March 23, 332 • Gregory the Illuminator & the First Christian State.

rmenia was the first nation in the world to establish Christianity as its official religion. We have Gregory the Illuminator to thank for that.

Gregory wasn't the first to bring the gospel to Armenia, a land that now lies in eastern Turkey. According to Armenia's long-held tradition, the apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus brought the truth to them shortly after Christ's death and resurrection. They were called "illuminators" that is, givers of light. Both apostles are believed to have been martyred there. Churches still survived in Armenia when Gregory was born around 257; however, the Persians had all but extinguished Christianity.

Gregory's father assassinated the king of Armenia. In retaliation, his entire family was killed, except the infant Gregory and another child. A nurse took Gregory to Caesarea in Cappadocia where he was brought up in the knowledge of Christ. When King Tiridates recovered the throne of his forefathers, Gregory returned to Armenia and preached the gospel.

The king persecuted Gregory, but Gregory's faithfulness won many converts. Eventually King Tiridates (Drtad) himself became a Christian. He declared Armenia a Christian state. Thousands of nobles converted to the virile new faith. Armenia's old religions disappeared, leaving few traces that they had ever existed. Some pagan temples became Christian churches.

Wisely, Gregory preached in the national tongue. Consequently, Armenia developed a strongly nationalistic church. It was one of the first to possess a translation of the Bible in its native language. This was as well. Lying between warring Rome and Persia, the Armenian church needed a strong national identity to survive. Survive it did, into the twentieth century when the Turks butchered or exiled over a million Christians.

During a visit to Caesarea, Gregory was ordained bishop of Armenia. He returned to his homeland to appoint other bishops.

He had the joy of seeing his son step into his shoes before he died, which is thought to have happened on this day, March 23, 332. After he was buried at Thortan, a monastery was constructed near his grave. Armenians hold him in the highest regard.

Bibliography:

1. Bournoutian, George A. A Concise History of the Armenian People; from ancient times to the present. Costa Mesa, California: Mazda Publishers, 2002.
2. Fortescue, Adrian. "Gregory the Illuminator." The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton, 1914.
3. "Gregory the Illuminator, St." The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. Edited by F. L. Cross and E. A. Livingstone. Oxford, 1997.
4. "St. Gregory the Illuminator." The Armenian Church. http://www.armenianchurch.org/church/gregory.html.
5. Rohrbach, Paul. Armenmien. Englehorn, 1919. Source of the image.
6. Toynbee, Arnold J. Arminian Atrocities; the murder of a nation. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1915.
7. Various encyclopedia and internet articles and church histories.