CHAPTER LXV.
[(1.)] “Gregory taught the Christian faith ... as is above stated.”—The Armenians believe, and are prepared to prove, that none of the dogmas of their faith, as they were received from St. Gregory, have undergone any change, and this is why they distinguish themselves as being Gregorians in opposition to Armeno-Catholics.—Bruun.
[(2.)] “then he must say it himself, right through.”—The priest prepares several small loaves, but consecrates one only, and alone recites the prayers and psalms during the preparation. He celebrates the Mass unassisted, other priests performing the functions of deacons in their absence. The practice of Low Mass among the Armenians serves to prove, that the greater number of that people met by Schiltberger were Armeno-Catholics.—Bruun.
[(3.)] “They place much confidence in our religion.”—This passage in Neumann’s edition stands thus: “Sie machent vil geuartiezi unsers geloubes.” The word “geuartiezi” does not appear in the editions of 1475 (?), 1549 and 1814; Neumann does not explain it; Koehler (Germania, etc., herausgegeben von F. Pfeifer; Wien, vii, 1862), who undertook to correct the errors of Neumann, asks “Was ist geuartiezi?” and Professor Bruun (Russian edition) believes it to be untranslatable, although he thinks the author meant to imply that the Armenian had borrowed largely from the Roman Catholic Church, or at all events that the one assimilated the other in its types and ceremonies.
The word “geuärd” occurs in chapter 20, and is possibly intended for gewähr; I have rendered it as “right”, or justification from a sense of confidence. Timour’s youngest wife (see page 29) was anxious to satisfy her lord, that the letter and ring had been sent to her by one of his vassals without any assurance, any confidence on her part, to warrant him in so doing. It appears to me, considering the careless manner in which the transcriber has performed his work in other places, that a similar interpretation is to be applied to “geuartiezi” as to “geuärd”; the words that immediately follow implying prepossession on the part of the Armenians in favour of the Church of Rome—“they also willingly go to Mass in our churches, which the Greeks do not”; apparently because “They place much confidence (have much faith) in our religion”.—Ed.
[(4.)] “a saint named Aurencius.”—St. Auxentius, priest-martyr, is fêted in the Armeno-Catholic Church on December 25th, and in the Greek Church on December 13th, N. S.—Bruun.
[(5.)] “Saint James the Great.”—St. James the Apostle is confounded with St. James bishop of Nisibis, a near relative and contemporary of St. Gregory “the Enlightener”.—Bruun.
[(6.)] “his name is Zerlichis.”—Sarghis, St. Sergius, was a martyr. The Armenians celebrate his festival fifteen days before Lent. The Armeno-Catholics keep the day on February 24th, and the Greek Church on January 2nd (Bishop Aïvazoffsky).—Bruun.
[(7.)] “our Lady’s day in Lent, which they do not hold as we do.”—The Armenians do not fast in the name of the Twelve Apostles, and the Ave Maria occurs only in the services of the Armeno-Catholics. On the day of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, a hymn is chanted, in which are introduced the words that were spoken to Mary by the Angel.—Bruun.
[(8.)] “then they bury him altogether.”—It is quite true that prayers are daily repeated over a grave for the space of a week, and each person attending throws a handful of earth on it as prescribed by the rubric; but the gradual interment is an invention.—Bruun.
[(9.)] “God forgive thee thy sins.”—Asstwadz toghoukhyoùn ta mekhytt, is here intended for the words of absolution pronounced by the priest; but it would be more correct to say—Asstwadz toghoukhuyoùn schnorhestzè—May God grant you absolution. For “Ogoruicka” we should read Ogormya or Ogormyha, the modern phrase being: Ter voghormyà yndz—Lord have mercy upon us; but Meghà Asdoutzò—I have sinned before God—is more commonly said by the people.—Ed.
[(10.)] “counts, and knights, who are subject to him.”—The Armeno-Catholics adopted Low Mass at the commencement of the 14th century. In ancient times prayers were offered for the sovereign and all Christian kings and princes; but never specially for the Roman emperor.—Bruun.
[(11.)] “if a priest teaches the Word of God, but does not understand and attend to it, he commits a sin.”—There is more to confirm than to reject in the information contained in this chapter.
The patriarch must be elected by the unanimous voice of the dignitaries of the Church, who assemble at the patriarchal seat from all parts for the purpose. This has ever been the custom; but since the annexation of Etchmiadzin to Russia, the choice is subject to the emperor’s approval.
The preparation of the wafer by women is quite out of the question, and it is also forbidden to laymen by the 22nd Canon of the pontiff Leon; this duty is performed by deacons as well as priests, who first communicate and then administer to the people. In reading the Gospel, the priest faces the congregation, thereby turning his back to the altar, so that the people necessarily look towards the East.
That a priest should separate himself from his wife for three days before and one day after he celebrates the Mass, is strictly in accordance with the Canons of St. Thaddeus; but the observance has become even more stringent in modern times, the priest being required to leave his home and retire to his church during the space of eight days before officiating.
A Canon addressed by Macarius, bishop of Jerusalem, to the pontiff Vertanes, circa 340, requires that the altar shall be furnished with a curtain; a curtain shall likewise fall in front of the sanctuary, within which only the minister celebrating the Mass may enter, other ministers present taking their seats outside according to precedence. This rule has become relaxed in modern times, for deacons as well as priests may now stand at the altar.
As in the Greek Church, no female quæ sit menstrua, may enter a sacred edifice.
It is always the godfather who carries an infant into church for baptism. If the child to be baptised is out of its infancy, it is conducted by a servant of the Church.
Divorce is not to be obtained in the Armenian Church, except in cases of adultery, impotence, and a permanently foul breath.
There is no ykonostass or altar screen as in the Russo-Greek church; but an image, that is to say a painting on canvas or panel, graven images not being tolerated, is always over the altar in the middle of the pem, a raised course in the centre aisle, that is kept covered with carpets, silk, cloth of silver or gold, on which are laid candlesticks, the censer, and a Bible resting on a piece of silk, for the priest does not touch the book with his hands.
The clergy do not pretend to having the power of absolving the penitent; absolution is pronounced in the name of the Almighty.
“Very gorgeous and majestic”, says Dr. Issaverdens, “are the garments which the Armenians make use of in their religious ceremonies.”
Whatever the restriction in Schiltberger’s time, it is certain that all are now free to read the Gospel. That the contrary was ever the case is denied.
The “varthabiet”—Vartabied—is a doctor of divinity possessing knowledge of all holy science, and of all that concerns the study of the Holy Scriptures, of the Fathers, the Councils, and of dogmatical, moral, and disputed theology. The Vartabieds are the first to be consulted in all controversies on religion, its rites, and all ecclesiastical discipline (Issaverdens, Armenia and the Armenians, ii, 413, 486; Bishop Meyerditch Kherimian, communicated; The Crimea and Transc., i, 207).—Ed.