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'''Isaac''' or '''Sahak of Armenia''' (354–439) was [[Catholicos of All Armenians|Catholicos]] (or Patriarch) of the [[Armenian Apostolic Church]]. He is sometimes known as "Isaac the Great," and as "Sahak the Parthian" ([[Armenian language|Armenian]]: Սահակ Պարթեւ, Sahak Parthew", [[Parthian language|Parthian]]: ''Sahak-i Parthaw'') owing to his father's [[Parthia]]n origin, while his mother was an [[Armenians|Armenian]] princess of the [[Mamikonian]] family.
'''Isaac''' or '''Sahak of Armenia''' (354–439) was the [[Catholicos of All Armenians|catholicos]] (or patriarch){{Efn|The term ''patriarch'' has commonly been used for Gregory and his successors in Armenian sources since the fifth century, although, as Robert W. Thomson notes, it is anachronistic for the situation in the fourth century. Until the death of Nerses I in the 370s, the Armenian bishops were under the authority of the metropolitans of Caesarea.{{Sfn|Agathangelos|1976|p=lxxix}}}} of the [[Armenian Apostolic Church|Armenian Church]] from {{Circa|387}} until 439. He is sometimes known as ''Isaac the Great'' or ''Sahak the Parthian'' ({{Lang-hy|Սահակ Պարթեւ}}, {{Transliteration|hy|Sahak Part῾ew}}) in reference to his father's [[Parthia|Parthian]] origin. He was the last Armenian patriarch who was directly descended from [[Gregory the Illuminator]], who converted the Kingdom of Armenia to Christianity in the early fourth century and became the first head of the Armenian Church. He supported [[Mesrop Mashtots]] in the creation of the [[Armenian alphabet]] and personally participated in the translation of the Bible into Armenian.


== Family ==
== Early life ==
Isaac was born {{Circa|350}}{{Sfn|Van Lint|2022}} to the future Catholicos [[Nerses I]] ({{Reign|{{circa|353}}|{{circa|373}}}}). Through his father he was a descendant of [[Gregory the Illuminator]], who [[Christianization of Armenia|converted the Kingdom of Armenia to Christianity]] in the early fourth century and became the first head of the [[Armenian Apostolic Church|Armenian Church]]. Since that time, the [[Gregorids|descendants of Gregory]] had held the office of catholicos of Armenia hereditarily, with some interruptions.{{Sfn|Garsoïan|1997|p=83}} According to the anonymous ''Vita'' of St. Nerses, Isaac's mother was a [[Mamikonian]] princess called Sandukht, whom Nerses married in [[Caesarea in Cappadocia|Caesarea]] prior to his consecration as catholicos. The ''Vita'' claims that Sandukht died after giving birth to Isaac. Another source, the [[Buzandaran Patmutʻiwnkʻ|''Buzandaran Patmutʻiwnkʻ'']], neither names Nerses's wife nor mentions his time in Caesarea, while [[Movses Khorenatsi]] writes that Nerses married the daughter of "the great noble Aspion" (who is not known from other sources) in Constantinople.{{Sfn|Garsoïan|1989|p=395}}
Isaac was son of the [[Christianity|Christian]] [[St. Nerses I]] and a [[Mamikonian]] princess called Sanducht. Through his father he was a [[Gregorids|Gregorid]] and was descended from the family of St. Gregory I the Enlightener. He was the fifth Catholicos of the [[Arsacid dynasty of Armenia]] after [[Gregory the Illuminator|St. Gregory I the Enlightener]] (301–325), [[St. Aristaces I]] (325–333), [[St. Vrtanes I]] (333–341) and [[St. Husik I]] (341–347). His paternal grandmother was the Arsacid Princess Bambish, the sister of King [[Tiran of Armenia|Tigranes VII (Tiran)]]<ref>P'awstos Buzandac'i, ''History of Armenia'', p. 81</ref> and a daughter of King [[Khosrov III the Small|Khosrov III]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}


