Christianity in Armenia

The feature story for this edition focuses on Armenia. It covers the geography, brief history, God’s canvass and culture of Armenians. The Republic of Armenia is a landlocked country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north, the Lachin corridor under a Russian peacekeeping force, and Azerbaijan to the east, Iran and the Azerbaijani enclave of Nakhchivan to the south. The capital and largest city is Yerevan, while the official language is Armenian.  The country is a unitary parliamentary republic with Armen Sarkissian as President. Nikol Pashhinyan is the Prime Minister and Alen Simonyan President of the National Assembly.

        Modern Armenia comprises only a small portion of ancient Armenia, one of the world’s oldest centres of civilization. At its height, Armenia extended from the south-central Black Sea coast to the Caspian Sea, and from the Mediterranean Sea to Lake Urmia in present day Iran. Ancient Armenia was subjected to constant foreign incursions, finally losing its autonomy in the 14^th Century.

The centuries-long rule of Ottoman and Persian conquerors imperilled the very existence of the Armenian people. Eastern Armenia was annexed by Russia during the 19^th Century, while western Armenia remained under Ottoman rule. Between 1894 and 1896, as well as 1915, the Ottoman government perpetrated systematic massacres and forced deportations of Armenians.

           The portion of Armenia lying within the former Russian Empire declared independence on May 28, 1918, but in 1920 it was invaded by forces from Turkey and Soviet Russia. The Soviet Republic of Armenia was established on November 29, 1920; and in 1922 Armenia became part of the Transcaucasian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic. In 1936, this republic was dissolved and Armenia became a constituent of the defunct Soviet Union. Armenia declared sovereignty on August 23, 1990, and independence on September 23, 1991.

         Armenia was converted to Christianity in the first century (about 300 CE), becoming the first kingdom to adopt the religion after the Arsacid king Tiridates III was converted by St. Gregory the Illuminator. The Armenians have therefore maintained an ancient and rich liturgical and Christian literacy tradition. Believing Armenians today belong mainly to the Armenian Apostolic Orthodoxy. The religious composition of the country by percentage is Armenian Apostolic Church (92.5%), Atheism (4%), other Christian denominations (2.3%), Yazidism (0.8%), and other faiths (0.4%).

God’s Canvass in Armenia

         Armenia has a territorial area of 29,743 square kilometres. The terrain is mostly mountainous, with fast flowing rivers and a few forests. The land rises to 4,090 meters above sea level at Mount Aragats, and no point is below 390 meters above sea level. Mount Ararat, which was historically part of Armenia, is the highest mountain in the region. Now located in Turkey, but clearly visible from Armenia, it is regarded by the Armenians as a symbol of their land. Because of this, the mountain is present on the Armenian national emblem. The climate in Armenia is markedly highland continental. Summers are hot, dry and sunny, lasting from June to mid-September. The temperature fluctuates between twenty and 36 degrees Celsius.

Fauna

      The wildlife of Armenia includes wild boars, porcupines, various species of lizards, snakes and numerous species of birds. Endangered species living in Armenia are the Caucasian bears, Caucasian bearded goat, the Armenian mouflon (sheep) and the leopard. Wild bears in Armenia are Syrian Brown Bears, one of the smaller species of brown bear. They are found in the mountainous areas of the country where they forage for fruits, berries and insects in the meadows and forests. The bears hibernate in caves and tree hollows. Some of the unique animals found in the country are presented below.

Flora

       The flora of Armenia is one of the most diverse in the world. The most valuable ones are fruits and berries such as walnut, apple tree, dogwood, blackberry and ribes. Armenia is also rich in the production of herbal teas from thyme, mentha, ziziphora and oregano among others. Pictures of some plants in the country are shown below.

Armenian Culture

           The culture of Armenia encompasses many elements that are based on the geography, literature, architecture, dance and music of the people. The Armenians are the descendants of a branch of the Indo-Europeans. The ancient Greek historians Herodotus and Eudoxus of Rhodes related the Armenians to the Phrygians who entered Asia Minor from Thrace, and to the peoples of the ancient kingdom upon whom the Phrygians imposed their rule and language. Until the early 20^th Century the Armenians were primarily an agricultural people. From 1930 to 1990, however, considerable industrial development took place in the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. By the late 20^th Century, two-thirds of the population of the republic, which was about nine-tenths Armenian, had become urbanized.

        The ancient Armenian culture found expression in architecture, painting and sculpture. The periods of greatest artistic activity tended to correspond to those national independence or semi-independence, but, for most part, this activity reached its high point in the 14^th Century. Armenian literature continued to develop after that period and witnessed a strong revival during the 19^th Century in the face of Turkish and Russian domination. Armenian writers did much to awaken the national consciousness of their people who became increasingly impatient with foreign rule. Growing nationalism on the part of the Armenians provoked massacres by the Turks and confiscations of properties by the Russians.

        In terms of ethnic composition, the country is almost mono-ethnic with Armenians accounting for 98% of the population. They are followed by the Yazidi (Kurd) who constitute about 1.2% of the population. Minority groups like Russians, Iranians, Assyrians, Georgians, Ukrainians, Belarusians and Greeks make up the remaining 0.8%. All the ethnic communities have their different cultures and traditions.

Traditional Attire

         Armenian attire reflects a rich cultural tradition. Basically, the traditional dress were made with wool and cotton until Armenians started importing silk from China. The traditional female dress is called “taraz”. It is a loose-fitting dress with a slit on the chest and sides. The traditional costume for men includes a shirt, wide trousers, a waistcoat or kaftan, a wide sash, a headdress and shoes. Armenians love jewelleries, as evidenced in the amount of precious stones adorned by local women. Some of the traditional attires are presented below.

