THE LETTERS OF ISAHAK MAKVETSI

Abstract

Isaak Makvetzi was a prominent yet relatively understudied figure in the ecclesiastical and cultural history of the Armenian Church during the second half of the 17th century. Substantial information regarding his activities is preserved in the manuscripts of St. Thaddeus Monastery in Artaz, as well as in his correspondence addressed to the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith in Rome, the administration of the Urban College, and Armenian merchants across Europe. These letters, housed in the Vatican Apostolic Archive and manuscript no. 1458 of the Venice Matenadaran, illuminate Makvetzi’s multifaceted role as a spiritual leader, patron of educational initiatives, and diplomatic mediator. He is portrayed as an ecumenical thinker who remained faithful to the doctrines and liturgical practices of the Armenian Apostolic Church while fostering spiritual dialogue with the Holy See, without undergoing confessional conversion. His disciple, Philippus Makvetzi, who studied at the Urban College, became a symbolic figure of this collaboration. The letters addressed to Armenian merchants reflect Makvetzi’s organizational and missionary vision, wherein church restoration is conceptualized not merely as architectural renewal but as a means of revitalizing faith, reinforcing communal identity, and preserving national memory. The supplicatory letter sent to Makvetzi by Pope Innocent XI attests to his international recognition and authority. Nevertheless, despite being considered a potential successor to the Catholicos of All Armenians, his election was obstructed by internal ecclesiastical divisions and political complexities.