Armenian faith confession. Adoption of Christianity by the Armenian people

The religion of Armenia is very diverse. It includes Christianity, Islam, Yezidism and Frengi. Most of the inhabitants of Armenia are believers. It is believed that the most common religion is Christianity.

Christianity in Armenia

About 94% of the total population preach Christianity and belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church. This one 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 King of Heaven 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 one, 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 Catholic (there are about 36 parishes in total), which are called "Franks". Franks (or frengs) live in Northern Armenia. Initially, they appeared along with the crusaders, but later, in the 16-19 centuries, they began to be called Franks -. Armenian-Franks are divided into three groups:
- hbo francs,
- hash francs,
- Mshetsi Franks.

The division of Catholics is not associated with the peculiarities of religious beliefs, it is associated with the place of residence of adherents of this faith.

Islam in Armenia

Now in Yerevan, in the Mashtots Depository of Ancient Manuscripts, more than 20 thousand handwritten texts are stored, which Mashtots himself began to collect. This collection of manuscripts is of great historical and cultural value for the peoples of the whole world.

Spread of the Armenian Church

In the Promised Land, that is, on the territory of modern Israel, more than seventy Armenian churches were built already from the sixth century, and in 638 the Armenian Patriarchate was founded, which united and became the head of all Eastern Orthodox dioceses. These are the Ethiopian, Syrian and Coptic dioceses.

For almost two thousand years, a miracle has been happening every year - the descent of the Holy Fire, which takes place on the eve of Easter in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. From among the bishops of the Armenian-Gregorian Holy Apostolic Church, a clergyman is annually elected who will be entrusted with receiving the Holy Fire.

The overwhelming majority of the population of Armenia are Christians of the Armenian Apostolic Church, which is legally assigned the status of the national church of the Armenian people. There are also believers of the Russian Orthodox Church, Muslims, Jews and representatives of other confessions in Armenia. Including the so-called religious minorities.

Islam in Armenia was spread mainly among Azerbaijanis and Kurds, but as a result of the Karabakh conflict, most Muslims were forced to leave the country. The largest Muslim community, including Kurds, Iranians and immigrants from the Middle East, is currently preserved only in Yerevan. Most of them belong to the Shafi'i Sunnis. Among the Kurds, a fairly significant community is formed by the Yezidis, whose religious beliefs include elements of Zoroastrianism, Islam and animism.

The constitution guarantees freedom of religion, incl. the right to profess any religion or none.

Peculiarities

Until the middle of the 5th c. The Armenian Apostolic Church represented one of the branches of the one Christian Church. However, in an effort to strengthen its independence from Byzantium and not recognizing the decisions of the IV (Chalcedon) Ecumenical Council (451), the Armenian Apostolic Church actually separated from both the Eastern and Western Churches.

The Armenian Church also differs from the Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant churches. It belongs to the category of so-called Monophysite churches. Whereas Orthodox - to dyophysite. The dyophysites recognize in Christ two principles - human and divine; Monophysites - only the divine. Concerning the seven sacraments, the Armenian Church keeps special rules. Namely: at baptism, the infant is sprinkled three times and immersed in water three times; chrismation is connected with baptism; during communion, only pure unmixed wine and sour (unleavened) bread soaked in wine are used, only clergy immediately after death.

Armenians believe in saints, but they don't believe in purgatory. The Armenians also strictly observe the fasts, but they have fewer holidays. The main prayer accepted in the Armenian Church is Air Mer (Our Father), it is read in ancient Armenian.

The Catholicos is elected at the Etchmiadzin synod, where deputies from all Russian and foreign Armenian dioceses are invited, and is approved by a special letter by the Sovereign Emperor.

The Catholicos lives in Etchmiadzin, where every Armenian should go at least once in his life. Armenian archbishops and bishops can only be ordained by the Catholicos. Secular clergy can only marry once, a second marriage is not allowed.

Related Monophysite churches of the Armenian Apostolic Church are Coptic (Egypt), Ethiopian and Jacobite (Syria).

History of religion

The Holy Tradition of the Armenian Church says that after the Ascension of Christ, one of his disciples, Thaddeus arrived in Great Armenia with a Christian sermon. Among the many converted by him to the new faith was the daughter of the Armenian king Sanatruk - Sandukht. For the confession of Christianity, the apostle, along with Sandukht and other converts, were martyred in Shavarshan by order of the king.

Some time after preaching in Persia, the Apostle Bartholomew arrived in Armenia. He converted to Christianity the sister of King Sanatruk - Vogui and many nobles, after which, by order of Sanatruk, he was martyred in the city of Arebanos, which is located between the lakes Van and Urmia.

In the 1st century, the spread of Christianity in Armenia was facilitated by a number of external and internal factors. So, for example, at that time Christianity became widespread in the countries neighboring Armenia: Cappadocia (present-day Georgia), Osroene, trade, political and cultural ties, with which they created favorable conditions for the spread of Christianity in Armenia.

In addition, in the I-III centuries Lesser Armenia was politically part of the Roman province of Cappadocia, and it is quite natural that Christianity could spread through Lesser Armenia in Greater Armenia.

Armenia became the first country in the world to adopt Christianity as a state religion long before Byzantium and Georgia. This happened in 301, during the reign of Tsar Trdat III, thanks to the activities of Gregory I the Illuminator. In 302, Gregory I the Illuminator became the First Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians. Later he was canonized as a saint. The church began to be called by the name of Gregory I - Armenian-Gregorian.

