"The Armenian Church: Apostolic, Orthodox, and Catholic" by Carlo Coppola
The Armenian Church often faces questions that reflect its historical and theological complexity: Is it Apostolic or Orthodox? Is it Catholic? In truth, these definitions are not mutually exclusive; rather, they converge to define its profound identity.
An Apostolic Foundation
The Armenian Church is Apostolic because its roots lie in the direct preaching of the Apostles St. Jude Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew (Nathanael, famously noticed by Christ under the fig tree). This foundational origin, attested by the uninterrupted succession of its bishops, has since antiquity granted the See of the Catholicos the title of the Apostolic Throne.
Apostolicity is not merely a symbolic reference; it is the historical guarantee of institutional and spiritual continuity.
The Meaning of Orthodoxy
The Church is also Orthodox, in the authentic sense of orthodoxy or "right faith." The Armenian Church has firmly guarded the doctrinal heritage of the early centuries, remaining faithful to Patristic tradition and a Christology that affirms the full unity of the divine and human natures of Christ.
For this reason, it belongs to the family of Oriental Orthodox Churches—alongside the Coptic, Syriac, Ethiopian, and Malankara Churches—distinguishing itself from both Byzantine Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism.
A Universal (Catholic) Identity
Finally, the Armenian Church recognizes itself as Catholic, in the original sense of the word: universal. It is an integral part of the Church of Christ in its totality, though it does not recognize an external jurisdictional authority. Its autocephaly (self-governance) does not represent isolation, but rather a form of ecclesial responsibility matured over centuries of autonomy.
Beyond Time and Space
Like all Churches of Christ, it transcends time and space. As the Mystical Body of Christ, it cannot be limited by the contingent; by its very nature, it prevails against the constraints of geography and era.
In the contemporary context, however, this identity is called to face new tensions. The relationship between Church and State, historically marked by deep interdependence, has experienced periods of significant friction—especially when religious authority has been perceived as involved in dynamics foreign to its pastoral mission.
In such moments, calling for a distinction between the spiritual and civil spheres is not an attack on faith, but a necessity for institutional balance. The historical strength of the Armenian Church does not reside in proximity to power, but in its capacity to guard the conscience of the people without becoming a political instrument.
Conclusion
Apostolic, Orthodox, and Catholic: the Armenian Church remains most authentic when it renounces instrumentalization and returns to what it has always been during the highest moments of its history: a moral voice, not a partisan one.
