TheArmenian Rite (Armenian:Հայկական պատարագ)[1][2] is aliturgical rite used by both theArmenian Apostolic and theArmenian Catholic churches.Isaac of Armenia, theCatholicos of All Armenians, initiated a series of reforms with help fromMesrop Mashtots in the 5th century that distinguished Armenia from itsGreek andSyriac counterparts. These reforms included a retranslation of theBible and a revisedliturgy. During theCrusades and afterwards, missionary activity by theLatin Church influenced liturgical norms and induced some Armenians to join theCatholic Church. The modern Armenian Rite features elements and interpolations from theByzantine Rite andLatin liturgical rites, with the celebration of theEucharist emulating theLiturgy of Saint Basil.
Christianity inArmenia was first attested to by Roman historianTertullian during the 2nd century AD. An apocryphal claim within an ancient Greek source claims that the apostlesThaddeus andBartholomew introduced Christianity to Armenia in the 1st century AD. Early Greek andSyriac Christian missionaries evangelized Armenians out of the Christian nexus atCaesarea inCappadocia.[3] Later,Gregory the Illuminator launched a program of evangelization in Armenia that included the conversion of the king,Tiridates III. Gregory subordinated Armenian Christianity under the see of Caesarea in the early 4th century.[4]
The subordination to Caesarea placed Armenian Christians under the authority of thePatriarch of Antioch. During the 4th century, there were debates regarding the level autonomy that the Armenians enjoyed, withBasil of Caesarea protesting these challenges. There is no evidence that Armenia ever formally broke from Caesarea during this period. Basil significantly influenced Armenian Christianity, with monasticism–particularlycenobitic monasticism–enjoying growth.[5]
The 5th century was one of significant upheaval in Armenia and the Christian hierarchy there. AfterMesrop Mashtots invented theArmenian alphabet around 405, the Bible,Divine Liturgy, and other texts were soontranslated from the Greek by a group known as theHoly Translator Doctors.[6] Both Mesrop andIsaac of Armenia, a laterCatholicos, further expanded the role of monastics following theBasilian monks.[7]
The period between the 11th and 14th centuries sawliturgical latinisation of the Armenian Rite. Following theBagratuni dynasty's collapse in 1045, fleeing Armenians established anew kingdom aroundCilicia andCappadocia. Armenian Christians began interacting withLatinCrusaders after the establishment of theArmenian see at Cilicia in the 12th century.[8]
The Divine Liturgy of the Armenian Rite is referred to as the "Liturgy of our Blessed Father the holy Gregory the Illuminator, revised and augmented by the holy patriarchs and teachers Isaac, Mesrop, Kud, and John Mantakuni", thoughDonald Attwater described these ascriptions as "patriotic flourishes". It is derived from theLiturgy of Saint Basil and has seen substantial influences from theByzantine,Syriac, and Latin rites. The Armenian eucharistic liturgy, with its substantial interpolations, has also been identified as a blending of theLiturgy of Saint James andLiturgy of Saint John Chrysostom. Celebration of the Divine Liturgy is generally reserved to only Saturdays, Sundays, and great feasts; duringLent, celebrating the Divine Liturgy is relegated solely to Saturdays and Sundays.[9]
Historically, there were at least ten anaphora used within the Armenian Rite. Presently, only one anaphora–thePatarag–remains in use, a rarity among Eastern Christian liturgies. An earlyrecension of the Basiliananaphora from the survives in the historical record in an Armenian text, where it is described as coming from Gregory the Illuminator. This and other anaphoras were replaced in Armenian usage by aCappadocian Greek anaphora attributed toAthanasius of Alexandria, among several translated by Catholicos John Mandakuni in the 5th century. By the mid-10th century, it is likely that Mandakuni's translated anaphora was the sole anaphora in use. The anaphora's attribution to Athanasius might explain why a 1314 Lyonese codex containing the Armenian Divine Liturgy is entitled theMissale Sancti Athanasii.[10]
The liturgistRobert F. Taft hypothesized that there was also once a as well as an ArmenianLiturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. While there is no evidence of such a Presanctified liturgy, Taft held that it may have originated from PalestinianTypika and evolved into the Armenian Liturgy of the Word, which formed the thirdcanonical hour on Sundays.[11]
The order of the Armenian celebration of the Divine Liturgy of theEucharist is initially influenced by theSyriac and Cappadocian Christians, then (from the 5th century AD onwards) byJerusalemites, then by theByzantine Rite (from circa the 10th century) and later by theLatin liturgical rites. The Armenians are the only liturgical tradition using wine without added water. The Armenian Rite uses theunleavened bread for the Eucharist, part of their historic tradition.[12]
A 10th-century text byGregory of Narek,The Book of Lamentations, contains prayers that Armenian Christians believe can cure disease. These prayers are "psalmodized" and read over the sick. Incommemoration of the dead, a form ofanimal sacrifice known asmatagh (madagh) is practiced. The meat of a blessed and sacrificed animal is divided between the family that offered it and others, imitating pre-Christian sacrifices. Despite its continued practice, ecclesiastical authorities opposematagh.[13]
Myron, a form ofchrism oil, is blessed by the Catholicos of All Armenians of the Armenian Apostolic Church every seven years. The process of producingmyron begins 40 days prior to being blessed, starting as pureolive oil mixed with more than 40 flowers, herbs, and spices. Once sealed in a cauldron, the mixture is boiled for two days and with attendants stirring to prevent burning. Afterwards, the oil is strained and previously blessed chrism and additional flowers are added. During the blessing rite, which can run four hours and draws pilgrims from around the world, portions ofThe Book of Lamentations are recited. Once themyron is blessed, it is distributed to Armenian Apostolic bishops as a symbol of communion with the Catholicos. It is used inbaptism andchrismation and to bless catholicoi, clergy, churches, altars, and all liturgical objects.[14]
