Stephen IV of Cilicia
Encyclopedia
Stephen IV of Cilicia was the Catholicos
of the Armenian Apostolic Church
between 1290 and 1293.
Stephen was from the village of Khakh in the province of Ekeliaz, but educated at Rumkale. He was elected to replace the banished Catholicos Constantine II the Woolmaker
and was the last to reside at Hromkla. During his reign the Mamalukes marched through the Holy Land against the Christians there and made their way up to Hromkla. After a long stand it was finally sacked with hundreds of residents massacred. Stephen was carried away as their captive and all the churches there were burned. A year into his captivity in Egypt Stephen is said to have died of grief. Soon after Armenia made peace with the Egyptians and the captives were released. Stephen was succeeded by Gregory VII of Cilicia
who moved the pontifical residence to Sis
as Hromkla had been destroyed.
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 1290 and 1293.
Stephen was from the village of Khakh in the province of Ekeliaz, but educated at Rumkale. He was elected to replace the banished 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...
and was the last to reside at Hromkla. During his reign the Mamalukes marched through the Holy Land against the Christians there and made their way up to Hromkla. After a long stand it was finally sacked with hundreds of residents massacred. Stephen was carried away as their captive and all the churches there were burned. A year into his captivity in Egypt Stephen is said to have died of grief. Soon after Armenia made peace with the Egyptians and the captives were released. Stephen was succeeded by 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...
who moved the pontifical residence 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 :...
as Hromkla had been destroyed.