The Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church is the oldest national Church in the world. It is part of Oriental Orthodoxy and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church. The Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church traces its origins to the missions of Apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus in the 1st century and is an early center of Christianity.
The official name of the Church is the One Holy Universal Apostolic Orthodox Armenian Church. It is sometimes erroneously referred to as the Gregorian Church, or a but the latter name is not preferred by the Church, as it views the Apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus as the founders, and St. Gregory the Illuminator as merely the first official governor of the Church.
The Armenian Apostolic Church has a rich has a rich history in the existence of Christianity with its rites, sacraments, prayers and contributions. The Armenian Church has been at the forefront of the cultural and educational advancement of the Armenian people from the creation of our written language through the distinctive expressionism of our illuminated manuscripts to the inspirational arrangements of composer priests. The Armenian Church has created a wealth of arts, language, architecture and music throughout history. She has helped to shape the face of the Armenian nation and people, and to keep our heritage alive, all through the centuries. The Church endeavors to share her wealth of history and knowledge with the faithful, through spoken word, literature, prayers and song. Our Holy Traditions, Beliefs, Sacraments and Services, are meant to serve the spiritual and educational needs and requirements of the faithful. As new mediums of communication have been created, she has changed her method of delivering the lessons of the day. Radio, television and now the Internet, are used to enlighten the people.
The official name of the Church is the One Holy Universal Apostolic Orthodox Armenian Church. It is sometimes erroneously referred to as the Gregorian Church, or a but the latter name is not preferred by the Church, as it views the Apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus as the founders, and St. Gregory the Illuminator as merely the first official governor of the Church.
The Armenian Apostolic Church has a rich has a rich history in the existence of Christianity with its rites, sacraments, prayers and contributions. The Armenian Church has been at the forefront of the cultural and educational advancement of the Armenian people from the creation of our written language through the distinctive expressionism of our illuminated manuscripts to the inspirational arrangements of composer priests. The Armenian Church has created a wealth of arts, language, architecture and music throughout history. She has helped to shape the face of the Armenian nation and people, and to keep our heritage alive, all through the centuries. The Church endeavors to share her wealth of history and knowledge with the faithful, through spoken word, literature, prayers and song. Our Holy Traditions, Beliefs, Sacraments and Services, are meant to serve the spiritual and educational needs and requirements of the faithful. As new mediums of communication have been created, she has changed her method of delivering the lessons of the day. Radio, television and now the Internet, are used to enlighten the people.