral erected on this very spot was called Etchmiadzin, which in Armenian means “the Only Begotten descended,” that is, Jesus Christ. Since then, Etchmiadzin has become the spiritual center of Armenia, the heart of Armenian Christianity. Aghvan Gasparyan, deacon, interpreter of the sacristy at the Cathedral of St. Etchmiadzin: "Over time, so that the foot of a mortal would not stain the place of the descent of the Only Begotten, a small altar, or the altar of descent, was erected. Services dedicated to the first Patriarch Gregory the Illuminator are held here."

I happened to attend a solemn liturgy dedicated to the 1700th anniversary of the establishment of the Catholicosate in Armenia. The first Catholicos was already mentioned Gregory the Illuminator. The current one, Garegin Narsesyan, is the 132nd in a row. Katalikos means "universal". For Armenians, even non-believers, he is the father of the nation.

The Armenian Church is close to the Orthodox, but the influence of Catholicism is very noticeable in it. For example, the walls in Armenian churches are decorated not with icons, but with paintings. The service is accompanied by an organ. Borrowed from Catholics and some elements of church vestments. Clothes for priests are sewn in a workshop at Etchmiadzin. Margarita has been working here for 37 years, her daughter Ruzan is working with her. Orders come in from all over the world. Everyday costume of a priest - kaba gray, black or beige colors. Embroidered fabrics for festive vestments are purchased in Italy and Syria. These conical hoods-tags are typical only for the Armenian Church…

On the days of big holidays in Armenian churches, there is nowhere for an apple to fall. It is also crowded at Sunday liturgies. I was surprised to find that not all women in the temple with their heads removed. No one made any remarks to them, let alone tried to put them on the street. A person came to the temple, and this is the main thing. And even a non-believer can observe traditions… Armenians are baptized from left to right, like Catholics, but with three fingers, like Orthodox Christians. Then they put their hand on their chest - no one else does that. The Armenian Church, along with the Coptic, Ethiopian and Syrian, is one of the ancient Eastern orthodox churches. Therefore, the order of service in them is closer to the Orthodox. Catholicos of All Armenians, Garegin II: "Since 1962, the Armenian Church has been a member of the World Council of Churches and maintains ties with other fraternal churches. However, we have closer relations with the Russian Orthodox Church. These relations reflect the warm relations between our peoples and states. In sense of theology, our Church, as Eastern Orthodox, is much closer to the family of Orthodox churches. Despite the similarities between the Armenian Apostolic and Russian Orthodox churches, there are significant differences. They relate to dogmatics, features of worship and rituals. Armenians, for example, on major holidays sacrifice a bull, a ram or a rooster. Many sacraments are performed differently in these two churches.

I was invited to the baptism of Rafael Kandelyan, he recently turned one year old. What I saw was very different from our usual procedure. The ceremony lasted about an hour. And his entire priest devoted to one Raphael, and not to twenty screaming babies at once. Baptism is God's adoption. The rite is performed by three immersion in consecrated water and when it is cold, by washing the face and parts of the body. All this is accompanied by the words: “This servant of God (in this case, Raphael), who came from infancy to baptism, is baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…” Armenians have only godfathers, there are no godmothers. Simultaneously with baptism, chrismation is performed, in Armenian "droshm", "seal". Each part of the body has its own prayer. For example, the anointing of the feet is accompanied by such words: "May this Divine Seal correct your procession into Eternal Life." Ashot Karapetyan, godfather: "This is a very important ceremony. A person is filled with faith in God, faith in good things, and I think this is one of the most important ceremonies in life, like a wedding, like a birth. Despite the fact that the child is a year old, he behaved solid, so to speak, ha-ha-ha".

Since the time of George the Illuminator, sacrifices, matah, have been practiced in the Armenian Church. Usually animals are sacrificed. A child was born - be sure to go to church and ask the priest to perform the ceremony. If one of the relatives dies, then matah is performed for the repose of the soul. In Etchmiadzin, at the church of St. Gayane, there is a special room where the butcher slaughters sacrificial rams and bulls. Other Christian churches consider matah to be a relic of paganism. Armenians do not agree with this. After all, meat goes to the poor, and who better than Christ commanded to love your neighbor.

