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ARMENIAN EVANGELICAL COMMUNITY IN BULGARIA
Vahram Hovyan
http://www.noravank.am/eng/issues/detail.php?ELEMENT_ID=4961
26.07.2010
Background Taking into consideration that according to some viewpoints
the Protestantism is the successor of Pavlikian and Tondrakian
movements which were wide spread in Armenia in the Middle Ages and
the followers of those movements were forcibly deported to Bulgaria
in 8-9th centuries, one may say that Protestant Armenians settled
in Bulgaria back in the Middle Ages. The teaching of Pavlikians had
a great influence on the Bogomilian sect in Bulgaria which later on
influenced Protestantism.
The Pavlikians and Tondrakians which migrated to Bulgaria established
prosperous communities most of which - Pavlikeni, Gorno Pavlikeni,
Dolno Pavlikeni, Kalinik, Armenokhor, Armenitsa, Ermenli, Ermenska
and others - had existed for a long time and even till our days.
In the 19th century in the Ottoman Empire which included Bulgaria
as well, the activity of the Protestant missionaries was spread
on a large-scale and that process brought to the formation of the
Protestant communities. The Protestant community was formed in
Bulgaria in 1857. As for the Armenians, in 1846 the first Armenian
Evangelical community was formed in Istanbul which gradually extended
its influence on Armenians living in the other regions of the Ottoman
Empire, including Bulgaria. The expansion of the Armenian Evangelical
community in Bulgaria was boosted by the continual migration of
the Armenians from other regions of the Ottoman Empire to Bulgaria
(including Evangelicals).
The liberation of Bulgaria after the Russian-Turkish war in 1877-1878
created favourable conditions for the migration of the Armenians
to that country. Large groups of the Armenian emigrants appeared in
Bulgaria after the 1904-1906 Armenian massacres, Armenian Genocide
perpetrated during the World War I and the 1919-1922 Armenian-Turkish
war. As a result the number of the Protestant Armenians grew alongside
with the overall number of the Armenians in Bulgaria.
The establishment of the communist regime in Bulgaria in 1944 had
a serious impact on the Armenian Evangelical community as well. The
policy of atheism carried out on the state level, immigration, the
assimilation policy of the Bulgarian authorities had seriously affected
the Armenian Evangelical church as a spiritual structure. The collapse
of the Soviet system put an end to the policy of pressure carried out
by the state but some problems which come from the past still preserve.
Organizational structures Today there are 8 organizational structures
in the Armenian Evangelical community of Bulgaria which is rather
good indicator, taking into consideration the small specific weight
of the Armenian Evangelicals in both Bulgarian society and Armenian
community in Bulgaria.
The organizational structures of the Armenian Evangelical community
are spread over the regions of the country populated by the Armenians.
According to the data of the National Statistic Institute of
that country (2001) - the first 6 places mostly populated by the
Armenians are Plovdiv (3140 Armenians), Varna (2240), capital Sofia
(1672), Burgas (904), Ruse (886) and Shumen (357). The organizational
structures of the Armenian Evangelical community are situated just
in those centers - in Varna and Sofia (2), as well as in Plovdiv,
Burgas, Ruse and Shumen (1). Based on such a picture one may assume
that Armenian Evangelicals are concentrated in Varna, Sofia, Plovdiv,
Burgas, Ruse and Shumen.
Unlike the Evangelical Armenian communities in the Near East the
organizational structures of the Evangelical Armenian community in
Bulgaria do not vary in their type. They fell into two groups:
Churches, the number of which is five. They are situated in Varna,
Plovdiv, Sofia, Burgas and Ruse (one in each city).
Evangelical fellowships, the number of which is three. They are
situated in Varna, Sofia and Shumen (one in each city).
Thus, 5 of 8 organizational structures of the Armenian Evangelical
community in Bulgaria are churches and three are the Evangelical
fellowships. Varna and Sofia are distinguished among the Armenian
Evangelical communities by the fact that they have both church and
Evangelical fellowship. In other communities in Plovdiv, Burgas and
Ruse only churches work, and in Shumen there is only Evangelical
fellowship. Armenian Evangelical church and fellowship in Varna are
headed by the same person - Brother Nerses Ketikian.
>>From the point of view of the type variety the scarcity of the
organizational structures of the Evangelical Armenian community in
Bulgaria, the absence of educational, social and other organizations
can be explained by the following reasons:
1. The clear differentiation between spiritual and secular spheres in
Europe. Unlike Evangelical Armenian communities in the Near East where
educational, social and other spheres are also under the jurisdiction
of religious communities, in Europe they are in the secular sphere
and are directed by the authorities or communal structures.
