St. Jer. Gregory the Illuminator, Archbishop of Armenia; St. Mc. Ripsimia and Gaianstranslated

Orthodox calendar, September 30 St. Jer. Gregory the Illuminator, Archbishop of Armenia Saint Gregory was born in Greater Armenia, around the year 257, in a family related to the imperial dynasty of the Arsacids. But, due to the disturbances of that time, his parents were killed, and he, being a child, found escape in Caesarea of ​​Cappadocia and was raised in the Christian faith, in which he was baptized.

He later married a Christian named Miriam, also of Armenian descent, with whom he had two children: Vartanes and Aristakes. Raising their children in the right faith, Gregory and his wife decided to become monks, then Saint Gregory, perfecting himself in the word of salvation, was ignited by the great desire to go and evangelize the Gospel in his country, to the Armenian nation. God strengthened the word and life of Saint Gregory, His servant, with miracles.

But he endured many torments from the pagans and, especially, from the king Tiridates III (283-330), who sacrificed to idols and could not suffer the Saint's faith in Christ. That is why he threw Saint Gregory into a deep pit in which there were wild animals and poisonous reptiles, where he sat...