In 303, the Cathedral of Etchmiadzin was built (near Yerevan), which to this day remains the religious center of all Armenians and the seat of the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians (with the exception of a short period of the XIV-XV centuries).

The Bible was translated into Armenian in the 5th century.

Armenian Apostolic Church

The head of the Armenian Apostolic Church is the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians (currently Garegin II), whose permanent residence is in Etchmiadzin.

He is the supreme spiritual head of all believing Armenians, the guardian and defender of the faith of the Armenian Church, its liturgical rites, canons, traditions and unity. Within the canonical limits, he is endowed with full power in the administration of the Armenian Church.

Echmiadzin is the spiritual and administrative center of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Here, since the 7th century, there have been two monasteries of St. Hripsime and St. Gayane, which are classical monuments of Armenian architecture. Etchmiadzin also houses the Theological Academy and Seminary.

Geographically, the Armenian Apostolic Church is spread all over the world, but is united in its doctrinal principles. Under the influence of political and economic factors, a part of the Armenian population, starting from the 9th century, was forced to periodically leave the country and seek asylum in foreign countries.

Thus, due to historical conditions in the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Constantinople and the Catholicosate of Cilicia (Great House of Cilicia) were formed, which is currently located in Antilia (Lebanon). These three episcopal sees are in the "spiritual respect" under the jurisdiction of Etchmiadzin, but enjoy internal administrative autonomy.

The history of Armenian culture dates back to ancient times. Traditions, way of life, religion are dictated by the religious views of the Armenians. In the article, we will consider the questions: what is the faith of the Armenians, why did the Armenians adopt Christianity, about the baptism of Armenia, in what year did the Armenians adopt Christianity, about the difference between the Gregorian and Orthodox churches.

Adoption of Christianity by Armenia in 301

The Armenian religion originated in the 1st century AD, when the founders of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) Thaddeus and Bartholomew preached in Armenia. Already in the 4th century, in 301, Christianity became the official religion of the Armenians. Tsar Trdat III laid the foundation for this. He came to rule the royal throne of Armenia in 287.

Initially, Trdat was not supportive of Christianity and persecuted believers. He imprisoned Saint Gregory for 13 years. However, the strong faith of the Armenian people won. Once the king lost his mind and was healed thanks to the prayers of Gregory, a saint who preached Orthodoxy. After that, Trdat believed, was baptized and made Armenia the first Christian state in the world.

Armenians - Catholics or Orthodox, today make up 98% of the country's population. Of these, 90% are representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church, 7% of the Armenian Catholic Church.

The Armenian Apostolic Church is independent of the Orthodox and Catholic churches

The Armenian Apostolic Church stood at the origins of the birth of Christianity of the Armenian people. It belongs to the oldest Christian churches. Its founders are the preachers of Christianity in Armenia - the Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew. The dogmas of the AAC are significantly different from Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The Armenian Church is autonomous from the Orthodox and Catholic churches. And this is its main feature. The word apostolic in the title refers us to the origins of the church and indicates that Christianity in Armenia became the first state religion.

The AAC keeps track of the Gregorian calendar. However, she does not deny the Julian calendar either.

During the absence of political administration, the Gregorian Church took over the functions of government. In this regard, the role of the Catholicosate in Etchmiadzin became dominant for a long time. For several centuries in a row, it was considered the main center of power and control.

In modern times, the Catholicosate of all Armenians in Etchmidizian and the Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antilias operate.

Catholicos - Bishop in the AAC

Catholicos is a related concept of the word bishop. The title of the highest rank in the AAC.

The Catholicos of All Armenians includes the dioceses of Armenia, Russia and Ukraine. The Catholicos of Cilicia includes the dioceses of Syria, Cyprus and Lebanon.

Traditions and rituals of the Armenian Apostolic Church

Matah - an offering in gratitude to God

One of the most important rites of the AAC is matah or refreshments, a charity dinner. Some confuse this rite with animal sacrifice. The meaning is to give alms to the poor, which is an offering to God. Matah is performed as a thanksgiving to God for the successful end of some event (the recovery of a loved one) or as a request for something.

To conduct a matah, livestock (a bull, a sheep) or a bird are slaughtered. Bouillon is boiled from meat with salt, which was consecrated in advance. Meat should never be left uneaten until the next day. Therefore, it is divided and distributed.

forward post

This post precedes Lent. The advanced post begins 3 weeks before the Great and lasts 5 days - from Monday to Friday. Its observance is historically conditioned by the fast of St. Gregory. This helped the apostle to cleanse himself and heal Trdat with prayers.

communion

Unleavened bread is used during communion, however, there is no fundamental difference between unleavened or leavened. Wine is not diluted with water.

The Armenian priest dips the bread (previously consecrated) into wine, breaks it and gives it to those who wish to take communion.

sign of the cross

It is done with three fingers from left to right.

How is the Gregorian Church different from the Orthodox

Monophysitism - the recognition of the one nature of God

For a long time, the differences between the Armenian and Orthodox churches were not noticeable. By about the 6th century, differences began to be felt. Speaking about the division of the Armenian and Orthodox churches, one should remember the emergence of Monophysitism.

This is an offshoot of Christianity, according to which the nature of Jesus is not dual, and he does not have a corporeal shell, like a man. Monophysites recognize in Jesus one nature. So, at the 4th Council of Chalcedon there was a split between the Gregorian Church and the Orthodox. The Monophysite Armenians were recognized as heretics.

