Each October, the Armenian Church and our nation commemorate one of the most meaningful and inspiring feasts in their history — the Feast of the Holy Translators (Targmanchats). More than a religious commemoration, it is a celebration of faith, intellect, and national rebirth, honoring those saintly scholars who, through divine inspiration, gave the Armenian people the priceless gift of their own written language and the Word of God in their mother tongue.
The origins of this feast reach back to the early fifth century, a defining period in Armenian history. At that time, the newly Christianized Armenian nation faced the danger of spiritual and cultural loss under foreign influence. Guided by a divine vision, St. Mesrob Mashtots, with the blessing of Catholicos St. Sahak Bartev and the support of King Vramshabuh, created the Armenian Alphabet around 405 A.D. This monumental achievement was not merely an intellectual triumph; it was a sacred act of preservation — safeguarding the nation’s faith and identity for generations to come.
Following the creation of the Alphabet, the first and most important work undertaken by St. Mesrob and his disciples was the translation of the Holy Bible into Armenian. This sacred task, completed with reverence and precision, became known as “The Queen of Translations.” Through it, the Armenian people could read and hear the Word of God in their own language, fostering a deeper and more personal connection to their faith.
The movement of translation soon expanded beyond Scripture. With the collaboration of a group of devoted scholars — including Yeghishe, Movses Khorenatsi, David the Invincible, and others — a magnificent literary and spiritual renaissance emerged. Together, these luminaries became known as the Holy Translators. Their collective work laid the foundations of Armenian theology, philosophy, and historiography, inaugurating what is known as the Golden Age of Armenian Literature.
The impact of the Holy Translators reaches far beyond their own time. Their work not only anchored Christian faith in the heart of the Armenian nation but also ensured the survival of Armenian language and culture through centuries of upheaval. In every generation since, their example has inspired clergy, educators, and writers to continue the sacred mission of enlightenment through words.
Today, as we honor the Feast of the Holy Translators, we are reminded that their legacy is both a heritage and a responsibility. Their mission calls us to preserve the purity of our language, to strengthen our faith, and to bring the light of knowledge to future generations.In celebrating Targmanchats, we pay tribute to those saintly minds who turned words into prayer, language into faith, and faith into a nation. Their enduring message is clear: a people who remain faithful to their word — both divine and human — will never lose their soul.