During his father's patriarchate, Isaac studied for many years in Caesarea, Alexandria, and Constantinople. He learned Greek, Syriac and Persian. He was later consecrated as a bishop and preached with his sixty students at [[Etchmiadzin Cathedral]].{{Sfn|Katvalyan|Arevshatyan|p=876}} His father died in {{Circa|373}}, purportedly poisoned by the Arsacid king of Armenia [[Pap of Armenia|Pap]].{{Sfn|Garsoïan|1989|p=395}} At some point, Isaac had a daughter named Sahakanuysh, who later married Hamazasp Mamikonian.{{Sfn|Toumanoff|1976|p=225}}
⚫
== Life ==
{{Refimprove section|date=November 2021}}
⚫
[[Image:Sahak Partev Catholicos.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Catholicos Sahak Partev, by Francesco Maggiotto]]
Left an orphan at a very early age, Isaac received an excellent literary education in [[Constantinople]], particularly in the Eastern [[language]]s. There he married an unnamed woman by whom he had a daughter called Sahakanoush who later married Hamazasp [[Mamikonian]], a wealthy and influential Armenian nobleman. After the death of his wife, he took up a life of seclusion and prayer.<ref name=Isavertenc̣>[https://books.google.com/books?id=eZQDAAAAQAAJ&q=Isaac+of+Armenia Isavertenc̣, Yakobos. "Armenia and the Armenians"] Volume 2, Venice. Armenian Monastery of St. Lazaro, 1875, p. 61 et seq.{{PD-notice}}</ref>


== Patriarchate ==
After his [[election]] as patriarch in 386, he devoted himself to the [[religion|religious]] and [[science|scientific]] training of his people. In 395, while re-building [[Saint Hripsime Church]] which had been destroyed by Shapur II, he found an urn containing her relics.<ref name=Isavertenc̣/>
⚫
[[Image:Sahak Partev Catholicos.jpg|left|200px|thumb|An imaginary depiction of Isaac by Francesco Maggiotto]]


=== Election and first deposition ===
⚫
Armenia was then passing through a grave crisis. In 387 it had lost its independence and been divided between the [[Byzantine Empire]] and [[Sasanian Empire|Persia]]; each division had at its head an Armenian but [[feudalism|feudatory]] [[monarch|king]]. In the Byzantine territory, however, the Armenians were forbidden the use of the [[Syriac language]], until then exclusively used in divine worship: for this the [[Greek language]] was to be substituted, and the country gradually Hellenized; in the Persian districts, on the contrary, Greek was absolutely prohibited, while Syriac was greatly favoured. In this way the ancient culture of the Armenians was in danger of disappearing and national unity was seriously compromised.<ref name=Vailhe>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08175b.htm Vailhé, Siméon. "Isaac of Armenia." The Catholic Encyclopedia] Vol. 8. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 11 November 2021 {{PD-notice}}</ref>
Isaac was elected catholicos {{Circa|387}}{{Sfn|Van Lint|2022}} after the death of his predecessor, [[Aspuraces I|Aspuraces]]. He supported King [[Khosrov IV of Armenia|Khosrov of Armenia]] in his efforts to reunite the Armenian realm,{{Sfn|Katvalyan|Arevshatyan|p=876|2002}} which had been partitioned into Roman and Sasanian parts in 387.{{Sfn|Andrews|2018}} After Khosrov's imprisonment by the Sasanian king in 389, Isaac was deposed as catholicos, but Khosrov's successor [[Vramshapuh]] managed to have him restored to his position.{{Sfn|Katvalyan|Arevshatyan|p=876}}


⚫
Through Isaac's efforts the [[Church (building)|churches]] and [[monastery|monasteries]] destroyed by the Persians were rebuilt, education was cared for in a generous way, [[Zoroastrianism]] which [[Shah]] [[Yazdegerd I]] tried to set up was cast out, and three councils held to re-establish [[Ecclesiology|ecclesiastic]]al discipline.{{Sfn|Vailhé|1913}} The catholicos was noted for his ascetic lifestyle.{{Sfn|Van Lint|2022}}
To save both Isaac encouraged [[Saint Mesrop|Mesrop]] to invent the [[Armenian alphabet]] and began to [[translation|translate]] the Christian [[Bible]];<ref>[https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100011896 "St Isaac the Great", '' The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church''] 2 ed. ( E. A. Livingstone, ed.) OUP, 2006 {{ISBN|9780198614425}}</ref>
⚫
their translation from the Syriac [[Peshitta]] was revised by means of the [[Septuagint]], and even, it seems, from the [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] text (between 410 and 430).<ref name=Isavertenc̣/> The [[liturgy]] also, hitherto Syrian was translated into [[Armenian language|Armenian]], drawing at the same time on the liturgy of Saint [[Basil of Caesarea]], so as to obtain for the new service a national color. Isaac had already established [[school]]s for [[higher education]] with the aid of [[disciple (Christianity)|disciples]] whom he had sent to study at [[Edessa]], [[Malatya|Melitene]], [[Constantinople]], and elsewhere. Through them he now had the principal masterpieces of Greek and Syrian Christian literature translated, e.g. the writings of [[Athanasius of Alexandria]], [[Cyril of Jerusalem]], Basil, the two Gregorys ([[Gregory of Nazianzus]] and [[Gregory of Nyssa]]), [[John Chrysostom]], [[Ephrem the Syrian]], etc. [[Armenian literature]] in its golden age was, therefore, mainly a borrowed literature.<ref name=Vailhe/>