Differences between the Gregorian and Orthodox churches

1. The Armenian Church does not recognize the flesh of Christ, its representatives are convinced that his body is ether. The main difference lies in the reason for the separation of the AAC from Orthodoxy.
2. Icons. In Gregorian churches there is no abundance of icons, as in Orthodox ones. Only in some churches there is a small iconostasis in the corner of the temple. Armenians do not pray in front of holy images. Some historians attribute this to the fact that the Armenian Church was engaged in iconoclasm.

1. Difference in calendars. Representatives of Orthodoxy are guided by the Julian calendar. Armenian - into Gregorian.
2. Representatives of the Armenian Church are baptized from left to right, Orthodox - vice versa.
3. Spiritual hierarchy. In the Gregorian Church there are 5 degrees, where the highest is the catholicos, then the bishop, priest, deacon, reader. There are only 3 degrees in the Russian Church.
4. Fasting lasting 5 days - arachawork. Starts 70 days before Easter.
5. Since the Armenian Church recognizes one hypostasis of God, only one is sung in church songs.. Unlike the Orthodox, where they sing about the trinity of God.
6. During Lent, Armenians can eat cheese and eggs on Sundays.
7. The Gregorian Church lives according to the postulates of only three councils, although there were seven of them. The Armenians could not get to the 4th Council of Chalcedon, and therefore they did not accept the postulates of Christianity and ignored all subsequent councils.

Raise the banner on the earth, blow the trumpet among the peoples, arm the peoples against it (Babylon), convene the kingdoms of Ararat, Minin and Askenaz against it, put a leader against it, bring horses like a terrible locust.

Jeremiah 51, 27

Armenia, the country of Ararat, the House of Fogarm, the Ashkenazi kingdom, Urartu or simply Hayastan. A high-mountainous and unconquerable country where Armenians live.
According to Greek mythology, the Armenians came to this land from Europe and were its first inhabitants. According to Georgian legends, Hayos, the ancestor of the Armenians, was the oldest among the brothers both in age and deeds, each of whom was to become the ancestor of one of the Caucasian peoples. And we find the most important mention of Armenia in the Bible. Was it by chance that the Saving Noah's Ark stopped at Ararat, the sacred mountain of the Armenians (Genesis 8:4)?
In no case. The words of the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek. 27:14; 38:6) also confirm this. Probably in favor of the latter is the fact that the Armenians were the first to adopt Christianity as a state religion, back in 301, much earlier than the Greeks and Romans. The Armenian Church is called Apostolic: in honor of the Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew, who, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, came to Armenia to preach the faith of Jesus. To this day, the Armenian Apostolic Church is headed by the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, whose throne from the very beginning was separate and independent, and Holy Etchmiadzin, the spiritual capital of the Armenian people, is the throne of St.

Apostle Thaddeus. We add: until the 7th century, the Catholicos was the supreme pastor not only of Armenia, but also of neighboring Christian states.
Saint Mesrop Mashtots (Zb1-439) in 404 from the Nativity of Christ created the Armenian alphabet (which is still used today), and it was the most perfect alphabet of that time, since it fully corresponded to the pronunciation. The classical style of European writing was adopted - from left to right and from top to bottom. Mashtots translated the Bible with his students.
Subsequently, this manuscript became known to the world as the "Queen of Translations", because it turned out to be the best. Mashtots fulfilled his Christian duty by creating alphabets also for Georgians and Caucasian Allans.
It is out of place and pointless to retell the more than 4000-year history of one of the most ancient peoples. I would just like to emphasize the complete continuity of the phenomenon that already in the 6th century there were 70 Armenian churches and monasteries in the Promised Land, and a little later the Armenian Patriarchy was founded (638). In the Holy Land, the Armenian Church is also called Orthodox, as it remained faithful to the teachings of the Holy Apostles and belongs to the family of Oriental Orthodox Churches. The Coptic, Syrian and Ethiopian Churches in the Holy Land are her followers.
Also, the purpose of this site is to briefly familiarize the reader with the shrines of Armenian Jerusalem, without claiming to be an exhaustive description.

The history of the adoption of Christianity in Armenia

Spiritual Library» Armenian Apostolic Church »History of the Armenian Apostolic Church

The material about the history of the Armenian Apostolic Church is taken from the book of Yeznik Petrosyan Armenian Apostolic Holy Church

History of the Armenian Apostolic Church from the apostles to the fall of the Kingdom of Cilicia.

1. Preaching Christianity in Armenia in the I-III centuries

Information relating to the most ancient period in the history of the Armenian Church is scarce.

According to the Holy Tradition of the Armenian Church, the first seeds of Christianity were sown on the land of Armenia during the time of the apostles. 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 thus became the founders of the Church in Armenia and were martyred by order of the Armenian king Sanatruk.

In the 1st century, the spread of Christianity in Armenia was facilitated by a number of external and internal factors. So, for example, at that time Christianity became widespread in the countries neighboring Armenia: Cappadocia, Osroene and Adiabene, trade, political and cultural ties with which created favorable conditions for the spread of Christianity in Armenia. In addition, in the I-III centuries Lesser Armenia was politically part of the Roman province of Cappadocia, and it is quite natural that Christianity could spread through Lesser Armenia in Greater Armenia.

