From the Function of ‘Agathangelos’ of Gregory the Illuminator to “The History of Armenia” by Agathangelos

Abstract This article explores the formation of the History attributed to Agathangelos as a unified story of Armenia’s conversion and its role in protecting the Armenian Church’s distinct identity from Sassanid influence. Accounts of the Armenian Church’s foundation were preserved orally from the fourth century, later codified in Armenian under Catholicos Sahak through the efforts of Mesrop Mashtots and Koryun, pre-existing narratives – St. Gregory the Illuminator’s vita, the Vision, the martyrdom of the Hripsimean virgins, and the premises of the doctrine were integrated into a single work. This synthesis was not a mechanical compilation, but a purposeful literary construction, organizing the material around a central axis to create a cohesive and enduring narrative of Armenia’s conversion and the formation of a new epic of the conversion genre titled History by Agathangelos.