=== Creation of the Armenian alphabet ===
⚫
Through Isaac's efforts the [[Church (building)|churches]] and [[monastery|monasteries]] destroyed by the Persians were rebuilt, [[education]] was cared for in a generous way, [[Zoroastrianism]] which [[Shah]] [[Yazdegerd I]] tried to set up was cast out, and three councils held to re-establish [[Ecclesiology|ecclesiastic]]al discipline. Isaac is said to have been the author of liturgical [[hymn]]s.<ref name=Vailhe/>
⚫
Prior to the invention of the Armenian alphabet, the languages of the Armenian Church were Greek and Syriac.{{Sfn|Agathangelos|1976|p=xiii}} Armenia had been divided into Roman and Sasanian client kingdoms in 387. In the Roman part, however, the Armenians were forbidden the use of the Syriac language and used Greek instead, and the country gradually Hellenized; in the Persian part, on the other hand, Greek was absolutely prohibited, while Syriac was used. In this way the ancient culture of the Armenians was in danger of disappearing and national unity was seriously compromised.<ref name="Vailhe">[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08175b.htm Vailhé, Siméon. "Isaac of Armenia." The Catholic Encyclopedia] Vol. 8. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 11 November 2021 {{PD-notice}}</ref>


⚫
Isaac encouraged [[Mesrop Mashtots]] to invent the [[Armenian alphabet]] and himself translated and revised parts of the Bible.{{Sfn|Van Lint|2022}} Their translation from the Syriac [[Peshitta]] was revised by means of the [[Septuagint]], and even, it seems, from the [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] text (between 410 and 430).<ref name="Isavertenc̣">[https://books.google.com/books?id=eZQDAAAAQAAJ&q=Isaac+of+Armenia Isavertenc̣, Yakobos. "Armenia and the Armenians"] Volume 2, Venice. Armenian Monastery of St. Lazaro, 1875, p. 61 et seq.{{PD-notice}}</ref> The liturgy also, hitherto Syrian, was translated into Armenian, drawing at the same time on the liturgy of Saint [[Basil of Caesarea]], so as to obtain for the new service a national color. Isaac had already established schools for higher education with the aid of disciples whom he had sent to study at [[Edessa]], [[Malatya|Melitene]], Constantinople, and elsewhere. Through them he now had the principal masterpieces of Greek and Syrian Christian literature translated, e.g., the writings of [[Athanasius of Alexandria]], [[Cyril of Jerusalem]], Basil, the two Gregorys ([[Gregory of Nazianzus]] and [[Gregory of Nyssa]]), [[John Chrysostom]], [[Ephrem the Syrian]], and others.{{Sfn|Vailhé|1913}} The invention of the Armenian alphabet sped up the process of the Christianization of the Armenian population.{{Sfn|Agathangelos|1976|p=xiii}}
Two letters, written by Isaac to [[Theodosius II]] and to [[Archbishop Atticus of Constantinople]], have been preserved. A third letter addressed to Saint [[Proclus of Constantinople]] was not written by him, but dates from the tenth century. Neither did he have any share, as was wrongly ascribed to him, in the [[First Council of Ephesus]] of 431, though, in consequence of disputes which arose in Armenia between the followers of [[Nestorius]] and the disciples of [[Acathius of Melitene]] and [[Rabbula]], Isaac and his church did appeal to Constantinople and through Saint Proclus obtained the desired explanations.


