Subsequently the Christian religion became known to the neighboring tribes and was very greatly disseminated. [1155] The Armenians, I have understood, were the first to embrace Christianity. [1156] It is said that Tiridates, then the sovereign of that nation, became a Christian by means of a marvelous Divine sign which was wrought in his own house; and that he issued commands to all the subjects, by a herald, to adopt the same religion. [1157] I think that the beginning of the conversion of the Persians [1158] was owing to their intercourse with the Osroenians and Armenians; for it is likely that they would converse with such Divine men and make experience of their virtue.

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Footnotes:

[1155] This paragraph is regarded by Valesius as spurious.

[1156] The source of this chapter certainly is not Moses Chorenensis. Tiridates III. reigned a.d. 286-342. At first a persecutor, through Gregory the Illuminator he became a Christian. Yet parts of Armenia were Christianized much earlier. Dionysius bishop of Alexandria wrote a letter on Repentance to the Armenians in the reign of Gallus. Eus. H. E. vi. 46. Cf. Agathangelas, History of Tiridates the Great, and the preaching of Gregory the Illuminator.

[1157] Here follows in the Greek text a repetition, word for word, of the first two lines of this chapter, which seem to be superfluous, if we do not reject the paragraph above.

[1158] Soz. is wrong in attributing the conversion of Persia to Armenia.