The Church of Armenia, sometimes called the Armenian Apostolic Church or the Armenian Orthodox Church is the world's oldest national church. It is part of Oriental Orthodoxy and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in AD 301, in establishing this church. The Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church claims to have originated in the missions of the holy, glorious and all-laudable Apostles Bartholomew and Jude Thaddeus in the 1st century and is an early center of Christianity. Apostle Bartholomew (also known as Nathaniel) was one of the Twelve Great Apostles. Apostle Jude Thaddeus was also one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ and His brother, along with St. James, by virtue of being the son of St. Joseph the Betrothed. The Armenian Church views St. Gregory the Illuminator as the first official Catholicos of its Church. In later years, the Armenian Catholic Church was formed as a Sui Juris Eastern Catholic Church in union with the other Eastern Rite, Oriental Rite and Latin Rite Catholics who accept the Bishop of Rome as spiritual leader of the Church. It is regulated by Eastern canon law. Since 1749, the Armenian Catholic Church has been headquartered at the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate complex in Bzoummar, Lebanon.
The Catholic Apostolic Succession of Saints Thaddeus and Bartholomew the Apostles down through the great and holy Armenian Catholic Churches, and others stand as a Co-Consecrating line of apostolic succession of the Caribbean Apostolic Church.
The Record of Apostolic Succession from Saint Jude & Bartholomew the Apostles
St. Thaddeus the Apostle (43-66)
St. Bartholomew the Apostle (60-68) The Armenian Church was born from the mission of the Holy, Glorius and All Laudable Apostles Bartholomew and Jude Thaddeus in the 1st century
St. Zacharias (68-72)
St. Zementus (72-76)
St. Atrnerseh (77-92)
St. Mushe (93-123)
St. Shahen (124-150)
St. Shavarsh (151-171)
St. Leontius (172-190)
St. Merozanes (240-270)
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*Arsacid Dynasty (from 301 to 428 ad, the episcopal office is hereditary)*
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St. Aristaces I (325-333)
St. Husik I (341-347)
Daniel I of Armenia (347)
Pharen I of Armenia (348-352)
St. Nerses I the Great (353-373)
Sahak I (373-377)
Zaven I (377-381)
Aspuraces I (381-386)
St. Sahak I (387-428)
Brkisho of Armenia (428-432)
Samuel of Armenia (432-437)
(Non-Hereditary Bishops)
St. Hovsep I (437-452)
Melitus I (452-456)
Moses I (456-461)
St. Kyud I (461-478)
St. John I (478-490)
Babken I (490-516)
Samuel I (516-526)
Mushe I (526-534)
Sahak II (534-539)
Christopher I (539-545)
Ghevond I (545-548)
Nerses II (548-557)
John II (557-574)
Moses II (574-604)
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vacant 604-607, administered by Verthanes Qerthol the Gramatic
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Abraham I (607-615)
Gomidas I (615-628)
Christopher II (628-630), died aft. 630
Ezra I (630-641)
Nerses III the Builder (641-661)
Anastasius I (661-667)
Israel I (667-677)
Sahak III (677-703)
Elias I (703-717)
St. John III the Philosopher (717-728)
David I (728-741)
Dertad I (741-764)
Dertad II (764-767)
Sion I (767-775)
Isaiah I (775-788)
Stephen I (788-790)
Joab I (790-791)
Solomon I (791-792)
George I (792-795)
Joseph I (795-806)
David II (806-833)
John IV (833-855)
Zacharias I (855-876)
George II (877-897)
Mashdotz I (897-898)
John V the Historian (898-929)
Stephen II (929-930)
Theodore I (930-941)
Yeghishe I (941-946)
Ananias I (949-968)
Vahan I (968-969)
Stephen III (969-972)
Khachig I (973-992)
Sarkis I (992-1019), d. aft. 1019
Peter I (1019–1058)
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The Armenian Catholicosate of the Great Houseof Cilicia. During this time the see was transferred to Cilicia,from 1058 till 1441.
