Religious structure of Armenians

6/12/2011

YEREVAN. – A scientific conference entitled “Religious structure of Armenians: challenges and opportunities” will take place in Yerevan on Friday and Saturday.

Armenia’s Ministry of Diaspora, Hixox foundation and Noravank foundation organize the event.

Special attention will be paid to the preservation of national identity by different Armenian religious sectors to interfaith harmony.

Due to historic events in the 19th century, the Armenian Catholic Church and the Armenian Evangelistic Church were created. During genocide many Armenians accepted or were forced to accept Islam. Currently there are besides Apostolic Armenians also Catholic, Evangelistic, and Islamized Armenians.

The following is the religious structure of the Armenians throughout the world:

• Catholic Armenians – around 500 thousand (Armenia, North and South Americas, Australia, Europe, CIS countries and Near East)

• Evangelistic Armenians – 180 thousand (Armenia, North and South Americas, Australia, Europe, CIS countries and Near East)

• Islamized Armenians – around 1.5 million according to different statistics (Turkey, Arab countries, Russia, Europe).

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