Why did the Armenian Church separate from the Orthodox Church? How does the Armenian Church differ from the Orthodox Church?

Apostolic Church of Armenia ; Among Russian-speaking commentators, the name introduced in Tsarist Russia is widespread Armenian Gregorian Church, however, this name is not used by the Armenian Church itself) is one of the oldest Christian churches, which has a number of significant features in dogma and ritual, distinguishing it both from Byzantine Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism. In 301, Greater Armenia became the first country to adopt Christianity as a state religion , which is associated with the names of Saint Gregory the Illuminator and the Armenian king Trdat III the Great.

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

2) Armenians (Etchmiadzin and Cilician Catholics).

3) Ethiopians (Ethiopian and Eritrean churches).

Head of the Armenian Church:His Holiness the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians (now Garegin II).

Georgian Orthodox Church (officially: Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church; cargo. — autocephalous local Orthodox Church, having sixth place in the diptychs of the Slavic local Churches and ninth in the diptychs of the ancient Eastern patriarchates. One of the oldest Christian churches in the world . Jurisdiction extends to the territory of Georgia and to all Georgians, wherever they reside. According to legend, based on an ancient Georgian manuscript, Georgia is the apostolic lot of the Mother of God. In 337, through the works of Saint Nina, Equal-to-the-Apostles, Christianity became the state religion of Georgia. The church organization was located within the Antiochian Church (Syrian).
In 451, together with the Armenian Church, it did not accept the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon and in 467, under King Vakhtang I, it became independent from Antioch, acquiring the status of an autocephalous Church. with center in Mtskheta (residence of the Supreme Catholicos). In 607 the Church accepted the decisions of Chalcedon, breaking with the Armenians.

ARMENIAN-GREGORIAN CHURCH

one of the oldest Christians. churches. Christianity began to spread in Armenia in the first centuries AD. e. In 301, King Tiridates III proclaimed Christianity as the state. religion, dissociating itself into religion. attitude from Sasanian Iran, which sought to subjugate Armenia. The spread of the new religion was associated with the name of the first Catholicos Gregory Partev, nicknamed in the Central Socialist Republic. Literary Enlightener. According to his name, Arm. the church received the name Gregorian In 303, the Etchmiadzin Cathedral (near Yerevan) was built, which became a religious building. the center of all Armenians and the seat of the head of A.-g. c. In the 4th century. A.-g. c. has become a strong economic and ideological. org. Having received from the royal power means. part of the property of the priests and large lands. awards, A.-g. c. exploited the labor of a large number of dependent peasants and artisans. The priests, in addition to other income, received an allotment from communal lands and were exempt from taxes. Armenian peasants were required to pay special payments. tax on the maintenance of the church - tithe. To strengthen ideological the impact on the masses was built means. number of churches and monasteries.

Strengthening A.-g. c. led to the fact that Catholicos Nerses (3rd quarter of the 4th century) tried to subordinate the royal power to his influence, but was met with decision. rebuff from King Papa (d. 374). With him the Arm. Catholicoses stopped going to Caesarea for approval; the king of Armenia began to approve them. At Dvinsky Church. cathedral 554 A.-g. ts., reflecting the desire of the feudal lords of Armenia to resist the aggression of Byzantine, finally separated from the Greek. church and became autocephalous. According to the religion of A.-g. c. became a follower of Monophysitism - a movement in Christianity, whose representatives claim that Christ did not have two natures - divine and human - as the Orthodox and Catholics preach. church, but only divine.

For centuries, there has been a struggle between different religions in Armenia. currents and directions, reflecting the class. and intraclass. struggle. In the 4th-5th centuries. in Armenia the heresies of Borborites and Messalians became widespread, in the 6th-9th centuries - the Paulicians, in the 9th - mid. 11th centuries - Tondrakians and others, whose followers are religious. the shell reflected the protest of the people. masses against feud. and religious oppression. Official church with government support the authorities brutally suppressed these movements. Since the 13th century. Catholic the church sought to spread its influence in Armenia, but to no avail.

After Armenia lost its statehood, A.-G.C. was in the Middle Ages the only centralized national organization; at the behest of foreign conquerors, it performed a number of functions of secular power. Catholicos, heading A.-g. ts., was the supreme judge, participated in the development of civil law. laws, convened a council - the highest council. organ of the secular and spiritual nobility of Armenia and was its chairman. Political events led to the fact that the center of A.-g. c. moved from Etchmiadzin to the cities of Dvin, Ani, Romkla, Sis. Since 1441, Etchmiadzin again became the residence of the head of Armenia. churches. In the 17th-18th centuries. The attraction of the Armenians towards Russia intensified, from which they hoped to receive help in the fight against the domination of the Turks. and Iran. conquerors. Reflecting these sentiments, Arm. Catholicos tried to establish relations with Russia. A prominent role in the development of Russian-Armenian. connections in the 2nd half. 18th century played by Archbishop Joseph of Argutinsky.

