Armenian in Israel

Introduction / History

Throughout history, Armenia has been a battlefield for many invaders and contending empires and a bridge for many cultures and civilizations. During the past 2,700 years, Armenia has been conquered by the Persian Empire, Alexander the Great, the Roman Empire, the Byzantines, Arabs, Mongols, Tatars, Ottomans, Persians, and Russians. Armenian kingdoms, principalities, and even a short-lived empire (95-55 B.C.) survived and thrived for some 1,700 years. Under various kings and princes, the Armenians developed a sophisticated culture, original architecture and their own alphabet.

The 1905 Russian Revolution and the 1908 Young Turk Revolution raised the hopes of the Armenians for reform and an opportunity to build a homeland in historical Armenia. These hopes were dashed as the Ottoman and the Russian Empires fought each other during World War I. A dark hour of Armenian history is the Armenian genocide, which started on April 24, 1915. Some 1,750,000 Armenians were deported into Syria and Mesopotamia by the Ottoman authorities. Subject to famine, disease, and systematic massacres, most of them perished. This "ethnic cleansing" of the Armenians from their historical homeland led Raphael Lemkin, the father of the Genocide Treaty, to coin the new term "genocide" in the 1930s to describe the historical plight of the Assyrians and the Armenians as subjects of the first genocide of the 20th century. Armenia gained independence from the USSR on September 23, 1991.

Today, there are several million Armenians worldwide. Significant numbers are located in Armenia and the United States of America. Major diaspora centers of the Middle East are Iran, Syria and Lebanon. The Armenian communities of Palestine and Jordan, which were never large, also attracted refugees from Turkey who laid the foundations for new centers in Jerusalem, Haifa and Amman. The short-lived and relatively secure time for Armenians in Palestine during the British Mandate soon gave way to Arab-Jewish strife. Following the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 and the Arab-Israeli wars, many Armenians emigrated to Europe, the United States, and more peaceful centers in the Middle East. More have left Jerusalem, a place Armenians have lived since the 300s.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Most of the remaining Armenians are primarily involved in the religious and scholarly activities surrounding the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem. The traumatizing experience of being expelled from their homeland by the Turks and the 1915-1916 genocide made a deep impression on the Armenians.

What Are Their Beliefs?

In 301 AD, during the rule of King Dirtad III, Armenia became the world's first Christian nation. A Christian monk, commonly known as Krikor Lusavorich or St. Gregory the Illuminator, cured the King of a disease. After this event, King Dirtad III was baptized and accepted Christianity as Armenia's official state religion.

Two disciples brought Christianity to Armenia, St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew. Today, Armenians remain Christian, mostly Armenian Apostolic Orthodox, Armenian Catholics and Armenian Evangelicals.

What Are Their Needs?

As their numbers dwindle in Jerusalem, they face issues of marginalization. Some of their clergy get jeered by Israelis, while others have their land threatened by those who want to use it to build a luxury motel.

Prayer Points

Pray for healing for Armenians and for their ability to integrate into Israeli society.
Pray for the Armenians in the Middle East to hold on to their Christian faith and to have a personal experience with Jesus Christ.
Pray for peace; this is what Armenia needs most of all.
Pray that God would bring revelation of Christianity as a spiritual relationship and that Armenians would realize their nationality doesn't make them Christian.

Text Source:   Joshua Project