History of Armenia, by Father Michael Chamich; from B. C. 2247 to ...

;
162 HISTORT OF AUMENlAk
all those that were afflicted in the same way
and having preached tlie Gospel to them, happily
effected their conversion. St. Gresorv afterwards
w^ent to Cesarea, where he was consecrated
Archbishop of Armenia, by Leondius the metropolitan,
in the year of our Lord 302. On his
return to Armenia he baptized the whole nation,
with king Tiridates, to whom he gave the
christian name of Johannes, lie consecrated
four hundred bishops, and an immense number
of priests, and erected various churches,
convents, nunneries, hospitals, and schools.
He also instituted religious feasts and other
ecclesiastical ceremonies, and diffused the light
A. D.318. of the Gosjjcl throughout the land. He appointed
his son Aristakes archbishop with
A. D. 319;
himself, in order that he might be able to retire
at certain times into solitary places for the purposes
of devotion. This he often did, remaining,
for considerable periods, plunged in the deepest
meditation. In the course of a short time news
reached Armenia that the Emperor Constantine
was a convert to Christianity ; whereupon
Tiridates
and v^aint Gregory undertook a journey
to Constantinople to visit him. On their arrival
at Rome an alliance between the two nations
was solemnly agreed upon, and Gregory was
consecrated pontiff of all Armenia, by Saint
Silvester, head of the Romish church. On their