: Year ▁of ▁birth ▁missing ▁( l iving ▁people ) <0x0A> </s> ▁C athol icos ▁Abraham ▁III ▁( also ▁Abraham ▁of ▁Cre te ▁or ▁Abraham ▁K ret at si ▁d . ▁ 1 7 3 7 ) ▁was ▁the ▁C athol icos ▁of ▁the ▁Armen ian ▁Apost ol ic ▁Church ▁between ▁ 1 7 3 4 ▁and ▁ 1 7 3 7 . ▁Born ▁in ▁Her ak l ion , ▁Cre te , ▁to ▁a ▁Greek ▁mother , ▁he ▁was ▁bishop ▁of ▁Rod osto , ▁Th race ▁and ▁then ▁Armen ian ▁pre late ▁of ▁Th race ▁in ▁ 1 7 0 8 – 1 7 3 4 . ▁At ▁this ▁time ▁he ▁went ▁on ▁a ▁pil gr image ▁to ▁eastern ▁Armen ia , ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁under ▁Pers ian ▁rule , ▁which ▁now ▁make ▁up ▁the ▁area ▁of ▁modern - day ▁Armen ia ▁and ▁N akh iche van . ▁Abraham ▁is ▁said ▁to ▁have ▁become ▁C athol icos ▁by ▁chance , ▁because ▁while ▁he ▁was ▁on ▁his ▁pil gr image ▁to ▁Et ch mi ad zin ▁C athol icos ▁Abraham ▁II ▁died . ▁Abraham ▁of ▁Cre te ▁had ▁im pressed ▁many ▁with ▁his ▁religious ▁dev otion ▁during ▁his ▁stay ▁there , ▁and ▁so ▁they ▁decided ▁un anim ously ▁to ▁elect ▁him ▁the ▁new ▁C athol icos . ▁Abraham ▁III ▁was ▁old ▁at ▁this ▁point ▁and ▁un famil iar ▁in ▁the ▁work ings ▁of ▁Et ch mi ad zin , ▁so ▁he ▁protest ed , ▁but ▁despite ▁that ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 7 3