Editing Gregory the Illuminator (section)

== Early life ==

In the Armenian tradition, the standard version of the life of Gregory the Illuminator derives from the fifth-century [[Hagiography|hagiographic]] history attributed to [[Agathangelos]].{{Sfn|Thomson|1994|p=15}} According to Agathangelos's account, Gregory was the son of the [[Parthian Empire|Parthian]] nobleman [[Anak the Parthian|Anak]]; the later Armenian historian [[Movses Khorenatsi]] identifies Anak as a member of the Parthian noble house of [[House of Suren|Suren]].{{Sfn|Lang|1970|pp=155–156}}{{Sfn|Garsoïan|1989|p=347}} At the incitation of the [[Sasanian Empire|Sasanian]] king [[Ardashir I]], who promised to return Anak his domain as a reward, the Parthian nobleman went to Armenia and assassinated the [[Arsacid dynasty of Armenia|Arsacid]] king of Armenia [[Khosrov II of Armenia|Khosrov II]] after gaining his confidence.{{Sfn|Garsoïan|1997|p=72}} Anak was then put to death by the Armenian nobles along with his entire family․{{Sfn|Garsoïan|1997|p=72}} Anak's son Gregory narrowly escaped execution with the help of his nurse, whom Khorenatsi calls Sophy, sister of a Cappadocian notable named Euthalius (Ewtʻagh).{{Sfn|Thomson|1978|p=228}} Gregory was taken to [[Caesarea (Mazaca)|Caesarea]] in [[Cappadocia]], where he received a Christian upbringing.{{Sfn|Thomson|1994|pp=15–16}} [[Jean-Michel Thierry]] described him as of "[[Cappadocian Greeks|Cappadocian culture and religion]]" and credited him with having introduced "Greek civilization to Armenia."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Thierry |first1=Jean-Michel |author1-link=Jean-Michel Thierry |last2=Donabédian |first2=Patrick |author2-link=Patrick Donabédian |translator=Celestine Dars |title=Armenian Art |date=1989 |orig-date=1987 |publisher=[[Harry N. Abrams]] |location=New York |url=https://archive.org/details/thierry-1989-armenian-art/ |isbn=0-8109-0625-2 |page=[https://archive.org/details/thierry-1989-armenian-art/page/49/mode/1up?view=theater&q=cappadocian 49]}}</ref>

According to Khorenatsi, upon coming of age, Gregory married [[Julitta of Armenia|Mariam]], daughter of a Christian named David.{{Sfn|Thomson|1978|pp=228–229}}{{Sfn|Thomson|1976|pp=xxxi–xxxii}} He had two children with Mariam: [[St. Aristaces I|Aristaces]] and [[St. Vrtanes I|Vrtanes]], who would later succeed Gregory as patriarchs of Armenia.{{Sfn|Thomson|1978|pp=228–229}}{{Sfn|Thomson|1976|pp=xxxi–xxxii}}