NERSES THE GREAT

NERSES THE GREAT, Catholicos of Armenia, St. (?-ca. 373). A direct descendant of Gregory the Illuminator, a principal Church Father and sixth Catholicos (ca. 353-ca. 373) of Armenia (qq.v.), Nerses is particularly venerated for his philanthropic foundations of hospitals and orphanages and for his powers of organization. His exile and death came as the result of his opposition to the immorality of two successive kings, the arianizing policies of the latter, King Pap, and of the Emperor Constantius II.