Information of Echmiadzin Synod

Azerbaijan SSR. The News of ANAS.

History, philosophy and rights series in 1989 N2

Information of Echmiadzin Synod Prosecutor A. Frenkel, submitted in 1907 to the Most Holy Synod.

After liquiditation of Echmiadzin patriarchate in 1826 and Albanian patriarch throne in 1836, the Most Holy Synod  established several consistories in Transcaucasus.

1. Frenkel who was appointed by the Most Holy Synod as Echmiadzin Synod prosecutor, in 1907 submitted to the Most Holy Synod for handing over to the Russian Emperor rather curious document characterizing Gregorian church condition in the early 20 th century.

A.Frenkel, Echmiadzin Synod Prosecutor

Historical Great Armenia which adopted Christianity in IV c., in V century already  lost any political independence and was simultaneously reigned by Persians (Zoroastr tenet), Byzanty, Arabians, Saljug Turks and other conquerors.

Different provinces of former Armenia separated under rule of winners developed and built their special and church relations dependantly on conditions and state order of their rulers, gradually  loosing links between each other; by force of such circumstances every province going on to uphold purity and inviolability of  Armenian Gregorianism tenets, became extremely denationalized in language, laws and traditions.

Not to mention Turkish, Egyptians, Persian and Indian Armenians-if to take our Transcaucasus alone we’ll note rather interesting fact: Tiflis Armenians (Georgian influence), Akulis, Yelisavetpole and Karabag Armenians (Persian influence) and Akhalkalak Armenians (Turkish influence) almost don’t understand each other and marriages between them take place rarely.

Historical fortunes of Armenian people proved with undeniable exactness absolute unability  of the people to set up independent state, state organism, proved their absolute unability to comprehend true fundamentals of high civilization, because through several millenia history hadn’t written down any name among leading lightsin science and art . Old Great Armenia didn’t leave after itself any code of national laws except collection of Laws by monk-scholar Mkhitar Gosh, being piteful compilation of Moisey laws, Byzantine and some Armenian folk traditions.

This fact nowise can be related to unfavourable domestic and political conditions,

contrary example of which are Jews who gave to the world  outstanding painter-thinkers. If to read the best Armenian historians, classical and contemporary ones, you become surprised with those gloomy views to Armenian reality, which environed prominent thinkers of the people. Aim-seeking intrigues, perjuries, venality, servility seem to be basic national traits of the tribe. Due to such qualities Armenian people were always close to assimilation with dominant nation, and ‘national-religious problem’ which was popular several years ago, has acquired its true importance enough lately, and before this Armenians always paved up auspicious ground for renegatism, since honours and personal material incentives were connected with the fact.

Unfortunately, when appeared idea of Emperor Nikolay the First about division of ‘big man’, Armenians immediately assumed high significance and absolute unjustified hopes pinned on. Our envoys in Ottoman empire and together with them Foreign Ministry suggested to the Government idea about extreme importance policy in the East, and ,by the way, such support could be rendered, providing: 1) if to the catholicos rank there is promoted candidate being devoted to interests of Russia; 2) if such candidate is able to subordinate in moral terms Turkish Armenians. This fully erronious idea generated a number of compromises, indulgences from our government,  which were pretext for the future solicitations of Armenian   catholicoses about granting exclusive status to their congregation regulated by law of 1836 and still more sanctioned by the present Caucasian authorities. Taking into account potential advantages from promoting quazi-governmental candidate to catholicos, didn’t understand that had deal with cunning Asians who were rottened by slovery and only slightly touched with civilization, not to mention that no real advantages should have been expected from Armenians contempted and hated by the whole Christian and Moslem East. This ground paved up by us ourselves, long-year practice of unpunished opposition to the government-created among Armenian people very opportune field of action for anti-governmental communities of the local and foreign origin of every type.

Until XVIII century when began onward movement of Russia to the Near Moslem East, most Armenians separated between Turkey and Persia nowise had been reacting against Moslem dominion, because Armenians lived not worse than other subjects to Sultan and Shah. Armenians quickly penetrated governmental and financial spheres of their conquerors, having appropriated  almost completely trade and credit.

Moslem rulers acknowledged sovereignty of Armenian catholicoses in the church administration, and Armenia history knows many patriarchs who collected from their congregation big sums through Turkish zaptis and Persian farrashes. It should be considered that such specific order even flattered national Armenian pride, because in the person of mosterful catholicos  there was created illusion of people head.

