St. Gregory the Illuminator is one of the most respected historical figures by the Armenian people. He was born into the family of a high-ranking nobleman Anak Partev, close to the court of the Armenian king Khosrov Arshakuni. At the instigation of the Persians, Gregory's father killed the king, after which he tried to escape by fleeing with his family. But the fugitives soon overtook. The regicide and all members of his family, except for the two-year-old Gregory, were executed.
How exactly the little boy escaped is not known for certain. Most likely, his father's servants hid him, taking him to Cappadocia. There Gregory grew up and accepted the Christian faith. To atone for the sin of his father, he incognito entered the service of King Trdat III - the son of the murdered Anak. Somehow Trdat found out that Gregory was not only the son of his blood enemy, but also a Christian. In anger, the king ordered to imprison Gregory in prison and not give him food. But kind people secretly handed over to the prisoner food. This went on for a long 13 years (according to other sources even more - 15).
Then Trdat III became seriously ill, and Gregory was able to cure him with fervent prayers. After that, the healed king believed in the power of the Christian religion and was baptized with his subjects. Christianity became the dominant religion in Armenia, and Gregory received the rank of bishop - Catholicos. He died in 326. It is in his honor that the Armenian Apostolic Church still bears another name - "Gregorian".
St. Gregory Day is celebrated in Armenia on September 30. On this day, magnificent services take place in the Yerevan Cathedral and in the Etchmiadzin Cathedral, built during his lifetime and on the initiative of St. Gregory. Many people visit the dungeon, where St. Gregory languished. This underground prison Khor Virap (translated from the Armenian language as “deep hole”, “deep prison”) is located on the territory of the monastery, bearing the same name. It is from a high rocky cliff, where the monastery is located, that a magnificent view of Mount Ararat, sacred for the Armenians, opens. Believers recall the heavy torment that St. Gregory endured for many years of imprisonment in an underground dungeon, and turned to him with a request to grant stamina and courage in overcoming various trials.
Believers also on this day commemorate St. Gregory, making sacrifices ("math"). Sacrificial animals can be a goby, a ram, a rooster or a dove. By tradition, the meat of the sacrificial bull is boiled and then handed out in 40 houses, the meat of a sheep - in 7, the rooster is divided into 3 houses. The dove is supposed to be set free. The sacrificial animal is boiled only with the addition of salt, no other seasonings are allowed. This custom is still very popular in Armenia, despite the fact that many Christian churches condemn it, seeing it as a relic of paganism.
