Saint Gregory the Illuminator
| Saint Gregory the Illuminator | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Patriarch of Armenian Church | |
| Born | c. 257 Kingdom of Armenia |
| Died | c. 331 Kingdom of Armenia |
| Venerated in |
Armenian Apostolic Church and throughout Oriental Orthodoxy Roman Catholic Church, especially Eastern Catholic Churches Eastern Orthodox Church Anglican Communion |
| Feast | Armenian Christian June 9; Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic, September 30 |
| Patronage | Armenia |
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St. Gregory Patriarch of Armenia (Catholicos of All Armenians) |
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|---|---|
| Church | Armenian Apostolic Church |
| Installed | 302 |
| Term ended | 325 |
| Predecessor | St. Merozanes |
| Successor | St. Aristaces I |
| Personal details | |
| Nationality | Armenian |
| Denomination | Christianity |
Saint Gregory the Illuminator (classical Armenian: Գրիգոր Լուսաւորիչ, reformed: Գրիգոր Լուսավորիչ; Grigor Lusavorich) (c. 257 – c. 331) is the patron saint and first official head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. He was a religious leader who is credited with converting Armenia from paganism to Christianity in 301. Armenia thus became the first nation to adopt Christianity as its official religion.
Gregory was the son of the Armenian Parthian noblesAnak the Parthian and Okohe. His father Anak, was a Prince said to be related to the Arsacid Kings of Armenia or was from the House of Suren, one of the seven branches of the ruling Arsacid dynasty of Sakastan. Anak was charged with assassinating Khosrov II, one of the kings of the Arsacid dynasty and was put to death. Gregory narrowly escaped execution with the help of Sopia and Yevtagh, his caretakers. He was taken to Caesarea in Cappadocia where Sopia and Yevtagh hoped to raise him. Gregory was given to the Christian Holy Father Phirmilianos (Euthalius) to be educated and was brought up as a devout Christian.
Upon coming of age, Gregory married a woman called Miriam, a devout Christian who was the daughter of a Christian Armenian Prince in Cappadocia. From their union, Miriam bore Gregory two children, their sons Vrtanes and Aristaces. Through Vrtanes, Gregory and Miriam would have further descendants and when Gregory died, Aristaces succeeded him. At some point Miriam and Gregory separated in order that Gregory might take up a monastic life. Gregory left Cappadocia and went to Armenia in the hope of atoning for his father's crime by evangelizing his homeland.
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