Neither Turks, nor Persians interfered Armenian Traditional law and order of self-administration by small elective district councils.

The first one third of XIX century being notable for national self-consciousness rousing among minor people couldn’t pass by tracelessly for Armenians, all the more that after a number of Russia’s successful wars against Turkey and Persia, which ended in seizing several provinces with Armenians couldn’t help to pin hopes on complete liberating from Moslem yoke.

National self – consciousness feeling which aroused among Armenians, took direction being similiar to all people enslaved by foreigners. Patriots and public figures, first of all, paid attention to restoring and founding literature, national pride through bringing up youth on examples (even if apocryphal) of ancestors’ valour etc. Later, surely, active struggle against Government, in this case Turkish one was to be included to program, because that time Armenians regarded Russia for saviour.

In this view all secret and legal Armenian national-religious societies of the past century can be divided on two below groups:1) Armenian communities in Russia with respect to Armenians of Russian citizenship had purely religious-enlightenment character. All their aspirations were aimed on founding literary-colloquial, common to all Armenians language which hadn’t existed before, setting up national schools for Armenian people, and raising prestige of catholicos as head of people, elected by the whole nation. Being safe in Russia, these communities were closely linked with such organizations in Turkish Armenia, making for realization of revolutionary actions against Turkish government; 2) Armenian communities in Turkey had obviously revolutionary character. They were interested with active struggle against Turkish government rather than perspective results of enlightening activity, especially when Armenians ensured virtual support  of European revolutionary bodies in London, Lozanne, Geneve, and first of all, new Turks. We have grounds to tell that our government through 1830-1880-ies at least had been ignoring (and maybe considering profitable) close inter connection of Armenian organizations in Russia and Turkey. From Russia to Turkey there were conveyed without any obstacle arms, ammunitions and rendered extensive help by money and Armenian volunteers.

Political refugees-Armenians found reliable asylum in our boundary provinces and presently in Caucasus concentrated more than 50 thous. Of such refugees. Half criminals in Eastern Caucasus are Turkish Armenians. Indifference to solidarity of Russian and Turkish Armenian organizations resulted in other dangerous phenomena. During 70years 3-4 generations of opposing government (even if Turkish one), obtaining political perception, trained to idea of potentiality and legality of struggle against government. After closing of Armenian schools in Caucasus, most Armenian youngsters left for Switzerland and Germany, whence returned as ready socialists. Sosializm propaganda was fruitable among Armenian urban residents, because Armenian-town inhabitant hasn’t homeland of which he would be proud, but only bitter consciousness of the fact that his  people has been slave and paraside being hated by everyone through already 1300 years. Under such historical legacy and national baggage transition to Internationalism, to  propagating connection of Proletarians from all countries looks very easy. There appeared pretext for Armenian revolutionaries. In 1880-1890ies there had been paid attention to harmful character of studying at Armenian schools, noted obvious connection between Echmiadzin parriarch and foreign, as well as local revolutionary organizations, revealed shortages in administration over church and cloister Armenian territories.

In view of general character of policy conducted by Caucasian authorities in that period, these circumstances evoked appearance of certain decrees about Armenian schools, depriving the Patriarch right to personally undertake matters about nuptials, language, oath, church possessions confiscation etc. It was sufficient for rousing Armenian people masses against Russian government. Armenian revolutionary forces by this period had been already enough trained both morally and materially. In leaflets ‘Turkey” word was changed to “Russia”. And just like several years before Armenian subjects of  Russia conveyed arms and volunteers to Turkey,  so now Turkish Armenians “Fidan” began passing Russian frontier. Presently all Armenian political groups: !) nationalists (old Dashnaktsakans). Their key aim is retaining Armenian tribe, language, religion, potentiality to implement cultural-tribal tasks under the aegis of mighty government; 2) new Dashnaktsakans –all leftist Armenian fractions, from Social democrats to anarchists. They are true masters of situation in Echmiadzin  patriarchate.

Conclusions from this shot note are the below ones: !) Armenian people in their mass are absolutely unrevolutionary and confine themselves to minimum economic demands; 2) Armenian people   and Armenian public opinion are influenced by a small group of impudent revolutionaries who seized the press, Echmiadzin patriarchate and representation  in Duma; 3) servility with respect to the patriarch, compromising government, results in extreme harm.

Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences

History Institute named after Bakikhanov A.A.