Etchmiadzin is not only Cathedral, the residence of the Patriarch and the monastery. This is also a few very revered temples among the people. Church of Saint Repsime. She was a martyr. Every Armenian knows her story... In 300, 33 Cappadocian Christian women were hiding in Armenia from the persecution of the Romans. The Armenian king Trdat was inflamed with passion for one of them, the beautiful Repsime. The girl rejected the king. For this, Trdat ordered the execution of all the refugees. After the execution, he fell seriously ill. And Saint Gregory helped him. He buried the remains of the virgins and healed the king. The grateful Trdat accepted the teachings of Christ, and a church was built on the site of the execution of Christian women. Couples from all over Armenia go to the church of St. Repsime to get married. I stayed in this holy place for a very short time and found three weddings. Armenians for some reason call this sacrament marriage. When we were leaving, another newlyweds drove up to the temple. Arthur is a US citizen. His fiancee Nvart is from Yerevan. Before the wedding, the newlyweds registered the marriage at the registry office. According to Armenian laws, this can be done if the bride is 16 and the groom is 18.

Armenia has lost its statehood more than once. Therefore, the church for Armenians is a symbol of unity. And not only spiritual. People come to the temple to pray, light a candle, and at the same time chat with friends. The year before last, thousands of people from all over the country, hundreds of representatives of the Armenian diaspora, gathered in Etchmiadzin. Once every seven years, a rite of consecration is held here. Miro is a special composition of fragrant substances for sacred anointing. In Armenia it is made from olive oil, to which a special balm and 40 kinds of various aromatic mixtures are added. The components are boiled separately, then mixed and consecrated. In addition to the Catholicos, 12 Armenian bishops take part in the ceremony. Representatives of the Apostolic Church come from Constantinople, Jerusalem and Beirut. They take turns pouring the ingredients into the cauldron and, of course, the old myrrh left over from the last ceremony. It is believed that a little oil remained in it, consecrated by Christ himself. Then the Catholicos plunges a spear into the cauldron, supposedly the same one with which the Roman centurion Longinus pierced the Savior's chest and ended His suffering. They interfere with the world with the Hand of George the Illuminator. This is the name of the shrine, in which the relics of the first Catholicos of Armenia are kept.

In 2001, Pope John Paul II brought the relics of the first Armenian Catholicos to Armenia. For five hundred years, the relics of St. Gregory the Illuminator were kept in Naples, and now they are in the Cathedral of Etchmiadzin. In addition to the Holy Spear and relics, many other shrines revered throughout the Christian world are kept in Etchmiadzin. Many of them were taken out of Turkey after the 1915 massacre. The most precious are: a fragment of Noah's Ark - the kneecap of John the Baptist, a particle of the Tree of the Cross on which Jesus was crucified, and finally, a fragment of the Savior's crown of thorns. There are also national relics in Etchmiadzin of later times. Father Vagram: "You see here a golden alphabet made of gold and precious stones, which was prepared in 1976 according to the will of His Holiness Catholicos of All Armenians Vazgen I. And the very idea of creating this golden alphabet was this. That there are 2 factors of the identity of the Armenian people: this is the alphabet and the Christian faith. And with this idea, this golden alphabet and a golden cross were created. The Armenian alphabet consists of 36 letters. Each is associated with a certain word. For example, the first "A" with the word "Astvats" - "God". The last "Ha" - with "Christ" Armenians even have a prayer consisting of 33 lines, each beginning with a new letter.

The fate of this cross is amazing. The gold from which it is made is a gift from an Armenian family living in France. It was not possible to legally smuggle the precious metal to the USSR in the Brezhnev era. Then they made decorations from it and distributed them to French tourists of Armenian origin. They delivered the contraband to Etchmiadzin...

