Constantine II the Woolmaker was the

Catholicos A catholicos (plural: catholicoi) is the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and, in some cases, it is the title of the head of an autonomous church. The word comes from ancient Greek ( ...

of the

Armenian Apostolic Church The Armenian Apostolic Church () is the Autocephaly, autocephalous national church of Armenia. Part of Oriental Orthodoxy, it is one of the most ancient Christianity, Christian churches. The Armenian Apostolic Church, like the Armenian Catholic ...

between 1286 and 1289, and then again between 1307 and 1322.

Early life and education

He was from the village of Catuk, but as he was educated in

Sis Sis or SIS may refer to: People *Michael Sis (born 1960), American Catholic bishop Places * Sis (ancient city), historical town in modern-day Turkey, served as the capital of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. * Kozan, Adana, the current name ...

he was called Sisetzi. He was also surnamed Pronagorz, or Woolmaker.

Work on throne

He came to the pontifical throne on

Good Friday Good Friday, also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday, or Friday of the Passion of the Lord, is a solemn Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary (Golgotha). It is observed during ...

of 1286. A year later King Leo II of Armenia died and was succeeded by his son Hetoum II. Two years later a great disagreement took place between the King and Catholicos on the topic of union with the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

, which grew to the point where the king convened a meeting of the clergy which deposed Constantine. He was banished after reigning for three years. Almost two decades later, upon the death of

Gregory VII of Cilicia Gregory VII was the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church between 1293 and 1307. Gregory succeeded Stephen IV who died in captivity in Egypt. The location of the Holy See at Hromkla, Rumkale had recently been destroyed by the Mamluk, Mamalu ...

, a meeting was called by King Levon III to discuss new church regulations proposed by the recently deceased Catholicos. At this same meeting Constantine II was reinstated as Catholicos. Towards the end of his second reign the Mamlukes, with their allies the

Turks Turk or Turks may refer to: Communities and ethnic groups * Turkish people, or the Turks, a Turkic ethnic group and nation * Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Turkey * Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups who speak Turkic lang ...

, marched into Cilicia and laid siege to the region. Much of it was left in desolation and many were carried away into captivity. Constantine wrote to

Pope John XXII Pope John XXII (, , ; 1244 – 4 December 1334), born Jacques Duèze (or d'Euse), was head of the Catholic Church from 7 August 1316 to his death, in December 1334. He was the second and longest-reigning Avignon Papacy, Avignon Pope, elected by ...

for aid, to which he responded with consolation and some money.

Scythian The Scythians ( or ) or Scyths (, but note Scytho- () in composition) and sometimes also referred to as the Pontic Scythians, were an ancient Eastern Iranian equestrian nomadic people who had migrated during the 9th to 8th centuries BC fr ...

troops were sent to protect Cilicia but before they arrived the region was invaded again and much of the Armenian army was killed fighting them. Constantine was very distressed by these events and died, in 1322.

References

Catholicoi of Cilicia Armenian Apostolic Christians 13th-century Oriental Orthodox archbishops 14th-century Oriental Orthodox archbishops {{OrientalOrthodox-clergy-stub