“1. The existing fire-altars should be destroyed, and no others should be erected in Armenia.
“2. The Armenians should be allowed the free and full exercise of Christian religion, and no Armenian should be in future tempted or bribed to declare themselves disciples of Zoroaster.
“3. If converts were nevertheless made from Christianity to Zoroastrianism, places (of honor) should not be given to them.
“4. The Persian King should in person and not by deputy administer the affairs of Armenia.”[43]
These terms proposed by Prince Vahan were favorably received by Nikhor, and an edict of toleration was issued and proclaimed that every one be at liberty to adhere to his own religion, and that no one should be driven to apostatize. Afterwards Vahan himself was appointed by the king, governor of Armenia, and the church thus enjoyed a period of tranquillity from the persecutions.
FOOTNOTES:
[38] John 12:20, 21.
[39] Rawlinson, “The Seventh Oriental Monarchy,” p. 51.
[40] “The Armenian King became a convert before their [emperor’s] revival (of persecution) under Diocletian (284-305 A.D.); and Christianity was adopted as the religion of the State in Armenia some thirty years prior to its triumph in the West by the decisive action of the Melvian Bridge (312), and over 100 years before the edicts of Theodosius the First against the practice of paganism.” Lynch, “Armenia,” Vol. I, p. 293.
[41] The translation of Scriptures was completed A.D. 436. “A statement found in Philostratus (about 200 A.D.) would point to the existence of an Armenian alphabet at the beginning of our era.” Appleton’s, “The Universal Cyclopedia,” Vol. I, p. 321.