Enthronement Anniversary of Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians Date in the current year: October 27, 2024

The Armenian Apostolic Church is one of the most ancient Christian churches. According to tradition, Christianity was brought to Armenia by the apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew in the 1st century. Although Armenian Christians were initially persecuted, Armenia became the first country to adopt Christianity as an official religion in the early 4th century.

The spiritual leader and the chief bishop of the Armenian Apostolic Church is the Catholicos of All Armenians. When Armenia adopted Christianity as its state religion, Saint Gregory the Illuminator became the first Catholicos. He founded the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in Vagharshapat that serves as the seat of the Catholicos and the headquarters of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The Catholicos of All Armenians is elected by the National Ecclesiastical Assembly that consists of clergy and representatives of parish communities (300 to 400 people altogether). First, the Assembly holds a secret vote to select five bishops who are worthy of the title, and then one of them is elected as the next Catholicos.

The incumbent Catholicos of All Armenians is Karekin II (born Ktrij Nersessian). He was elected and enthroned on October 27, 1999, following the death of his predecessor Karekin I. Karekin II became the first Catholicos born in Armenia since Nerses V, who served from 1843 to 1857.