34 Facts About Mkrtich Khrimian

Mkrtich Khrimian was an Armenian Apostolic Church leader, educator, and publisher who served as Catholicos of All Armenians from 1893 to 1907.

Mkrtich Khrimian was the head of the Armenian delegation at the 1878 Congress of Berlin.

Mkrtich Khrimian was elected as head of the Armenian Church in 1892 he was enthroned more than a year later and served in that position until his death.

Mkrtich Khrimian opposed the Russian government's attempt to confiscate the properties of the Armenian Church in 1903, which was later canceled in part due to his efforts.

Mkrtich Khrimian further endorsed the liberation movement of the Armenian revolutionaries.

Mkrtich Khrimian is a towering figure in modern Armenian history and has been affectionately called Khrimian Hayrik.

Mkrtich Khrimian was born in the Aygestan quarter of Van.

Mkrtich Khrimian's father, a weaver, died when Mkrtich was a child and he was brought up by his uncle, Khachatur, a merchant.

Mkrtich Khrimian received informal education at parochial schools of Lim and Ktuts islands in Lake Van and Varagavank, where he studied classical Armenian, history, and ecclesiastical literature.

Mkrtich Khrimian wished to continue his education at a European university, but this desire was never realized.

Mkrtich Khrimian lived in Constantinople from 1844 to 1846 where he made connections with Armenian intellectuals.

Mkrtich Khrimian was upset with the apathy the upper and middle classes of the Armenian community of Constantinople showed towards provincial Armenians.

Mkrtich Khrimian thereafter decided to devote himself to a life in the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Mkrtich Khrimian began production of the periodical Artsvi Vaspurakan at a publishing house located next to his Scutari church.

Mkrtich Khrimian returned to Van in 1857 and established the Zharangavorats School at Varagavank monastery.

Mkrtich Khrimian founded a publishing house at the monastery, through which he resumed the publication of Artsvi Vaspurakan in 1859.

Mkrtich Khrimian revitalized the monastery and transformed it into a flourishing center.

Mkrtich Khrimian founded a school there and a journal, called Artsvik Tarono.

Mkrtich Khrimian succeeded in convincing the wali of the Erzurum Vilayet to lower taxes for Armenians.

On 20 October 1868, Mkrtich Khrimian was ordained as a bishop in Etchmiadzin.

Mkrtich Khrimian cleared the patriarchate's debt and sought to increase the provincial representation in the Armenian National Assembly.

Mkrtich Khrimian used the position to advance the interests and conditions of the poor and oppressed provincial Armenians.

Issues explicitly mentioned in Mkrtich Khrimian's report include: violence committed by tax farmers against the local population, forced conversions to Islam and other crimes committed out of religious fanaticism, over-taxation, and neglect of tax farmer duties, leading to harvest losses.

Mkrtich Khrimian opened new schools, including the first agricultural school in Armenian lands.

Mkrtich Khrimian was recognized as the standard of patriotism, and whoever sought the best interests of the nation could not but favor his election.

Mkrtich Khrimian collaborated with the Armenian Revolutionary Federation to organize mass demonstrations against the edict.

In 1907, Mkrtich Khrimian clarified the relations between the patriarch of Constantinople and emphasized the primacy of the see of Echmiadzin.

Razmik Panossian writes that Mkrtich Khrimian had a powerful influence on Armenian nationalism.

Mkrtich Khrimian explicitly endorsed the Armenian Revolutionary Federation in an 1896 letter to the Armenians of Van, in which he wrote:.

Mkrtich Khrimian was buried, like many of his predecessors, at the courtyard of Etchmiadzin Cathedral.

Panossian writes that Mkrtich Khrimian was committed throughout his life to the betterment of the conditions of provincial Armenian and of Armenian rights in general.

Mkrtich Khrimian has labored honestly and earnestly for good of his nation.

Mkrtich Khrimian will look at the Armenian people from the depth of centuries and speak with a familiar language about her cherished aspirations and immortal goals.

Mkrtich Khrimian is the subject of paintings of several prominent Armenian artists, such as Ivan Aivazovsky, Yeghishe Tadevosyan, and Vardges Sureniants.