Catholicos Mashdotz I was the
Catholicos of the
Armenian Apostolic Church
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between 897 and 898. He was a monk of
Sevanavank
Sevanavank ( hy, Սևանավանք; meaning ''Sevan Monastery'') 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 monas ...
monastery and regarded as a very holy man. While a monk, he was asked by sparapet Abas to assist in overthrowing the current Catholicos,
George II George II or 2 may refer to:
People
* George II of Antioch (seventh century AD)
* George II of Armenia (late ninth century)
* George II of Abkhazia (916–960)
* Patriarch George II of Alexandria (1021–1051)
* George II of Georgia (1072–1089) ...
, and was promised the Catholicosate throne in return. Mashdotz wrote a long letter in response, rejecting the offer to rebel against the Catholicos, and chided Abas for his attempt. The plot failed and Mashdotz continued to be respected for his piety.
Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi ( hy, Յովհաննէս Դրասխանակերտցի, John of Drasxanakert, various spellings exist), also called John V the Historian, was Catholicos of Armenia from 897 to 925, and a noted chronicler and historian. He i ...
reports that Mashdotz refused to even maintain a diet of bread and water, only eating vegetables. Upon the death of George II, King
Smbat I
Smbat I (; c. 850–912/14) was the second king of the medieval Kingdom of Armenia of the Bagratuni dynasty, and son of Ashot I. He is the father of Ashot II (known as Ashot Yerkat) and Abas I.
Rule
Smbat I was crowned king in 892 in Shiraka ...
and his associates elected Mashdotz the new Catholicos as they were impressed with him. He was known as a holy man and excellent teacher, but died after seven months as Catholicos. The same historian Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi was asked by the king to be his replacement.
Catholicoi of Armenia
Mashdotz I
Year of birth unknown
9th-century Armenian people
9th-century Oriental Orthodox archbishops
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