Tourists coming to Armenia must visit the picturesque ruins of the Temple of Vigilant Forces, Zvartnots. They are located very close to Etchmiadzin. The temple was built in the 7th century, and in the 10th century it collapsed due to the miscalculations of the architect. Zvartnots is going to be restored and handed over to the Armenian Church. Previously, Christian worship was performed in Greek and Syriac. Interpreters stood in the churches, who translated passages from the Holy Scriptures for the parishioners. In 406 the educator archimandrite Mesrop Mashtots created the Armenian alphabet. After that, the Bible was translated into Armenian, schools arose in Armenia, and literature was born. Azat Bazoyan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Director of the Karekin I Theological Center: “This is the day of the saints, Sahak and Mesrop, who created the Armenian alphabet. their names". At the beginning of the 20th century, part of the valuable books from the library of Etchmiadzin were transferred to the national book depository - the Yerevan Matenadaran. But there are still a lot left - 30 thousand volumes. The collection is replenished all the time, there is literally nowhere to put books. Employees of the library of Etchmiadzin: "It was the personal library of Vazgen I, and now we are trying to put things in order here, to create catalogs for all publications." The collection of Etchmiadzin contains extremely rare editions. A new building is being built for the library. It will be open to everyone. So far, only students of the Etchmiadzin Theological Academy can use it.

It was founded 130 years ago. After the coup in 1917, it closed and reopened only in 1945. For a long time, the Etchmiadzin Theological Academy was the only educational institution who trained priests for the Armenian Church. Rector of the Theological Academy, Archpriest Eghishe Sargsyan: "We have a rather high competition: two or three people per place. It is difficult to study at the academy. We have no tests, only exams. During the training, students pass about 40 disciplines, including ritualistics and sharatanology, spiritual chants. Most of our listeners are yesterday's graduates of rural schools." Every year the Academy graduates 15-20 people. They travel all over the world, wherever there are Armenian parishes: Argentina, France, the USA, Greece. Only in the territory of the CIS there are more than 60 Armenian churches.

The notion that in reality there is no big difference and, in the end, all the Churches are talking about the same thing, to put it mildly, is far from the truth. In fact, the Armenian Apostolic Church has serious grounds for asserting that it has retained special fidelity to the apostolic tradition. Each Church has taken a special name for itself, the Armenian one 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 at 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 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 for this. There were serious grounds for fear that Chalcedon was restoring what had been 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, first of all, Sts. Athanasius the Great and Cyril of Alexandria. Only after the death of the latter was it possible to put into practice the decisions taken by the Council of Chalcedon. The cathedral was not led by the clergy, but by the emperor Marcian himself and the empress Pulcheria. It must be admitted that Chalcedon only confirmed the already existing theological contradictions between the Alexandrian and Antiochian schools. These discrepancies had roots in different spiritual and cultural layers, they arose as a result of a collision of a holistic religious contemplation of the East and differential Hellenistic thinking, unity and dualism of the confession of the Savior, a concrete and generalized perception of the human reality of Christ.

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

Sometimes a dispute arises when the 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 in Russia do not consider Armenians to be 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 Churches of Chalcedon, 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, the Churches have their own official name, and in official relations we call them as they call themselves. But, recognizing all the differences between us and the Orthodox Chalcedonites, one cannot shy away from the assertions that we have the Orthodox, in other words, the correct, true faith.

Father Mesrop (Aramyan).

From an interview with Aniv magazine

I am not God knows what theologian.

Or rather, I am not a theologian at all. But every time I read about the foundations of the Armenian Church in the blogosphere, the compiler, editor and author of the book "Applied Religious Studies for Journalists" begins to speak in me.

And now, in connection with the Christmas holiday, I decided to analyze a few of the most common questions related to the Armenian Apostolic Church - the AAC.

Is the Armenian Church "Gregorian"?

Did the Armenians accept Christianity in 301?

Is the AAC Orthodox?

Are all Armenians the flock of the Armenian Apostolic Church?

Armenian Church is not Gregorian

The name "Gregorian" was coined in Russia in the 19th century, when part of Armenia was annexed to the Russian Empire. It means that the Armenian Church originates from Gregory the Illuminator, and not from the apostles.

Why was this done?

And then, that when the church originates directly from the apostles, this means that its origins go straight to Christ. The ROC can call itself apostolic with a big stretch, because it is known that Orthodoxy came to Russia from Byzantium, and relatively late - in the 10th century.

