George VI of Armenia

Who was George VI of Armenia?

George VI of Armenia was the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church from 1945 to 1954.

The position had remained vacant from 1938 to 1945 because of the Joseph Stalin purges against religion, culminating in the murder of the then catholicos Khoren I in 1938. Etchmiadzin was ordered closed and the position of Catholicos of All Armenians remained vacnt for 7 years from 1938 to 1945.

But when Stalin himself ordered easing of restrictions against religion, it was allowed for the assignment of Bishop Gevork as new Catholicos of All Armenians as Gevork VI and was eventually allowed to return to Etchmiadzin.

During the Soviet regime, the press praised George VI as one of the most outstanding supporters of the "struggle for peace".

He died in 1954 and a new catholicos Vazgen I was elected in 1955 as Catholicos of All Armenians.

George VI is buried near Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin.