Armenian Apostolic Church

The Armenian Apostolic Church is also known by other names:

• Armenian Orthodox Church
• Armenian Orthodox Church
• Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church
• Armenian Gregorian Church
• Gregorian Armenian Apostolic Church
• Armenian Church

Origins

Various legends link the origins of the Armenian Church to the apostles , earning him the adjective "apostolic". The legend of the healing of Abgar of Edessa with the Mandylion is an example of this sovereign being considered by the Armenian Church Armenian. Tradition asserts that Thaddeus was sent to evangelize Armenia by Abgar, seen as the uncle of the king of Armenia Sanatrouk. Details vary widely, but in all versions, Thaddeus Sandoukht converts, the daughter of the king. In some versions, also converts Sanatrouk before apostasy, according to others, he never converted, and was rather hostile to Christianity. In any case, he submitted Sandoukht Thaddeus and martyrdom. Other versions are also reaching the apostle Bartholomew in Armenia at the same time, he also knew the martyrdom . Whatever the authenticity of these traditions, Christianity was probably introduced early in Armenia, because of persecution against Christians are reported for the years 110, 230 and 287 by Eusebius and Tertullian .

Baptism Tiridates IV.

The kingdom of Armenia became the first state to adopt Christianity where St. Gregory the Illuminator converted King Tiridates IV and members of his court , an event traditionally placed in 301 but probably later, at the Later in 314 . Tiridates became king in 298 , thanks to the support of the Roman emperor Diocletian , notorious persecutor of Christians. In 301 , virgins Christian fleeing Roman persecution arrive in Armenia under the guidance of Gayane the king had them arrested and lusts after one of them, Hripsimeh , but the refusal of the latter, subjected to martyrdom, and that his whole group. Then ensures that the tradition would Tiridates got sick (according to legend, Tiridates would have been transformed into a boar ), his sister Khosrovanouch would then heard in a dream he had to end persecution of Christians. Made aware, would have free Tiridates Gregory, who would have healed and converted. The story is probably different: after the end of the reign of Diocletian in 305 , Gregory, an Armenian educated and ordained at Caesarea in Cappadocia , and returned to preach in Armenia faces Tiridates, who is thrown into a pit (located the current monastery Khor Virap ). However, the impression left by Gregory on Tiridates and the intervention of the king's sister lead to the release of the prisoner to repentance and royal. In 314 , after being anointed bishop at Caesarea, Gregory named the king, his court and his subjects, making Armenia a Christian nation .

Tiridates Gregory is also the first Catholicos of Armenia. The king and the Catholicos are destroying the old centers pagans and build churches and monasteries, priests and bishops are ordained. Tradition says that while he was meditating in Vagharchapat (now Etchmiadzin ), the capital of the time, Gregory had a vision of Christ striking the ground with a hammer, sending up a large building surmounted by a cross. Convinced of the divine will, he built this place and with the help of Tiridates Block her vision was then renamed the capital Etchmiadzin, "the Begotten descended" .

The Armenian Church was originally built in the church is the Catholicos well represented at the First Council of Nicaea and the First Council of Constantinople. If he can not attend the Council of Ephesus , the Catholicos Sahak ^I. endorsed its conclusions .

Moreover, Christianity is growing in Armenia by the translation of the Bible into Armenian by Mesrop Mashtots. Indeed, before the ^fifth century , Armenian is not written, the Bible and the liturgy are written in Greek , it was not until 405 that following the request of the Catholicos Sahak ^I, Mersop Mashtots completes the creation of the Armenian alphabet , followed by the translation of religious texts in Armenian . The Armenian Bible is different from other Bibles, however, the Eastern Churches : The Deuterocanonical books are translated into effect at ^the eighth century and are read in churches until the ^twelfth century .

Monophysitism and miaphysisme

Historically, the Armenian Church was once considered Monophysite by both the Roman Catholic Church by the Orthodox Church because of its refusal (like other churches of the three councils ) decisions of the Council of Chalcedon which condemned the Monophysite. The links were officially broken with Rome and Constantinople in 553 , when the second Council of Dvin rejected the formula dyophysite of Chalcedon .

For the Armenian Church, however, this is an incorrect description of his position, since it also considers that monophysitism by Eutyches , condemned at Chalcedon, is a heresy. Rejecting the formula of Chalcedon, it adheres to the doctrine formulated by Cyril of Alexandria , the miaphysisme . His doctrine is set in 726 at the Synod of Manazkert : "The unique nature of the Word of God became man, taking a corruptible and mortal flesh, comparable to that of Adam after the fall, but by the fire his divinity, the Word made flesh that immortal and incorruptible, like the first man in paradise. Therefore, Christ is naturally impassive. If he died on the cross, having suffered, this is not the effect of his nature, but the decision of his will for our salvation . "

Organization

Cathedral of Saint Gregory the Illuminator of Yerevan.

The Armenian Church has four seats prominent Episcopalians, two independent and two patriarchates Catholicosate Secondary

• the Catholicosate of All Armenians ;
• the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia ( Antelias );
• the Patriarchate of Constantinople ;
• the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Until 1895 , there was a third Catholicosate, small Catholicosate Aghtamar.

The Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians who sits Etchmiadzin enjoys a primacy of honor among the holders of those seats.

Relations with other Churches

Relations with the Orthodox Churches

• Ephemeral unions with the Church of Constantinople in the ^seventh century. Other attempts of unions to the ^ninth and ^twelfth centuries.

Relations with the Roman Catholic Church

• Ephemeral union with the Church of Rome in 1198.

Oudis and Tats

The national character of the Armenian Church is strong and has long been the main institution of the Armenian people. So there is historically a virtual identity between the Armenian people and Church. Two small Christian communities in the Caucasus , however belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Oudis the overwhelming majority and a minority of the Tats. They are considered the heirs of the ancient Church of Aghbanie.

References

• (In) This article is partially or entirely from the article in English entitled " Armenian Apostolic Church "(see the list of authors )