Saint Isaac the Great
Saint Isaac the Great (born c. 354 AD in Constantinople, Byzantine Empire; died September 9, 438 AD in Armenia) was the Catholicos (supreme patriarch) of the Armenian Apostolic Church from c. 387 to 428 AD and one of the greatest figures in Armenian Christian history. With Saint Mesrop Mashtots, he created the Armenian alphabet, translated the Bible into Armenian, and founded Armenian Christian literature. He is called the Great for this achievement and is considered one of the Fathers of the Armenian Church. His feast day is September 9.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Isaac the Great
| Saint Isaac the Great | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | September 09 |
| Profession | Catholicos (Patriarch) of All Armenians; translator; founder of Armenian literature; educator |
| Rel. Affiliation | Armenian Apostolic Church (Eastern Christianity); venerated also in the Roman Catholic Church; Catholicos of Armenia c. 387–428 AD; from the family of Saint Gregory the Illuminator |
| Patronage | Armenia; Armenian Christian heritage; translators; scholars; those preserving national and religious identity under foreign domination |
| Attributes | Catholicos's vestments and staff; Armenian alphabet (a unique and beautiful script); codex or Bible (the Armenian translation); Armenia |
| Birthplace | Constantinople, Byzantine Empire (modern Istanbul, Turkey) |
| Death Place | Armenia (exact location uncertain) |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes; died as Catholicos of All Armenians, September 9, 438 AD; a very old man at death |
| Primary Shrine | Etchmiadzin Cathedral (Vagharshapat), Armenia — the holiest site in Armenian Christianity; his memory is deeply embedded in the Armenian Church centered here; also Saint Gayane Church and Saint Hripsime Church (nearby, also UNESCO sites) |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman Calendar; feast September 9; observed in the Armenian Church, Roman Catholic Armenian communities, and in the Roman Martyrology |
| Historic Class | Not in universal 1962 calendar; feast in the Roman Martyrology |
Biography
Isaac was born around 354 in Constantinople, the son of Saint Nerses the Great — himself a Catholicos of Armenia — and thus a descendant of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, who had converted Armenia to Christianity in 301 AD. He was educated in Constantinople and possibly Antioch, acquiring a thorough knowledge of Greek and the theological tradition of the Eastern Church.
After his wife's death (he had been married), he became a monk and eventually succeeded his father-in-law Nerses as Catholicos of Armenia around 387. He led the Armenian Church for approximately forty years — one of the longest and most productive patriarchates in Armenian history.
His greatest achievement was the creation of the Armenian alphabet and literature, carried out in partnership with Saint Mesrop Mashtots, a monk and former royal secretary who had devoted himself to the problem of creating a script for the Armenian language. Around 405 AD, Mesrop invented the Armenian alphabet (based on divine inspiration, Armenian tradition says); Isaac immediately organized the translation project that this made possible. He recruited scholars trained in Syriac and Greek, sent them to Edessa and Constantinople to obtain accurate manuscripts, and oversaw the production of Armenian translations of the Bible, the liturgy, and the Fathers of the Church. This extraordinary project produced what Armenians call the Queen of Translations.
The Armenian Bible translation, completed around 434 AD, is one of the textual witnesses to the Greek New Testament and has been used in biblical scholarship. The liturgical translations allowed Armenian Christians to worship entirely in their own language — a cultural and religious independence of immense historical importance.
He also presided over the Armenian response to the Council of Ephesus (431 AD), accepting its Christological definition of Mary as Theotokos (God-bearer). In 428 the Persian authorities, who controlled Armenia, deposed him, preferring a Catholicos more compliant with their Zoroastrian interests. He retired to monastic life and died on September 9, 438 AD.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Constantinople, Byzantine Empire (modern Istanbul, Turkey)
Death location: Armenia (exact location uncertain)
Notable location:
Notable location: His birthplace; he was the son of Saint Nerses the Great (Catholicos of Armenia) and came from the family of Saint Gregory the Illuminator (who converted Armenia); he was educated in Constantinople and in Greek-speaking culture, which shaped his intellectual approach to the translation project (Constantinople, Byzantine Empire (modern Istanbul, Turkey))
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Etchmiadzin Cathedral, Vagharshapat, Armenia — holiest site in Armenian Christianity; UNESCO World Heritage Site; center of Armenian Church life.
Feast day
September 9 (Armenian Church); also in the Roman Martyrology
Veneration
Saint Isaac the Great is venerated in the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Armenian Catholic Church, and the Roman Catholic Church. He is one of the patron saints of Armenia and of translators.
Prayers
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