Armenian Apostolic Church Library Online

FAQ

1. What is the central, core doctrine of the Armenian Apostolic Church?
2. The Armenian letters on this website don't come through on my computer.
3. Who is the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church?
4. After Jesus Christ, who is the highest leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church?
5. Does the Armenian Apostolic Church view the Catholicos the same way that Catholics view the Pope?
6. Is there one Catholicos or two?
7. Is it important to read the Bible, or is going to Church and praying enough?
8. Where can I go for more information?
9. Why go to church? It's full of hypocrites.
10. I can't understand the old Armenian language they use in Church (Krapar).
11. Isn't the Church just for old people?
12. I heard someone singing in Church, and that person isn't the priest, a deacon, or in the choir. Isn't everyone else supposed to be quiet and respectful?
13. Does lighting a candle have magical powers? Are we supposed to light candles for good luck?
14. When we kiss an icon, are we worshipping that saint?

1. What is the central, core doctrine of the Armenian Apostolic Church?
        The Nicene Creed was adopted at the First Council of Nicea (325 AD). About 318 bishops from the whole of Christendom were in attendance, and many of these bishops had been severely persecuted for their faith, even to the threat of death. All but 3 of the 318 bishops put their name to this creed.
        The 3 bishops who rejected the Nicene Creed were of the Arian heresy which believes that Jesus Christ was made at some point in time and that Jesus is not of the same substance of God the Father (i.e., the Arian heresy believes that Jesus is truly inferior to God the Father). Every Orthodox and Catholic Church resoundingly reject this heresy.

2. The Armenian letters on this website don't come through on my computer.
        Take a look at Installing Armenian Unicode Support.

3. Who is the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church?
        Jesus Christ.

4. After Jesus Christ, who is the highest leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church?
        The Catholicos.

5. Does the Armenian Apostolic Church view the Catholicos the same way that Catholics view the Pope?
        No. The Catholics view the Pope as the head of the Church, whereas, the Armenians view Jesus Christ as the head of the Church. Under canon law, the Catholicos has jurisdictional power, and responsibility, over all the Armenian Apostolic dioceses in the world; this is similar to the Pope in regard to the Catholic Church. But neither the Pope nor the Catholicos are infallible; only God is infallible. The Catholic Church allows the Pope to unilaterally make binding declarations of faith (i.e., doctrine), whereas the Armenian Apostolic Church, along with all other Orthodox Churches, view this to be the responsibility of true ecumenical councils.

6. Is there one Catholicos or two?
        There are de facto two. One works out of Etchmiadzin, the other out of Antelias. It is very important to note that this is purely, simply, and only a jurisdictional split. There is absolutely no difference in theology, doctrine, sacraments, teachings, or traditions between these churches. One Catholicos has jurisdiction over his dioceses, and the other has jurisdiction of his dioceses. Originally the Holy See was in Etchmiadzin, but because of war, it was geographically moved to Dvin in 485. Over the next millenium, the Holy See was moved about a dozen times, again because of war. Then there was a jurisdictional split that began in 1441 between 1) those who believed that they moved the Holy See back to Etchmiadzin and 2) those who believed that the aforementioned group was out of order.
        In the following five centuries, the two Catholicoses have, for the most part, worked separately but harmoniously as Christian brothers. Unfortunately, attempts to unite the two de facto Holy Sees have thus far failed. Since Catholicos literally means "universal leader", it is a contradiction to have two Catholicoses.

7. Is it important to read the Bible, or is going to Church and praying enough?
        Being a member of the Armenian Apostolic Church is primarily about being a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ. How can we follow Him if we don't regularly study what He teaches?
        Regarding the Protestant Church, reading a Bible doesn't give one the authority to start a Church. Jesus Christ started the Church through the authority that He gave to His Apostles; Jesus told his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 18:18). The successors of the Apostles had the authority to propagate those Churches; Paul told his much younger partner,Timothy, "[W]hat you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:2). Hence our name: the Armenian Apostolic Church.

8. Where can I go for more information?
        Find your friendly, local Armenian priest and ask. It's their job to love you, guide you, nurture you, and teach you! But you have to take the step and go to them. Almost all the priests I know would be happy to answer the questions of a curious parishioner.
        If there isn't a local Armenian priest, find an Orthodox Church of another denomination, get involved, and ask that priest all the questions you can think of!

9. Why go to church? It's full of hypocrites.
        There's an excellent article by Fr. Daniel Findikyan of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary that tackles this topic on page 3. It's entitled Worship in the Armenian Church (Some Assembly Required).

10. I can't understand the old Armenian language they use in Church (Krapar).
        You're in luck! Check this book out!. If you can't read a single Armenian letter, and don't know a single word in Armenian, you can follow along with everything that's happening during Badarak (Divine Liturgy) with this book.

11. Isn't the Church just for old people?
        NO! It wasn't the old people that fought and died with St. Vartan in 451 A.D. to defend the faith! In the 1,960 years since Thaddeus and Bartholomew (two of Jesus' Apostles) preached in Armenia, countless numbers of Armenian youth have become followers of Jesus Christ. If Jesus really died on the cross for your and my sins, and if He really was resurrected, then He really is the Son of God. And if the Son of God teaches us something, it's not just for the old, it's for everybody. Let Jesus change your heart; seek Him through our Church.
        THE YOUTH ARE NOT THE FUTURE OF THEY CHURCH, THEY ARE THE PRESENT! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

12. I heard someone singing in Church, and that person isn't the priest, a deacon, or in the choir. Isn't everyone else supposed to be quiet and respectful?
        We are supposed to worship with one accord, in harmony. Yes, the choir sings; but they're supposed to be leading the church in singing. The whole congregation should be singing, not just the choir. It would be disruptive for a parishioner to sing with the priest or the deacons; but the parishioners are supposed to sing with the choir. We're supposed to pray (silently) with the priest and deacons, and if you're so inclined, affirm those prayers with a heartfelt "Amen"! If saying a heartfelt "Amen" bothers other parishioners, don't worry about it. True worship requires active participation.
        If you have trouble following along in the Badarak (Divine Liturgy), this book will change that. It has the Armenian words written out in English letters on one page with the translation into English on the adjacent page.

13. Does lighting a candle have magical powers? Are we supposed to light candles for good luck?
        No and no. Lighting a candle is symbolic of the Light that Jesus brings into the world. St. Gregory the Illuminator brought the Light of Christ to the Armenian nation by preaching the Gospel. Lighting a candle helps remind us of Jesus' Light, and thus helps focus us on God while we pray. We don't light a candle for good luck, we light a candle to help us pray well.

14. When we kiss an icon, are we worshipping that saint?
        No. The saints have fallen asleep in Christ. We have icons to remind ourselves of them, to pray for them, and to ask them to pray for us. They do not have the power to directly intervene in our lives, but they can pray to God on our behalf.