True, here the concept of the catholicity of the church comes to the “help” of the ROC, that is, its spatial, temporal and qualitative universality, which the parts possess to the same extent as the whole, that is, the ROC, being one of the Orthodox churches, also, as it were, ascends straight to Christ, but let's not delve too deeply into theology - I noted this for the sake of justice.

Thus, by making the Armenian Church “Gregorian”, the Russian Empire (where the church was not separated from the state, and therefore the ROC should have had all the advantages), seemed to deprive it of the grounds to elevate itself directly to Christ. Instead of Christ and his disciples, the apostles, Gregory the Illuminator was obtained. Cheap and cheerful.

Nevertheless, the Armenian Church all this time called itself the Apostolic Church (AAC), it was also called and called all over the world - with the exception of the Russian Empire, then Soviet Union, well, and now Russia.

By the way, this is another misconception that has become very popular in recent years.

Armenians did not accept Christianity in 301

The doctrine of the Son of God began to spread in Armenia in the first century AD, of course. They even call the year 34, but I met articles that said that this, apparently, was 12-15 years later.

And so it was. When Christ was crucified, after which he died, resurrected and ascended, his apostle disciples went to different parts to spread his teachings. We know that, for example, Peter in his travels reached Rome, where he died, and the famous Vatican church of St. Peter.

And Thaddeus and Bartholomew - two of the 12 first apostles - went to the northeast, to Syria, from where they soon reached Armenia, where they successfully spread the teachings of Christ. It is from them - from the apostles - that the Armenian Church originates. That is why it is called "apostolic".

Both of them ended their lives in Armenia. Thaddeus was tortured: he was crucified and pierced with arrows. And it was on the very spot where the monastery of St. Thaddeus, or, in Armenian, Surb Tadei vank. This is in what is now Iran. This monastery is honored in Iran and every year thousands of pilgrims flock there. The relics of St. Thaddeus are kept in Etchmiadzin.

Bartholomew was also martyred. He brought the hand-made face of the Virgin to Armenia and built a church dedicated to her. In 68, when the persecution of Christians began, he was executed. Together with him, according to legend, two thousand Christians were executed. The relics of St. Bartholomew are kept in Baku, since the place of execution was the city of Alban or Albanopol, which is identified as modern Baku.

So Christianity began to spread in Armenia in the first century. And in 301, King Trdat proclaimed Christianity, which had been spreading throughout Armenia for about 250 years, as the official religion.

Therefore, it is correct to say that the Armenians adopted Christianity in the middle of the first century, and in 301 Christianity was adopted in Armenia as the state religion.

Is the AAC Orthodox?

Yes and no. If we talk about the theological foundations of the teaching, then it is precisely Orthodox. In other words, the Christology of the AAC, according to current theologians, is identical to Orthodoxy.

Yes, because the head of the AAC - Catholicos Karekin II - himself recently declared that the AAC is Orthodox. And the words of the Catholicos are a very important argument.

No - because according to Orthodox doctrine, the decisions of the seven Ecumenical Councils that took place from 49 to 787 are recognized. As you can see, we are talking about a very long history. The AAC recognizes only the first three.

No - because Orthodoxy is one organizational structure with their autocephaly, that is, separate, independent churches. 14 autocephalous churches are recognized, there are also several so-called autonomous churches that are not recognized by everyone.

Why are the seven ecumenical councils so important? Because at each decision was made that had importance for Christian teaching. For example, at the first council they adopted the postulate that it was not necessary to observe certain Jewish rituals, at the second they adopted the creed (“creed”), at the third and fifth they condemned Nestorianism, at the seventh they condemned iconoclasm and separated the veneration of God and the worship of icons, and so on.

The Armenian Church adopted the decrees of the first three councils. Fourth ecumenical council, which is called Chalcedon, took place in 451. If you are familiar with the history of Armenia, then immediately remember that this year is known for the famous Battle of Avarayr, where Armenian troops led by Vardan Mamikonyan fought against Sasanian Persia for religious and state independence.

And since the clergy played a crucial role during the uprising that ended with the Battle of Avarayr, as well as after it, the clergy did not have the time and desire to send a delegation to the Ecumenical Council.

