301–303

The Baptism of Armenia: the Conversion of King Tiridates III

Even before Constantine's own conversion, Christianity became the state religion in Armenia, which was independent of both Rome and Persia. Gregory the Illuminator had embraced the faith in exile in the Roman Empire. After long suffering he converted his kinsman King Tiridates III and baptized him on the feast of Epiphany in 303.

The people followed the king, and the Bible was translated into Armenian. Later, when the Persians tried to impose their own religion, the Armenians received no help from the empire. They then rejected the Council of Chalcedon and were called "Monophysites".