Bartholomew

Bartholomew is one of the apostles of Christ and, with Thaddeus, one of the two First Illuminators of Armenia.¹²

The Armenian Church says that Bartholomew preached first in the Parthian kingdom and then in Armenia. He worked in Goghtn in Syunik, at Her and Zarevand, at Great Aghbak in Vaspurakan, and at Magharta south of the Araxes. He was beaten and flayed at Aghbak in 66, and his tomb is the Monastery of Saint Bartholomew, in what is now Turkey.¹ Tradition places his mission in the years 44 to 60.²

He brought an icon of the Mother of God, which he placed at Darbnats Kar, and the convent of Hogyiats Vank was founded there. At Magharta he laid three stones of manna in the foundation of a church, which later became the Monastery of Saint Stephanos.¹