Page:Islam, Turkey, and Armenia, and How They Happened.djvu/76

70 and towards the end of the third century it was officially proclaimed as the national religion of the country. According to the traditions of the Armenian church, the Armenian King Abcarius, having a chronic malady, and hearing about the miracles of Jesus, sent special messengers to him with a letter, and invited the Saviour to come and live in his capital Edessa (the present Ourfa) and be safe from the enmity of Jewish authorities. Our Lord, the tradition continues, highly appreciated this kind feeling of hospitality, but as he could not go himself he promised to send one of his apostles after his resurrection, which he did by sending Thaddeus, called the Apostle of Armenia. Nobody can tell how much truth or probability there is in this tradition, but that Thaddeus and Bartholomew were sent to the northeastern regions and established there Christian churches, and that among the Armenians many converted Christians were persecuted and some churches were destroyed through the influences of the great anti-Christian emperors of the Roman commonwealth, are historical facts. Still the general evangelization of Armenia dates towards the end of the third century.

The historical founder of the Armenian church was Saint Gregore "the Illuminator," an Armenian prince, related to King Tiridates, who during the first part of his reign was a great persecutor of "the new faith transplanted frown Judea." The young prince Gregore, resigning his wordly position, consecrated himself to the enlightemnent of his people