2. The heritage of the communist past. Under the atheist policy of the
communist period the spheres of activity of religious authorities were
restricted, the church was persecuted. It is possible that Armenian
Evangelical Church has not fully recovered from persecutions and
restrictions of the communist past.
3. The privileged position of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church as
compared to other churches. As a result of the state policy carried
out in the sphere of the religion other churches in Bulgaria do not
have the privileges the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has.
Inter-confessional relations The Armenian Evangelical community in
Bulgaria is a part of the local Armeniancy. This is proved by:
The residence of the Evangelical Armenians in the places in Bulgaria
populated by the Armenians. Apostolic Armenians and Evangelical
Armenians live and work together in the places of residence of the
Armenians in Bulgaria - Plovdiv, Varna, Sofia and etc. Armenian
Evangelical church works by the Armenian Apostolic churches.
Involvement of the representatives of different confessional
communities in nationwide and communal structures. Due to the fact
that the Bulgarian branches of the nationwide organizations (Armenian
General Benevolent Union, Armenian General Athletic Union, Armenian
Relief Society and etc), as well as local communal organizations -
schools, cultural and youth unions - are of secular character, one
may state that Armenians are involved in their activity despite their
confessional belonging. One may also state, at least theoretically,
that confessional differences should not be of great importance
for them.
Today there is no such a reason for conflict which may cause a
confrontation between Apostolic Armenians and Evangelical Armenians.
The atheist atmosphere of the communist era as well as secularism
dominating in Europe, which annihilated the barriers between
confessional strata of the Armeniancy, promoted easing of the
differentiation between them.
And the following factors underlie the national consolidation of the
Armenians in Bulgaria (despite their confessional differences):
National identity or the sense of being Armenian. In spite of
their confessional peculiarities Evangelical Armenians always and
everywhere had high national consciousness and considered themselves
an inseparable part of the Armeniancy.
Necessity to consolidate the scares resources of the Armenian community
in order to resist existing challenges (assimilation, immigration and
etc). According to the representatives of the Armenian community in
Bulgaria, the Armenian community is so small that it cannot afford
the luxury of breaking up. Just the opposite, it is necessary to
unite the existing scares resources.
From: A. Papazian
Vahram Hovyan
http://www.noravank.am/eng/issues/detail.php?ELEMENT_ID=4961
26.07.2010
Background Taking into consideration that according to some viewpoints
the Protestantism is the successor of Pavlikian and Tondrakian
movements which were wide spread in Armenia in the Middle Ages and
the followers of those movements were forcibly deported to Bulgaria
in 8-9th centuries, one may say that Protestant Armenians settled
in Bulgaria back in the Middle Ages. The teaching of Pavlikians had
a great influence on the Bogomilian sect in Bulgaria which later on
influenced Protestantism.
The Pavlikians and Tondrakians which migrated to Bulgaria established
prosperous communities most of which - Pavlikeni, Gorno Pavlikeni,
Dolno Pavlikeni, Kalinik, Armenokhor, Armenitsa, Ermenli, Ermenska
and others - had existed for a long time and even till our days.
In the 19th century in the Ottoman Empire which included Bulgaria
as well, the activity of the Protestant missionaries was spread
on a large-scale and that process brought to the formation of the
Protestant communities. The Protestant community was formed in
Bulgaria in 1857. As for the Armenians, in 1846 the first Armenian
Evangelical community was formed in Istanbul which gradually extended
its influence on Armenians living in the other regions of the Ottoman
Empire, including Bulgaria. The expansion of the Armenian Evangelical
community in Bulgaria was boosted by the continual migration of
the Armenians from other regions of the Ottoman Empire to Bulgaria
(including Evangelicals).
The liberation of Bulgaria after the Russian-Turkish war in 1877-1878
created favourable conditions for the migration of the Armenians
to that country. Large groups of the Armenian emigrants appeared in
Bulgaria after the 1904-1906 Armenian massacres, Armenian Genocide
perpetrated during the World War I and the 1919-1922 Armenian-Turkish
war. As a result the number of the Protestant Armenians grew alongside
with the overall number of the Armenians in Bulgaria.
The establishment of the communist regime in Bulgaria in 1944 had
a serious impact on the Armenian Evangelical community as well. The
policy of atheism carried out on the state level, immigration, the
assimilation policy of the Bulgarian authorities had seriously affected
the Armenian Evangelical church as a spiritual structure. The collapse
of the Soviet system put an end to the policy of pressure carried out
by the state but some problems which come from the past still preserve.
