Gregory the Illuminator
The missionary and bishop to whom the Armenian church traces its origin. According to Agathangelos, writing in the fifth century, he converted King Tiridates after thirteen years in a pit and was consecrated at Caesarea in Cappadocia.
What is told here of Gregory comes from the History that goes under the name of Agathangelos, written well over a century after his time, in the abridged English version linked. In that account he is the son of Anak, the Parthian noble who murdered the Armenian king Chosroes. Carried as an infant to Roman territory, he was brought up a Christian at Caesarea in Cappadocia and entered the service of the dead king’s son Tiridates III without revealing who he was (Agathangelos, History 1.5–10). When he refused to honour the goddess Anahit he was tortured and, once his parentage was known, thrown into a pit, where he remained for thirteen years (Agathangelos, History 1.15–26).
He was brought out when the king fell into madness, and his prayers restored him (Agathangelos, History 2.17–19, 3.18). Tiridates then sent him to Caesarea, where Bishop Leontius and his fellow bishops consecrated him (Agathangelos, History 3.22–24). He baptised the royal camp in the Euphrates, and at the king’s request made his son Aristaces a bishop to carry on his work (Agathangelos, History 4.6, 4.12–13). The abridgement gives no dates.
In the timeline
- AD 301 (traditional) or c. 314, traditional dateArmenia Adopts Christianity
King Tiridates of Armenia, by the account of the Armenian church, is converted by Gregory the Illuminator and brings his court and people to baptism. The Armenian church dates this to 301; the story was written down more than a century later.
Primary sources
History of the Armenians
- Agathangelos, History 1.5–10livius.org
- Agathangelos, History 1.15–26livius.org
- Agathangelos, History 2.17–19, 3.18livius.org
- Agathangelos, History 3.22–24livius.org
- Agathangelos, History 4.6, 4.12–13livius.org