Saint Vardan Mamikonian

Vardan Mamikonian (Armenian: Վարդան Մամիկոնեան; variants: Vartan, Wartan; c. 387 – 451) was an Armenian military leader who led a rebellion against Sasanian Iran in 450–451. He was the head of the Mamikonian noble family and holder of the hereditary title of sparapet, the supreme commander of the Armenian armed forces. Vardan and most of his comrades died at the Battle of Avarayr in 451, but their sacrifice was immortalized in the works of the Armenian historians Elishe and Ghazar Parpetsi. He is regarded as a national hero among Armenians and venerated as a martyr and a saint of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian Catholic Church. Vardan and the rebellion he led are commemorated in numerous works of art and literature. According to Arshag Chobanian, "To the Armenian nation, Vartan [...] is the most beloved figure, the most sacred in their history, the symbolical hero who typifies the national spirit." The name Vardan (Armenian: Վարդան) is of Middle Persian origin, derived from ward, meaning "rose". While Vardan is the standard spelling in the Republic of Armenia, the name is traditionally rendered as Vartan or Wartan by Armenians from West Armenia and the resulting diaspora across the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas. These variants refer to the same historical figure and reflect the distinct pronunciation and transliteration systems used by Armenians outside of the modern Republic. Vardan Mamikonian was born in approximately 387 in the settlement of Ashtishat in the Taron region to Hamazasp Mamikonian and Sahakanoysh, daughter of Patriarch Sahak of Armenia. He had two younger brothers, Hamazasp and Hmayeak. He was educated in Vagharshapat at the school founded by Patriarch Sahak and Mesrop Mashtots. After the death of his father, he became the head of the Mamikonian noble family. In 420, he went to Constantinople with Mesrop Mashtots and was appointed stratelates (general) of Byzantine Armenia by Theodosius II.