The Armenian Apostolic Church is an ancient Oriental Orthodox church traditionally associated with the apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew. Armenia became the first kingdom formally to adopt Christianity, traditionally dated to 301.
Worship and identity
The Armenian Rite combines a distinctive liturgy, sacred music, architecture, and spirituality expressed in the Armenian language and culture.
Organization
The church includes the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Holy See of Cilicia, together with the Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Constantinople, each serving within the wider Armenian ecclesial family.