When the construction of a new church is begun, the stone crosses that will be the church's foundation are washed with water and wine before being consecrated withmyron. These elements are then wrapped in a white cloth and laid in the foundation. Both the primaryaltar stone (vemkar) and twelve wall crosses are blessed withmyron once the church is consecrated.[15]
Latinizations are common in both the Armenian Apostolic and Armenian Catholic usage of the Armenian Rite. Among those shared by both groups are the adoption ofbenediction,confessionals,holy water, theStations of the Cross, and therosary. The 1911 Armenian Catholic synod in Rome emphasized that these Latin interpolations were part of the liturgy and should be conformed to Armenian forms.[16]
During liturgies, priests and bishops each wear analb-likevestment known as ashapik orshapig and a pectoralstole (porurar) under achasuble resembling a hoodlesscope (shurtshar). Armenian Catholics sometimes replace theshapik with an alb. Aamice known as avakas (alsovarkas andvagas) forms a high collar and is worn over the cope alongside agoti girdle andhazpan (alsopazpan) forearmmaniples.[17] Thevakas often featuresrepoussé metalwork. Among non-Catholic Armenian clergy, thevakas is considered more analogous with thehumeral veil.[18]Deacons wear colored, wide-sleevedshapiks without girdles and a stole (urar) from the shoulders.Liturgical colors are not a feature of the Armenian Rite, though black may be worn at funerals.[19] More latterly, deacons and members of theminor orders began wearing capes embroidered with crosses in the place of thevakas, though this custom was against regulations.[18]
From the Byzantine Rite, archbishops and patriarchs wear the rhomboidkonk'er (alsogonker) embroidered ornament–equivalent to anepigonation–from the right side while bishops wear anomophorion and a largepallium from the shoulders. Episcopal vestments borrow two Latin elements–themitre and thecrozier (gavazan)–which were introduced during the Crusades. The modern mitres worn by Armenian Apostolic bishops more approximate tall 18th-century Latin forms than the short, soft versions of 12th-century Armenia. When Armenian bishops adopted the Latin mitre, use of the liturgical crown known as thesaghavard was passed to priests; in the Byzantine Rite, this is still used by bishops.[17] Both the mitre and pallium were introduced to Armenia by the CatholicPope Lucius II as a present to the Catholicos of Armenia.[20] The crown is worn by the protodeacon when a bishop celebrates a liturgy with six deacons.[19] Among Armenian Apostolic bishops, theepiscopal ring on the rightlittle finger with the exception of the Catholicos, who uses thering finger; Armenian Catholic bishops follow the Latin norms for rings.[21]
Celibate clergy with the title ofvardapet (alsovartapet, meaning "doctor" or "teacher") may carry a staff similar toAaron's rod with a T-shape and snake heads. The staff indicates that avartapet has the authority to preach. During times outside liturgies,vartapets and bishops wear blackcassocks. A black, pointed piece of headwear is worn with this cassock during recitation of the daily offices but not during eucharistic liturgies.[22] Married priests, known asderders, wear a blue cassock, blackmantle (verarkou), and blue turban as their standardhabit.[23] Duringprocessions, an Armenian Apostolic hierarch follows clergy who carry the archiepiscopal cross, crozier, andvartapet's staff. The trailing hierarch carries a staff which includes heraldry from their diocese.[24]
Armenian Christian liturgies were initially celebrated in Greek andSyriac. However, in order to the facilitate the evangelization of all Armenians, the 5th-century Armenian church hierarchy considered the use of thevernacular necessary. The Bible, liturgies, andhymns were subsequently translated into Armenian. The ecclesiastical approbation of the Armenian language reinforced an Armenian cultural identity andvice versa.[25]
Efforts by clergy in the Armenian Apostolic Church in the 18th century prevented the Armenian language from becoming solely aliturgical language likeCoptic andGe'ez.[26] Themodern Armenian language is colloquially used presently, meaning that whileClassical Armenian (Grabar) remains in use within Armenian Rite liturgies, most faithful do not understand it.Eastern vsWestern Armenian differences throughout theArmenian diaspora, particularly in theMiddle East andWestern world, further complicate the linguistic situation.[27]
TheKhorhurt'ater (alsoBadarakamadûitz; "Book of the Liturgy" or "Book of the Sacrament"), theMashtots ("Book of Rituals"), theSharakan ("Book of Hymns"), theJhamakirk' (book of hours), and theCasoc (alsoDjachotz;lectionary) comprise the primaryliturgical books of the Armenian Rite.[28]
Armenian churches are typified by a rectangular design with a central dome possessing a conical roof. Attwater described the interior of Armenian Catholic churches as "almost indistinguishable" from Latin church buildings in 1937.[29] The common interior elements of a church built for Armenian Rite worship are avestibule,nave,chancel, andsanctuary. The chancel, partitioned by ascreen orbalustrade, is elevated above the nave. The altar is located on a platform called thehem orhema.[8] A centrally locatedciborium may cover the altar under the dome; altar is more typically closer to the eastern wall. The choir is found within the sanctuary.[29]
Tabernacles containing thereserved sacrament–the consecrated Eucharist–are common to both Armenian Apostolic and Armenian Catholic churches.[29] The tabernacle is located near a table to the church's north (prothesis) where thesacramental bread andwine are prepared except when this preparation occurs on the altar. Lamps are found burning near every altar, of which there are generally two simpler ones on facing walls. The liturgical vessels andmyron are stored in a cupboard adjacent to the altar.[30] A curtain known as avarakoyr is strung from wires in front of the altar. During Lent, a picture of theCrucifixion is located in front of this curtain.[31]
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