Yes, We Are Orthodox, Apostolic and Catholic

Is the Armenian Church Orthodox or Apostolic and is there a difference? How is it Catholic?

The Armenian Church is Apostolic (arakelagan) because it was founded by two of Christ’s Apostles, St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew.  It was established through their preaching and through people ordained by them to be their successors.  If you trace back the origins of the current Catholicos of All Armenians, you can go all the way back to these two saints who themselves received their authority from Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:16-20) and, in turn, ordained others to continue their work.

The word orthodox (ooghapar) comes from the Greek and means “of right belief”.  The Armenian Church is orthodox as it holds firmly to the teachings of the Apostles and their ordained successors as well as the early orthodox fathers of the church. 

The Nicaean Creed (Havadamk) which is said each Sunday during the Divine Liturgy avows:  “We believe also in only one universal and apostolic Church.”  This refers to the fact that our church was founded by the Apostles and bequeathed to us over the centuries through those chosen and ordained to continue Christ’s work as he taught us.  It also affirms that we believe in the one church founded by Christ. This is why the Armenian Church is called the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church.

The Armenian Church is also called The Holy Catholic Church. This doesn’t mean we belong to the Catholic Church of Rome or are under the jurisdiction of the Pope, both of which are headquartered in the Vatican.  Catholic is a Greek word meaning universal.  The Church of Rome began to use the term catholic to identify itself and it became known as the Catholic Church.  Like the Armenian Church and other ancient churches of apostolic origin, it, too, is part of the catholic, meaning universal, church.  Jesus Christ founded one church, and this term catholic emphasizes the universality and oneness of the church for all Christians. 

Like the Church of Rome, the Armenian Church has its very own church leader, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. The Catholicate of All Armenians is located in Etchmiadzin, Armenia.  Etchmiadzin is the special and holy place where Christ, according to a vision of St. Gregory the Illuminator, descended from heaven and struck Armenian soil with a golden hammer. The name Etchmiadzin means “the Descent of the Only Begotten (Jesus Christ”.  St. Gregory built an altar at that site and later, with the support of King Drtad of the royal family, constructed the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin which still stands today and is the Mother Cathedral and Mother See of Armenia.