Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/398

 was deprived of his clerical habit and driven out of the city. This individual then retired to the convent of Mair in the province of Nig» where, having made proselytes to his opinions, he caused much disturbance in the nation. Ezr hereupon ordered him to be banished from that convent, which, on account of receiving him, was henceforward designated Mairagoihi and the monk himself called Mairagomensis. £x* pelled from this retreat, Johan took refuge in the country of the Aluans, at the most remote part of the province of Gardman, where he was permitted to remain without further mo<- testation, being regarded as a rotten member of the church.

He was accompanied by one disciple named Sarkies. These two, having embraced the heresy of Julianus Halicamensis, published a number of schismatic propositions. They were answered and refuted at first by a monk named Gregaratur, a man of profound knowledge, and afterwards by Theodorus Kurthenavor and Johannes the philosopher. Ezr, after his return from Catin, a. d. 630. splendidly rebuilt with hewn stones the tomb of era ?»• St. Gayana, and erected around it a number of dwelling-houses for the priests officiating there. He made many improvements in the church, and caused the Psalm on occasion of the sun rising, " Blessed be the name of the Lordy S^c^ to be included in the service.

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