(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.