Christianity in Armenia Although theArmenianApostolic Church often
In 301 C.E., King Tiridates III declared Christianity the official religion ofArmenia, 12 years before itwas adopted byRome,makingArmenia the first country in theworld to adopt Christianity as its official religion. Then and now, Armenian Christians belong mainly to the Armenian Apostolic Church, an orthodox sect that most closely resembles Eastern Orthodox churches. The Armenian Apostolic Church is so named because legend claims that it was founded by two of the apostles, Thaddeus and Bartholomew.
Modern day Armenia is still largely a Christian country, with over 98% of the population identifying with some formof Christianity.Minority religious groups inArmenia include Yezidis, Jehovah’sWitnesses,Mormons, Jews and Bahais. During the Soviet era, religious observancewas discouraged andmanymonasterieswere
closed.As a result, the number of active religious practitioners is relatively low and, for many citizens, Christianity is an ethnic connection rather than a practiced lifestyle.
is identifiedwith the EasternOrthodox churches of Eastern Europe,Russia, and Georgia, theArmenian church has been … independent since the early Middle Ages. As a national church, it has played a vital role inmaintainingArmenian culture, through the preservation and expansion of written traditions and as a cultural focus for Armenians scattered around the world. In the long periods when Armenians did not have a state of their own, their church was both a political and a spiritual leader, and religion was at the center of the Armenian national self-image.
Glenn E. Curtis, ed. Armenia: A Country Study, 1995.
Easter, or Zatik, is an extremely important day inArmenia, and is perhaps the most anticipated and celebrated holiday in the Christian world. The traditional greeting among Armenians on this day is, “Christ has arisen” – “Blessed is the resurrection of Christ.” Feasting is an important Easter tradition, as Easter marks the end to Lent (the forty days prior to Easter), duringwhichArmenians fast on oils, beans and bread.During Lent,Armenian families put lentils or other sprouting grains on trays until Easter when sprouts appear. These green sprouts symbolize spring and the awakening of nature, and Armenians place colored eggs on this “grass” to decorate the Easter table.
Traditionally dyed Armenian Easter eggs.
seeds, gives choereg its distinctive flavor. Traditionally, the dough is braided and some families put the dyed eggs in the dough as it bakes. Others have the custom of placing a coin; the finder of the coin is then said to be sure to encounter some good fortune in the future.
Other traditionalArmenian Easter dishes include pilaf, a dish containing long grain rice (or bulgur) and vermicelli, cooked in a meat broth (chicken or lamb) or water. Pilaf is a staple of Armenian cuisine, and many varieties of pilaf exist. Fasoolya is anArmenian tomato-based stew traditionallymadewith lambmeat and green
beans.Kyofta, traditionally, are stuffedmeatballsmade with ground lamb, but the dish can also be prepared as a casserole (with layers ofmeat and filling) and the shape of themeatballs can vary greatly fromone household to another.
Traditionally, eggs are boiled and naturally dyed for Easter using ingredients such as turmeric, blueberries or onion skins,which results in a deep red color to symbolize Christ’s blood. Choereg is a traditional Armenian bread, slightly sweet, especially made for Easter. Mahleb, a spice made from cherry
“Easter, to the Armenians, is the
most sacred of all theHoly days, and it’s easy to understand why. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Christ. And if any Christian culture could understand the significance of that miracle of overcoming death, through sheer faith, it was the Armenians.”
Alexander Dinelaris, Red Dog Howls 8
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