An important prerequisite for the spread of Christianity was the existence of Jewish colonies in Armenia. As you know, the first preachers of Christianity usually began their activities in those places where there were Jewish communities. So, the Apostle Thaddeus, having arrived in Edessa, stopped at the house of a noble Jew. Jewish communities existed in the main cities of Armenia: Tigranakert, Artashat, Vagharshapat, Zareavan and others. Tertullian in the book “Against the Jews”, written in 197, tells about the peoples who adopted Christianity: the Parthians, Lydians, Phrygians, Cappadocians, and mentions Armenians. This testimony is also confirmed by Blessed Augustine in his work 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 Cappadocia Caesarea Firmilnan (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 bishop” (VI, 46. 2). The letter dates from 251-255. It proves that in the middle of the III century in Armenia there was a Christian community organized and recognized by the Ecumenical Church.

2. Adoption of Christianity by Armenia

This most important event in the history of the Armenian people took place in 301. The primary role in the adoption of Christianity was played by Gregory the Illuminator of Armenia, who became the first Catholicos of the Armenian Church (302-326), and the king of Armenia Trdat III the Great (287-330). According to the writings of Armenian historians of the 5th century, in 287, Trdat arrived in Armenia, accompanied by Roman legions, to return his father's throne. In the estate of Yeriz, gavar Ekegeats, he performs the ritual of sacrifice in the temple of the pagan goddess Anahit.

One of the king's associates, Gregory, being a Christian, refuses to sacrifice to an idol. Then Trdat learns that Gregory is the son of Anak, the murderer of Trdat's father, King Khosrov II. For these "crimes" Gregory is imprisoned in the Artashat dungeon, intended for suicide bombers. In the same year, the king issued two decrees: the first of them ordered the arrest of all Christians within the borders of Armenia with the confiscation of their property, and the second - to put to death the hiding Christians. These decrees show how dangerous Christianity was considered for the state.

The adoption of Christianity by Armenia is most closely associated with the martyrdom of the holy virgins of the Hripsimeans. According to Tradition, a group of Christian girls from Rome, hiding from the persecution of Emperor Diocletian, fled to the East. Having visited Jerusalem and bowed to the holy places, the virgins, passing through Edessa, reached the borders of Armenia and settled in the grape presses not far from Vagharshapat.

King Trdat, fascinated by the beauty of the virgin Hripsime, wished to take her as his wife, but met with desperate resistance. For disobedience, he ordered all the girls to be martyred. Hripsime and 32 friends died in the northeastern part of Vagharshapat, the teacher of the virgins Gayane, together with two virgins, in the southern part of the city, and one sick virgin was tortured right in the wine press.

The execution of the Hripsimian virgins took place in 300/301. She caused the king a strong mental shock, which led to a severe nervous illness. In the 5th century, people called this disease "pig", which is why the sculptors depicted Trdat with a pig's head. The king's sister Khosrovadukht repeatedly had a dream in which she was informed that only Gregory imprisoned in prison could heal Trdat. Gregory, miraculously surviving after spending 13 years in the stone pit of Khor Virap, was released from prison and solemnly received in Vagharshapat, and after 66 days of prayer and preaching the teachings of Christ, he healed the king.

King Trdat, together with the entire court, was baptized and proclaimed Christianity the "only and state religion" of the Armenian kingdom. And he made every effort to ensure that paganism could never be revived in the country. Unlike Osroene, where King Abgar (who, according to Armenian tradition, is considered an Armenian) was the first of the monarchs to adopt Christianity, making it the sovereign religion, in Armenia Christianity became a real and irrevocable state religion.

And that is why Armenia is considered the first Christian state in the world.

The new state religion had to have its own ministers. But the persecution of Trdat led to the actual destruction of the sacred hierarchy in Armenia. For consecration to the rank of bishop, St. Gregory the Illuminator solemnly went to Caesarea, where he was ordained by the Cappadocian bishops, headed by Leontius of Caesarea. Bishop Peter of Sebastia performed the ceremony of enthroning Gregory in Armenia to the episcopal throne. The ceremony took place not in the capital Vagharshapat, but in distant Ashtishat, where the main episcopal see of Armenia had been located for a long time. Upon returning to Vagharshapat, Gregory the Illuminator set about building the cathedral.

According to Tradition, St. Gregory had a vision: the sky opened up, and a ray of light descended from it, preceded by a host of angels. In a ray of light, Christ descended from heaven and struck with a hammer at the Sandarametk underground pagan temple, symbolizing the powers of hell, indicating its destruction and the construction of a Christian church on this site. The temple was destroyed and covered up by King Trdat, and in its place a temple dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos was erected, which was a clear evidence of the victory of Christianity over paganism in Armenia. Thus, in 301, the spiritual center of the Armenian Apostolic Church was founded - Holy Etchmiadzin, which in Armenian means “the Only Begotten descended”, i.e. Jesus Christ.

The newly converted Armenian state was forced to defend its religion from the Roman Empire. Eusebius of Caesarea testifies that Emperor Maximinus (305-313) declared war on the Armenians, those who “had long been friends and allies of Rome, moreover, zealous Christians, this theomachist tried to force to sacrifice to idols and demons and this made them enemies instead of friends and instead of allies - enemies ... He himself, together with his troops, suffered setbacks in the war with the Armenians ”(IX. 8,2,4). Maximin attacked Armenia in the last days of his life, in 312/313. For 10 years, Christianity in Armenia has taken such deep roots that for their new faith, the Armenians took up arms against the strong Roman Empire.

At that time, Armenia was a feudal country. The head of state was the king, who at the same time was the owner of the central region of Ayrarat. The king's vassals were nakharars (princes, feudal lords), who inherited their territories, or gavars, and had their own squad and their own throne in the royal palace, depending on their power. St. Gregory the Illuminator organized the hierarchy of the Armenian Church according to the principle of the Armenian state administrative system. For each narration, he ordained a bishop.

