Isaac was educated at Constantinople like his father, and had at first
no thought of being a great churchman, but only of leading the life of
a noble. He was always, however, of a very pure and lofty character,
a marked contrast to the proud and dissolute nobility around him;
and after the early death of his wife, devoted himself to religious
seclusion, into which he was followed by sixty disciples. In 389,
a few years after his father's death, he was called out to fill the
pontificate, once more vacant. This was the year before the partition
of Armenia; but even after that, though the country was divided,
the church was not. The Armenian Church was still one, with a single
head; but the appointment of that head was of such immense political
importance that, as the king had before claimed the deciding voice
in it, so now each power insisted on being satisfied,--no easy
matter. Some of the nobles who opposed Chosroes of Persarmenia
now complained to the king of Persia that the appointment of the
new pontiff had been made without his consent, in order to foment
a rebellion, and make Armenia independent again; and the king
deposed Isaac. Shortly after, however, a new king reinstated him;
and a new vassal king being put in Chosroes' place, and the country
more quiet, St. Isaac began to repair the churches, which had fallen
into decay,--rebuilding that of St. Ripsime, destroyed by Shahpur,
in the course of which he discovered St. Gregory's urn sealed with
his cross-engraven signet.
About this time St. Mesrob began to be famous for sanctity. He was
a scholar well versed in Greek, Syrian, and Persian, as well as
his native tongue; had been secretary to St. Nierses, and after his
death remained at court under the patronage of a prince named Aravan,
where he became chancellor. Finally he became wearied of earthly glory
and court corruptions, and entered a convent, whither many disciples
were attracted by his learning and sanctity. Hearing of St. Isaac's
beneficent deeds, however, he left the convent and attached himself
to him; and under his authority preached and taught in all parts of
the province. We are told that by the aid of the chief of Koghten he
extirpated a diabolic heathen sect in that province. But his fame
is chiefly as having begun with Isaac the Golden Age of Armenian
literature; I shall speak of this a little later.