=== Second deposition and death ===
A man of enlightened piety and of very austere life, Isaac owed his deposition by the king in 426 to his great independence of character. In 430, he was allowed to resume his patriarchal throne. In his extreme old age he seems to have withdrawn into solitude, dying at the age of 85
In 428, the last Arsacid king of Armenia Artashir was deposed by the Sasanian king with the help of most of the Armenian nobles. Isaac was against this and was himself removed from his position as Catholicos. An Armenian named Surmak was appointed in his place but was soon replaced by the Syrian bishop Brkisho.{{Sfn|Andrews|2018}} Isaac was imprisoned in Ctesiphon until 432, when he was allowed to return to Armenia and occupy certain offices within the church.{{Sfn|Katvalyan|Arevshatyan|p=876|2002}} Isaac refused to retake the patriarchate after the death of Catholicos Samuel, Brkisho's Syrian successor, in 437.{{Sfn|Andrews|2018}}
, probably on September 7, 439.<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Isaac-the-Great Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "St. Isaac the Great". ''Encyclopedia Britannica'']</ref>


[[Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi]] says his body was taken to Taron and buried in the village of Ashtishat. Several days are consecrated to his memory in the [[Armenian Apostolic Church]].
Isaac died around 438 in the village of Blur in [[Bagrevand]].{{Sfn|Katvalyan|Arevshatyan|p=876|2002}} According to [[Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi]], his body was taken to [[Taron (historic Armenia)|Taron]] and buried in [[Ashtishat]].{{Sfn|Yovhannēs Drasxanakertc῾i|1987|p=89}}

⚫
== Works ==
Isaac's correspondence with [[Theodosius II]] and [[Archbishop Atticus of Constantinople]] has been preserved. According to Siméon Vailhé, a letter attributed to Isaac to Archbishop [[Proclus of Constantinople]] actually dates to the tenth century.{{Sfn|Vailhé|1913}} Isaac also corresponded with Acacius, bishop of Melitene.{{Sfn|Andrews|2018}} He is also said to have been the author of liturgical hymns. Four sermons in the Armenian [[book of hours]] (''zhamagirk'') and many hymns (''sharakans'') are attributed to him. A number of discourses against [[Nestorianism]], [[Borborites]] and other sects are also attributed to Isaac.{{Sfn|Katvalyan|Arevshatyan|2002|p=877}}

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}


==References==
==References==
⚫
{{reflist|2}}


==Sources==
=== Citations ===
⚫
{{reflist|2}}
* {{in lang|fr}} Les dynasties de la Caucasie chrétienne de l’Antiquité jusqu’au XIXe siècle ; Tables généalogiques et chronologiques, Rome, 1990.
* {{in lang|fr}} Histoire de l'Arménie: des origines à 1071, Paris, 1947.
⚫
*{{catholic|wstitle=Isaac of Armenia}}


=== Bibliography ===
{{s-start}}
* {{cite book |author=Agathangelos |author-link=Agathangelos |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofarmenia0000agat |title=History of the Armenians |publisher=State University of New York Press |others=Translation, introduction and commentary by [[Robert W. Thomson]] |year=1976 |isbn=0-87395-323-1 |edition=First |location=Albany}}
* {{Cite book |last=Andrews |first=Tara |title=The Oxford Dictionary of Late Antiquity |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2018 |isbn=9780191744457 |chapter=Sahak I Part‘ew |access-date=6 June 2024 |chapter-url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780198662778.001.0001/acref-9780198662778-e-4155 |chapter-url-access=subscription}}
* {{Cite book |last=Garsoïan |first=Nina |author-link=Nina Garsoïan |title=The Armenian People from Ancient to Modern Times |publisher=St. Martin's Press |year=1997 |isbn=0-312-10169-4 |editor-last=Hovannisian |editor-first=Richard G. |editor-link=Richard Hovannisian |volume=1 |location=New York |chapter=The Aršakuni Dynasty}}
* {{Cite book |last=Garsoïan |first=Nina G. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZSnXAAAAMAAJ |title=The Epic Histories Attributed to Pʻawstos Buzand (Buzandaran Patmutʻiwnkʻ) |publisher=Harvard University Press |year=1989 |isbn=0-674-25865-7 |location=Cambridge, Massachusetts}}
* {{cite book |last=Grousset |first=René |title=Histoire de l’Arménie des origines à 1071 |publisher=Payot |year=1973 |location=Paris |language=French}}
* {{Cite book |last=Katvalyan |first=Maxim |url=https://etchmiadzinlibrary.am/images/ENCYCLOPEDIA/QristonyaHayastan.pdf |title=Kʻristonya Hayastan hanragitaran |last2=Arevshatyan |first2=Anna |publisher=[[Armenian Encyclopedia Publishing House]] |year=2002 |editor-last=Ayvazyan |editor-first=Hovhannes |location=Yerevan |pages=876-878 |language=hy |trans-title=''Christian Armenia encyclopedia'' |chapter=Sahak A Partʻev}}
* {{cite book |last=Toumanoff |first=C. |author-link=Cyril Toumanoff |title=Manuel de généalogie et de chronologie pour le Caucase chrétien (Arménie, Géorgie, Albanie) |publisher=Edizioni Aquila |year=1976 |location=Rome}}
*{{Cite book |last=Vailhé |first=Siméon |title=Catholic Encyclopedia |title-link=Catholic Encyclopedia |publisher=Robert Appleton Company |year=1913 |editor-last=Herbermann |editor-first=Charles G. |location=New York |chapter=Isaac of Armenia |display-editors=etal |chapter-url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_(1913)/Isaac_of_Armenia}}
*{{Cite book |last=Van Lint |first=Theo |title=The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2022 |isbn=9780191744396 |editor-last=Louth |editor-first=Andrew |edition=4th online |chapter=Isaac the Great, St |access-date=16 June 2024 |chapter-url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199642465.001.0001/acref-9780199642465-e-3685 |chapter-url-access=subscription}}
*{{Cite book |last=Yovhannēs Drasxanakertc῾i |url=http://archive.org/details/HistoryOfArmeniaByJohnKatholikos |title=History of Armenia |publisher=Scholars Press |year=1987 |location=Atlanta, Georgia |language= |translator-last=Maksoudian |translator-first=Krikor H.}}
⚫
{{catholic|wstitle=Isaac of Armenia}}{{s-start}}
{{succession box |
{{succession box |
before= [[Aspuraces I]] |
before= [[Aspuraces I]] |