These bishops were subordinate to the Bishop of Armenia, who soon became known as the Catholicos. Thus, the hierarchical structure of the Armenian Church was organized independently, based on local conditions and regardless of the processes that took place in the Churches of the Roman Empire, where in 325 the metropolitan system was established at the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, and in 381 at the Second Ecumenical Council of Constantinople - patriarchal.

At the time of St. Gregory of Christ's faith was adopted by the Alvanian and Georgian kings, respectively, making Christianity the state religion in Georgia and Caucasian Alvania. The local Churches, whose hierarchy originates from the Armenian Church, had their own Catholicoses, but 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. Thus, the eldest son of Catholicos Vrtanes Grigoris set off to preach the Gospel to the country of the Mazhuts, where he later was martyred by order of King Sanesan Arshakuni in 337.

In 354, Catholicos Nerses convened a Council in Ashtishat, which went down in history as the First Armenian National Church Council. The Council decided to organize shelters for the poor, orphanages, hospitals, leper colonies and other charitable institutions in various regions of Armenia. Also at the Council, it was decided to found monasteries, including women's ones, and to open schools in them. The Council forbade burying the pagans who died according to custom - with weeping and screaming, tearing their clothes - because Christians believe in an afterlife. The marriage of close relatives was forbidden. It was recommended to stay away from drunkenness, depravity, murder, to treat servants mercifully, not to burden the people with heavy taxes, etc.

The issue of Arianism was discussed at the Ashtishat Council. It is known that this heresy was condemned at the First Ecumenical Council and the creed about the Divinity of Christ was approved. But, despite this, a few years later, various currents of Arianism, supported by state power, spread in the Roman Empire. There were also Arians among the Armenian bishops. The Ashtishat Council once again condemned Arianism and reaffirmed its adherence to the Nicene Creed. Catholicos Nerses very successfully carried out the decisions of the First National Church Council, for which he was later called the Great.

Who was the first to accept Christianity

According to the dogmas of the Christian church itself, the first people who accepted Christianity were the Jews.

A little about religion

As a religion, it originated in the 1st century on the territory of the modern state of Israel, which at that time was one of the provinces of the Western Roman Empire. By the 4th century, Christianity had spread throughout the entire territory of the empire, embracing most of modern Western Europe, the Mediterranean, and penetrated into the Transcaucasus. If we keep in mind who was the first to adopt Christianity at the level of the state religion, then it was Armenia, where this happened under Tsar Trdat III back in 301. As a comparison, in the Roman Empire, Christianity received the status of the state religion only in 382. The most important historical role in the adoption and spread of Christianity in Armenia was played by Gregory the Illuminator, who later became the high priests of this church - the Catholicos. In honor of him, unofficially, the Armenian Apostolic Church is also referred to in some sources as Gregorian.

Among all world religions, Christianity is the most numerous and geographically widespread teaching. Its largest movements are Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Protestantism.

Although the teachings of Christ are described in the New Testament, they are closely related to Old Testament Jewish beliefs. According to the scriptures, Jesus was born a Jew, lived according to Jewish law, and observed all holidays. The first followers of Christ were also Jews living in Palestine and the Mediterranean (Jewish diaspora). Thanks to the work of the apostles, especially Peter, Christianity spread among other peoples who worshiped paganism. It was the vast geography and cultural influence of the Roman Empire that contributed to the wide spread of the new faith among a huge number of different peoples, up to the Balts and Finns. On other continents, the New World (America, Canada) and Australia, Christianity "got" thanks to missionaries and colonizers.

First Christian State

Despite the fact that the first Christians were Jews, in the territory of modern Israel, the teachings of Christ did not receive the status of a state religion, and for more than 300 years his followers were persecuted. The first state to declare Christianity as its official religion was Greater Armenia. It happened in 301 AD. during the reign of Tsar Trdat III the Great. Initially, Armenia was a pagan state, so for a long time the adherents of Christ and his preachers were persecuted. What was the impetus for the pagan king to accept Christianity? The king changed his mind about religion after he was cured of a serious illness by Gregory the Illuminator, who was imprisoned for spreading the new teaching. It was thanks to him that the king gained health and believed in Christ, creating the world's first Christian state, declaring Christianity his official religion, and Gregory the Illuminator became the first high priest of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The first Christians in Russia

Historians are still arguing who "brought" Christianity to Russian lands? Beginning with the fall of the Roman Empire, the new religion began to spread across European territory. The doctrine acquired particular activity in the German and Slavic lands, and in the XIII-XIV centuries. - penetrated the Finnish and Baltic territories.

Answering the question " Who converted to Christianity first on Russian lands?”, we can mention the statesmen of that time. Despite the fact that scientists are still arguing on this issue, it is traditionally believed that Kyiv Prince Vladimir baptized Ancient Russia. This happened, according to some sources, in 988, according to others - in 990. In addition, the fact of the adoption of Christianity is most often associated with Princess Olga, who was the grandmother of Vladimir Svyatoslavovich and adopted a new faith in Constantinople (Byzantium) - the cradle of Orthodoxy.

According to the Western European and Baltic chronicles, Christianity in Russia was adopted as a result of unsuccessful military campaigns against Constantinople led by the princes Askold and Dir 100 years before the traditional version of the baptism of Russia by Prince Vladimir (the period between 842 and 867). This is confirmed by the records of the Russian diocese made at the end of the 9th century.

Princess Olga - the first Russian Christian

Princess Olga is the first woman who ruled Kievan Rus and converted to Christianity.

