Saint Elisæus of Albania

Saint Elisæus, Ełišay, Yeghishe, Elishe or Ełišē (Armenian: Եղիշե) was the first patriarch of the Church of Caucasian Albania by local tradition. First attested in the Classical Armenian work The History of the Caucasian Albanians, Elisæus was considered the illuminator of Albania. The legend about Elisæus has two versions. In one version he is presented as one of five disciples of St. Thaddeus (or, of Thaddeus of Edessa, who may have been the same person). According to this version, he returned to Jerusalem after the martyrdom of Thaddeus by Sanatruk and was appointed as head of the church by James the Just. However, another version which was mentioned in context of a debate with the Armenian Catholicos Abraham I (607–615) recounts Elisæus as "disciple of the Lord" without mentioning Thaddeus and referring to James as "patriarch of Jerusalem". The former version records the apostle's journey from Jerusalem to Maskut lands through Persia, reaching Saharn in Utik along with three disciples. Story follows with martyrdom of one disciple, other two deserting him. Legend is continued with Elisæus reaching Kiş, establishing the first mother church of East. Elisæus was later ambushed in Zergoyn plains and his remains was thrown into a pit in Homēnk. Latter version just describes a movement from Jerusalem to Kiş and establishing a church there. Albanians believed that Albania was evangelized 270 years before Armenia. According to The History of the Caucasian Albanians his relics were rediscovered sometime later by 'pious men'. His relics were first transferred to church of Ur̄ekan, then taken to Jrvshtik monastery which later became Yeghishe Arakyal Monastery during reign of Vachagan III.