Revision as of 10:37, 16 June 2024

Not to be confused with the exarch Isaac the Armenian.
Saint
Isaac of Armenia
Portrait by Stepanos Nersissian
Catholicos of All Armenians
Bornc. 354
Diedc. 439–441
Venerated inOriental Orthodoxy
Eastern Orthodoxy
Roman Catholicism
Feast9 September (Roman Catholic Church) [1]
Saturday preceding the penultimate Sunday before Lent (Armenian Apostolic Church)
20 November

Isaac or Sahak of Armenia (354–439) was the catholicos (or patriarch)[a] of the Armenian Church from c. 387 until 439. He is sometimes known as Isaac the Great or Sahak the Parthian (Template:Lang-hy, [Sahak Part῾ew] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 11) (help)) in reference to his father's Parthian origin. He was the last Armenian patriarch who was directly descended from Gregory the Illuminator, who converted the Kingdom of Armenia to Christianity in the early fourth century and became the first head of the Armenian Church. He supported Mesrop Mashtots in the creation of the Armenian alphabet and personally participated in the translation of the Bible into Armenian.

Early life

Isaac was born c. 350[3] to the future Catholicos Nerses I (r. c. 353 – c. 373). Through his father he was a descendant of Gregory the Illuminator, who converted the Kingdom of Armenia to Christianity in the early fourth century and became the first head of the Armenian Church. Since that time, the descendants of Gregory had held the office of catholicos of Armenia hereditarily, with some interruptions.[4] According to the anonymous Vita of St. Nerses, Isaac's mother was a Mamikonian princess called Sandukht, whom Nerses married in Caesarea prior to his consecration as catholicos. The Vita claims that Sandukht died after giving birth to Isaac. Another source, the Buzandaran Patmutʻiwnkʻ, neither names Nerses's wife nor mentions his time in Caesarea, while Movses Khorenatsi writes that Nerses married the daughter of "the great noble Aspion" (who is not known from other sources) in Constantinople.[5]

During his father's patriarchate, Isaac studied for many years in Caesarea, Alexandria, and Constantinople. He learned Greek, Syriac and Persian. He was later consecrated as a bishop and preached with his sixty students at Etchmiadzin Cathedral.[6] His father died in c. 373, purportedly poisoned by the Arsacid king of Armenia Pap.[5] At some point, Isaac had a daughter named Sahakanuysh, who later married Hamazasp Mamikonian.[7]

Patriarchate

An imaginary depiction of Isaac by Francesco Maggiotto

Election and first deposition

Isaac was elected catholicos c. 387[3] after the death of his predecessor, Aspuraces. He supported King Khosrov of Armenia in his efforts to reunite the Armenian realm,[8] which had been partitioned into Roman and Sasanian parts in 387.[9] After Khosrov's imprisonment by the Sasanian king in 389, Isaac was deposed as catholicos, but Khosrov's successor Vramshapuh managed to have him restored to his position.[6]

Through Isaac's efforts the churches and monasteries destroyed by the Persians were rebuilt, education was cared for in a generous way, Zoroastrianism which Shah Yazdegerd I tried to set up was cast out, and three councils held to re-establish ecclesiastical discipline.[10] The catholicos was noted for his ascetic lifestyle.[3]

