Feast of Discovery of Relics of Catholicos St. Grigoris of Aghvank, Commemoration of St. Fathers Tatoul, Varos, Toumas, Anton, Kronides and the Seven Herbivorous Hermits Martyred in the Innaknya Monastery

Pontiff St Grigoris was the elder son of the Catholicos Vrtanes. According to historian Pavstos Buzand, St. Grigoris was the Catholicos of the provinces Aghvank (Alans) and Virk. He has reconstructed and renovated all Churches and preached the Word of God to the people. He has preached Chris’s doctrine also in the mazkuts’ country. However mazkuts’ mode of life strongly varied from the Christian mode of life. That is why the mazkuts tie the saint to the tail of the horse and let out the horse to the Vaten field on the Caspian seashore, where the saint is martyred. According to the tradition Pontiff St Grigoris is buried in the Church of St. Grigoris in the village Amaras, of Artsakh. The relics of St. Grigoris have been discovered in 489 AD, during the reign of the Armenian King Vachagaan.

St. Tatoul and St. Varos (Barrus) were brothers. They were the disciples of St. Mesrob and St. Sahak. After the battle of Avarayr they go the mountains and live separately in the place called Vishapadzor. The hunters find out where Tatoul was living and he becomes very popular. People from everywhere come to the saint, ask for advice, listen to his words of consolation and, filled with peace, return to their places. Many people come and rally around the brothers and found a brotherhood. The brotherhood is named after their spiritual leader and is called the Brotherhood of St. Tatoul. One of the members of the brotherhood was Toumas (Thomas), whom St. Tatoul appoints as his successor and after that he is secluded. He passes away in very old age. St. Varos is leads ascetic life in the cave called Ditsmayr. In the future a monastery is built in that place in commemoration of his relics’ discovery.

St. Anton (Anthony) and St. Kronides (Chronides) were Greeks born in Caesaria. St. Gregory the Illuminator brings them to Armenia. In the Armenian reality they are the founders of monastic life. When St. Gregory the Illuminator destroys the idol of Gissaneh on the Innaknya hill, he builds the Church of St. Karapet in the same place. The two brothers start living in that Church. After leading ascetic life for forty years the brothers pass away in the second quarter of the fourth century.

The seven herbivorous (Vegetarian) hermits were the hermits who came to the Church of Glak or St. Karapet, of Taron in 584 AD, and settled to live on the hill called Promised, near the Innaknya monastery. And as they ate only plants, they were called herbivorous hermits. Their names were Policarpos, Theovnas, Simeon, Hovhannes, Epiphan, Dimarios and Narkesos.

The Persian King Khosrov declares war against Greeks and sends a part of his army to Taron region for robbery. Foreseeing the enemy’s upcoming attack, the monks hide the treasures in safe places in order to save them from the enemy. Then they leave the monastery. Only the seven herbivorous hermits don’t agree to leave the monastery. The Persian army attacks the monastery and the soldiers, not finding the treasures and disappointed, behead the hermits in 604 AD. Three days later some of the monks return and bury the martyrs’ remains near the tombs of St. Anton and St, Kronides.