Jacob II of Cilicia
Encyclopedia
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 the situation. The dispute grew so large that Jacob threatened Leo with the vengeance of the church. Leo was so enraged by this that he had Jacob deposed from the pontificate. Mukhitar Ter Mukhik from the village of Curnah was elected pontiff in his place.
In 1347 the new King Constantine II, King of Armenia began a conversation with the pope
in Avignon
about religious affairs and sent former Catholicos Jacob on a mission to see Pope. Upon his return home Catholicos Mekhitar died, at which point Jacob was nominated to become Catholicos again. He died four years into his second reign.
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 1327 and 1341, and then again between 1355 and 1359.
He was the nephew of a previous Catholicos, Gregory VII of Cilicia
Gregory VII of Cilicia
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 a Mamaluke invasion he and King Leo IV of Armenia
Leo IV of Armenia
Leo III was a young king of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, ruling from 1303 or 1305 to 1307, along with his uncle Hethum II...
got into a severe disagreement over how to deal with the situation. The dispute grew so large that Jacob threatened Leo with the vengeance of the church. Leo was so enraged by this that he had Jacob deposed from the pontificate. Mukhitar Ter Mukhik from the village of Curnah was elected pontiff in his place.
In 1347 the new King Constantine II, King of Armenia began a conversation with the pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
in Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
about religious affairs and sent former Catholicos Jacob on a mission to see Pope. Upon his return home Catholicos Mekhitar died, at which point Jacob was nominated to become Catholicos again. He died four years into his second reign.