MISSION STATEMENT
ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC ORTHODOX CHURCH
Mission of the Armenian Apostolic Church
The mission of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church is to preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and to proclaim its message of salvation. This mission is realized through worship, education, witness, service, and the common life in Christ as expressed in the distinctive faith-experience of the Armenian people. All members of the Armenian Church—both clergy and lay—are called to participate fully in its mission.
The Armenian Apostolic Church
Founded in the first century by two of the Apostles of Jesus Christ, Saints Thaddeus and Bartholomew, we are one of the five ancient Eastern Oriental Orthodox churches. Saints Thaddeus and Bartholomew were ordained the first Armenian bishops. At the beginning of the fourth century, Armenia became the first nation in the world to declare Christianity as our state religion through the work of our patron saint, St. Gregory the Illuminator, and the decree of King Trdat III. As one of the oldest autocephalous national christian churches, for more than 1,700 years we have steadfastly and devotedly followed Our Lord Jesus Christ, His teachings, the teachings of His Holy Apostles, our sacred church traditions, and the teachings of our graceful saints and church fathers.
Having been founded by the one Lord Jesus Christ, the Church has one faith, one liturgy, one hierarchy. The Armenian Church is one in herself and one with the great Church of our Lord, since she accepts and keeps the Church’s faith, teachings and practices, “as once delivered to the Saints” and as defined by the first three Ecumenical councils of Nicaea in 325 A.D, of Constantinople in 381 and of Ephesus in 431.
Our Church is Apostolic, because it was founded directly by two of the twelve apostles. Our Church is Orthodox, because it has the true faith of Christ. We are a Church with over nine million faithful dispersed in every continent throughout the world. The head of the Church is Jesus Christ. The Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians is the worldwide spiritual leader of the Nation, for Armenians both in Armenia and in the Dispersion. The spiritual and administrative headquarters of the Church, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, established in 301 AD in the city of Vagharshabad, Armenia, seventeen centuries later continues to guide our devoted nation and people on the luminous paths of fulfilling the primary mission of our Church – leading people to God.
Latest News
EVENTS FOCUSED ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE THEN AND NOWApril 18, 2024 - 7:45 am
HOLY WEEK 2024 AT ST. JOHNMarch 31, 2024 - 8:17 pm
MID-LENT LUNCH AND TALK AT ST. JOHNMarch 10, 2024 - 9:09 pm
POON PAREGENTAN 2024 OBSERVED AT ST. JOHN’S IN MILWAUKEEFebruary 11, 2024 - 8:17 pm
ORDINATION OF PRIESTS AT ST. GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR MOTHER CHURCH IN YEREVANFebruary 5, 2024 - 11:15 am
PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY 2024January 28, 2024 - 6:31 pm
ՏԱՐԵԿԱՆ ԱՆԴԱՄԱԿԱՆ ԺՈՂՈՎ՝ 2024January 28, 2024 - 5:40 pm
COOKING WITH JUSTINJanuary 27, 2024 - 6:35 pm
ARMENIAN CHRISTMAS CELEBRATED AT ST. JOHNJanuary 7, 2024 - 7:31 pm
HOLY NATIVITY 2024 MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN IIJanuary 5, 2024 - 3:06 pm
Latest News
- EVENTS FOCUSED ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE THEN AND NOWApril 18, 2024 - 7:45 am
- HOLY WEEK 2024 AT ST. JOHNMarch 31, 2024 - 8:17 pm
- MID-LENT LUNCH AND TALK AT ST. JOHNMarch 10, 2024 - 9:09 pm