Lazar I of Armenia
Encyclopedia
Catholicos Lazar I of Armenia was the Catholicos
of the Armenian Apostolic Church
between 1737 and 1751. He is notable for the numerous troubles he personally got into during his reign.
Lazar had been bishop of Smyrna, Turkey
and was a native of Jahuk. He was said to be extremely beloved by his nation and many wanted him to be the Catholicos when Abraham III died, though another party supported Gregory the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem. Lazar's supporters were more numerous and upon his election Lazar left Smyrna and made a grand procession to Erzurum
, where the bishop received him. The governor there however detained him for a time until suddenly dying, an event blamed on divine wrath directed by Lazar. Lazar in turn blamed the bishop and was allowed to leave, escaping to Kars
. Meanwhile word arrived in Erzurum that the sultan demanded Lazar's arrest as he had not applied to the sultan for proper approval of letters patent for his election. Lazar was notified of the danger and he fled to Persia before making it to Etchmiadzin.
A few years later Lazar came into conflict with the prince of Persia and was almost executed for it but escaped by paying a large fine. Another time, the Persian vizier who also did not like Lazar convinced the shah that Lazar was a problem. The shah summoned Lazar to see him and grew very angry at him, having the Catholicos's grand tent destroyed. He had Lazar dragged before him and to be beaten severely. He was led to prison and kept for five months until he paid the required fine.
Sometime after his return, Lazar had a rival monk Peter Kytheur persecuted and tortured, until he was finally able to leave for refuge in Karin. From there the monk wrote about his torture to many Armenian churches and many people began to complain about Lazar. The governor of Erevan was asked to intervene and so he gathered the Armenian clergy and asked them to decide on the matter. The clergy said they did not want Lazar, so he was arrested and taken to Sevanavank
. Peter Kytheur was anointed the new Catholicos in his place, who then excommunicated Lazar. Lazar had a group of supporters who agitated for his release, and around this time Ebrahim Afshar
became the new shah of Persian. Lazar's supporters got the shah to have Lazar released from prison and not long after (some say thanks to bribes to the shah) he had Lazar restored as Catholicos. Peter Kytheur was fettered and thrown in a dungeon where he eventually died of starvation after being Catholicos for ten months, though his name is not included on the Wikipedia official list. Lazar died three years after his restoration.
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 1737 and 1751. He is notable for the numerous troubles he personally got into during his reign.
Lazar had been bishop of Smyrna, Turkey
Smyrna
Smyrna was an ancient city located at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Thanks to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prominence. The ancient city is located at two sites within modern İzmir, Turkey...
and was a native of Jahuk. He was said to be extremely beloved by his nation and many wanted him to be the Catholicos when Abraham III died, though another party supported Gregory the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem. Lazar's supporters were more numerous and upon his election Lazar left Smyrna and made a grand procession to Erzurum
Karin
Karin is a common feminine given name in various Germanic languages , and in some French-speaking areas, as well as Japanese...
, where the bishop received him. The governor there however detained him for a time until suddenly dying, an event blamed on divine wrath directed by Lazar. Lazar in turn blamed the bishop and was allowed to leave, escaping to Kars
Kars
Kars is a city in northeast Turkey and the capital of Kars Province. The population of the city is 73,826 as of 2010.-Etymology:As Chorzene, the town appears in Roman historiography as part of ancient Armenia...
. Meanwhile word arrived in Erzurum that the sultan demanded Lazar's arrest as he had not applied to the sultan for proper approval of letters patent for his election. Lazar was notified of the danger and he fled to Persia before making it to Etchmiadzin.
A few years later Lazar came into conflict with the prince of Persia and was almost executed for it but escaped by paying a large fine. Another time, the Persian vizier who also did not like Lazar convinced the shah that Lazar was a problem. The shah summoned Lazar to see him and grew very angry at him, having the Catholicos's grand tent destroyed. He had Lazar dragged before him and to be beaten severely. He was led to prison and kept for five months until he paid the required fine.
Sometime after his return, Lazar had a rival monk Peter Kytheur persecuted and tortured, until he was finally able to leave for refuge in Karin. From there the monk wrote about his torture to many Armenian churches and many people began to complain about Lazar. The governor of Erevan was asked to intervene and so he gathered the Armenian clergy and asked them to decide on the matter. The clergy said they did not want Lazar, so he was arrested and taken to Sevanavank
Sevanavank
Sevanavank is a monastic complex located on a peninsula at the northwestern shore of Lake Sevan in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia, not far from the town of Sevan. Initially the monastery was built at the southern shore of a small island...
. Peter Kytheur was anointed the new Catholicos in his place, who then excommunicated Lazar. Lazar had a group of supporters who agitated for his release, and around this time Ebrahim Afshar
Ebrahim Afshar
Ibrahim or Ebrahim Shah Afshar was the Shah of Persia during the Afsharid Empire from July to September of 1748. He was Adil Shah's brother and Nader Shah's nephew. He toppled his brother in order to seize the power, and he blinded him on July 6 1748. However, two months later his own troops...
became the new shah of Persian. Lazar's supporters got the shah to have Lazar released from prison and not long after (some say thanks to bribes to the shah) he had Lazar restored as Catholicos. Peter Kytheur was fettered and thrown in a dungeon where he eventually died of starvation after being Catholicos for ten months, though his name is not included on the Wikipedia official list. Lazar died three years after his restoration.