History of Aristakes Lastivertts'i

the children of the holy covenant were enlightened. In his days, "The earth was filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the many waters that cover the seas," Isaiah 11:9 according to the prophet's forewarning. For the throne of the patriarchate was held by Lord Sarkis Sergius, raised in holiness in the bosom of the church and trained in monastic 5 asceticism in the monastery called the Island of Sevan. Because of the grace of God, they call him by his worthiness, and they seat him on the throne of our Illuminator. He, having lived in the body according to his own rules, ended his life with good deeds.

At that time there were vardapets learned teachers/doctors of theology: Sarkis, Tiranun, and Yenovk Enoch, who were vardapets of the catholicosate; and Samuel, who shepherded the monastery of Kamurjadzor Bridge Gorge as its leader; and Yovsep Joseph, who was the presiding head of the monastery of Hndzutc; and Stepanos Taronatsi, who composed the universal history with wonderful structures, beginning from the first man and bringing his history in its entirety to the end of Gagik, because of whom this history exists; and Yovhannes John from the same region, whom they called by the additional name Kozeghn, who wrote books of faith; and Grigor Gregory, very wise in speech; and many others, in whose days the horn of the church rose very high with orthodox confession. But those who looked upon us with envious eyes, being crushed by these scholarly exhibitions, crept away like mice into holes in the walls. And so much for this.

King Gagik, having led the kingdom for a long time and having been worthy of good memories, dissolved his life in deep old age. His sons, Smbat—who was called Yovhannes—and his own brother Ashot, inherited the power. Smbat was 25 heavy in body and very thick, but they say he was greater in wisdom