Gregory was born under the name Vahram as the son of Grigor Magistros, a member of the princely Pahlavuni family and Doux of Edessa as well as a scholar.
However, Mary, the daughter of King Gagik-Abas of Kars was a favorite of Byzantine empress Eudokia Makrembolitissa and obtained through her influence the permission to fill the empty seat.
Shortly after regaining his position as pontiff around 1074, Gregory made a visit to Ani which at that point was in the hands of the Seljuk Turks and resided there a few months.
Paul saw this and decided to relinquish his seat and retire to his convent, at which time the nation at large recognized Gregory II alone as pontiff, with Parsegh as his deputy.
[10] In 1103, after many requests, Gregory II finally accepted the invitation of Kogh Vasil to move his residence to Rapan, in the vicinity of the city of Kaysun, to spend his last years.
As he left his Tarsus monastery, he took with him wards Gregory III of Cilicia and Nerses IV the Graceful, in whom he recognized future greatness.