They dared, therefore we are
The Vartanantz War, waged in 451 A.D., is one of the heroic pages in the history of the Armenian nation. Under the leadership of St. Vartan Mamigonian, 66,000 Armenian soldiers fought for their faith and freedom against a Persian force of 300,000 in the Plain of Avarayr (modern Maku, northwestern Iran), near the banks of the Dghmud, a tributary of the Arax River.
The war was a daring stance against an imperial ultimatum. The circumstances were as follows:
In the fifth century, Armenia was under the rule of two rival empires: Byzantium and Persia (Sassanid). The larger portion was controlled by the Persian Empire, which had ambitions toward world domination, seeking to occupy Mesopotamia, reach Asia Minor and eventually defeat Byzantium. To reach that goal, Persia planned to convert all neighboring peoples to Zoroastrianism (an ancient religion, whose modern version is Parseeism) and gradually assimilate them into the Persian people.
Because Armenians shared the same religion as the Christian Byzantines, they were regarded as a major obstacle to the Persian Empire’s expansionist plans. Their fanatical emperor, Hazgerd (Yesdegerd) II, issued an edict demanding that Armenians give up their Christian faith and embrace Zoroastrianism. He exerted all kinds of pressure to achieve his goal but did not succeed.
When Hazgerd realized that he was not able to influence Armenians to change their religion, he delivered an ultimatum: convert or face destruction. This was a critical moment in the history of the Armenian nation. Retaining their Christian faith would be very costly. Some, like Vassak Siuny, the Persian-appointed Armenian governor, advocated political expediency. His strategy was that Armenians should tell the Persians what they wanted to hear, accept their faith, buy some time, form a plan and later strike back. The majority of Armenians, however, considered this duplicity and treason. They wanted to retain their Christian faith at any cost.
Catholicos Hovsep of Armenia summoned a meeting of clergy and nobility, who declared: “From this faith [i.e. Christianity] no power can move us. Neither angels nor men. Neither sword nor fire, nor water, nor any deadly punishment.”
Thereupon, Hazgerd decided to stamp out Christianity from Armenia by brutal force. His army marched on Armenia, and on May 26, 451, the day of Pentecost, the Armenian and Persian forces collided. The outnumbered Armenians lost the battle, partly because of the defection of Vassak and partly because the Persian army was reinforced by squadrons of elephants, the military “tanks” of the day.
The Battle of Avarayr lasted only one day. General Vartan Mamigonian along with 1035 of his fighters were killed. Armenians indeed lost the battle, but the war did not end. Although Armenians suffered a military defeat, their relentlessness eventually scored a crucial victory. Following the Battle of Avarayr, over the next 33 years, brave and bold Armenian souls, inspired by the memory of their martyrs, regrouped in the mountains and forests and carried on their resistance against the mighty Persian Empire.
Eventually, Vahan Mamigonian, the son of Vartan’s brother Hmayak, led a successful guerilla war against the Persians. Tired of this continuous resistance, the Persians signed the famous Treaty of Nvarsak in 484, whereby King Vagharsh granted Armenians religious freedom and cultural autonomy.
The heroic efforts and martyrdom of Vartan Mamigonian and his comrades, Vartanank, were justly rewarded by this victory. Their struggle for the freedom of conscience prevailed over Persian tyranny. Because they dared to defend their faith, freedom and human rights, Armenians remained Christian and preserved their national identity. Because they dared, we are what we are today.
For many centuries, Armenians have observed the Feast of Vartanantz, in honor of Vartan Mamigonian and Vartanank. In the late Middle Ages, the Armenian Church moved its observance from May 26 to the Thursday preceding Lent. Through celebrating the spirit of St. Vartan and Vartanank, we rededicate our efforts to the Christian legacy which Vartanantz has preserved and handed down to us. They inspired us with the belief that circumstances should not decide our fate.
Rev. Dr. Vahan Tootikian
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