Gregory VII of Cilicia
Encyclopedia
Gregory VII was the Catholicos
of the Armenian Apostolic Church
between 1293 and 1307.
Gregory succeeded Stephen IV who died in captivity in Egypt
. The location of the Holy See at Rumkale had recently been destroyed by the Mamalukes invasion and so Gregory moved the See to Sis
. During this period a rival Catholicos reigned at Akhtamar and King Hethoum II lifted excommunication on that group and decreed that both Akhtamar and Cilician Sees would have distinct power in their own regions. Catholicos Gregory was on very good terms with his counterpart at Akhtamar. Gregory was said to have been very meek and gentle. He tried to bring the Armenian Church into line with the Greeks, an always very controversial issue which caused much discontent towards him. Near the end of his reign the kingdom was in an era of peace, so Gregory saw it as an opportunity to propose better regulations for ecclesiastical customs and ceremonies. He composed a religious creed which he gave to King Levon III but then suddenly took ill and died. The king convened the head of clergy throughout the land to go to Sis where Gregory's creed was read and certain canons enacted, one of which acknowledged the dual-nature of Christ, a belief from the Greek church which had long made the Armenian church opposed to it as it was monophysyte. This meeting also elected a new Catholicos, none other than the previous Catholicos Constantine II the Woolmaker
.
Gregory was the uncle of another Catholicos, Jacob II of Cilicia
.
Catholicos
Catholicos, plural Catholicoi, is a title used for the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and in some cases is borne by the designated head of an autonomous church, in which case the holder might have other titles such as Patriarch...
of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
between 1293 and 1307.
Gregory succeeded Stephen IV who died in captivity in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. The location of the Holy See at Rumkale had recently been destroyed by the Mamalukes invasion and so Gregory moved the See to Sis
Sis
- Places :* Sis * Sis, Armenia, a town* Sis, Azerbaijan, a village* Sis, Iran, a city* Kozan, Adana, Sis in Armenian* Mountains of Sis, a range of the Pre-Pyrenees- Other :...
. During this period a rival Catholicos reigned at Akhtamar and King Hethoum II lifted excommunication on that group and decreed that both Akhtamar and Cilician Sees would have distinct power in their own regions. Catholicos Gregory was on very good terms with his counterpart at Akhtamar. Gregory was said to have been very meek and gentle. He tried to bring the Armenian Church into line with the Greeks, an always very controversial issue which caused much discontent towards him. Near the end of his reign the kingdom was in an era of peace, so Gregory saw it as an opportunity to propose better regulations for ecclesiastical customs and ceremonies. He composed a religious creed which he gave to King Levon III but then suddenly took ill and died. The king convened the head of clergy throughout the land to go to Sis where Gregory's creed was read and certain canons enacted, one of which acknowledged the dual-nature of Christ, a belief from the Greek church which had long made the Armenian church opposed to it as it was monophysyte. This meeting also elected a new Catholicos, none other than the previous Catholicos Constantine II the Woolmaker
Constantine II the Woolmaker
Constantine II the Woolmaker was the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church between 1286 and 1289, and then again between 1307 and 1322.He was from the village of Catuk, but as he was educated in Sis he was called Sisetzi. He was also surnamed Pronagorz, or Woolmaker. He came to the pontifical...
.
Gregory was the uncle of another Catholicos, Jacob II of Cilicia
Jacob II of Cilicia
Jacob II was the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church between 1327 and 1341, and then again between 1355 and 1359.He was the nephew of a previous Catholicos, Gregory VII of Cilicia. During a Mamaluke invasion he and King Leo IV of Armenia got into a severe disagreement over how to deal with...
.