Despite the Christian mother, her son, Svyatoslav, was never baptized. The sacred work of Princess Olga was continued by her grandson, Prince of Kyiv Vladimir "Red Sun". It was during his reign that the mass Christianization of the population of Ancient Russia began, which did not always go smoothly, was imposed by force and proceeded with repression. The process of "conversion to a new faith" of the peoples living on Russian lands took almost 9 centuries.

Dear readers, offer your answer to the question "Who was the first to accept Christianity?" in the comments below!

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Baptism of Armenia

Vladimir Akopdzhanov

The year 301 is the official date of the declaration of Christianity as the state religion in Armenia. This date is historical, dry and, to some extent, conditional. It is impossible to consciously accept faith in one day or a year for a whole state, people. The adoption of Christianity in Armenia did not take place immediately: it did not last for years, but for centuries. The faith of Christ has become an integral part of the Armenian soul and determined the historical fate of the people. The process of preaching the Word of God had a number of key points, without highlighting which the essence of the adoption of Christianity by the Armenian people cannot be understood. So, first things first.

According to Holy Tradition, the gospel in Armenia began in the middle of the first century by the apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew (Tadeos and Bartuhimeos, in Armenian).

It is this fact that explains that the Armenian Church is Apostolic. Unfortunately, another name is mistakenly used in Russia, which arose due to political misconceptions in the first half of the 19th century - “Armenian-Gregorian Church”.

St. Apostle Thaddeus in the year 43 brought the Word of the Gospel to the borders of Greater Armenia, as well as the tip of the spear with which they pierced the crucified Lord. Many years of preaching the Gospel was crowned with the baptism of the people and the daughter of King Sanatruk Sandukht. In the year 66 the apostle was captured and executed in the region of Taron*. The work of the apostle was continued by five Greeks who were baptized by him in Armenia, whose leader, Chrysus, was ordained a priest. They founded a small monastery at the source of the Euphrates and were known under the name of Voskyants (the name "Khryz" in Greek means "gold" and sounds in Armenian "waxes"). The Voskians preached at the court, where they managed to baptize 19 Alan** nobles from the queen’s relatives and attract the attention of the king for some time, but, in the end, they were executed. The newly converted Alanian nobles, also named after their leader Sukias, left the court and settled in the mountains of the Bagrevand region. The Alanian king found and brutally executed the Sukiasyans.

St. app. Bartholomew in the year 60 began preaching in the Armenian land. He founded the first convent in Armenia, where he deposited the image of the Virgin, which he brought with him. The desert was named Ogevank - "Spirits Monastery". By the time of his execution in 68, the apostle had more than 2,000 followers, including the princess Vogui and the thousandth Terentius, who was sent to persuade the princess to renounce, but who himself accepted Christ.

The cultural life of Armenia was also influenced by its neighbors: Osroene, Cappadocia, Adiebena, where Christianity became widespread. A positive role in the spread of the Gospel was also played by the presence of a large number of Jewish colonies in Armenia, in which, as is known, the Word of God was originally preached.

The apostles created the first church communities, and the people began to partake of the true faith, but this was only the preparation of the font, and not the baptism itself. For the first centuries, the persecuted church of Armenia, which had not yet completely entered the heart of the Armenian people, was inspired by the deeds of many nameless martyrs and confessors, placing the heart of the nation to the Lord. Therefore, when in 301 Tsar Trdat and St. Gregory declared the holy faith of Christ the state religion in Armenia, a significant part of the Armenians had already been trained.

The history connected with the christening of Armenia is as follows. Father of St. Grigor, Prince Anak Suren-Pahlav participated in the assassination attempt on King Khosrov I. After the assassination of the king, the conspirators tried to escape, but were captured and executed. Only the young Grigor escaped death, who was taken away by a nurse to a foreign land, where he received a Christian upbringing. Growing up, St. Grigor returned to Armenia and entered the service of Khosrov's son Trdat to atone for his father's guilt. On the day of his accession, Trdat learned that Grigor not only refused to bow to the idol, but was also the son of Prince Anak. This was followed by his immediate imprisonment in the Khor Virap prison pit.

After 14 years, Trdat fell into madness as punishment for the execution of the maidens Hripsime, Gayane and their companions. These virgins fled from pagan Rome to the east and found shelter in Armenia, where they established a convent in Vagharshapat and devoted their lives to the Lord. Trdat, once seeing Hripsime, was fascinated by her beauty and desired to take her as his wife. Not having received consent, the king sentenced all the virgins to a cruel execution. Whether Providence or conscience forced the king to suffer cruelly, to the point of madness. At this time, the king’s sister constantly saw in dreams that Trdat could be cured by St. Grigor. The saint was released from prison, and laying hands on the mad king healed him. Repentant and believing in Christ, Trdat declared Christianity the religion of Armenia in 301.

St. Gregory went to Cappadocia, where Bishop. Leontius of Caesarea ordained him a bishop. St. Gregory returned to his homeland together with Bishop. Peter of Sebastsky, who was to conduct the enthronement ceremony. This ceremony took place not in the capital, but in the city of Ashtishat, because. it was here that since the time of the apostles there was the episcopal chair of the catacomb Armenian church. St. Gregory began a wide preaching and organizational activity. Where Jesus appeared to the saint and pointed with a golden hammer to the place where St. Altar, erected the Cathedral of St. Echmiadzin (Echmiadzin - in Armenian, “the Only Begotten descended”). St. Gregory created a system of dioceses in accordance with local conditions before starting a similar process in the territory of the Roman Empire, which explains some of the differences and features.

