Armenian Church celebrates Feast of St. Gregory the Illuminator’s Deliverance from the Pit
On June 22, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the Feast of St. Gregory the Illuminator’s Deliverance from the Pit, one of the greatest feasts of the Armenian Church. A solemn Divine Liturgy is celebrated in all Armenian Churches on this day.
Qahan.am reports that in the year 301 AD, the deliverance of St. Gregory the Illuminator from the pit, was the catalyst that began the “Great Conversion” of Armenia from the darkness of paganism to the Light of Christianity. Pagan temples and statues were destroyed in Armenia, and replaced with Dominical Crosses in their locations. Christianity is proclaimed by the King and the Catholicos to be the state religion of Armenia, the first nation in the world to do so. St. Gregory is sent to Caesarea, where he is consecrated as the first Pontiff of the Armenian Church, and becomes the first Catholicos of All Armenians.