Saint Gregory the Illuminator Գրիգոր Լուսաւորիչ Γρηγόριος Φωστήρ
Saint Gregory the Illuminator
Born	circa 257
Died	circa 331
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church Armenian Apostolic Church Eastern Orthodox Churches Oriental Orthodox Churches Eastern Catholic Churches
Feast	June 9
Patronage	Armenia
Saints Portal

Saint Gregory the Illuminator or Saint Gregory the Enlightener (Armenian: Գրիգոր Լուսաւորիչ translit. Events By Place Roman Empire Valerian I recovers Antioch from Shapur. Events By Place Roman Empire Constantine I vigorously promotes Christianity, confiscating the property and valuables of a number The Armenian Apostolic Church (Հայաստանեայց Առաքելական Եկեղեցի Hayasdaneaytz Arakelagan The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Oriental Orthodoxy is the communion of Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three Ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the Holy See The Calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a Liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more Saints Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits The patron saint of a particular group of people is a Saint who would protect and 'love' the group and its members Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani The Armenian language (hy հայերեն լեզու hajɛɹɛn lɛzu —, conventional short form) is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian Grigor Lusavorich, Greek: Γρηγόριος Φωστήρ or Φωτιστής, Gregorios Phoster or Photistes), the founder and patron saint of the Armenian Apostolic Church (born c. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly A saint (from the Latin sanctus) is a human being to whom has been attributed (and who has generally demonstrated a high level of Holiness and Sanctity The Armenian Apostolic Church (Հայաստանեայց Առաքելական Եկեղեցի Hayasdaneaytz Arakelagan 257 AD - died c. 331 AD) was a religious leader credited with forging the Christian identity of Armenia via conversion. Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Armenia was the first country to establish itself as a Christian nation in the year 301 A.D.

Gregory's father Anak, a Parthian, was charged with assassinating Chosrov I, one of the kings of the Arshakouni line and was put to death. For the article see Article 301 (Turkish penal code. Events By Place Roman Empire Emperor Diocletian issues his Gregory's mother was named Okohe. Gregory narrowly escaped execution with the help of Sopia and Yevtagh, his caretakers. Gregory was taken to Caesarea in Cappadocia where Sopia and Yevtagh hoped to raise him. Kayseri ( Ottoman Turkish:قیصریه Greek: Καισάρεια / Kaisareia: Latin: Caesarea Mazaca Zazaish Cappadocia (or Capadocia, Turkish Kapadokya, from Greek: Καππαδοκία / Kappadokía which in turn is from the Persian:

Gregory was given to the Christian Holy Father Phirmilianos (Euthalius) to be educated and was brought up as a devout Christian. He went on to marry Mariam, also a devout Christian; they had two sons, the younger of whom, Aristaces (Aristakes), succeeded his father. Saint Gregory the Illuminator or Saint Gregory the Enlightener (Գրիգոր Լուսաւորիչ translit

At that time Tiridates III (Trdat the Great), a son of King Chosroes, reigned. Tiridates may refer to;Parthia Tiridates I of Parthia (d 211 BC brother of Arsaces I Tiridates II of Parthia, ruled c Influenced partly by the fact that Gregory was the son of his father's enemy, he ordered Gregory imprisoned him for twelve (some sources indicate fourteen) years in a pit on the Ararat Plain under the present day church of Khor Virap located near by historical city Artashat in Armenia. The Khor Virap ("Խոր Վիրապ" in Armenian, meaning deep dungeon) monastery is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Armenia. Artashat (Արտաշատ Hellenized as Artaxata: Ἀρτάξατα is a city on the Araks River in the Ararat valley Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Gregory was eventually called forth from his pit in 297 to restore Tiridates III (Trdat), who had lost all reason after he was betrayed by Diocletanius, to sanity. Events By Place Roman Empire Galerius conquers Ctesiphon from the Persians however as part of the peace treaty it Tiridates may refer to;Parthia Tiridates I of Parthia (d 211 BC brother of Arsaces I Tiridates II of Parthia, ruled c Diocletanius invaded with the assistance of Sassanid Persia and a vast amount of territory from Western provinces of Greater Armenia became "protectorates" of Rome.

Statue of St. Gregory the Illuminator standing in one of the exterior niches of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican near the entrance to the grotto. The Basilica of Saint Peter (Basilica Sancti Petri officially known in Italian as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St Vatican City, officially the State of the Vatican City (Stato della Città del Vaticano is a Landlocked sovereign City-state whose territory

In 301 Gregory baptized Trdat (now known as Trdat the Great) along with members of the royal court and upper class as Christians. Trdat issued a decree by which he granted Gregory full rights to begin carrying out the conversion of the entire nation to the Christian faith. The same year Armenia became the first country to adopt Christianity as its state religion. A state religion (also called an official religion, established church or state church) is a religious body or Creed officially

The newly-built Cathedral, the Mother Church, became and remains the spiritual and cultural center of Christian. Most Armenians were baptized in Aratsani (upper Euphrates) and Yeraskh (Arax) rivers. Many of the pre-Christian, traditional Indo-European, festivals and celebrations such as Tyarndarach (Trndez - associated with fire worship) and Vardevar (Vadarvar - associated with water worship), that dated back to thousands of years were preserved and continued in the form of Christian celebrations and chants.

