Armenia had various names in its past - Ararat country, Ashkenazi state, Urartu. The most significant of the first mentions of Armenia is found in the Bible. After all, the Bible tells how Noah found salvation at Mount Ararat.
Christianity in Armenia was adopted in 301, much earlier than in the Byzantine Empire and Greece. George the Illuminator made a huge contribution to the development of Christianity in the country, who became the first Catholicos of all Armenians.
Apostolic church
In honor of the Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew, the Armenian church was named Apostolic, much later, when, after the death of George the Illuminator, he was canonized, the Armenian church was named after him. It began to be called the Armenian Gregorian Holy Apostolic Church.
King Trdat the Third Great became famous for the fact that before the adoption of Christianity he was a persecutor of Christians. Having been baptized, Trdat made a lot of efforts to spread Christianity throughout Armenia. By his order, all pagan sanctuaries were destroyed and Christian churches were built in their place.
In 303, Echmiadzin was built - the world famous cathedral, which is currently the residence of the Catholicos of All Armenians. A synod is being held in Echmiadzin to elect the next Catholicos. Delegates from all Russian and foreign Armenian dioceses come here.
Alphabet for the word of God
Mesrop Mashtots, who is revered by Christians as a saint, in 404 A. D. created the first and only so far Armenian alphabet, at the time of its creation it was recognized as the most modern and even then the classical style of writing was used in it - from left to right.
Together with his disciples-followers, Mashtots translated the Bible into Armenian, his book became known to the whole world as "The Queen of Translation" for the perfection of the translation of the original source.
Mashtots, fulfilling his Christian duty, created the alphabet for Georgians and Caucasians Alans.
Now in Yerevan in the Depository of ancient manuscripts named after Mashtots there are more than 20 thousand handwritten texts, which Mashtots himself began to collect. This collection of manuscripts is of great historical and cultural value for the peoples of the whole world.
Spread of the Armenian Church
In the Promised Land, that is, on the territory of modern Israel, more than seventy Armenian churches have been built since the sixth century, and in 638 the Armenian Patriarchate was founded, which united and became the head of all Eastern Orthodox dioceses. These are the Ethiopian, Syrian and Coptic dioceses.
For almost two thousand years, a miracle has been taking place every year - the descent of the Holy Fire, which takes place on the eve of Easter in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. From among the bishops of the Armenian-Gregorian Holy Apostolic Church, a priest is elected annually, who will be entrusted to receive the Holy Fire.
