Armenian Apostolic Church

In this episode, we explore the Armenian Apostolic Church, the historic national church of Armenia and one of the world’s oldest Christian institutions. Traditionally founded by the apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus and established as Armenia’s state church under King Tiridates III in the early fourth century, it developed a distinctive Armenian Christian tradition within Oriental Orthodoxy. We examine its Miaphysite theology, Armenian Rite, and unique structure, including the catholicosates of Etchmiadzin and Cilicia and the patriarchates of Jerusalem and Constantinople. The episode also looks at the church’s enduring role in preserving Armenian language, culture, and identity across centuries of upheaval and throughout the global diaspora, while considering contemporary debates over its political influence, leadership, and institutional transparency.