Pray for Armenia

It was on Armenian soil that the first Christian nation was founded more than 1,700 years ago. The Church has long been central to Armenian identity, shaping the nation’s history and culture for centuries. Despite technically being in Turkey, the snow-covered Mount Ararat is a national symbol for the country and has been said to be the mountain that the Ark rested on. Known for hospitality and strong community, Armenians have preserved traditions of storytelling, stone carving, weaving, and folk music amid the mountains and volcanic valleys of western Asia. Since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Armenia has become a regional leader in technology. Its government has steadily worked to improve schools and healthcare for its people.

In 1988, war broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan over a mountainous region along their border. Decades of this conflict have left deep scars, claiming around 40,000 lives and displacing nearly a million people. In 2023, tensions escalated when Azerbaijan took full control of the region, forcing more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians living there to flee into Armenia. The influx of refugees has created urgent demands for housing, jobs, social services, and trauma care. As peace talks continue, Armenia’s economy has mostly recovered. This nation also has strained relations with Türkiye over the deaths of more than 1 million Armenians during World War I, which Türkiye does not recognize as genocide.

Approximately 92–95 percent of Armenians belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church, one of the world’s oldest Christian churches. Although the majority identify as Christian, only 14 percent of Armenians attend Church on a weekly basis, and many lack personal faith in Jesus. Armenia enjoys high levels of religious freedom, opening doors for its growing evangelical movement, which accounts for 2–3 percent of the population. Evangelical believers are planting churches, distributing Bibles, and discipling the next generation. They are heavily involved in outreach, demonstrating Christ’s love by providing shelter, counseling, and practical support for displaced families and other vulnerable groups.