Deep within Central Asia, Armenia, bordering Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran, awaits students of history and the religiously inclined. After the 'Holy Land' itself (Israel and Palestine), Armenia contains a number of notable Christian sites from the first century. Unfortunately, the historical and religious significance of this small republic has been lost on recent generations due to decades of repressive Soviet rule and its aftermath. As Armenia continues the slow process of rediscovering its identity (once again), scholars and travelers alike owe a first or a second look at a country that contains the keys to both the past and the future..
Sacred Lands
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Historians and religious scholars still disagree over the when the four Gospels were written. While the proposed publication of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) ranges from 30AD to 80AD, the Gospel of John is generally regarded to have been completed at some point between 60AD -100AD. As it has been established that Christianity was already present in Armenia by 40AD, no chronology of the earliest Christian era and its nascent traditions can be considered complete with its centrifugal movement toward and through Armenian lands.
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Both monographs and textbooks of Western history never fail to focus on the emergence and acceptance of Christianity in the Roman Empire, and a considerable amount of ink has been spilled on the role of Constantine the Great in Christianizing the Empire from more than a few prominent historians. Despite the magnitude of Constantine's epochal decision, Rome was not the first Christian state. One decade prior to any liberalized policy toward Christians in Rome, Armenia was declared a Christian nation by King Tiridates III in 301AD - three and a half decades before Constantine received his baptism. Hence, Rome was indeed secondary by contrast.
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A visit to the oldest house of worship in Armenia will convince any scholar or traveler of its historical importance. At the 'One Holy Universal Apostolic Church', founded by two of Jesus' apostles (Saint Bartholomew and Saint Jude) in the late first century, one can sense the zeal of the missionaries and the scope of their reach in the immediate years after the reputed crucifixion. Unlike some other areas of the world, Christianity never retreated in Armenia. The Armenian faith and desire to fight against would-be conquerors is a compelling statement of tenacity - perhaps second only to that of the Jews.
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After revolting against the religiously oppressive Sassanid Empire in 451AD, the Armenians, driven by Christian faith and sustained by their community, managed to survive the next one and a half millennia either divided by or under the rule of the Mongols, the Ottoman Empire, Safavid Persia and the Russians. Of all the hegemons that tried to wholly subdue Armenia, the Ottoman Turks hold the unfortunate distinction of being the 'Great Power' that turned to ethnic cleansing to maintain control of its recalcitrant Christians.
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When the Armenians began to openly campaign for more religious and political autonomy in 1894, Abdu'l Hamid II ('The Bloody Sultan') unleashed his formidable army and launched a two-year campaign of violence and intimidation resulting in the deaths of 80,000-300,000 Armenians. This proved to be a sinister prelude of what many now call 'The First Holocaust'.
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Restless Souls
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Between 1896 and 1914, the outbreak of World War I, tensions ran high between Yerevan (the Armenian capital) and Constantinople. After a massacre of 15,000 to 20,000 Armenians at the hands of the Turks in 1909, the Ottomans, allied with Germany, took exception to the many Armenians that flocked into service in the Russian army. Viewing the Armenians as traitorous subjects within the realm, orders were given to round up their leadership on 24 April 1915. From that infamous date until well into 1916, between 600,000 - 1.5 million Armenians were murdered by Turkish forces.
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Last week, a US House of Representatives Committee voted 23-22 to label the Turkish atrocities of 1915-16 a 'genocide'. Ankara immediately expressed outrage over the vote and has threatened to withdraw its vital assistance to US forces in Iraq. The question, however, of whether the Ottoman Empire engaged in genocide seems somewhat moot. Even if Ottoman leaders did not order their forces to exterminate the Armenians, it is clear that many Ottoman soldiers undertook a campaign of ethnic cleansing upon themselves at the very least. Hence, Ankara ultimately needs to take responsibility for these crimes. Unless Turkey admits and demonstrates contrition for its unlawful actions, neither Armenia nor Turkey will be able to begin a new era of relations international community. Reconciliation cannot come soon enough. Until this sensitive issue is resolved, Armenia will remain a nation of restless souls.
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The Armenians are still fighting. They are fighting to be recognized as a vital part of world history. They are fighting to find their post-Soviet identity twenty-years on, and they are fighting to have their plight recognized by the world.
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If Armenia is not on your future travel list, it should be. From the collective stamina of Armenia through the centuries, the world must remember that the struggle for hope and justice is never ending.
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(Photo - Mount Ararat as seen from Yerevan - the Armenian capital)
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J Roquen