Divine Christian drama over a pagan bust
Studying Armenian history in school often meant highlighting the significance of the bronze statue of the pre-Christian goddess Anahit, proudly housed in the British Museum. Seeing the Armenian goddess of fertility displayed in the museum has inspired many Armenians to pay her a visit while in London.---However, when the news broke about the plan for the statue to be temporarily shipped and displayed in the History Museum of Armenia in September, unexpectedly, the reaction of many was far from celebratory. Instead of a red carpet welcome, what the bust has received is a modern-day ”Avarayr” – in other words, Armenia’s pivotal historic battle to preserve its Christian faith.---Some opposed the exhibition, viewing the display of the goddess as conflicting with Christian traditions, and some even speculated conspiracy theories connecting the exhibition's opening on the country's independence day to an ”evil ritual” planned to make Armenia lose its independence. Ironically, some of the users were reminded that the Armenian museum already exhibits various pre-Christian idols and artifacts without any controversy.
Armenians often take pride in being the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion in 301 AD. This historic legacy has become a significant part of the nation’s identity and is constantly being brought up in public discourse. Yet, the negative reactions over the bust are bizarre, given the number of pagan holidays and traditions seamlessly integrated into the Christian festivities. The pagan Garni temple, one of Armenia’s most prominent sights, also hosts many tourists and musical events, which stands as a testament to this pagan past.---However, there have been several occasions when the same radical Christian groups successfully halted cultural events. In 2022, the performance of the Russian mainstream rapper Morgenshtern was cancelled due to perceived ”satanic” themes in his songs. A few rock concerts and techno events have faced criticism for similar reasons, often initiated or backed by the clergy.