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402 the direct line in Nerses, Yusik's grandson, who died before 374. Nerses marks an epoch.

In this early Armenian Church we notice first a strong Jewish tendency. As the Kings of Abyssinia claimed descent from Solomon, so did those of Armenia (the Arsacids) from Abraham. In their history occur deliberate reproductions of Old Testament scenes. There are traces of royal polygamy after Christianity. The chief eunuch of the king's harem was a great nobleman. Gelzer says that the hereditary Primates with their sacerdotal family were more like the old Jewish High Priests than Christian bishops. Not only the Primates, other bishops, too, were married and had families, in which priestly rank was hereditary (though, of course, all were ordained). The sons of bishops often led disedifying lives, hunting and fighting like young noblemen, though they were ordained deacons. There was a great rival family to that of St. Gregory, namely, the house of Albianos. Albianos was the son of a pagan priest, converted and ordained bishop by the Illuminator. His descendants appear constantly as rivals who, for a time, obtain the primacy. Shahak, who succeeded Pharen, was the first Katholikos of Albianos' house.

The Katholikos was a very great lord. He was very rich, had vast possessions consisting of fifteen districts, rode in a royal chariot, was attended by twelve bishops, and went up to Cæsarea in royal state, accompanied by princes, to be ordained.

The early Primates of Armenia did not take their title from any