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Khachik II of Armenia (1058–1065)
Khachik II of Cilicia (1058–1065)
Gregory II the Martyrophile (1066–1105)
Parsegh of Cilicia (1105–1113)
Gregory III of Cilicia (1113–1166)
Nerses IV the Graceful (1166–1173)
Gregory IV the Young (1173–1193)
Gregory V of Cilicia (1193–1194)
Gregory VI of Cilicia (1194–1203)
John VI the Affluent (1203–1221)
Constantine I of Cilicia (1221–1267)
Jacob I the Learned (1268–1286)
Constantine II the Woolmaker (1286–1289)
Stephen IV of Cilicia (1290–1293)
Gregory VII of Cilicia (1293–1307)​
Constantine II the Woolmaker (restored) (1307–1322)
Constantine III of Cilicia (1323-1326)
Jacob II of Cilicia (1327–1341), d. 1359
Mekhitar I of Cilicia (1341–1355)
Jacob II of Cilicia (restored) (1355–1359)
Mesrop I of Cilicia (1359–1372)
Constantine IV of Cilicia (1372–1374)
Paul I of Cilicia (1374–1382)
Theodore II of Cilicia (1382–1392)
Karapet of Cilicia (1393–1404)
Jacob III of Cilicia (1404–1411)
Gregory VIII of Cilicia (1411–1418)
Paul II of Cilicia (1418–1430)
Constantine V of Cilicia (1430–1439)
Gregory IX of Cilicia (1439–1446)
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*During Gregory IX's reign, the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin was restored, 1441*
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Karapet II of Cilicia (1446–1477)
Stepanos I of Cilicia (1475–1483)
Hovhannes I of Cilicia (1483–1488)
Hovhannes II of Cilicia (1489–1525)
Hovhannes III of Cilicia (1525–1539)
Simeon I of Cilicia (1539–1545)
Ghazar I (1545–1547)
Toros I of Cilicia (1548–1553)
Khachatour I of Cilicia (1553–1558)
Khachatour II of Cilicia (1560–1584)
Azaria I of Cilicia (1584–1601)
Hovhannes IV of Cilicia (1601–1621)
Petros I of Cilicia (coadjutor) (1601–1608)
Minas of Cilicia (1621–1632)
Simeon II of Cilicia (1633–1648)
Nerses I of Cilicia
Toros II of Cilicia (1654–1657)
Khachatour III of Cilicia (1657–1677)
Sahak I of Cilicia (1677–1683)
Azaria II of Cilicia (1683–1686)
Grigor II of Cilicia (1686–1695)
Astvatsatour (1695–1703)
Madteos (1703–1705)
Hovhannes V (1705–1721)
Grigor III (1721/2-1729)
Hovhannes VI (1729/30-1731)
Ghougas I of Cilicia (1731–1737)
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In 1738, the Armenian Catholic Christians of Aleppo obtained a church and brought a license to return Ardzivian to Aleppo in 1739. They decided to have an independent Patriarchate with their bishop Abraham Petros I Ardzivian, who arriving to Aleppo, by the help of Greek Catholic bishops, ordained bishop his vicar Hagop and two other clergymen. They, in their turn, consecrated him patriarch on November 26, 1740. To ratify the patriarchal election, Ardzivian went to Rome, to present himself to Pope Benedict XIV. The meeting of Cardinals on November 26, 1742 ratified Ardzivian's patriarchate and on December 8, the Pope Benedict XIV granted him the Pallium, forming the Armenian Catholic Church.
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Patriarch Abraham Petros I Ardzivian (1737–1749)
Patriarch Hagop Petros II Hovsepian (1749–1753)
Patriarch Michael Petros III Kasparian (1753–1780)
Patriarech Parsegh Petros IV Avkadian (1780–1788)
Patriarch Gregory Petros V Kupelian (1788–1812)
Patriarch Gregory Petros VI Djeranian (1815–1841)
Patriarch Jacob Petros VII Holassian (1841–1843)
Patriarch Gregory Petros VIII Derasdvazadourian (1844–1866), who Consecrated on May 7, 1861
Archbishop Leon Korunian, Armenia Catholic Church Archbishop of the Malatia, who Consecrated on April 23 1878
Archbishop Leon Checkemian, Titular Bishop of Malatia. He then went on to leave the Armenian Catholic Church to become Primus of the United Armenian Catholic Church, who Consecrated on November 2, 1897
Bishop Andrew Charles Albert McLaglen, who Consecrated on June 4, 1922
Archbishop Herbert J. M. Heard (Mar Jacobus II), of the Ancient British Church and the Free ProtestantEpiscopal Church, who Consecrated on June 13, 1943
Patriarch William Bernard Crow (Mar Basilius Abdullah III) Patriarch of Antioch of the Ancient Orthodox Catholic Church, who on April 10, 1944, who consecrated
Archbishop George Dewillmott-Newman, who Consecrated
Archbishop Joannes Maria Vanasslelft-D’Atland, who Consecrated on June 2, 1958 for the Coptic Order
Archbishop Christopher Maria Carl John Stanley, who Consecrated on January 10, 1964
Patriarch Mar Markus I, Patriarch of the Byzantine Orthodox Catholic Church, who consecrated on September 30, 1984
Metropolitan Archbishop William Francis Patrick Malloy, Jr. M.Div. PhD, Primate of the American Independent Old Catholic Church, who consecrated on June 10, 2012
Archbishop Charles Ray Hill Sr, PhD, DD, Archbishop in The Holy Catholic Church International and Presiding Prelate of Ambassadors for Christ Ministries of America, who consecrated on June 20, 2014