Nerses Bakur
Nerses Bakur | |
|---|---|
| Catholicos of Albania, Lupenia and Chola | |
| Church | Caucasian Albanian Church |
| Installed | 688 |
| Term ended | 704 |
| Predecessor | Eghiazar |
| Successor | Simeon of Albania |
| Personal details | |
| Died | 704 Damascus |
| Denomination | Chalcedonian Christianity |
Nerses Bakur (Template:Lang-xcl) was the Catholicos and head of Caucasian Albanian Church in the late 7th and early 8th century.
Election
Attested in The History of the Country of Albania, he was mentioned as a bishop of Gardman during the tenure of his predecessor Eghiazar. Reportedly he was elected after the influence and intervention of Queen Spram, wife of Varaz-Tiridates I.[1]
Tenure
A long proponent of Chalcedonian Christianity, the clique wanted to achieve political and religious independence of Albania through alliance with Byzantine Empire.[2][3] However, he didn't proclaim it openly until 702.[1] As part of reforms, he appointed his Chalcedonian ally Zakʿaria as bishop of Greater Arran bishopric (Template:Lang-xcl), succeeding previous Miaphysite bishop Yovēl. He also dismissed Israel (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), Sahak (bishop of Amaras).[1][4]
Deposition
Nerses' reforms in church alarmed Elias I (703–717), the Armenian Catholicos to intervene and apply to Caliph Abd-al-Malik.[5] Elias accused Nerses and Spram of swearing alliance to Byzantines and plotting against the Umayyad Caliphate.[6]Nerses and Spram were caught by Sheroy exiled to Damascus where he died.[7] His books were pillaged from his summer residence in Berdakor and was thrown into Tartar river.[8]He was succeeded by Simeon who was installed by Elias. After Nerses' death, Caucasian Albanian Church became a subject of Armenian Apostolic Church.
References
- ^ a b c Dasxuranci 1961, p. 190.
- ^ Ihor Ševčenko; G. G. Litavrin; Walter K. Hanak, eds. (1996). Acts, XVIIIth International Congress of Byzantine Studies : selected papers, main and communications : Moscow, 1991. Shepherdstown, WV. p. 151. ISBN 1-891781-00-6. OCLC 38199632.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Samuel Macauley Jackson; Lefferts A. Loetscher (1977). The new Schaff-Herzog encyclopedia of religious knowledge. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House. p. 293. ISBN 0801079470. OCLC 755062834.
- ^ Destin de la Géorgie (in French). 1984. p. 239.
- ^ Stopka, Krzysztof (16 December 2016). Armenia Christiana: Armenian Religious Identity and the Churches of Constantinople and Rome (4th–15th Century). Wydawnictwo UJ. p. 88. ISBN 978-83-233-9555-3.
- ^ Dasxuranci 1961, p. 192.
- ^ Jost Gippert (2008–2010). The Caucasian Albanian palimpsests of Mt. Sinai. Turnhout: Brepols. pp. xix. ISBN 978-2-503-53116-8. OCLC 319126785.
- ^ Dasxuranci 1961, p. 193.
Sources
- Dasxuranci, Movses (1961). The History of the Caucasian Albanians. Translated by Dowsett, Charles. London: Oxford University Press.