He arrived in Albania during height of Third Perso-Turkic war. While Sassanid marzban fled before the Göktürks, Viroy tried to stall their advance, however tired of waiting, Turkic envoys invaded Albania. Viro and a noble called Gad Všnasp (Constantin Zuckerman equates him to Varaz Grigor[5]) fled to Artsakh, then a province of Albania. However, Turkic army caught up and forced the catholicos and nobles of Albania to subdue. Viroy and his delegation visited Böri's encampment near Partav. Viroy submitted and obtained peace, returning enslaved Albanians back.[4][6]
After Heraclius' entrance to Albania in 628, he baptized and then consecrated Varaz Grigor as king, serving alongside him as catholicos. He was characterised by Mkhitar Gosh as 'a holy man resplented with virtue'.[7] Viro witnessed Plague of Sheroe surging in Albania and wrote detailed account of it,[4] himself probably dying from the plague in 630.
Viroy was described as ChalcedonianbyZaza Aleksidze, who claims Khosrow demanded of him to anathematise the Council of Chalcedon.[8] However, Toumanoff maintains the idea that Viroy was monophysite and Heraclius wasn't able to reconvert him.[9] Akopyan also supports this version.[10]James Howard-Johnston concluded however that, Viroy's life was written much later after his life and the authors didn't want to acknowledge the awkward fact of him being Chalcedonian in light of the deeds done by him for fellow countrymen.[11] Armenian authors Sebeos and Stepanos Taronetsi regarded him as Chalcedonian as well.[12]
^Dum-Tragut, Jasmine (2023-06-19), 7 One or two? On Christological and Hierarchical Disputes and the Development of the "Church of Albania" (4th–8th centuries), De Gruyter Mouton, pp. 285–332, doi:10.1515/9783110794687-008, ISBN978-3-11-079468-7
