St. Gregory the Illuminator
St. Gregory the Illuminator is the Patron Saint of Armenian Church. He was persecuted by King Tiridates (Dertad) and thrown into the Deep Pit “Khor Virap” in 287A.D. After surviving the Pit for 13 years, St. Gregory was summoned to cure the ailing King. The miracle of Tiridates’ cure brought about the King’s conversion to Christianity. St. Gregory was the one who organized the distinctive National Christianity tradition of the Armenian Church.