The Armenian Liturgy: Antient Liturgies 9781463218164

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T h e Armenian Liturgy

Analecta Gorgiana

171

Series Editor George Kiraz

Analecta Gorgiana is a collection of long essays and short monographs which are consistently cited by modern scholars but previously difficult to find because of their original appearance in obscure publications. Carefully selected by a team of scholars based on their relevance to modern scholarship, these essays can now be fully utilized by scholars and proudly owned by libraries.

T h e Armenian Liturgy

An tient Liturgies

C. E. Hammond

l gorgias press 2009

Gorgias Press LLC, 180 Centennial Ave., Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA www.gorgiaspress.com Copyright © 2009 by Gorgias Press LLC Originally published in 1878 All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise without the prior written permission of Gorgias Press LLC.

ISBN 978-1-60724-186-7 ISSN 1935-6854 This book is an extract of C. E. Hammond, Antient Uturgies, London: Macmillan, 1878.

Printed in the United States of America

§ v. The Armenian Liturgy. The Church in Armenia was organized by Gregory the The ArmeIlluminator at the beginning of the fourth century. Gregory and Caewas brought up at Caesarea, and the early relations of the Armenian Church were all with the Exarchate of Caesarea. It would only be likely then that their Liturgy should resemble that of Caesarea, or at least be closely allied to it. An inspection of the Liturgy itself bears out this probability; for, though there are some palpable later alterations, both from Constantinopolitan and from Latin sources, the chief characteristics of the Armenian, and the wording of some of the prayers, tally very closely with corresponding parts of S. Basil's Liturgy. d

[1]

Introduction.

1

F o r the reprint of the Armenian Liturgy at p. 132, etc., as well as for the substance of these remarks, we are indebted to the translation of the Rev. S. C. Malan (D. Nutt, 1870), who has most kindly permitted the use of his labours. State of the

T h o u g h there is but one Liturgy used in Armenia, there seem to be several different versions of it.

' N o t only,' says

Mr. Malan, ' does the orthodox Armenian Liturgy, given by Nerses of Lampron, Archbishop of T a r o n in the 12th century, differ materially from the one now in use, but of the five copies and translations I have of it, published since

1642, no two

are exactly alike in all particulars which one would

expect

to find identical in the one Liturgy of the same Church.' The

text printed below

is a translation

of

the

Liturgy

' printed at Constantinople in 1823 by command of the Bishop of that city and Patriarch or Eparch of Adrianople, with the sanction of Ephrem, Patriarch and Catholicos of Etchmiadzin.' T h e following editions and translations are referred to in the notes. Different Translations.

i.

A

Russian translation by the Patriarch Joseph,

Prince

Dolgorucki, and published at St. Petersburg in 1799.

This

is the original of the English translation made by the Rev. R . W . Blackmore, Rector

of Donhead

S. Mary, Wilts, and

published in Dr. Neale's Introduction to the ' History of the H o l y Eastern Church.' 2. A French translation by Dulaurier (Paris 1859), agreeing mostly with the above Russian work. 3. Armenian

only

(folio, R o m e

1677),

containing

a

few

alterations in a Romish sense. 4. Armenian and Italian (8vo. Venice 1837), also Romish. 5. Armenian and Latin (8vo. R o m e 1 6 4 2 ) : ' s o much altered to suit the R o m a n use as to be of no value for comparison.' It is proper to repeat, with regard to the notes to

this

Liturgy, that those which have (M) affixed to them are Mr. Malan's own, while responsible.

for those not so signed the Editor is

T h e letters N and R in the notes indicate the

version of Archbishop Nerses, and the Russian version, noticed above.

T h e words enclosed in square brackets represent the

[2]

Introduction.

li

additions of these versions. A few other similar insertions, which appear in Mr. Malan's edition, but which are due to the Roman reprints, have been omitted. The ecclesiastical position of the Armenian Church has been already spoken of (p. xviii).

[3]

THE LITURGY OF T H E ARMENIAN

l. a Preparation o f the M i n i s -

ters in the

ORTHODOX

CHURCH.

When the Priest intends to bring the oblation he must put on vestments suitable for the service. He then, with the deacons, goes into the vestry where the vestments are hett *

'

Then the several ministers being appareled, every one according they shall say in antiphone Psalm

to his

order,

cxxxii.

The Priest: Let T h y priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Thy saints sing with joyfulness. The Deacon : Lord, remember David : etc. The Priest: How he sware unto the L o r d : etc., to the end of the Psalm. Glory be to the Father, etc. [' Let every one take his part in the Service.]

The Deacon, aloud: Let us pray to the Lord in peace. [2 The Congregation : Lord, have mercy upon us.] The Deacon: Let us ask the Lord in faith, and with one accord, that He will bestow on us the grace of His mercy. O Lord, our God Almighty, save us and have mercy upon us. [s The Congregation : Save us, O Lord.] Then the Priest says, twelve times :

Lord, have mercy upon us. [4 The Congregation : Lord, have mercy upon us.] 1

N.

