ARIIIENIAN CHURCH. Christianity appears to have been introduced into Armenia as early as the 2d century. It was for the first time firmly established, however, about the end of the 3d c. by the apostolical exertions of bishop Gregory(q.v.),who converted Tiridates (see ARMENIA). The Bible was translated into the Armenian language in the 5th century. After this period great animation prevailed in the A. C. Numbers flocked to the colleges at Athens and Constantinople. In the ecclesiastical controversy concerning the 'twofold nature of Christ, the Armenian Christians held with the Monophysites (q.v.); refused to acknowledge the authority of the council of Chalcedon; and constituted themselves a separate church, which took the title of Gregorian from Gregory himself. For several centuries a spirit of scientific inquiry, especially in theology, manifested itself among them to a far wider extent than in the other eastern churches. Their greatest divine is Nerses of Klah, belonging to the 12th c., whose works have been repeatedly published. The most recent edition was issued in Venice, 1833. The Gregorians have continued to entertain a deeply rooted aversion to the so-called orthodox church. The Roman Catholic popes at various times, especially (1145, 1341, 1440) when the Armenians accepted the help of the west against the :Mohammedans, tried to persuade them to recognize the papal supremacy; but for the most part only the nobles consented to do so, while the mass of the people clung to their peculiar opinions, as we see from the com plaint of pope Benedict XII., who accuses the A. C. of 117 errors of doctrine. There is a sect of United Armenians in Italy, Poland, Galicia, Persia. Russia. and Marseille. Since the formation of this body in 1835, vigorous and constant attempts. succored especially by French influence, have been made to secure the acknowledgment of the pope as the head of the Roman Catholic portion of the A. C. When this end seemed nearer attainment than ever before, the Ultramontane utterances of their representatives, Mgr.
Ilassun, at the ecumenical council at Rome, 1870, in favor of infallibility, created such a reaction at home as has greatly strengthened for the present the cause of the old Gre gorian party. The recent humiliation of France has further weakened the cause- of the pro-papal party. In theology the A. C. attributes only one nature to Christ, and holds that the Spirit proceeds from the Father alone; the latter doctrine, however, being held by it in common with the "orthodox Greek church," although contrary to the theology of the western churches. With respect to the "seven sacraments," it entertains the peculiar notion that at baptism one must be sprinkled three times and as often dipped; that confirmation is to be conjoined with baptism; that the Lord's supper must be celebrated with pure wine and leavened bread; that the latter, before being handed round, must be dipped in the former; and that extreme unction is to be administered to ecclesiastics alone, and that immeuiately after (and not before).their death. It believes in the worship of saints, but not in purgatory. It exceeds the Greek church in the number of its fasts, but has fewer religious festivals. These, however, are more enthusiastically kept. Divine service is held in Turkey chiefly by night. Mass is cele brated in the old Armenian language; preaching is carried on in the new. Its sacer dotal constitution differs little from the Greek. The head of the church, whose title is catholikos, resides at Etshmiadzin, a monastery near Erivan, the capital of Russian Armenia. To this place every Armenian must make a pilgrimage once in his life. The monks of this church follow the rule of St. Basil. The Wartableds form a peculiar class of ecclesiastics; they live like monks, but are devoted exclusively to learning. Secular priests must marry once, but none are at liberty to take a second wife.