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Guiragos (or Cyriacus) of Armenia

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Guiragos (or Cyriacus) Of Armenia

was born at Kharabasd, in the province of Khajperuni. He resided thirty- two years in the convent of Khor-Virab, whence he received the surname Virabetsi. He was an humble and pious man, and well versed in the Scriptures. He was elected patriarch in 1141, when Gregory IX, patriarch of Armenia, residing at Sis (Cilicia), objected to the transportation of his seat to Echmiadzin (Greater Armenia). Guiragos was the first patriarch who resided at the latter place; he erected convents and churches there, repaired the cathedral, and broke up the schism which separated the patriarch Aghthamar from the rest of the Church. A certain Marcus, bishop of Georgia, who was dissatisfied with that reconciliation, pretended that the election of Guiragos was invalid, because he had not previously been consecrated bishop, and it was even said that he had never been baptized. Zacharias, bishop of Havuts-Tharhah, joined the enemies of the patriarch, and went to Echmiadzin to depose him in 1143, at the head of thirty bishops. Yakub-Khan of Erivan at first opposed the change, but, being bribed by Zacharias, gave him authority to renew the election. The suffrages were in favor of Gregory X, and Guiragos, who had been hiding during the excitement, retired into a convent, where he died the same year. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.