And this is where the problem turned out to be, because the Council made the most important decision about the nature of Christ. And the question was, is Christ a god or a man? If he was born of God, then he must be a god himself. But he was born from an earthly woman, therefore, he must be a man.

One theologian - Nestorius from the city of Caesarea (Syria) - argued that Christ is both God and man. These two entities coexist in one body due to the fact that it exists in two hypostases, which are in union and together create a “face of unity”.

And the other - Eutyches from Constantinople - believed that Christ is God. And point. There is no human essence in it.

The Council of Chalcedon found a certain middle line, condemning both the "right-deviating" line of Nestor and the "left-opportunist" line of Eutychius.

The decisions of this council were not accepted by six churches: Armenian Apostolic, Coptic Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, Eritrean Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox and Malankara Orthodox (in India). They began to be called "ancient Eastern Christian churches", or "ancient Orthodox churches".

So, according to this parameter, the AAC is an Orthodox Church.

All Armenians, by definition, are the flock of the AAC, just as all Jews are Jews.

This is also a delusion. Of course, the AAC is the largest and most influential church with two catholicosates in Etchmiadzin and Lebanese Antelias. But she's not the only one.

There is an Armenian Catholic Church. In fact, this is a Uniate church, that is, a church that combines elements of Catholicism and the AAC, in particular, the Armenian rite of worship.

The most famous congregation of Armenian Catholics is the Mkhitari congregation with the famous monastery on the island of St. Lazarus in Venice. Churches and monasteries of Armenian Catholics exist throughout Europe, including in Rome and Vienna (oh, what kind of liquor do the Viennese Mekhitarists prepare...).

In 1850, Pope Pius IX established the diocese of Artvin for Catholic Armenians. At the beginning of the 20th century, the diocese fell apart, leaving the flock in the care of the bishop, who was in Tiraspol. Yes, yes, Moldovan and Romanian Armenians, as well as Ukrainian ones, were also Catholics.

The Vatican even established an ordinariate for Catholic Armenians in Gyumri. In the north of Armenia, Catholics are called "frang".

There are also Protestant Armenians.

The Evangelical Armenian Church was established in Constantinople in the middle of the 19th century and now has parishes in the most different countries, uniting in three evangelical unions - the Middle East with a center in Beirut, France (Paris) and North America (New Jersey). There are also many churches in Latin America, Brussels, Sydney and so on.

They say that Protestant Armenians are called “ynglyz”, but I myself have not heard this.

Finally, there are Muslim Armenians. In Istanbul, under the patronage of the Hrant Dink Foundation, a major scientific conference was recently held, dedicated to the Armenians who converted to Islam.

The Armenian Apostolic Church is one of the oldest Christian churches. The first Christians appeared in Armenia in the first century, when two disciples of Christ - Fadey and Bartholomew came to Armenia and began to preach Christianity. And in 301, Armenia adopted Christianity as the state religion, becoming the first Christian state in the world.

The main role in this was played by St. Gregory the Illuminator, who became the first head of the Armenian Church (302-326), and the king of Great Armenia Trdat, who had previously been the most cruel persecutor of Christians, but a serious illness and miraculous healing by prayers, who had previously spent 13 years in Gregory’s prison completely changed his attitude.

Despite the constant wars and persecutions from the Persians, Arabs, the Mongol-Tatar yoke, and finally the Ottoman-Turkish invasion, the Armenians never changed their faith, remaining devoted to their religion.

During the 1700 years of Christianity, many temples were built in Armenia. Some of them were destroyed as a result of persecution, some suffered from earthquakes, but most of the unique and ancient temples have survived to this day.

1. Tatev Monastery. We think many will agree with us that this is not only the most beautiful monastery, but also temple complex leading in its energy and aura. You can talk about Tatev for a very long time, but it is better to come once and feel its magical power.

2. Haghpat Monastery. Just like in Tatev, you want to come to Haghpat again and again. And as one of the famous Armenian songwriters said, it is impossible to truly love Armenia if you have not seen the dawn over the Haghpat Monastery.

