ARCHBISHOP GEVORG KOSTANDNUPOLSETSI KERESTEJYAN

1880-1881 (Years of Leadership)

Archbishop Gevorg Kostandnupolsetsi Kerestejyan was born on July 7, 1813. He studied in a religious school in Constantinople.

In 1835, he received the rank of Archimandrite; in 1848, he was consecrated as a Bishop.

In 1844, Archbishop Gevorg Kostandnupolsetsi Kerestejyan was appointed to serve as the Head of the Diocese in Brusai.

On October 17, 1858, Archbishop Gevorg Kostandnupolsetsi Kerestejyan was elected as the Patriarch of Constantinople.

On April 21, 1860, Archbishop Gevorg Kostandnupolsetsi Kerestejyan spoke against the National Constitution and renounced his throne of Patriarch; from October 1861, he again headed the Diocese in Brusai.

In 1866, he was elected and consecrated as Gevorg IV Kostandnupolsetsi Kerestejyan, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.

In 1868, he started the publication of the “Ararat” Magazine, which was the official journal of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Gevorg IV Kostandnupolsetsi Kerestejyan built the Museum of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. He established the Printing House and Matenadaran (Matenadaran is a museum of ancient manuscripts; a repository of manuscripts and research institute). Gevorg IV Kostandnupolsetsi Kerestejyan, Catholicos of All Armenians, also established the Gevorkian Theological Seminary of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.   

In 1979, Gevorg IV Kostandnupolsetsi Kerestejyan, Catholicos of All Armenians, built the church over the tomb of Saint Mesrop Mashtots in Oshakan, Armenia.

The distinguished Gevorg IV Kostandnupolsetsi Kerestejyan, Suprema Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians died on December 6, 1882 at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.