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St. '''Rhipsime''' (Armenian:Հռիփսիմէ, died c. 290<ref>Other sources, such as [http://www.advantour.com/armenia/echmiadzin/ripsime.htm this one], suggest a date at the start of the fourth century.</ref>), also called '''Hripsime''', '''Ripsime''', '''Ripsima''' or '''Arsema''', was a [[martyr]] of Roman origin; she and her companions in martyrdom are [[venerate]]d as the first Christian martyrs of [[Armenia]].<ref name=catholic>[http://catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=4595 St. Rhipsime - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online]</ref> In the Orthodox Churches, her feast day is [[September 30]]. 

According to legend, Rhipsime was possibly of noble birth.<ref name=martyrs>[http://www.tonyfinlay.co.uk/chapter-two-martyrdom-the-early-years/ Female Martyrs, Chapter 2]</ref> She belonged to a community of virgins in Rome, numbering 35<ref name=OCA>[http://www.oca.org/FSLivesAllSaintsPrint.asp? Lives of all saints commemorated on this day - September 30]</ref> under the leadership of Gayane. She was known to be extremely beautiful, and attracted the notice of [[Diocletian]]. To avoid his advances she, along with her community, fled the city, going first to [[Alexandria]] before settling in [[w:Echmiadzin|Vagharshapat]].<ref name=catholic/> The varying accounts of her martyrdom diverge at this point. One story indicates that Rhipsime again was noticed for her beauty, this time by [[w:Tiridates III of Armenia|King Tiridates III]], who proceeded to pursue her. Upon being brought before him, she refused his advances and was punished by being roasted alive. Gayane was then put to death by Tiridates' soldiers, as were all the members of her community except for Nune (or Marine), who was later a [[missionary]] in Georgia<ref name=catholic/> and, as St. [[Nino of Cappadocia|Nino]], is praised as the founder of the [[Church of Georgia]]. 

Another version of the saint's Acts indicates that, upon discovering Rhipsime's whereabouts, Diocletian sent a letter to Tiridates insisting that he either send her back or take her for himself. The king's servants found her among her companions, here described as [[nun]]s, and urged that she follow his wishes. She responded that she could not marry as she was betrothed to [[Jesus Christ]], as were the others. At this, a voice from heaven was heard, saying, "Be brave and fear not, for I am with you".<ref name=antiochian>[http://www.antiochian.org/book/export/html/16739 St. Rhipsime of Armenia]</ref> Upon this, Tiridates ordered that Rhipsime be tortured; her tongue was cut out, her stomach cut open, and she was blinded before being killed. Her body was then cut into pieces. Inspired by her example, Gayane and two other nuns gave themselves over to similar treatment before being beheaded. The rest of the community was put to the sword, their bodies thrown to the beasts to be eaten. Supposedly, Tiridates and his soldiers were then punished by God for their actions; the soldiers were beset by [[devil]]s, and began to act like wild animals, running through the forests, gnawing at themselves, and tearing their clothes.<ref name=antiochian/> The legend states that the King was turned into a wild boar for his actions, and had to be saved by the intervention of [[Gregory the Enlightener]].<ref name=CathEncyc>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07023a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: Gregory the Illuminator]</ref> Like many early saints, these accounts can no longer be verified independently, leading many to believe that while certain key elements may be true, other accounts have been fictionalized to one degree or another.<ref name=catholic/>

[[w:St. Hripsime Church, Echmiadzin|St. Hripsime Church]] in Echmiadzin (formerly known as Vagharshapat) is dedicated to Rhipsime; the current structure was consecrated in 618, and contains her tomb in the [[catacombs]] beneath the building.<ref name=armeniapedia>[http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?title=Hripsime_Church Hripsime Cathedral]</ref> According to legend, Christ designated the spot for the shrine by descending from heaven in a shaft of light and smiting the ground with a golden hammer until the earth shook.<ref name=britannica>[http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Gregory_The_Illuminator Gregory The Illuminator - LoveToKnow 1911]</ref> Some of the saint's relics, along with items relating to Tiridates and Gregory the Enlightener, were pillaged by [[w:Persian people|Persians]] during an invasion in 1604, but were restored in 1638.<ref name=CathEncyc2>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05571a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: Etschmiadzin]</ref> In the Catholic tradition, Rhipsime and her companions are commemorated with a [[feast day]] of September 29;<ref name=catholic/> the [[Orthodox Church in America]] commemorates them on September 30.<ref name=OCA/> The [[Armenian Apostolic Church]] remembers Rhipsime and her companions on June 4; Gayane and her companions are commemorated separately, on June 5.<ref name=AAC>[http://www.saintsarkis.org/church_calendar.htm Church Calendar<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

Saint Rhipsime is known as "Arsema" in the [[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church]] and there are a number of churches in her name found in Ethiopia. Among the churches, the oldest one which is found in one of the islands of [[w:Lake Tana|Lake Tana]] is known for its miracles. There are also many old paintings in the church portraying how she was killed by Tiridates III (named as ''Dirtados'' by Ethiopians) and how the cruel king was changed into a bear after killing her. There is annual pilgrimage by Ethiopian Christians to this church in January. There are also Christian songs that praise her name.  Her story is told in the Ethiopian Synaxarium on Mäskäräm 29.<ref>[[w:Budge, E. A. Wallis|Budge, E. A. Wallis]]. ''The Book of the Saints of the Ethiopian Church: A Translation of the Ethiopic Synaxarium: Made from the Manuscripts Oriental 660 and 661 in the British Museum''. 4 vols Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1928.</ref>

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
[[w:Hripsime|Wikipedia entry]]

==External Links==

*[http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-rhipsime/ Saints.sqpn: Rhipsime]

[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Martyrs]]
[[Category:Armenian Saints]]
[[Category:Ante-Nicene Saints]]
[[Category:3rd-century saints]]