Etchmiadzin, Armenia

Summary

Armenia became the first Christian nation in history after King Tiridates the Great was cured of lycanthropy and converted by Gregory the Illuminator, who was previously imprisoned for 14 years by the king.

Abstract

The narrative of Armenia's Christian origins begins with Gregory, a Christian who served King Tiridates the Great, unaware that Gregory's father had killed the king's father. Upon learning this, Tiridates imprisoned Gregory in a well for fourteen years. Meanwhile, Tiridates' sister, a Christian convert, had a prophetic dream revealing that the king's lycanthropy could be cured by freeing Gregory. Upon his release, Gregory indeed healed the king and converted him to Christianity. This led to the construction of the church in Etchmiadzin, following a vision of Christ, and Armenia's adoption of Christianity as the state religion in 301 AD, making it the first Christian country in the world

Origins of the first Christian Country of the History

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Reading a guidebook during the flight to Yerevan, I learned that Armenia was the first Christian Country.

I’ve been stunned by the story:

Gregory, raised as a Christian, enters the service of King Tiridates the Great, whose father has been killed by Anak, Gregory’s father.

When Tiridates discovers it, he throws him down a well for fourteen years. Tiridates’ sister, who has converted to Christianity, has a dream: an angel tells her that the king, suffering from lycanthropy, will be cured when Gregory is freed.

Once free, Gregory converted the King to Christianity and built a church in Etchmiadzin after seeing an apparition of Christ indicating the exact location of the future church.

Armenia became the first country to adopt Christianity as a state religion in 301 AD.

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ONE-CITY-PER-DAY CHALLENGE

Etchmiadzin, Armenia

Origins of the first Christian Country of the History