On Wednesday. century A.-g. c. objectively played a well-known role in the development of science and culture in Armenia. In schools at monasteries, along with religions. The subjects taught were rhetoric, grammar, philosophy, mathematics, and painting. Books and manuscripts were copied in monasteries. However, in general, the dominance of the church hampered the development of culture in Armenia. A.-g. C., like other religions, has always played a reactionary role. role, being in the hands of exploiters a means of spiritual oppression of Armenians. people. A.-g. c. was a powerful support for the feud. orders and feud. ideology, actively participated in the suppression of antifeudalism. cross. movements. After the annexation of Armenia to Russia (1828) Russian. the production confirmed the main privileges of A.-g. c. Later, with the growth of the revolution. movements in Armenia, arm. church for the sake of tsarism and Armenians. The bourgeoisie actively contributed to the suppression of the revolution. performances in Armenia. Like other churches, it was hostile to Vel. Oct. socialist revolution.

During the existence of the "independent" bourgeoisie. Arm. republics (1918-20) A.-g. c. actively supported counter-revolutionary, nationalist. Dashnak government. After the establishment of the Sov. authorities in Armenia separated the church from the state and the school from the church. As a result of the victory of socialism in the USSR, the growth of culture and welfare of the Sov. people, the majority of Armenians living in Armenia. The USSR became atheists. Currently time A.-g. c. abandoned its hostile position towards the Sov. power and participates in the struggle for peace.

Led by A.-g. c. standing Catholicos (since 1955 - Vazgen I). His residence is Etchmiadain, where there is a special spiritual (theological) educational institution, publishes a monthly magazine. "Etchmiadzin". For communication between the state and A.-g. c. under the Council of Ministers of Armenia. The SSR created the Council for A.-G. Affairs. c. In religion in relation to A.-g. c. unites Armenians living in all countries of the world. The Etchmiadzin Catholicos is subordinate to the religion. in relation to the Cilician Catholicosate, the Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Constantinople, as well as diocesan administrations located abroad: in the USA (California and North America), in the South. America, in Europe (center - Paris), on Bl. and Wed. East (Iranian-Azerbaijani, Tehran, Isfahan, Iraqi and Egyptian), in the Far East (Indian-Far Eastern), in the Balkans (Romanian, Bulgarian and Greek).

Lit.: Ormanyan M., Arm. church, its history, teaching, management, internal. system, liturgy, literature, its present, trans. from French, M., 1913; Harutyunyan B. M., Large monastic farming in Armenia 17-18 centuries, Yerevan, 1940; East. Arm. people, part 1, Yerevan, 1951; Slanders of the history of the USSR, III-IX centuries, M., 1958, p. 167-228, 480-502.

Soviet historical encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. Ed. E. M. Zhukova. 1973-1982 .

See what "ARMENIAN-GREGORIAN CHURCH" is in other dictionaries:

Christian Church, in the 5th century. separated from the Greek; the majority of Armenians belong to it. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910 ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Armenian Gregorian Church- one of the oldest Christians. churches. Christ began to spread. in Armenia in the first centuries AD. In 301, King Tiridates III proclaimed Christ in the state. religion, dissociating itself into religion. relation from Sasanian Iran, striving. subjugate Armenia... ... Ancient world. encyclopedic Dictionary

See Armenian Apostolic Church... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

- ... Wikipedia Wikipedia

A special type of religion. organization, an association of followers of a particular religion based on a common belief and cult. Ch. distinctive features of Ts.: 1) the presence of a more or less developed dogmatic. and cult system; 2) hierarchical. character,… … Soviet historical encyclopedia

Jesus Christ spoke about his church (on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it, Matthew 16:18), but during the short period of his ministry he did not give any instructions regarding its organization. According to Christian doctrine,... ... Collier's Encyclopedia

The Armenian Church is considered one of the most ancient Christian communities. Its origins begin in the 4th century. Armenia is the first country where Christianity was recognized by the state. But millennia have passed, and now the contradictions and differences that the Russian and Armenian Apostolic Church have are already visible. The difference from the Orthodox Church began to appear in the 6th century.

The separation of the Apostolic Armenian Church occurred due to the following circumstances. A new branch suddenly arose in Christianity, which was classified as heresy - Monophysitism. Supporters of this movement considered Jesus Christ. They denied the combination of the divine and the human in him. But at the 4th Council of Chalcedon, Monophysitism was recognized as a false movement. Since then, the Apostolic Armenian Church has found itself alone, since it still looks at the origin of Christ differently from ordinary Orthodox Christians.

Main Differences

The Russian Orthodox Church respects the Armenian Apostolic Church, but does not tolerate many of its aspects.

