BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//chikkutakku.com//RDFCal 1.0//EN X-WR-CALDESC:GoogleカレンダーやiCalendar形式情報を共有シェ アしましょう。近所のイベントから全国のイベントま で今日のイベント検索やスケジュールを決めるならち っくたっく X-WR-CALNAME:ちっくたっく X-WR-TIMEZONE:UTC BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:St. Gregory of Armenia\, the Illuminator +331 DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20250929T183000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20250930T183000Z UID:303800042626 DESCRIPTION:September 30th is the commemoration of the dukhrono of St. Gre gory the Illuminator +331 according to the Liturgical Calendar of the Syri ac Orthodox Church.\n\nMor Gregorios is the patron saint of Armenia. Armen ia was an exposed frontier & buffer state between the Roman & Persian empi res. His father was prince Anak\, a Parthian nobleman who assassinated Kin g Khosrov II of the Arsacid dynasty. Following the assassination while try ing to escape\, Anak was killed. Gregory who was an infant along with his brother managed to escape with the help of their caretakers. While his bro ther was taken to Persia\, Gregory was taken to Caesarea in Cappadocia (Ka yseri\, Turkey) & raised in a devout Christian home\, educated by Holy Fat her Phirmilianos (Euthalius). Gregory got married to Mariam & they had two sons\, Vrtanes & Aristaces (who became a bishop & attended the Council of Nicaea in 325AD). Eventually\, Gregory embraced monasticism. \n\nGregory returned to Armenia to spread Christianity in his homeland. This was durin g a period of great persecution of Christians throughout the Roman Empire. The son of Khosrov II\, Tiridates III ruled Armenia\, & like Roman empero r Diocletian\, he hated Christianity. Tiridates learnt that Gregory was th e son of his father's murderer\, which angered him. He demanded that Grego ry must renounce his Christian faith & worship the pagan idols. Gregory re fused to deny Christ so he was thrown into a pit with deadly snakes & impr isoned for around 13 years. Tiridates fell ill & had a bout of insanity\, having been betrayed by emperor Diocletian. Gregory was freed from the pit after Tiridates was miraculously cured following his prayers. \n\nReinvig orated\, Mor Gregorios began preaching throughout Armenia\, baptizing a mu ltitude of individuals. After Tiridates was baptized\, he proclaimed Chris tianity as the state religion of Armenia in 301AD\, this was while Dioclet ian's persecution of Christians continued throughout the rest of the Roman empire. Thus Armenia became the very first nation in history (not includi ng the Syriac kingdom of King Abgar the Black) to embrace Christianity as the state religion. The pagan temples & idols were destroyed as countless churches were built. With the support of Tiridates\, Gregory built the Cat hedral of Etchmiadzin near Mount Ararat. The Mother Church in Etchmiadzin became & remains the spiritual & cultural center of Armenian Christianity & headquarters of the Mother See of the Armenian Apostolic Church. \n\nIn 302AD Gregory was consecrated as Patriarch of Armenia by his childhood fri end Leontius of Caesarea\, becoming the first "Catholicos of all Armenians ". In 318AD he named his son Aristaces as successor. He entrusted his gran dson also named Gregory (son of Vrtanes) to spread the Gospel of Christ th roughout the Caucasus & Anatolia. St. Gregory in his old age retreated to a small monastery in Mount Sebuh with a group of monks\, remaining there u ntil his death in 331AD. \n\nBiography courtesy of\, 'Martyrs\, Saints and Prelates of the Syriac Orthodox Church' \n\nOh Mor Gregorios! Plead for u s before God's throne of grace. Amen. LOCATION: END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR