Russian Confiscation of Armenian Churches

Russian Occupation• In 1828 Eastern Armenia became part of the Russian

Empire (Ռուսական Հայաստան) making the Catholicos in Echmiadzin a subject of the Russian Emperor.

• This presented Russia with the opportunity to influence Armenian communities in Persia and Turkey since the Catholicos claimed spiritual authority the Armenian Church.

• Throughout the nineteenth century the Russian government worked hard to support and build the influence of the Catholicos.

• Even though in 1836 the Armenian Church lost political power, they retained control over the Armenian Schools.

Russian Concern• Russia started to become concerned with the level of

power it was providing the Catholicos and worried that it could work against them.

• They feared that the Catholicos, instead of helping extend Russian influence abroad, had become a conduit of Armenian independence (reinstating the Kingdom of Armenia) from the Ottoman empire into Russia.

• Russia's confrontation with the Armenian church became a battle against Armenian ‘separatism’ that they felt required drastic measures to clear the Armenian clergy of any ‘political’ desires.

Concern to Action• As Aleksandr Dondukov-Korsakov the Russian Viceroy

wrote in 1882: • ‘Thanks to the privileged position in Russia of the Patriarch

of Etchmiadzin and his uncontrolled influence on Armenian educational institutions, the basis for the development of the idea about ‘great Armenia’ is, to a certain degree, being prepared’.

• In order to meet this concern Russia embarked on an attempt, beginning in the 1870s, to move control of Armenian schools from the church to state control.

• They wanted to Russiafy the Armenians and break them of their National desires.

Russiafication• In 1882 the Russian police searched the editorial

offices of the Mshag newspapers• In 1884 it made raids in Yerevan and ended up exiling

a large number of intellectuals• In 1885 Armenian schools were closed down by the

government• Censorship of Armenian newspapers and literature

was intensified.• They also persecuted refugees from Western Armenia

who had taken asylum following the massacres of Sultan Hamid

Մկրտիչ Խրիմեան• In 1892, Mkrtich Khrimian was

elevated to Catholicos.• It was during his tenure that

confrontation between Russia and Echmiadzin reached its climax.

• Khrimian Hayrig followed his predecessors in defying the statute of 1836 that removed political power from the church.

• The Russian interior ministry soon became convinced that Khrimian Hayrig was aspiring to move beyond just religious authority.

ARF Role• During this time the ARF was focused primarily on

western Armenia and its liberation from Ottoman rule

• And though it viewed Russian rule as oppressive, the reality was Armenians enjoyed relative security in major cities such as Tbilisi.

• Many prospered both economically and culturally and thus the ARF limited its action to criticizing Russian rule primarily through writings in its newspaper Droshak

The Last Straw• In 1897, Tsar Nicholas appointed the

Armenophobic Grigory Sergeyevich Golitsin as governor of Transcaucasia.

• He continued to close Armenian schools, cultural associations, newspapers and libraries.

• Despite all efforts to undermine the churches control, Russia was not successful in controlling the church.

• In response, in June, 1903 Tsar Nicholas II decided to take the extreme measure of confiscating the property of the Armenian church

• They believed this would ensure that church funds could not be used to support the revolutionary movement.

Pillage Decree• Golitsin promised the Tsar to make good on

what was known as the pillage decree• This decree jolted the Armenian leadership to

take action.• All Armenians regardless of political affiliation joined

forces to publish calls to action, issue revolutionary credos, and distribute flyers urging armed struggle.

• The Central Committee for Armenian Defense (CCASD) was formed to organize resistance activities

• Rosdom meets with Khrimian Hayrig to have him issue an edict categorically rejecting the Tsars decree.

Resistance• Khrimian Hayrigs edict is followed by a popular

resistant movement based on peaceful public demonstrations.

• The Armenians of Guymri are the first to take action.• During Khrimian Hayrig’s visit to Guymri on July 29,

1903 he is met with a demonstration of Armenian’s who urge him to stay strong.• “Please Hayrig Hayrig don't relinquish the

properties... refuse the Russians, keep protesting. Don't give up we're with you.”

Continued Defiance• Heeding the people's call he issues additional edicts

instructing the church prelates to refuse to surrender the properties.

• When Prince Naghashitse, Deputy Governor of Yerevan, reminds the Catholicos of the Tsars decree, Khrimian Hayrig responds:

• “Though I remain a loyal subject of my king the tsar I state as the Catholicos of the Armenians I can never agree to his decree and I shall never accept it.”

Russian Response• The Armenians continue to protest the action of

Russians with large demonstrations often ending with Armenians being shot upon on and killed by the Russian forces.

• Since no Armenian priest or bishop surrendered the property keys to the Russians honoring Khrimian Hayrigs edict and CCASD's instructions, packs of Russian police started to raid Armenian churches and monasteries

• They broke down doors and smashed money boxes and safes in an effort to force the seizure of Armenian national properties.

• The Armenian’s did not give up.

Russian Reversal• The ARF resolves to punish the most vicious of the

Armenian hating Russian henchmen, Prince Golitsin.

• But the Hnchaks get to him first but fail to kill him but instead severely wound him causing him to lose his post.

• By early 1905 the response of the Armenians forced the government to appoint the Vorontsov-Dashkov to a re-established vice-royalty of the Caucasus in February,

• One of his first acts was to terminate the confiscation as a way of neutralizing the resistance and returned the properties back to the Armenians.

Conclusion• Met with the determined and unified resistance of the

Armenian people under the guidance of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the confiscation turned out to be a complete disaster.

• This was a great victory realized by the grass root efforts of the people and reinforced the age old adage that has guided the Armenians then and even today:

”Only fighting for what you believe in can secure your rights as a people.”