When Arman Mkhitaryan was three, his parents baptized him in the Armenian Apostolic Church. Ten years ago, however, when Arman was 27, he decided to convert to an ancient Armenian pre-Christian faith, Hetanism.

When he joined the pagan faith, Arman became part of a very small minority in Armenia. The 2011 census found that 92.6 percent of the population follows the Armenian Apostolic Church, which is the national religion. There are just under 5,500 pagans in Armenia (734 of them are ethnic Armenians), according to the census. 

While human rights activists say there are few signs that pagans are actively discriminated against, there are myriad misconceptions about the faith that cause controversy at times—and, much to the chagrin of active pagans, the government has refused to  recognize ancient holidays. 

Armenia converted to Christianity in 301 AD. Pagan faiths go back much further, although modern-day believers trace the revival of Hetanism to Garegin Nzhdeh, an Armenian military and political figure, who started the “ethno-religious covenants”movement before his death in 1955. 

"There have always been pagans… The religion is based on the worldview of our grandfathers and ancestors," Gagik Hayrapetyan, a pagan priest said, adding that Hetanism was officially registered as a religion in Armenia in 1991. 

Arman said he was drawn to Hetanism after struggling to find meaning in the Christian faith. 

“Many times I tried to read the Bible as a guide to the religion, but I never found what I was looking for. When I learned about our mythology, I became very interested,” he said. 

“We always say that we are an ancient nation, we have a great history. But when you read the book of faith of your nation, the Holy Bible, and you do not find yourself anywhere, you naturally think you are ignored in this book, or something is not right, but in your myths, in the mythical world, you are the one, you feel that with your entire being," he said.

When he was 27, he officially became a pagan through a traditional ritual at the Temple of Garni, just outside the capital Yerevan. The temple was built in the first century AD in honor of the Armenian sun god, Areg-Mihr. 

Today the faithful travel to Garni for celebrations and rituals dedicated to other ancient gods, as well, since their temples were completely destroyed after the conversion to Christianity, Gagik noted. 

Ancient Armenians prayed to several gods: Anahit, the mother; Ara, the creator; Astghik, the god of beauty and love; Vahagn, the god of war, and many others. “We believe that we were created from fire, the Armenians are fiery, that's why we glorify and dedicate gifts to our gods, and do not beg favors from foreign [gods]," Gagik said.

 "They are cosmic powers, each of which we named…We consider them to be myths today, but they are real, they just got more beautiful over time, like fairy tales, and at this distance it is a little hard to believe in them.”

The faithful travel to Garni for celebrations and rituals dedicated to other ancient gods.

Today Arman works as a guide and often takes groups to churches as part of his tours. He says that presenting Armenia to tourists as the first Christian nation does not contradict his faith.

Only in Khor Virap Monastery, where Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned for 13 years, before he was released and spread Christianity in Armenia, does Arman speak about the impact of Christianity on Armenia’s ancient faith.

"I say that he was not an Armenian, he was the son of murderer Anag, whose dynasty was wiped out by the Armenian king. Gregory was the only survivor who settled in Armenia. I present this story and ask, did he come to spread Christianity or to take revenge on the whole Armenian nation? Because I am not sure if any other nation accepted Christianity through the cruel methods used in Armenia,” he said. 

“Today we see Greek temples standing, but no trace of us is left, except for the miraculously saved Garni Temple and a few small relics of our rich history," he said.

Arman said he has never tried to hide his faith although he used to fear how others would treat him when they found out he followed Hetanism. 

But overall, he has never faced any problems. 

Nina Karapetyants, a human rights activist with the Helsinki Association, said that public opinion about religious minorities has improved over the past decade. 

“If we are to compare in 10-20 years, the positive change is very obvious,” she said. “In the past, one could often learn about persecution and attacks on various religious organizations. Today, the meetings and discussions with the representatives of those structures show that the situation has improved. Of course, this is not perfect, and we would like to see it improve, but nevertheless, the positive shift is great.”

While there have been some incidents against pagans in the past, they are rare, according to  Vahe Lorentz, a historian and a pagan.

“If we are to compare in 10-20 years, the positive change is very obvious,” she said.

For instance, there was a public uproar after an artist, who considers himself a pagan, made a video of himself performing a ritual with a group of people in Zorats Stones, an ancient site. In the video there was a naked woman and blood. None of it had anything to do with real pagan rituals, Gagik said.

"We do not make sacrifices, we do not eat people and what was done at Zorats Stones does not concern us. It may be the foolish ideas of some artist, painter. I have heard about it, and it is unpleasant for me too," he said. 

Vahe recalled another wave of fury against the pagans, when an incomprehensible piece of graffiti appeared on Garni Temple, which later turned out to have been written by a Russian drunk tourist. "There were calls that the temple was a devils’ lair, that the lair of those pagans should be buried,” he said. 

Arman said that most of the time, when people insult pagans, it is due to “confusion.” 

Vahe noted that while he has never felt any public condemnation for his faith, politicians have never shown it the respect they give other religions.  Armenian leaders congratulate other faiths on their holidays but never congratulate pagans on Navasard, the old New Year, or other holidays.

“If they congratulate Vardavar as a church holiday, why do they ignore the tens of thousands of people who celebrate it as a celebration of love? In this case, there is contempt,” Vahe said, adding there is also an element of ignorance: Armenians do know much about their own ancient faith. 

“Whoever does not belong to your group, who does not think like you, do you consider him an enemy? In other words, a pagan Armenian who professes Armenian values and worships the Armenian gods is not an Armenian, and a Christian Armenian who worships a foreign God is an Armenian? This is a real tragedy that stems from ignorance.”