Gregory VI of Cilicia
Encyclopedia
Gregory VI of Cilicia was the Catholicos
of the Armenian Church from 1194 to 1203, located in Sis
. In 1198, he proclaimed a union between Rome
and the Armenian Church.
Gregory VI was a nephew of Gregory III of Cilicia
and Nerses IV the Gracious. He was favorable to the Latins and had been nominated by Prince Levon I of Armenia (the future King Levon I), because of the need of an alliance. This election created a schism in the Armenian Church however, and a rival anti-patriarch was elected in Greater Armenia.
Gregory's announcement of union was not followed in deads however, as the local clergy and populace was strongly opposed to it.
When Levon, Lord of Cilicia, asked to the Pope and to the Emperor that he be recognized as king, the condition was that the Armenian Church should join the Roman rite. He formally accepted the union, but this again was without effect as the Armenian clergy was strongly opposed to it, and never accepted the doctrine of the double nature of Christ. Gregory VI crowned him King of Armenia in 1198/1199 and the Cilician Armenian kingdom began.
Catholicos of Armenia
The Catholicos of All Armenians is the chief bishop of Armenia's national church, the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is one of the Oriental Orthodox churches that do not accept the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon. The first Catholicos of All Armenians was Saint Gregory the Illuminator...
of the Armenian Church from 1194 to 1203, located in Sis
Sis (Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia)
-History:See also Kozan, AdanaFrom 3000 BC onwards there were Hittite settlements in all these plains behind the Mediterranean coast, based on farming and grazing animals. The area then changed hands many times, eventually becoming Flavias or Flaviopolis in the former Roman province of Cilicia...
. In 1198, he proclaimed a union between Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and the Armenian Church.
Gregory VI was a nephew of Gregory III of Cilicia
Grigor III Pahlavuni
Grigor III Pahlavuni officially became catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the year 1113. He is known for his sharakans, which are collections of hymns, and for the several lays he had written during his lifetime. The sharakans written by Pahlavuni typically have strong doctrinal...
and Nerses IV the Gracious. He was favorable to the Latins and had been nominated by Prince Levon I of Armenia (the future King Levon I), because of the need of an alliance. This election created a schism in the Armenian Church however, and a rival anti-patriarch was elected in Greater Armenia.
Gregory's announcement of union was not followed in deads however, as the local clergy and populace was strongly opposed to it.
When Levon, Lord of Cilicia, asked to the Pope and to the Emperor that he be recognized as king, the condition was that the Armenian Church should join the Roman rite. He formally accepted the union, but this again was without effect as the Armenian clergy was strongly opposed to it, and never accepted the doctrine of the double nature of Christ. Gregory VI crowned him King of Armenia in 1198/1199 and the Cilician Armenian kingdom began.