Armenian Church commemorates Pontiffs Sts. Ignatius, Adde and Bishop Maruta

Today, on December 16, the Armenian Apostolic Church commemorates the Pontiffs Sts. Ignatius, Adde and Bishop Maruta.

According to the tradition, Pontiff St. Ignatius was the happy child whom Jesus took in his arms, and appealing to the apostles, he said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt. 18:3).
He was the disciple of the Apostles Peter and John, as well as the second Bishop of Antioch. During the period of the reign of the king Trayanos, he was imprisoned and sent to Rome, where he was martyred in 113-117, voluntarily sacrificing himself to the lions. He had written many letters addressed to various Christian communities, only seven of which have been preserved.

Pontiff St. Adde was the Bishop of Yedessia, ordained by the Apostle St. Thaddeus. He was martyred upon the order of the heathen king in the second quarter of the I century.

Bishop St. Maruta was the Bishop of the city of Nprkert of the Fourth Hayk. His father was Assyrian, and his mother was Armenian. He was well-known in Persia and Byzantine. He participated in the Second Ecumenical Council of Constantinople. As the envoy of the Theodos, he was twice sent to the Persian King Hazkert to negotiate stopping the Christians’ persecutions. He passed away in 422.