Armenia, Christianity in

Armenia, Christianity in. The Armenians were converted by Gregory the Illuminator, who in 314 was consecrated bishop by the Metropolitan of Caesarea in Cappadocia. In 374 the Armenians repudiated their dependence on the Church of Caesarea. In the early part of the 5th cent. St Isaac the Great and St Mesrob increased the strength of the Church by inventing a national script, and the Bible and Liturgy were translated into Armenian. Owing to wars, the Armenians were not represented at the Council of Chalcedon (451), but in 555 the Armenian Church repudiated that Council and has since been reputed Monophysite. The Armenians of Little Armenia (or Cilicia, an independent kingdom from the end of the 12th cent. to 1375) accepted union with Rome in 1307 and this was confirmed at the Council of Florence (1438–9). The Armenians of Greater Armenia sent representatives to the Council of Florence, which issued the famous instruction ‘Pro Armenis’ on the Sacraments, but the union thus achieved had little effect and an independent line of patriarchs was re-established in 1441.

There are thought to be some 5 million Armenians of whom the majority profess allegiance to the Armenian Church, and c.100,000 are in communion with Rome. The dogmas of the Armenian Church are similar to those of the E. Orthodox Church, and the liturgy substantially that of St Basil in classical Armenian.