FEAST OF ST. GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR, APOSTLE TO ARMENIA (MARCH 23, JUNE 1, SEPT 30)

The Byzantine Icon of St. Gregory the Illuminator, Restored from the 7th Century Image Now Lost from the Hagia Sophia, Where St. Gregory was Once Heralded as a Great Founder of Orthodoxy and a Pillar of the Faith

Edited and Compiled by Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West) 

St. Gregory the Illuminator, the great Apostle to Armenia, was born in the third century AD to noble parents of the Parthian royal line. His father, Anak, a prince of the Arsacid dynasty, tragically murdered King Khosrov of Armenia, and Gregory was taken to safety in Cappadocia. Raised as a Christian, he was well-instructed in the faith and, as he grew in grace and wisdom, was called to a life of apostolic ministry. 

Gregory married a pious woman named Miriam, and together they were blessed with two sons, Aristakes and Vrtanes, who would later follow in their father’s holy footsteps as bishops and defenders of the faith. Gregory’s grandson, St. Husik, and his great-grandsons, St. Nerses the Great and St. Isaac the Great, continued the sacred legacy of a married episcopacy, preserving the purity of the Gospel and the apostolic succession. St. Gregory’s marriage and holy offspring stand as a living witness to the Apostolic practice of married bishops, following the example of St. Peter, the Chief of the Apostles, who brought his wife on missionary journeys as affirmed by St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:5. The healing of St. Peter’s mother-in-law by our Lord Jesus Christ serves as a testament to the holiness of family life sanctified by apostolic ministry. 

As an adult, Gregory returned to Armenia and boldly preached the Gospel to the pagan king, Tiridates III. His fearless proclamation and unwavering faith so incensed the pagan courtiers that he was imprisoned in the infamous pit of Khor Virap for thirteen long years. Yet even in the darkness of that dreadful place, Gregory remained steadfast, comforted by heavenly visions and visited by angels. Miraculously preserved from death, he was finally released at the pleading of the king’s sister, Khosrovidukht, who had seen a vision commanding Tiridates to free the holy man. 

When Gregory emerged, he found the king afflicted by madness, crawling like a beast in the wilderness. Gregory prayed earnestly for his healing, and God, in His mercy, restored the king’s sanity. Tiridates, humbled and converted, became a devout Christian and assisted Gregory in the conversion of the nation. In AD 301, Armenia was proclaimed the first Christian kingdom, and Gregory was consecrated as its Catholicos, establishing the Armenian Apostolic Church on the firm foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, with Christ Himself as the chief cornerstone. 

St. Gregory’s ministry was marked by many miracles. He cast down idols, overthrew pagan temples, and healed countless afflicted souls, demonstrating the power of Christ among the Armenian people. Through his holy labors, monasteries were established, priests were ordained, and the entire nation was illumined with the light of the Gospel. 

After many years of shepherding the flock of Christ, Gregory retired to a life of prayer and solitude in the mountains. He reposed peacefully in the Lord and was buried with great honor by his disciples. His tomb became a place of pilgrimage, where numerous miracles occurred through his intercession. The Armenian Church, to this day, reveres him as its first shepherd and holy father, whose missionary zeal and apostolic spirit shaped the Christian identity of the Armenian people for generations. 

St. Gregory’s legacy remains central to the Armenian soul, bearing witness to the continuity of Apostolic tradition and the sanctity of married episcopacy. Through his witness, the light of Christ burned brightly in the East, testifying to the enduring faithfulness of God’s promises to His Church. 

COLLECT

O God, who by Thy servant Gregory didst illumine the nation of Armenia with the light of the Gospel, grant that, as he turned the hearts of kings and peoples unto Thee, so we, being steadfast in the faith, may bring forth the fruits of righteousness and glorify Thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. 

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