Saints are inspirational examples for our lives:
Why were the saints, saints?
Because they were cheerful when it was difficult to be cheerful,
Patient when it was difficult to be patient;
And because the pushed on when they wanted to stand still
And kept silent when they wanted to talk;
That was all. It was quite simple and always will be.
Author Unknown.
(quoted from Saints for Children: from the Tradition of the Armenian Church, by Louise Kalemkerian and Barbara Hovsepian, Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, New York, 1983).
The Armenian Church celebrates over 100 saints' days each year. Saints' days are observed on weekdays: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Sundays are dominical days and are dedicated to the Resurrection. Wednesdays and Fridays are fasting days. Eighty-nine saints are derived from the Bible and are known as Biblical Saints. The rest are from the first five centuries of Christianity. They represent the Apostolic Fathers of the second century and the church Fathers of the three ecumenical councils to the end of the fifth century. The Armenian Church added more saints through the fifth and fourteenth centuries, mainly from Fathers of the Armenian Church.
Some of the main Saints Days of the Armenian Church are:
St. Stephen
Sts. Thaddeus and Bartholomew
St. Sandukht
St. Abgar
St. Sargis
St. Hripsimė
St. Gayanė
Sts. Nunė and Manė
St. Gregory the Illuminator
Sts. Sahak and Mesrop
Holy Translators
Sts. Vardan and Ghevond
St. Nersess the Great
St. John of Odzun
St. Nersess Shnorhali
St. Gregory of Narek
St. Gregory of Tatev
The saints of the Armenian Church by century:
1st Century
Sandoukht
Patriarch Adde
King Abgar
2nd Century
Oskian Priests
Soukiasiants
3rd Century
Gregory the Illuminator
Hripsimė and Gayanė
Nunė and Manė
Patriarch Aristakes
Patriarch Vrtanes
Grigoris Bishop of the Caucasian Albanians
Taniel Bishop of the Syrians
Nersess the Great
King Trdat
Queen Ashkhen
Khosrovidukht, Sister of King Trdat
The Anchorites Anton and Kronides
Stephen Ulnetsi and his companions
5th Century
Mesrop Mashtots
Patriarch Sahak Partev
Hovsep Catholicos
Bishop Sahak Bishop
Tatik
Ghevond the Elder
Mushe the Elder
Arshen the Elder
Samuel the Priest
Abraham the Priest
Khoren the Priest
Kajaj the Deacon
Abraham the Deacon
Eghishe Vardapet
Movses Khorenatsi
David the Invincible
Sts. Vartanants
The Anchorites Tatul, Varos and Tomas
Shushanik General Atom
General Manachirh
6th Century
Grigoris Razhik, Astvatsatur
Makhozh
7th Century
The Seven Ascetics
8th Century
David of Dvin
Vahan of Goghtn
Prince Sahak and Hamazasp Artstruni
Hovhan of Odzun
9th Century
Sahak and Hovsep Karnetsi
10th Century
Gregory of Narek
11th Century
Nerses Shnorhali
Goharinian Martyrs
13th Century
Hovhan of Orotn
15th Century
Gregory of Tatev