David

DAVIDE. - Armenian Katholikós of the 12th century, called Althamartzi, that is, of Althamar, because he had been bishop-hegumen of the Armenian cenobium of that name on the south-eastern island of Lake Van. Descended from the family of the prince of Sasson, Tornik, whose nephew he was, he was also called D. Tornikian. Refusing to submit to the katholikós Gregorio III Pahlavoni, canonically appointed in Cilicia, on the grounds that he was too young, he had himself proclaimed katholikós by a synod of 5 bishops of eastern Armenia, convened at the cenobium of Tzorovankh (1113). The schism initiated a series of Althamar katholikói, in practice accepted by the Armenians of Vaspourakan because of their dissident tendency, and for a time gave rise to uncertainties among almost all the residential bishops of Greater Armenia when, between the 12th and 13th centuries, the choice of the katholikós was made.