MESROP MASTOC

MESROP MASTOC, Patriarch of Armenia, linguist, missionary, St. (ca. 350–440). Mesrop, interested in Armenian culture and history as distinct from that of Syria (q.v.), is credited with the invention of the Armenian alphabet, which was adopted in 406. He is probably the most formative figure in the early history of the Armenian Orthodox Church after Gregory the Illuminator (qq.v.). Having become a monk after serving in the court of King Vram-Shapuh, he turned to missionary labors in mid-life. He is reported as having composed a script for the Armenian language while in northern Syria, basing the alphabet on Greek characters. Armenian tradition also ascribes to him the creation of the Georgian alphabet. He is personally credited with translating the New Testament and Proverbs into Armenian, and assisted in the whole Armenian Bible project of ca. 410 along with its revision in ca. 433. He was vicar bishop to Patriarch Sahak and succeeded him in office in 440, but died soon afterward.