Armenian Cuisine

          Armenian cuisine reflects the history and geography where they have lived as well as sharing outside influences from European and Levantine cuisines. Their cuisine includes many typical seafood dishes like mussels, stiffed calamari and mackerel. The preparation of meat, fish, and vegetables dishes in an Armenian kitchen often requires stuffing, frothing and pureeing. Lamb, eggplant and bread are basic features of Armenian cuisine. Some of the delicacies are shown below.

Status of Christianity in Armenia

         Armenia was the first country in the world to adopt Christianity as a state religion in 301 A.D. The faith was introduced into the country much earlier, during the first century, possibly between 60 and 68 A.D. by two of Christ’s disciples, Bartholomew and Thaddeus. They came to Armenia from Asorestan and Cappadocia. The disciples baptized stately families and common people and are known as the first “Illuminators of the Armenian World”.

        Ancient Armenians were polytheists, influenced by both Greek and Persian religions. But this began to change in the early fourth century A.D. According to tradition, a young Armenian prince named Gregory became a refugee from his homeland when his father was executed for allegedly attempting to assassinate the king of Persia.

The exiled prince was raised and educated by a Christian and ultimately converted to Christianity. Upon his return to Armenia, Gregory, then called the “Illuminator” (or Enlightener), started preaching throughout his homeland. Known as a miracle-worker, Gregory was summoned to heal the ailing Armenian king Tiridates III. Convinced by his miraculous recovery, Tiridates converted to Christianity around 301 A.D., a decade before the conversion of Emperor Constantine of Rome. Although the population of Armenia was still largely pagan at this time, Tiridates made Christianity the state religion, and the Armenian Apostolic Church was officially established. Its current spiritual leader is His Holiness, Garegin II.

         With the blessing of Tiridates, Gregory continued to preach throughout Armenia. He was ultimately made the patriarch of Armenia, and he laid the foundations for the Cathedral of Etchmiadzin, the mother church of Armenia. Upon his death, he became the patron saint of his homeland. Thereafter, Christianity in Armenia spread slowly but steadily. Armenian bishops participated in the early church councils, and in the early 5^th Century, the Bible was translated into Armenian by St. Mesrob, who created the Armenian script and laid the foundation for a rich medieval Armenian literature.

         However, theological and political disputes with the Imperial Church of Byzantine Constantinople eventually led to a controversial break with Greek Orthodoxy. At the Council of Dvin in 506, the Armenian Apostolic Church became independent. Thereafter, Armenian Christianity developed its independent theological tradition, with a unique style of church architecture and large elegant, highly ornamented free-standing stone crosses known as “khachkar” (cross stone). For well over a thousand years, Armenian Christians have also had a strong presence in Jerusalem, with their patriarch, headquarters and seminary at the Cathedral of St. James in the Armenian quarter of the Old City.

          In early modern times, Armenia had the misfortune of being situated in a border zone between three large competing empires – Iran, Turkey and Russia – and was frequently partitioned among the states. Armenians have thus suffered severely from the horrors of war and revolution, most notoriously in the Armenian genocide under the Ottoman Turks in 1915. During World War I, Armenians were divided roughly equally between Russia and Turkey. Muslim Turks feared that Christian Armenians would support the invading Christian Russians, and anti-Armenian paranoia spread like wildfire in Turkey. About 1.5 million Armenians were murdered by the Muslim Turks, with hundreds of thousands becoming refugees in a global diaspora.

          The foregoing gives us an idea of the status of Christianity in the country. From all indications, Armenians are very religious and committed to their version of Christianity. It is however important to emphasise that Jesus Christ did not birth a religion – He came to reconcile humans back to God by destroying the influence of sin in our lives. He said in John 10:27-28, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand”.

Life everlasting is the reason He went to the cross. He did not die for us to have traditions of men, complete with ornate Cathedrals and humanistic sacraments. He also said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. Let us then pray that the Spirit of God would have a free reign in Armenia and do a work among its people to glorify Jesus Christ. We would pray for the country using the prayer points presented below.

Prayer Points   

1. Pray that God would give Christian believers in Armenia the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
2. Pray that the eyes of their understanding be enlightened; that they may know what is the hope of His calling and the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.
3. Ask the Father to destroy all faulty spiritual foundations in their lives that propel them toward religion rather than Jesus Christ.
4. Pray that all Christian believers in Armenia would be of the same mind, having the same love and united in spirit and purpose.
5. Pray that God would expose all the doctrines of men and devils that have been infiltrated into the church in Armenia and cause its people to reject them with extreme malice.
6. Pray that God would visit unbelieving Armenians and stir up their hearts to desire His love and holiness.
7. Ask the Father to judge all demonic principalities and powers operating in the country and liberate their prisoners.
8. Pray that God would reveal Himself to people of other faiths and Atheists and bring them into the Kingdom of His Son Jesus Christ through the instrumentality of the Holy Spirit.
9. Ask the Father to send workers into His harvest in Armenia.
10.  Pray that Christian believers would be baptized by the Holy Spirit to empower them to preach Christ with their lives.

Intercession Checklist 

1. Select a town, region or city from the political map of Armenia provided in the article for focused prayer.
2. With Psalm 2:8 as the anchor Scripture, claim the chosen town, region or city for Christ. Remind God that He said to the Messiah, “Ask Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession”. Jesus said in John 20:21, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you”. He commissioned us to disciple the nations (Mathew 28:19), and to be His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20).

                     Materials sourced from https://www.christianitytoday.com, https://www.bestofarmenia.com, https://www.deseret.com, https://www.britannica.com, https://www.armgeo.am, https://www.wikipedia.org.