Name St. I Parents Gregory the Illuminator | Grandparents Anak the Parthian | |
Saint Aristaces also known as Aristakes (Armenian: Սբ. Արիստակես Ա. Պարթև) was assigned by St. Gregory I the Enlightener as the next Armenian Catholicos in line of Armenia's Holy Apostolic Church, to stabilize and continue strengthening Christianity not only in Armenia, but also in the Caucasus Albania and Anatolia. He was the second son of St. Gregory I the Enlightener to his wife Miriam and his older brother was Vrtanes. At the time, the position was hereditary and assigned to the Parthian dynasty.
Gregory also placed and instructed his grandson Gregory (Aristaces’ nephew and one of the sons of his brother Vrtanes) in charge of the holy missions to the peoples and tribes of all of Caucasian Albania. His nephew was martyred by a fanatical mob, while preaching in Albania. After reaching his late eighties St. Gregory I the Enlightener withdrew to a small sanctuary near Mount Sebuh (Mt. Sepuh) in the Daranali province (Manyats Ayr, Upper Armenia) with a small convent of monks, where he remained until his death. Aristaces governed from 325 until 333.