About the year 450 A.D., when Armenia had lost its own kingdom and was divided between the Byzantine and Persian Empires, Christianity was a strong force in the land.

Thus, it was, that when the Persian King Hazgert tried to abolish Christianity and turn the people back to sun worship (paganism), the Armenians proclaimed their willingness to accept the Persian mandate in all respects providing their freedom to practice Christianity remained intact. Persian refusal to accept these views laid the groundwork for further dissension by the Armenian people.

There lived in Armenia at this time, a nobleman, Vasag Suni, who with some other Armenian military leaders and noblemen leaned toward the Persian viewpoint. These men, along with other noblemen and Vartan Mamigonian, were suddenly invited to Central Persia for consultation with the King, and there, were detained and ordered to accept Sun Worship for their country. This was really part of a clever Persian conspiracy to leave Armenia without leadership and, hence, to facilitate the Persian plan to converting the common people.

After consultation amongst themselves, these imprisoned military leaders, in a plot of their own, pretended to accept the Persian demands, and thus, were returned to Armenia laden with gifts and accompanied by Persian soldiers and religious leaders who would initiate the re-conversion to paganism.

Back in Armenia, however, the people heard of the faithlessness of their leaders, and did not realize that it was a plot. Furious and indignant, they decided to fight even there own "traitorous" husbands and fathers in an attempt to keep Christianity alive at any cost!

The great Yeghishe Badmakir , who later described the Battle of Vartanantz, related in detail of the noblemen’s wives who, forgetting their finery, pomp, and splendor, organized the common people and patriotically prepared to fight against their kin under the leadership of some of the military nobility who took command in the crisis.

As soon as the Armenian nobles and soldiers set foot on their own land, they overtly passed back to the side of their nation, determined to fight for Christianity to the very end, and chased back the group of Persians who had accompanied them.

Realizing that they needed military and moral aid, they appealed to another Christian people, The Greeks of the Byzantine Empire. They were refused, but their decision to fight to the end did not falter. A popular revolt broke out, led by Prince Vartan Mamigonian. Unfortunately, a group of princes, under Vasak of Suni, withdrew from the struggle and made peace with the Persians.

On the eve of the battle, all soldiers took Holy Communion in the open field of Avarayr. They listened to Hovsep Catholicos speak to them on the strength of the Christian faith. They listened to the vibrant Ghevont Yeretz, whose memorable speech has since been immortalized as the driving spirit of Vartanantz. And they listened respectfully to Vartan Mamigonian, Commander-in-Chief of the Armenia troops, give his historic speech preparing the 66,000 Armenians physically and spiritually for the holy battle.

The Battle started at dawn on June 2, 451. The 66,000 Armenians, under Vartan Mamigonian, encountered an army of 220,000 Persians, reinforced by squadrons of armed elephants, which were used as tanks at the time. The battle was a furious one, but a losing one for the vastly outnumbered Armenians. Brave Vartan Mamigonian fought to the last, and fell on the battlefield of Avaryr, as a martyr for Christianity, along with eight other generals. At the height of the battle, however, Vasag Suni and some of his followers realized the inevitable outcome, and defected to the Persians. Their traitorous conduct has not been forgiven nor forgotten by Armenians to this very day!

Although the Battle of Vartananatz was a military defeat for the Armenians, it has gone down in Armenian history as the greatest spiritual and moral victory, and is celebrated by all Armenians everywhere with pride and respect as a personification of the freedom of thought, faith, and conscience! It is the most important national and religious Holy Day.

And out of the struggle, there emerged two of the greatest figures in Armenian history: Ghevont Yeretz, spiritual leader, and Vartan Mamigonian, military leader-unsurpassed!

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