Did you know that Armenia was the first country to officially adopt Christianity as a state religion? According to an early Christian historian, the king’s secretary, Gregory, was a Christian and refused to make a sacrifice to a pagan goddess. As punishment, Gregory was put in the dungeon for more than ten years. When released, he healed the king who was ill. The king converted and made Christianity the official state religion for his land. He and many of his people were baptized in the Euphrates River, and Gregory became the country’s first bishop.

Copyright © 2021 Museum of the Bible. All rights reserved.