A new problem arose in the way of Christianity. The Urartian-Armenian cuneiform was not used for a long time, and there was no new alphabet, and the Greek or Syriac alphabets were used in Armenia. In a foreign language, you can write laws, carry on correspondence, but not talk about love, about love for God. Not everyone was clear about the services, the songs of the Psalmist, the lamentations of Jeremiah, the denunciations of Isaiah and the parables of the Savior, recorded in foreign languages, although fragments were translated orally into Armenian for the common people.

In order for the faith to be accepted by the soul and mind of the nation, it was necessary that St.

The Scriptures were preached in their native tongue. Many Armenian church fathers made attempts to create an alphabet. Archimandrite Mesrop Mashtots was also deeply aware of this problem. After long labors and tireless prayers, by the grace of God, St. Mesrop in a vision of 36 sacred signs - 36 letters of the Armenian alphabet. 36 angels have since become the guardians of the Armenian people, their soul, their culture. In 405, the first sentence translated into Armenian was: "Know wisdom and instruction, understand the saying of reason." King Vramshapuh and Catholicos St. Sahak made every effort to strengthen the received God's gift in Armenia. Schools were opened, the best students were sent to Byzantium, Athens, Alexandria - this is how the Golden Age of Armenian culture began. By the way, there is no word for the Bible in the Armenian language, but Astvatsashunch is God-inspired.

Armenia, taken from the waters of the font, had to prove its loyalty to the Lord. In the 5th century, the Armenian land was under the rule of the Persians. The power-hungry Persian king Yezigerd II decided to convert the Armenians to his religion, Mazdeism, and ordered "that no one dare to call himself a Christian, otherwise he will be judged by sword and fire." The Armenians asked for help from fellow Greeks - in vain. Byzantium, in the heat of philosophical disputes, did not extend a helping hand, but promised the Persians not to give the Armenians either weapons or troops. A number of noble Armenian princes, after Yezigerd's gifts and threats, went over to the camp of the enemy. The Armenians did not have a king, as it turned out, they did not have friends either. But there was faith, and the Armenian land testified before the heavens and the peoples about it. The conciliar answer to the Persians was unequivocal: it is impossible for an Armenian to change his faith, because, like skin, it adheres to the body. “Neither angels, nor people, nor sword, nor fire” were able to force the Armenian to renounce Christ. Prince Vardan Mamikonyan led the people to defend the faith. In 451, two armies met on the Avaray field. Although the army of the Persians outnumbered the Armenians and the renegades joined it, it was not possible to break the faith. Vardan fell, the patriarch-Catholicos Hovsep was executed, thousands of soldiers, plowmen, priests fell from fire and torture, but the faith remained. After a 30-year war, Jezigerd abandoned his plan, he was beyond his power.

Like the books of Maccabees, recognized by Christians as deuterocanonical, the Armenians have the Golden Book, where the chronicler Egishe told about the Battle of Avaray, about the strength of the spirit and the strength of faith, about what the Armenians call in one word - Vardanank.

At the end of the story about the baptism of Armenia, I would like to emphasize that, only by combining the sermon of St. apostles with the work of St. Gregory, with the alphabet of St. Mashtots and Vardanank, one can understand that there is the baptism of Armenia and Christianity for the Armenian. True, conscious, water and Spirit baptism, which does not take place in one day or year, but generates faith once and until the end of time.

Keep, O Lord, the throne of Etchmiadzin, created by You, unshakable.

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* The tip of the spear brought by St. app. Faddem, as well as the relics of the apostle, are kept in St. Echmiadzin. With a spear, the Catholicos of All Armenians consecrates the Holy Myrrh (a specially prepared composition of fragrant substances and oil) during the chrismation.

** Alans are Iranian-speaking tribes of Sarmatian origin. From the 1st century they lived in the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov and Ciscaucasia. Part of the Alans participated in the Great Migration of Nations. Caucasian Alans (in Russian, Yases) are the ancestors of the Ossetians.

The Armenian Church is one of the oldest Christian communities. In 301, Armenia became the first country to adopt Christianity as a state religion. For many centuries there has been no church unity between us, but this does not interfere with the existence of good neighborly relations. At the meeting held on March 12 with the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Russia O.E. Yesayan, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill noted: “Our relations go back centuries... The closeness of our spiritual ideals, a single moral and spiritual system of values ​​in which our peoples live, are a fundamental component of our relations.”

Readers of our portal often ask the question: “What is the difference between Orthodoxy and Armenian Christianity”?

Archpriest Oleg Davydenkov, Doctor of Theology, Head of the Department of Eastern Christian Philology and Eastern Churches of the Orthodox St. Tikhon Theological University, answers the questions of the Orthodoxy and World portal about pre-Chalcedonian churches, one of which is the Armenian Church.

– Father Oleg, before talking about the Armenian direction of Monophysitism, tell us about what Monophysitism is and how it arose?

– Monophysitism is a Christological doctrine, the essence of which is that in the Lord Jesus Christ there is only one nature, and not two, as the Orthodox Church teaches. Historically, it appeared as an extreme reaction to the heresy of Nestorianism and had not only dogmatic but also political reasons.

Orthodox Church confesses in Christ one person (hypostasis) and two natures - divine and human. Nestorianism teaches about two persons, two hypostases and two natures. M onophysite but they have fallen into the opposite extreme: in Christ they recognize one person, one hypostasis, and one nature. From a canonical point of view, the difference between the Orthodox Church and the Monophysite churches lies in the fact that the latter do not recognize the Ecumenical Councils, starting with the 4th Chalcedon, which adopted the definition (oros) of the two natures in Christ, which converge into one person and into one hypostasis .

