1700 Years of Christianity
1700 Years of Faith
Christianity, according to legend, came to Armenia in the reign of Tiridates III (A.D. 238-314),
who was the first ruler to Christianize his people.
After contact with centers of early Christianity at Antioch and Edessa, Armenia accepted
Christianity as its state religion in A.D. 306 (the traditional date--the actual date may have been
as late as A.D. 314), following miracles said to have been performed by Saint Gregory the
Illuminator, son of a Parthian nobleman. Thus Armenians claim that Tiridates III (A.D.
238-314) was the first ruler to officially Christianize his people, his conversion predating the
conventional date (A.D. 312) of Constantine the Great's personal acceptance of Christianity on
behalf of the Eastern Roman Empire (the Byzantine Empire).
ARMENIAN HISTORY - CHRISTIANIZATION
Churches
The Armenian Legacy - Virginia students's page representing our history, culture, and
character