The Russian Orthodox Church considers the Armenian denomination, therefore people of this faith cannot be buried according to Orthodox customs, perform all the sacraments that Russian Christian Orthodoxy conducts, you cannot simply remember and pray for them. If suddenly an Orthodox person attends a service in an Armenian Apostolic Church, this is a reason for his excommunication.

Some Armenians take turns visiting temples. Today it is apostolic Armenian, the next day it is Christian. This cannot be done; you must decide on your faith and adhere to only one teaching.

Despite the contradictions, the Armenian Church forms faith and unity in its students, and treats other religious movements with patience and respect. These are the aspects of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Its difference from the Orthodox is visible and tangible. But each person has the right to choose for whom to pray and what faith to adhere to.

A year later, Armenian representatives did not take part in the IV Ecumenical Council, and the decisions of the Council were distorted by translation. The rejection of the conciliar decisions marked a gap between the Orthodox and the anti-Chalcedonians among the Armenians, which shook the life of Christians in Armenia for more than two hundred years. The councils and Catholicoses of this period either reconciled or broke again with the Orthodox Church until the Council of Manazkert in the year, as a result of which the rejection of Orthodoxy prevailed among the Christians of Armenia for centuries. Since then, the Armenian Apostolic Church has existed as an anti-Chalcedonian community, at different times consisting of a number of administratively independent canonical fiefs recognizing the spiritual primacy of the Catholicos of “all Armenians” with a see in the Etchmiadzin Monastery. In its dogmatics, it adheres to the Christological terminology of St. Cyril of Alexandria (so-called miaphysitism); recognizes the seven sacraments; honors the Mother of God, icons. It is widespread in areas where Armenians live, being the largest religious community in Armenia and having a network of dioceses concentrated in the Middle East, the former USSR, Europe and America.

Historical sketch

Information relating to the most ancient period of the history of the Armenian Church is scarce. 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 historiographical and hagiographical literature.

A number of historical evidence (in Armenian, Syriac, Greek and Latin) confirm the fact that Christianity in Armenia was preached 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, arriving in Edessa, healed the king of Osroene Abgar from leprosy, ordained Addaeus as a bishop and went to Greater Armenia preaching the Word of God. Among the many who converted him to Christ was the daughter of the Armenian king Sanatruk Sandukht. For professing Christianity, the apostle, together with the princess and other converts, accepted martyrdom by order of the king in Shavarshan, in the Gavar Artaz.

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 accepted martyrdom in the city of Arebanos, which is located between lakes Van and Urmia.

A fragment of a historical work has reached us, telling about the martyrdom of Sts. Voskeans and Sukiaseans 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, led by Hryusiy (Greek “gold”, in Armenian “wax”), who were Roman ambassadors to the Armenian king, after the martyrdom of the Apostle, settled at the sources of the Euphrates River, in the Tsakhkeats gorges. After the accession of Artashes, they came to the palace and began to preach the Gospel.

Being busy with the war in the east, Artashes asked the preachers to come to him again after his return and continue conversations 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 king's sons. The Alan princes, converted to Christianity, left the palace and settled on the slopes of Mount Jrabashkh, where, after living for 44 years, they suffered martyrdom led by their leader Sukias on the orders of the Alan king.

Dogmatic features of the Armenian Church

The dogmatic theology of the Armenian Church is based on the terminology of the great fathers of the Church - centuries: Saints Athanasius of Alexandria, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, Gregory of Nyssa, Cyril of Alexandria and others, as well as on the dogmas adopted at the first three Ecumenical Councils: Nicaea, Constantinople and Ephesus.

As a result, it was concluded that the Armenian Church does not accept the resolution of the Council of Chalcedon due to the fact that the Council accepted the confession of the Pope, St. Leo the Great. The following words cause rejection of the Armenian Church in this confession:

"For although in the Lord Jesus there is one person - God and man, yet there is another (human nature) from which comes the common humiliation of both, and another (Divine nature) from which comes their common glorification.".

The Armenian Church uses the formulation of St. Cyril, but not to count natures, but to indicate the ineffable and indivisible unity of natures in Christ. Also used is the saying of St. Gregory the Theologian about the “two natures” in Christ, due to the incorruptibility and immutability of the divine and human natures. According to the confession of Nerses Shnorali set out in the “Conciliar Epistle of St. Nerses Shnorali to the Armenian people and correspondence with Emperor Manuel Komnenos”:

"Is one nature accepted for the sake of an indissoluble and inseparable union, and not for the sake of confusion - or are two natures posited only for the sake of showing an unmixed and unchangeable being, and not for separation; both expressions remain within Orthodoxy" .