Organizational structures Today there are 8 organizational structures
in the Armenian Evangelical community of Bulgaria which is rather
good indicator, taking into consideration the small specific weight
of the Armenian Evangelicals in both Bulgarian society and Armenian
community in Bulgaria.
The organizational structures of the Armenian Evangelical community
are spread over the regions of the country populated by the Armenians.
According to the data of the National Statistic Institute of
that country (2001) - the first 6 places mostly populated by the
Armenians are Plovdiv (3140 Armenians), Varna (2240), capital Sofia
(1672), Burgas (904), Ruse (886) and Shumen (357). The organizational
structures of the Armenian Evangelical community are situated just
in those centers - in Varna and Sofia (2), as well as in Plovdiv,
Burgas, Ruse and Shumen (1). Based on such a picture one may assume
that Armenian Evangelicals are concentrated in Varna, Sofia, Plovdiv,
Burgas, Ruse and Shumen.
Unlike the Evangelical Armenian communities in the Near East the
organizational structures of the Evangelical Armenian community in
Bulgaria do not vary in their type. They fell into two groups:
Churches, the number of which is five. They are situated in Varna,
Plovdiv, Sofia, Burgas and Ruse (one in each city).
Evangelical fellowships, the number of which is three. They are
situated in Varna, Sofia and Shumen (one in each city).
Thus, 5 of 8 organizational structures of the Armenian Evangelical
community in Bulgaria are churches and three are the Evangelical
fellowships. Varna and Sofia are distinguished among the Armenian
Evangelical communities by the fact that they have both church and
Evangelical fellowship. In other communities in Plovdiv, Burgas and
Ruse only churches work, and in Shumen there is only Evangelical
fellowship. Armenian Evangelical church and fellowship in Varna are
headed by the same person - Brother Nerses Ketikian.
>>From the point of view of the type variety the scarcity of the
organizational structures of the Evangelical Armenian community in
Bulgaria, the absence of educational, social and other organizations
can be explained by the following reasons:
1. The clear differentiation between spiritual and secular spheres in
Europe. Unlike Evangelical Armenian communities in the Near East where
educational, social and other spheres are also under the jurisdiction
of religious communities, in Europe they are in the secular sphere
and are directed by the authorities or communal structures.
2. The heritage of the communist past. Under the atheist policy of the
communist period the spheres of activity of religious authorities were
restricted, the church was persecuted. It is possible that Armenian
Evangelical Church has not fully recovered from persecutions and
restrictions of the communist past.
3. The privileged position of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church as
compared to other churches. As a result of the state policy carried
out in the sphere of the religion other churches in Bulgaria do not
have the privileges the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has.
Inter-confessional relations The Armenian Evangelical community in
Bulgaria is a part of the local Armeniancy. This is proved by:
The residence of the Evangelical Armenians in the places in Bulgaria
populated by the Armenians. Apostolic Armenians and Evangelical
Armenians live and work together in the places of residence of the
Armenians in Bulgaria - Plovdiv, Varna, Sofia and etc. Armenian
Evangelical church works by the Armenian Apostolic churches.
Involvement of the representatives of different confessional
communities in nationwide and communal structures. Due to the fact
that the Bulgarian branches of the nationwide organizations (Armenian
General Benevolent Union, Armenian General Athletic Union, Armenian
Relief Society and etc), as well as local communal organizations -
schools, cultural and youth unions - are of secular character, one
may state that Armenians are involved in their activity despite their
confessional belonging. One may also state, at least theoretically,
that confessional differences should not be of great importance
for them.
Today there is no such a reason for conflict which may cause a
confrontation between Apostolic Armenians and Evangelical Armenians.
The atheist atmosphere of the communist era as well as secularism
dominating in Europe, which annihilated the barriers between
confessional strata of the Armeniancy, promoted easing of the
differentiation between them.
And the following factors underlie the national consolidation of the
Armenians in Bulgaria (despite their confessional differences):
National identity or the sense of being Armenian. In spite of
their confessional peculiarities Evangelical Armenians always and
everywhere had high national consciousness and considered themselves
an inseparable part of the Armeniancy.
Necessity to consolidate the scares resources of the Armenian community
in order to resist existing challenges (assimilation, immigration and
etc). According to the representatives of the Armenian community in
Bulgaria, the Armenian community is so small that it cannot afford
the luxury of breaking up. Just the opposite, it is necessary to
unite the existing scares resources.
From: A. Papazian