The short reign of this monarch was characterized not only by prosecutions of Christians but also the spread of Christianity among aristocratic families, including the members of the royal dynasty.
Thaddeus has been repeatedly arrested and imprisoned, but he has been freed each time with “God’s help”. Most probably, the fact that Trdat’s successor Sanatruk had converted to Christianity played a major role in Thaddeus’ liberation. Sanatruk acceded to the throne 37 years after the crucifixion of Jesus.
At the time, Christians gathered in hard-to-reach catacombs. Members of noble families adhering to Christianity used similar remote locations as shrines. The multitude of niches connected with each other through secret passageways provided Christians with reliable shelter. In the gorge of River Arpa nearby the Noravank Monastic Complex, one of those catacombs is located.
At the beginning of the 3rd century (traditionally, in 301 AD), Armenian King Trdat III declared Christianity a state religion, making Armenia the first Christian state in the world.
In brief. Suppose the Armenian authorities deliberately take the Genocide off the agenda. The historical…
By Vigen Avetisyan. Data as of October 29, 2026. In brief. As a scholarly concept,…
By Vigen Avetisyan In brief. The claim that present-day Armenia is “historical Azerbaijan” and that…
Archaeology · Travel · Syunik, Armenia — October 28, 2026 A routine groundwork job in…
From weighed silver and Achaemenid-era imports to the kings of Sophene, the coins of Tigranes…
Military history series · Armenian Highland, 4th millennium BCE – 18th century CE Introduction: why…