402 HISTORY OF ARMENIA.
eighth year of the pontificate of Johannes, some ill-disposed persons having fabricated calum* nies against the conduct of the pontiff, found means to induce the governor to join with them in a plot to depose him from the pontifi* cate. On the pontiff being informed of this conspiracy he forthwith publicly ezcommuni* cated Bagarat, and retired to one of the convents
^* Ha?^* of Ayrs in the province of Gelam. On his flight ^^^\ becoming known, much tumult and disorder broke out in the nation. In order to extin- guish these feuds, the chiefs assembled, together with the Armenian bishops, in the city of Erunjak, and there caused an inquiry to be made into the truth of the tales which had been spread abroad prejudicial to the pontiff's character. The result of this was a complete justification of his con- duct, upon which the chiefs immediately recalled him, and reinstated him in the pontificate. It appeared that three individuals were the authors of those slanderous reports which had gained currency among the people regarding the pon*
^' H^cM tiff. Bagarat, who had not been invited to the
- ^ ^^^' beforementioned assembly, being irritated at the
restoration of Johannes, refused to acknowledge
the legality of its proceedings, and attempted
to elect another pontiff.
Hereupon much confusion prevailed in the co;intry. While he was engaged in seeking
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