Armenian Apostolic Church
National church of Armenia / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Armenian Apostolic Church (Armenian: Հայ Առաքելական Եկեղեցի, romanized: Hay Aṙak'elakan Yekeghetsi)[note 1] is the national church of Armenia. Part of Oriental Orthodoxy, it is one of the most ancient Christian institutions.[6] The Kingdom of Armenia was the first state to adopt Christianity as its official religion under the rule of King Tiridates III, of the Arsacid dynasty in the early 4th century.[7][8] According to tradition, the church originated in the missions of Apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus of Edessa in the 1st century. St. Gregory the Illuminator was the first official primate of the church. It is sometimes referred to as the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church, Armenian Church or Armenian Gregorian Church.[9][10][11]
Armenian Apostolic Church | |
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Հայ Առաքելական Եկեղեցի (Armenian) | |
Classification | Eastern Christian |
Orientation | Oriental Orthodox |
Scripture | Septuagint, New Testament, Armenian versions |
Theology | Miaphysitism |
Polity | Episcopal |
Governance | Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin |
Head | Karekin II the Catholicos of All Armenians |
Associations | World Council of Churches[1] |
Region | Armenia, Armenian diaspora |
Language | Classical Armenian |
Liturgy | Armenian Rite |
Headquarters | Etchmiadzin Cathedral, Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Vagharshapat, Armenia |
Founder | Gregory the Illuminator Bartholomew the Apostle Thaddeus of Edessa |
Origin | c. 1st century Kingdom of Armenia |
Independence | 610 at the Third Council of Dvin[2] |
Separated from | Patriarchate of Constantinople in the Second Council of Dvin (554)[3] |
Separations | Armenian Catholic Church Hetanism |
Members | 9,000,000 (self-reported)[4] |
Other name(s) | Armenian Church |
Official website | www |
The Armenian Apostolic Church should not be confused with the fully distinct Armenian Catholic Church[12] which is an Eastern Catholic Church in communion with the Holy See in Rome.