3. Noravank monastery complex. Surrounded by red rocks, Noravank is insanely beautiful in any weather.

4. Geghard Monastery. A unique architectural structure, part of which is carved into the rock. It is one of the most popular places among tourists.

5. Haghartsin Monastery. One of the most mysterious places in Armenia, the Haghartsin monastery complex immersed in the greenery of mountain forests. It is located not far from everyone's favorite Dilijan.

6. Makaravank monastery. Just like Haghartsin, it is surrounded by dense forests of the Tavush region.

7. Odzun Monastery. The recently restored Odzun Monastery is one of the ancient monasteries Lori region.

8. Etchmiadzin Cathedral. Built in 303, the cathedral is the religious center of all Armenians.

9. Khor Virap Monastery. Located at the foot of Mount Ararat, Khor Virap stands apart from all the temples, because. it was from here that the Christian era of Armenia began. The monastery was built on the site of a dungeon, where the first Catholicos of Armenians, Gregory the Illuminator, spent many years in prison.

10. Akhtala monastery. Another unique architectural structure of the Lori region.

11. Temple of St. Gayane. Located a few hundred meters from the Cathedral in Etchmiadzin. It is one of the best monuments of Armenian architecture.

12. Church of St. Hripsime. Another temple with unique architecture located in Etchmiadzin.

13. Vahanavank monastery. It is located near the town of Kapan.Surrounded by the stunning nature of the Syunik mountains, the monastery complex is the tomb of the Syunik kings and princes.

14. Sevanavank monastery complex. It is located on the peninsula of Lake Sevan.

15. Saghmosavank Monastery. It is located near the city of Ashtarak, on the edge of the gorge of the Kasakh River.

16. Hovhannavank Monastery. It is located near Saghmosavank.

17. Kecharis monastery complex. Located in the ski resort, the city of Tsaghkazor.

18. Khnevank monastery. Located near the city of Stepanavan, the temple is another beautiful temple in the Lori region.

19. Goshavank monastery. The monastery complex founded by Mkhitar Gosh is located in the village of the same name not far from Dilijan.

20. Gndevank Monastery. Surrounded by beautiful rocks, it is located in the Vayots Dzor region, not far from the resort town of Jermuk.

21. Marmashen Monastery. Surrounded by an apple orchard on the banks of the Akhuryan River near the city of Gyumri, the monastery complex is especially beautiful in May, when the trees are in bloom.

22. Vorotnavank monastery. Located near the city of Sisisan.

22. Harichavank Monastery. It is located in the Shirak region near the city of Artik.

23. Tegher Monastery. It is located on the southeastern slope of Mount Aragats.

24. Sanahin Monastery. Along with the Haghpat Monastery, Geghard, the churches of Etchmiadzin (the Cathedral, the churches of St. Hripsime and Gayane), as well as temple of Zvartnots included in the list world heritage UNESCO. It is located near the city of Alaverdi.

25. Tatevi Mets Anapat (Great Tatev desert). The monastery is located in the Vorotan Gorge. It was part of the Tatev University. It was connected to the Tatev Monastery by an underground passage, which was destroyed during an earthquake.

26. Ayrivank temple. This small temple is located on the other side of Lake Sevan.

27. Temple of Tsakhats Kar. It is located near the village of Yeghegis, Vayots Dzor region.

28. Church of St. Hovhannes in the village of Ardvi near the town of Alaverdi

29. Vagramashen church and Amberd fortress. Located at an altitude of 2300 m on the slope of Mount Aragats.

30. Ruins of the Zvartnots temple. Translated from ancient Armenian means "Temple of vigilant angels." It is located on the way from Yerevan to Etchmiadzin. Destroyed during an earthquake in the 10th century, it was discovered at the beginning of the 20th century. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

31. Temple of Garni. And, of course, we can’t get around one of the most popular temples - the only temple of the pre-Christian era that has survived in Armenia - the pagan temple of Garni.

Of course, not all the temples of Armenia are represented here, but we tried to highlight the most significant of them. We are waiting for you among our guests and we will show you the brightest and most beautiful Armenia.

You can look inside the Armenian temples in the article -

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photo: Andranik Keshishyan, Mher Ishkhanyan, Artur Manucharyan