Department in Vagharshapt

• St. Gregory I the Illuminator (302 - 325)
• Aristakes I Parthian (325 - 333)
• Vrtanes the Parthian (333 - 341)
• Hesychius (Iusik) Parthian (341 - 347)
• Daniel (347) chorep. Taronsky, elected archbishop.
• Paren (Parnerseh) Ashtishatsky (348 - 352)
• Nerses I the Great (353 - July 25, 373)
• Chunak(? - no later than 369) installed as Catholicos during the exile of Nerses the Great
• Isaac-Hesychius (Shaak-Iusik) of Manazkert (373 - 377)
• Zaven of Manazkert (377 - 381)
• Aspurakes of Manazkert (381 - 386)
• Isaac I the Great (387 - 425)
• Surmak (425 - 426)
• Barkisho Syrian (426 - 429)
• Samuel (429 - 434)
• 434 - 444 - widowhood of the throne

Many people have known since school about the split of Christianity into Catholicism and Orthodoxy, since this is part of the course of history. From it we know some of the differences between these churches, the background that led to the division, and the consequences of this division. But few people know what the features of many other types of Christianity are, which for various reasons separated from the two main movements. One of the churches that is close in spirit to the Orthodox, but at the same time, is completely separate, is the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The Orthodox Church is the second largest movement of Christianity after Catholicism. Despite the frequent misconception, the split of Christianity into Catholicism and Orthodoxy, although it had been brewing since the 5th century AD. e., occurred only in 1054.


The unofficial division of spheres of influence led to the emergence of two large regions of Europe, which, due to religious differences, took different paths of development. The Balkans and Eastern Europe, including Russia, fell into the sphere of influence of the Orthodox Church.

The Armenian Apostolic Church arose much earlier than the Orthodox Church. So, already in 41 it acquired some autonomy (autocephalous Armenian church), and officially separated in 372 due to the rejection of the Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon. It is noteworthy that this schism was the first major division of Christianity.

As a result of the Council of Chalcedon, four more churches stood out along with the Armenian one. Five of these churches are geographically located in Asia and northeast Africa. Subsequently, during the spread of Islam, these churches were isolated from the rest of the Christian world, which led to even greater differences between them and the Chalcedonian churches (Orthodoxy and Catholicism).


An interesting fact is that the Armenian Apostolic Church became the state religion back in 301, that is, it is the first official state religion in the world.

Common features

Despite such an early separation from the unified Christian movement, there has always been cultural exchange between the Armenian and Orthodox churches. This is due to the fact that the partial isolation of Armenia during the spread of Islam separated it from a significant part of the Christian world. The only “window to Europe” remained through Georgia, which by that time had already become an Orthodox state.

Thanks to this, one can find some common features in the vestments of priests, the arrangement of temples, and in some cases, architecture.

Difference

However, it makes no sense to talk about the relationship between the Orthodox and Armenian churches. It is worth at least remembering the fact that The Orthodox Church in our time is very heterogeneous in its internal structure. Thus, the Russian Orthodox, Jerusalem, Antioch, and Ukrainian churches are very authoritative, practically independent of the Ecumenical Patriarch (the formal head of the Orthodox Church).

The Armenian Apostolic Church is united, even despite the presence of an autocephalous Armenian Church, because it recognizes the patronage of the head of the Apostolic Church.

From here we can immediately move on to the question of the leadership of these two churches. Thus, the head of the Orthodox Church is the Patriarch of Constantinople, and the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church is the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians.

The presence of completely different titles for the heads of the church indicates that these are completely different institutions.

It is impossible not to note the difference in the traditional architecture of these two churches. Thus, Armenian cathedrals represent the continuation and further development of the traditional eastern school of construction. This was largely influenced not only by cultural background, but also by climate and basic building materials. Armenian churches, which were built back in the Middle Ages, are usually squat and have thick walls (the reason for this was that they were often fortifications).

Although Orthodox churches are not an example of European culture, they also look completely different from Armenian ones. They usually stretch upward, their domes are traditionally gilded.

The rituals are radically different, as well as the times of holidays and fasts at these churches. Thus, the Armenian rite has a national language and sacred books. It hosts a different number of people than the Orthodox. What is noteworthy is that the latter still does not have such a connection with the people, which is primarily due to the language of worship.

Finally, the most important difference, which was the reason for the Chalcedonian schism. The Armenian Apostolic Church is of the opinion that Jesus Christ is one person, that is, he has one nature. In the Orthodox tradition, it has a dual nature - it unites both God and man.

These differences are so significant that these churches considered each other to have heretical teachings, and mutual anathemas were imposed. Positive changes were achieved only in 1993, when representatives of both churches signed an agreement.

Thus, the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Orthodox Church have the same origins, and also differ from each other to a lesser extent than the Armenian from the Catholic or the Catholic from the Orthodox; in fact, they are different and absolutely independent spiritual institutions.