The name "Monophysites" was given by Orthodox Christians to the opponents of Chalcedon (they call themselves Orthodox). Systematically, the Monophysite Christological doctrine was formed in the 6th century, thanks primarily to the work of Severus of Antioch (+ 538).

Modern non-Chalcedonites are trying to modify their teaching, they argue that their fathers are accused of Monophysitism unfairly, since they anathematized Eutychus, but this is a change in style that does not affect the essence of the Monophysite doctrine. The works of their contemporary theologians testify that there are no fundamental changes in their doctrine, significant differences between the Monophysite Christology of the 6th century. and no modern. Back in the VI century. the doctrine of the “single complex nature of Christ” appears, which was composed of deity and humanity and possesses the properties of both natures. However, this does not imply the recognition in Christ of two perfect natures - the nature of the divine and the nature of man. In addition, Monophysitism is almost always accompanied by a Monophilite and Monoenergetic position, i.e. the teaching that in Christ there is only one will and one action, one source of activity, which is the deity, and humanity turns out to be its passive instrument.

– Does the Armenian direction of Monophysitism differ from its other types?

- Yes, it is different. There are currently six non-Chalcedonian churches (or seven, if the Armenian Catholicasates of Etchmiadzin and Cilicia are considered as two, de facto autocephalous churches). The ancient Eastern churches can be divided into three groups:

1) Syro-Jacobites, Copts and Malabars (Malankara Church of India). This is the monophysitism of the Severian tradition, which is based on the theology of Severus of Antioch.

2) Armenians (Etchmiadzin and Cilicia Catholicasates).

3) Ethiopians (Ethiopian and Eritrean churches).

The Armenian Church in the past differed from other non-Chalcedonian churches, even Sever of Antioch was anathematized by the Armenians in the 4th century. at one of the Dvina cathedrals as an insufficiently consistent Monophysite. The theology of the Armenian Church was significantly influenced by Aphthartodoketism (the doctrine of the incorruptibility of the body of Jesus Christ from the moment of the Incarnation). The appearance of this radical Monophysite doctrine is associated with the name of Julian of Halicarnassus, one of the main opponents of Severus within the Monophysite camp.

At present, all the Monophysites, as the theological dialogue shows, act from more or less the same dogmatic positions: this is a Christology close to the Christology of Severus.

Speaking about the Armenians, it should be noted that the consciousness of the modern Armenian Church is characterized by pronounced adogmatism. If other non-Chalcedonites of the church show considerable interest in their theological heritage and are open to Christological discussion, the Armenians, on the contrary, are little interested in their own Christological tradition. At present, interest in the history of Armenian Christological thought is rather shown by some Armenians who consciously converted from the Armenian-Gregorian Church to Orthodoxy, both in Armenia itself and in Russia.

– Is there a theological dialogue with the Pre-Chalcedonian churches now?

- Conducted with varying degrees of success. The result of such a dialogue between Orthodox Christians and the Ancient Eastern (Pre-Chalcedonian) churches was the so-called Chambesian agreements. One of the main documents is the Chambesian Agreement of 1993, which contains an agreed text of the Christological teaching, and also contains a mechanism for restoring communion between the "two families" of Churches through the ratification of agreements by the synods of these Churches.

The Christological teaching of these agreements aims to find a compromise between the Orthodox and Ancient Eastern churches on the basis of a theological position that could be characterized as "moderate Monophysitism". They contain ambiguous theological formulas that allow for a Monophysite interpretation. Therefore, the reaction in the Orthodox world to them is not unambiguous: four Orthodox Churches accepted them, some did not accept them with reservations, and some are fundamentally against these agreements.

The Russian Orthodox Church has also recognized that these agreements are not sufficient to restore Eucharistic communion, as they contain ambiguities in the Christological teaching. Further work is required to eliminate ambiguous interpretations. For example, the teaching of the Covenants about wills and actions in Christ can be understood both diphysite (Orthodox) and monophysite. It all depends on how the reader understands the relationship between will and hypostasis. Is will considered as an attribute of nature, as in Orthodox theology, or is it assimilated into a hypostasis, which is characteristic of Monophysitism. The Second Agreed Statement of 1990, which forms the basis of the 1993 Chambesia Accords, does not answer this question.

A dogmatic dialogue with the Armenians today is hardly possible at all, due to their lack of interest in problems of a dogmatic nature. After the mid 90s. it became clear that the dialogue with the non-Chalcedonites had reached a dead end, the Russian Orthodox Church began bilateral dialogues - not with all the non-Chalcedonian Churches together, but with each one separately. As a result, three directions for bilateral dialogues were identified: 1) with the Syrian Jacobites, Copts and the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia, who agreed to conduct a dialogue only in such a composition; 2) Etchmiadzin Catholicosate and 3) with the Ethiopian Church (this direction has not been developed). The dialogue with the Catholicosate of Etchmiadzin did not touch upon dogmatic issues. The Armenian side is ready to discuss issues of social service, pastoral practice, various problems of social and church life, but it does not show interest in discussing dogmatic issues.

– How are Monophysites accepted into the Orthodox Church today?

- Through repentance. Priests are received in their existing rank. This is an ancient practice, and this is how non-Chalcedonites were received in the era of the Ecumenical Councils.

Alexander Filippov spoke with Archpriest Oleg Davydenkov