Armenian Apostolic Church

[Musso]

This thread is dedicated to the discussion and information about the Armenian Apostolic Church, the main church of all Armenians and the main religion of Armenia. The Church plays a crucial role in the identity and unity of Armenians around the world - mass in all Armenian Apostolic Churches are conducted in Classical Armenian, which means that from Armenian churches from New Zealand to Armenia to California, all Armenians participate in the same mass, in the same language. The Church unites our diaspora and country.

Is Armenian Apostolic Church Eastern Orthodox like Russian or Georgian Orthodox?

No. Armenian Apostolic Church is part of the Oriental Orthodoxy rite. Oriental Orthodoxy is the faith of those Orthodox Eastern Christian churches which recognize only the first three ecumenical councils—the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople and the First Council of Ephesus. They rejected the definitions of the Council of Chalcedon held in AD 451 in Chalcedon.

The Oriental Orthodox communion comprises six churches: Coptic, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Syriac, Malankara Syrian (Indian Orthodox Church) and Armenian Apostolic churches.

Oriental Orthodoxy Churches are non-Chalcedonian. Non-Chalcedonians hold the position of Miaphysitism (often called amongst Western and Eastern Christians monophysitism): that in the one person of Jesus Christ, divinity and humanity are united in one nature, the two being united without separation, without confusion, and without alteration.

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Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in AD 301, in establishing this church

Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II

http://www.armenianchurch.org/resources/karekin-ii-e1268708972633.jpg

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin:

http://ejmiatsin.am/uploads/posts/2012-03/1330949890_1.jpg

http://anitour.am/media/mediaelement/481/800px-Ejmiadzin_indoor1.jpg

[Leto]

The Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Moscow
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/Monastery_complex_of_Armenian_Apostolic_Church_in_ Moscow.JPG/800px-Monastery_complex_of_Armenian_Apostolic_Church_in_ Moscow.JPG
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/Armenian_Cathedral_Moscow_January_2012.jpg/800px-Armenian_Cathedral_Moscow_January_2012.jpg

[Smaug]

There are some Armenian churches in São Paulo.

[StormBringer]

Interesting, I didn't know until couple of days ago that you guys celebrate Christmas on Epiphany, and that that's why it falls in on 6th January (Gregorian).But apparently Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrates it according to Julian calendar, tomorrow?

[Musso]

Interesting, I didn't know until couple of days ago that you guys celebrate Christmas on Epiphany, and that that's why it falls in on 6th January (Gregorian).But apparently Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrates it according to Julian calendar, tomorrow?

Yes, the main Holy See celebrates on Janurary 6th, not sure about the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, but yes I do think they celebrate it at a later date...

[Armenian Bishop]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UITyvcWNhVw

Archbishop Aris Shirvanian, from the Armenian Church in Jerusalem, visited the Saint John Armenian Apostolic Church, in San Francisco, California, on 12 August, 2007, and presided over the service with Father Sarkis Petoyan, the priest of the church. The parish was honored that the archbishop celebrated his 50th anniversary of ordination into the holy priesthood in San Francisco. The mayor and board of supervisors of San Francisco officially declared August 12th as Archbishop Aris Shirvanian day in San Francisco, the place where he served for 15 years. Surpazan Aris left St. John's in 1999 to serve the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem as their Director of Ecumenical and Foreign Relations, a position he still holds today. My mother and I attended the Sunday Service, at the far left side of the church.

[Instinct]

Armenian Church of the Holy Cross (Akhtamar Island, Van / Eastern Turkey)

http://www.fotografturk.com/upload/fotograf/2013/9/6/24338-sakmermer61-6761-950px.jpg
http://turkeyculturaltour.com/resim/turkiye/buyuk/ef648bef51e818cc2551eba7124ff433.jpg
http://mytrips.blennerhassett.id.au/images/Turkey060.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/2/1306994_75f9606584.jpg

[Instinct]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeT76bNa8wg

[barbatus]

There is an Armenian Apostolic Church sort of near me. But I think a lot of the diaspora here belong to the Armenian Catholic Church. At least, most of the Armenians I've ever known did.