In 302, Gregory received consecration as Patriarch of Armenia from Leontius of Caesarea, his childhood home. Events By Place Roman Empire Diocletian begins passing laws against Christians. The Catholicos of All Armenians (plural Catholicoi, due to its Greek origin is the Chief Bishop of Armenia 's national church the Armenian In 318 Gregory appointed his son Aristaces (Aristakes) as the next Catholicos in line of Armenia's Holy Apostolic Church to stabilize and continue strengthening Christianity not only in Armenia, but also in the Caucasus and Anatolia. Events By Place Asia The Former Zhao state is proclaimed China loses its territories to the north of Yang-tsé-kiang Saint Gregory the Illuminator or Saint Gregory the Enlightener (Գրիգոր Լուսաւորիչ translit Catholicos (plural Catholicoi) is a title used by the Patriarch (head/regional head Bishop) of any of certain Eastern churches Gregory also placed and instructed his grandson Grigoris (Aristakes' son) in charge of the holy missions to the peoples and tribes of all of the Caucasus and Caucasian Albania. Grigoris was martyred by a fanatical mob, while preaching in Albania. The term martyr ( Greek μάρτυς martys "witness" is most commonly used today to describe an individual who sacrifices their life (or personal freedom

Mosaic icon of St. Art History Mosaics of the 4th century BC are found in the Macedonian palace-city of Aegae, and they enriched the floors of Hellenistic An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. Gregory the Illuminator, 14th century (Pammakaristos Church, Istanbul). Pammakaristos Church, also known as the Church of Theotokos Pammakaristos ( Joyous Mother of God) later known as Fethiye Mosque (Fethiye Camii Istanbul (historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see the other Names of Istanbul) is the largest city of Turkey

In his late eighties Gregory withdrew to a small sanctuary near Mount Sebuh (Mt. Sepuh) in the Daranalia province (Manyats Ayr, Upper Armenia) with a small convent of monks, where he remained until his death. Daranali was an old district of Armenia c 400 &ndash 800. See also List of regions of old Armenia

After his death his corpse was removed to the village of Thodanum (Tharotan). His remains were scattered far and near in the reign of Zeno. His head is believed to be now in Italy, his right hand at Echmiadzin, Armenia, and his left at the Holy See of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Geography Cilicia extended along the Aegean coast east from Pamphylia, to Mount Amanus ( Gavurdağı Mount) which separated it from Syria Antelias (أنطلياس is a Town in Lebanon. It is located around 5 km to the north of Beirut. Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية

A number of prayers, and about thirty of the canons of the Armenian Church are ascribed to Gregory the Illuminator. The homilies appeared for the first time in a work called Haschacnapadum at Constantinople in 1737; a century afterwards a Greek translation was published at Venice by the Mekhiterists; and they have since been edited in German by J. Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS Year 1737 ( MDCCXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the M. Schmid (Ratisbon, 1872). Year 1872 ( MDCCCLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year The original authorities for Gregory's life are Agathangelos, whose History of Tiridates was published by the Mekhitarists in 1835; Moses of Chorene, Historiae Armenicae; and Simeon Metaphrastes. Agathangelos (in Armenian Ագաթանգեղոս in Greek Αγαθάνγελος was a supposed secretary of Tiridates III, King of Armenia Year 1835 ( MDCCCXXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Saint Symeon Metaphrastes was the most renowned of the Byzantine Hagiographers He is identified with the Logothete of that name A Life of Gregory by the Vartabed Matthew was published in the Armenian language at Venice in 1749 and was translated into English by the the Rev. Father Malan (1868). Year 1749 ( MDCCXLIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Solomon Caesar Malan ( April 22, 1812 &ndash November 25, 1894) was a British divine and Orientalist.

The Armenian Church became extremely rich, besides the old temples which the church had confiscated, was granted large tracts of land. The church became the owner of approximately 10,000 farms and the clergy exploited these exactly as did the other Armenian princes. During wartime the church was obliged to assist the king with soldiers as well as taxes. It is on record that the church, if necessary, was obliged to provide the king with 5,000 cavalry and 4,000 infantry soldiers.

This article was taken from the 9th edition (1880) of an unnamed encyclopedia, and has since been edited on Wikipedia. Year 1880 ( MDCCCLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year

Links

• Agathangelos: History of St. Gregory and the Conversion of Armenia
• Biography of St Gregory the Illuminator by Gevork Nazaryan

See also

• Khor Virap
• Armenian Apostolic Church
• Armenian Catholic Church
• Eastern Christianity

External links

• Catholic Encyclopedia — Gregory the Illuminator
• Armenian Church Website