Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/384

 tioa to the igDoranee of the re^t : he was a priest named Abel, a most excellent character. 8um* b^t sent him to Moses th@ pontiff, and directed him to be consecrated bishop of the Virkans, and sfsnt back to assume the government of his diocese, which was henceforward to be under the controul of the Armenian pontiff. Sumbat then proceeded to Armenia.

At this period, the pontiff of the Georgians fUAein ^ being dead, a dispute arose among that peo- ple respecting a successor to him. Not being s^ble to decide their disagreement^ they wrote to Moses the Armenifin pontiff, authorizing lain to consecrate whomsoever he chose, to be the head of their church. Moses then appointed Curion pontiff of Georg^9. This individual was a Georgian by birih» and a most learned and pious man. He was. master of four languages, Greek, Arinenian, Persian, ^nd Georgian. He had been appointed soi^ke time before bishop of Ararat. Immediately after his elevation to his new dignity he proceeded to Georgia, and caused to be lurought from Constantinople a correct account of the pro* ceedings of the council of ChalcedoPi with its canons, and a precise translation to be taken of the code of St. lico. These being all exa- «iined, the Georgians, the E^erians, and some 9ther adjacent nations, consented t^ receive

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