Nerses Bakur () was the

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 it is the title of the head of an autonomous church. The word comes from ancient ...

and head of Caucasian Albanian Church in the late 7th and early 8th century.

Election

Attested in ''

The History of the Country of Albania ''The History of the Caucasian Albanians'' (or ''The History of the World of Aghvank''; hy, Պատմութիւն Աղուանից աշխարհի) by Movses Kaghankatvatsi is a history of eastern territories of Armenia ( Artsakh and Utik), as well ...

'', he was mentioned as a bishop of

Gardman Gardman ( hy, Գարդման), also known as Gardmank, was one of the eight cantons of the ancient province of Utik in the Kingdom of Armenia and simultaneously, together with the canton of Tuchkatak, an Armenian principality. It roughly corresp ...

during the tenure of his predecessor Eghiazar. Reportedly he was elected after the influence and intervention of Queen Spram, wife of

Varaz-Tiridates I Varaz Trdat - was the Mihranid king of Caucasian Albania from 670 to 705. Тревер К. В. Очерки по истории и культуре Кавказской Албании IV в. до н. э. — VII в. н. э.. — М.—Л.: Изда ...

Tenure

A long proponent of

Chalcedonian Christianity Chalcedonian Christianity is the branch of Christianity that accepts and upholds theological and ecclesiological resolutions of the Council of Chalcedon, the Fourth Ecumenical Council, held in 451. Chalcedonian Christianity accepts the Christolo ...

, the clique wanted to achieve political and religious independence of

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

through alliance with

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

. However, he didn't proclaim it openly until 702. As part of reforms, he appointed his Chalcedonian ally Zakʿaria as bishop of Greater Arran bishopric (), succeeding previous Miaphysite bishop Yovēl. He also dismissed

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

(now bishop of Greater Kolmank) and Eghiazar – bishop of Gardman, Nerses' former seat. Rival clique was led by Sheroy – regent of Albania, as well as Yovhannēs (bishop of

Qabala Qabala ( az, Qəbələ) is a city and the administrative centre of the Qabala District of Azerbaijan. The municipality consists of the city of Gabala and the village of Küsnat. Before the city was known as Kutkashen, but after the Republic of ...

), Sahak (bishop of

Amaras Amaras is a village ''de jure'' in the Khojavend District of Azerbaijan, ''de facto'' in the Martuni Province of the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh. It was a prominent religious and educational center in the Artsakh province of the Kingdom ...

Deposition

Nerses' reforms in church alarmed Elias I (703–717), the Armenian Catholicos to intervene and apply to Caliph Abd-al-Malik. Elias accused Nerses and Spram of swearing alliance to Byzantines and plotting against the Umayyad Caliphate.Nerses and Spram were caught by Sheroy exiled to

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

where he died. His books were pillaged from his summer residence in Berdakor and was thrown into

Tartar Tartar may refer to: Places * Tartar (river), a river in Azerbaijan * Tartar, Switzerland, a village in the Grisons * Tərtər, capital of Tartar District, Azerbaijan * Tartar District, Azerbaijan * Tartar Island, South Shetland Islands, Ant ...

river.He was succeeded by Simeon who was installed by Elias. After Nerses' death, Caucasian Albanian Church became a subject of

Armenian Apostolic Church , native_name_lang = hy , icon = Armenian Apostolic Church logo.svg , icon_width = 100px , icon_alt = , image = Էջմիածնի_Մայր_Տաճար.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , a ...

References

Sources

* {{Cite book , last=Dasxuranci , first=Movses , title=The History of the Caucasian Albanians , publisher=

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...

, year=1961 , location=London , translator-last=Dowsett , translator-first=Charles , author-link=Movses Kaghankatvatsi , translator-link=Charles Dowsett 704 deaths 8th-century Asian people Church of Caucasian Albania