October 13 / September 30

1. The Holy Hieromartyr Gregory the Enlightener, Bishop of Greater Armenia (335)

Gregory was born of a prominent family which was related to the royal houses of Persia (King Arteban) and Armenia (King Khosrov). When these two houses made war against each other, Gregory withdrew to Caesarea in Cappadocia. It was there that he first learned of the Christian Faith, was baptized and married. He had two sons of this marriage, Bardanes and Aristakes, and dedicated them both to the service of the Church. After the death of his wife, Gregory returned to Armenia and placed himself in the service of King Tiridates. He faithfully served him, and Tiridates loved Gregory. But when the king learned that Gregory was a Christian, he became greatly enraged and pressured him to deny Christ and worship idols. Not succeeding in this, Tiridates subjected Gregory to many harsh tortures, then threw him into a deep pit full of poisonous reptiles to kill him. However, the All-seeing God preserved St. Gregory’s life in that pit for fourteen full years. After that, Tiridates set out to persecute all Christians in his kingdom, and attacked a convent where there were thirty-seven nuns, including the abbess, Gaiana. When he had killed all of them by terrible tortures, Tiridates went insane and was like a wild boar. His sister had a dream in which a man, dazzlingly bright, told her that Tiridates would only become well when Gregory was removed from the pit. Taken from the pit, Gregory healed and baptized Tiridates. Then, at the wish of Tiridates, Gregory became Bishop of Armenia. Through God’s providence, Tiridates also helped him in enlightening all of Armenia and its surrounding regions with the Christian Faith. St. Gregory ended his earthly life of great labor in old age, in about the year 335. Meanwhile, his son Aristakes had been consecrated a bishop, and he continued the work of his father, both physically and spiritually. Aristakes was one of the 318 Holy Fathers at the First Ecumenical Council.

2.  The Holy Martyrs Rhipsima, Gaiana, and thirty-five other nuns, in Armenia

They were all slain by King Tiridates because of their faith in Christ. Rhipsima was of unusual beauty, which tempted Emperor Diocletian to take her for his wife. This was the cause of their martyrdom. Rhipsima refused to go with the emperor, as she had betrothed herself to Christ, her Bridegroom. Then Tiridates too was tempted and wanted to claim her for himself, for he was intoxicated by her beauty. St. Rhipsima resisted the pagan king with all her strength, “And he who defeated the Princes of the Goths and destroyed the Persians was unable to overcome one virgin of Christ.” The enraged king gave her over to cruel tortures—her tongue was cut out, her stomach cut open, and her entrails pulled out—and Rhipsima gave up her soul to God. After this, the other nuns were seized and beheaded. The famous Monastery of Echmiadzin was built over the relics of these holy martyrs. Situated near Yerevan, it was the main spiritual center of Armenia for many centuries.

3. Saint Michael, First Metropolitan of Kiev

St. Michael was sent to Russia by the Patriarch of Constantinople at the request of the great Prince Vladimir, to baptize the pagan people and establish and organize the Church. St. Michael baptized the people in Kiev, Novgorod, Rostov and many other towns and villages. He organized the Church, appointed bishops and priests, laid the foundation for the Monastery of St. Michael in Kiev, and sent missionaries among the Bulgarians and Tartars, winning many of them for Christ. This saint accomplished all this, and much more of great benefit, in only four years.

He went to his reward peacefully, in the year 992. His relics repose in the Monastery of the Kiev Caves since c. 1103.

• Blessed Jerome (Hieronymus) of Stridonium (420).
• Honorius, archbishop of Canterbury (653).
• Michael, great prince of Tver (1318).
• Gregory, founder of Pelshma Monastery (Vologda) (1442).
• Meletius, patriarch of Alexandria (1601).
• New Martyr Alexandra, schemanun, of Moscow (1937).
• New Hiero-confessor Seraphim, hieromonk, of Kharkov (1943).

HYMN OF PRAISE

Saint Gregory the Enlightener

Gregory was a great light
To his people and his nation.
He spurned glory and riches
For the poverty of Christ the Crucified,
Preferring eternal riches in heaven.
He raised his mind to heaven and thoughts of God,
And endured much physical torture,
As if it all were painless.
He was strong with the power of God’s grace,
And nourished by God’s heavenly food,
And armored against evil by God’s providence.
He was lowered into the pit from his glory,
And from the pit he was elevated to the heights—
The heights of eternal glory.
Gregory, great and holy, Enlightened Armenia with Jesus.
Even the wild boar, Tiridates,
Was baptized under the Cross and became a lamb.
With great glory, the land of Armenia glorifies
Its miracle-worker, St. Gregory.

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To read the Reflection, Contemplation, and Homily for this day,
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