Today is March 23rd, the feast of St. Gregory the Illuminator, called the Apostle to Armenia.
People often forget that the ancient kingdom of Armenia was the first country to become officially Christian. This was before Constantine changed history forever by becoming the first Christian Roman Emperor.
Armenia was a small kingdom between the powerful empires of Rome and
Persia (Parthia), and both of them fought wars to control it. Gregory
was born there about 257. When he was still an infant, his father
assassinated the King of Parthia, Gregory could no longer live there, so friends of his family took him away for protection to Caesarea in Cappadocia. His education
in Caesarea was provided by a Christian nobleman named Euthalius.
When Gregory grew up , his thoughts returned to his native land, and
he wanted to introduce the Christian teaching there.
About 280 he returned to Armenia, where he was at first treated severely by King Tiridates. However, Gregory's preaching and the example of his life eventually converted the King, and with him spread the Christian faith throughout the country. Tiridates became so much a Christian that he made Christianity the national faith and a majority of his people converted to the Christian faith. So complete was this conversion, that we know very little of the original Armenian pagan religion.
About 300, Gregory returned to Caesarea to be ordained. Leontius of Caesarea made him bishop of the Armenians. Gregory set up other bishops throughout the land, along with schools, monasteries and convents. In 318 Gregory appointed his son Aristaces to be his successor as Patriarch of Armenia. About 331 he withdrew to a cave in the mountain Sebuh in the province of Daranalia in Upper Armenia, and there he died a few years later, unattended and alone but for God.
Armenian Christians to this day remember him with honor and gratitude.
Fr. Micah Jackson of St. Jerome's Chapel asks this question of us, concerning St. Gregory:
"I doubt that Gregory thought that we’d be talking about his achievement nearly 1700 years later. But it’s important to remember that we can never know what use God will make of our lives. Ask yourself, if people 1700 years from now were to recount the events of your life, would you be proud? Would God be happy with what you accomplished?"
Now that is a sobering thought.
Almighty God, Whose will it is to be glorified in Your saints, and who raised up Your servant Gregory the Illuminator to be a light in the world, and to preach the Gospel to the people of Armenia: Shine, we pray, in our hearts, that we also in our generation may show forth Your praise, Who called us out of darkness into Your marvelous light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
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