Creation of the Armenian alphabet

Prior to the invention of the Armenian alphabet, the languages of the Armenian Church were Greek and Syriac.[11] Armenia had been divided into Roman and Sasanian client kingdoms in 387. In the Roman part, however, the Armenians were forbidden the use of the Syriac language and used Greek instead, and the country gradually Hellenized; in the Persian part, on the other hand, Greek was absolutely prohibited, while Syriac was used. In this way the ancient culture of the Armenians was in danger of disappearing and national unity was seriously compromised.[12]

Isaac encouraged Mesrop Mashtots to invent the Armenian alphabet and himself translated and revised parts of the Bible.[3] Their translation from the Syriac Peshitta was revised by means of the Septuagint, and even, it seems, from the Hebrew text (between 410 and 430).[13] The liturgy also, hitherto Syrian, was translated into Armenian, drawing at the same time on the liturgy of Saint Basil of Caesarea, so as to obtain for the new service a national color. Isaac had already established schools for higher education with the aid of disciples whom he had sent to study at Edessa, Melitene, Constantinople, and elsewhere. Through them he now had the principal masterpieces of Greek and Syrian Christian literature translated, e.g., the writings of Athanasius of Alexandria, Cyril of Jerusalem, Basil, the two Gregorys (Gregory of Nazianzus and Gregory of Nyssa), John Chrysostom, Ephrem the Syrian, and others.[10] The invention of the Armenian alphabet sped up the process of the Christianization of the Armenian population.[11]

Second deposition and death

In 428, the last Arsacid king of Armenia Artashir was deposed by the Sasanian king with the help of most of the Armenian nobles. Isaac was against this and was himself removed from his position as Catholicos. An Armenian named Surmak was appointed in his place but was soon replaced by the Syrian bishop Brkisho.[9] Isaac was imprisoned in Ctesiphon until 432, when he was allowed to return to Armenia and occupy certain offices within the church.[8] Isaac refused to retake the patriarchate after the death of Catholicos Samuel, Brkisho's Syrian successor, in 437.[9]

Isaac died around 438 in the village of Blur in Bagrevand.[8] According to Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi, his body was taken to Taron and buried in Ashtishat.[14]

Works

Isaac's correspondence with Theodosius II and Archbishop Atticus of Constantinople has been preserved. According to Siméon Vailhé, a letter attributed to Isaac to Archbishop Proclus of Constantinople actually dates to the tenth century.[10] Isaac also corresponded with Acacius, bishop of Melitene.[9] He is also said to have been the author of liturgical hymns. Four sermons in the Armenian book of hours (zhamagirk) and many hymns (sharakans) are attributed to him. A number of discourses against Nestorianism, Borborites and other sects are also attributed to Isaac.[15]

Notes

  1. ^ The term patriarch has commonly been used for Gregory and his successors in Armenian sources since the fifth century, although, as Robert W. Thomson notes, it is anachronistic for the situation in the fourth century. Until the death of Nerses I in the 370s, the Armenian bishops were under the authority of the metropolitans of Caesarea.[2]

References

Citations

  1. ^ "St. Isaac the Great - Saints & Angels".
  2. ^ Agathangelos 1976, p. lxxix.
  3. ^ a b c d Van Lint 2022.
  4. ^ Garsoïan 1997, p. 83.
  5. ^ a b Garsoïan 1989, p. 395.
  6. ^ a b Katvalyan & Arevshatyan, p. 876.
  7. ^ Toumanoff 1976, p. 225.
  8. ^ a b c Katvalyan & Arevshatyan 2002, p. 876.
  9. ^ a b c d Andrews 2018.
  10. ^ a b c Vailhé 1913.
  11. ^ a b Agathangelos 1976, p. xiii.
  12. ^ Vailhé, Siméon. "Isaac of Armenia." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 8. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 11 November 2021 Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  13. ^ Isavertenc̣, Yakobos. "Armenia and the Armenians" Volume 2, Venice. Armenian Monastery of St. Lazaro, 1875, p. 61 et seq.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  14. ^ Yovhannēs Drasxanakertc῾i 1987, p. 89.
  15. ^ Katvalyan & Arevshatyan 2002, p. 877.

Bibliography

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Isaac of Armenia". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

Preceded by Catholicos of the Holy See of St. Echmiadzin and All Armenians
387–428 		Succeeded by
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