2

N.

3

[4]

N.

4

N.

The Liturgy

of the Armenian

Church.

133

After that the Priest [bows and1"] says [privately2] the following prayer, before putting on his robes :

O Lord Jesu Christ, who art clothed with light as with a garment, Thou didst appear on earth in unspeakable humility, and didst converse with men. Thou who wast made eternal High Priest after the order of Melchisedec, and who didst adorn Thy Holy Church; O Lord Almighty, who hast vouchsafed unto us to put on that same heavenly garment, fit me, Thine unworthy servant, at this hour, when I venture to draw nigh to this spiritual service of Thy glory. Wherefore, in order that I be stripped of the defiled garment of all ungodliness, and that I be [clothed upon and] adorned with Thy light, remove my wickedness from me, and blot out my transgressions, that I be made worthy of the light Thou hast prepared for me. Grant me to enter with priestly glory upon the ministry of Thy holy things, in company with those who have kept Thy commandments without sin. So that I also be found prepared for the heavenly marriage feast with the wise virgins; there to glorify Thee, O Christ, who didst take away the sins of all men. For Thou art the holiness of our persons, and unto Thee, O beneficent God, belong glory, dominion, and honour, now and ever, world without end. Amen. Then the Deacons, drawing near, shall robe himf

i. a Prayers at vesting.

^

saying:

Let us also pray to the Lord in peace. The Priest: Blessing and glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; now and ever, world without end. Amen.

c

After the blessing he shall first put the mitre upon his head, and say :

Lord, put upon me the helmet of salvation, that with strength I may fight the enemy. By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; unto whom belong glory, dominion, and honour; now and ever, world without end. Amen.

d

While putting on the albe 3, or surplice, he shall say:

Clothe me, O Lord, with the garment of salvation, in the robe of joyfulness; and surround me with a vesture of salvation. By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, etc. 1

N.

2

3

R.

[5]

GTLX R.

[14]

The Liturgy

of the Armenian

Church.

I

43

goodness. (Aloud.) For thine is the power, the dominion, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

II- a

Then the Priest [with the Deacon] kisses the Holy Table, and the Deacon cries aloud:

Proschume, [Vptia-xa)/*«', let us attend.]

And the Clerks sing the Trisagion,

three times.

Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, who wast crucified for us, have mercy upon us. [ While the Clerks sing three times the Trisagion,

the Protodiacon

receives the

THETKISAb

Gospel from the Priest, and raising it above his head, he enters the Sanctuary at the northern door, goes round the altar behind the image gallery, [dfcovotTTafTiov,] and comes out at the southern door.

Then coming forward

at the end of the

platform on which stands the altar, he holds the Gospel to the oldest Priest in the choir to kiss.

The Deacon then brings back the Gospel which he places upon the

altar, and the Priest Gospel.']

gives his blessing to the one who has just

kissed

the

1

Then the Priest shall at the same time say this prayer privately.

C

O Thou Holy God, who reposest among the Saints, whom Triigi™.'h Seraphim praise saying: Holy, holy, holy; whom Cherubim extol in glory, and before whom all the hosts of Heaven fall down in worship : Thou who didst bring all creatures into being out of that which did not exist; who didst make man after thine own image and similitude, and didst adorn him with T h y manifold gifts, and didst teach him to seek wisdom and good understanding; Thou who didst not think scorn of sinners, but who didst place within reach of them repentance unto salvation : Thou hast made us, Thy humble, unworthy servants, worthy at this hour to stand in presence of the glorious holiness of Thy table; there to offer unto Thee legitimate worship. Therefore, O Lord, do Thou accept from the lips of us sinners, the blessing of the Trisagion, and keep us by T h y loving mercy. Forgive us all our trespasses, whether committed with the will or without it; purify our souls, our minds and our bodies; and vouchsafe unto us to serve Thee in holiness all the days of our life; through the intercession of the Holy Mother of God and of all Thy Saints, who have pleased Thee unto all eternity. (Aloud) For Thou art holy, O Lord our G o d ; and unto Thee 1

T h i s rubric is taken from R .

[15]

144 II. c

The Liturgy of the Armenian Church.

belong glory, dominion and honour, now and ever, world without end. Amen. When the Trisagion and this prayer are ended, ¡he Deacon then proclaims aloud:

TheDeacon's

(J

Let us again pray to the Lord in peace. The Clerks [or Choir] : Lord, have mercy upon us 1 . The Deacon: For the peace of the whole world, and for the establishment of our holy church, we pray Thee, O Lord. For all the holy and orthodox bishops, let us pray the Lord. For our holy Lord Patriarch or Archbishop N., or for our Lord Bishop N., let us pray the Lord. For the vartabeds, priests, deacons, clerks, and for every rank of the Church's children, let us pray the Lord. For religious kings and God-loving princes, for their generals and their armies, let us pray the Lord. For the souls of those who rest in death, who are fallen asleep in Christ in the true and orthodox faith, let us pray the Lord. The Clerks: Lord, remember Thine, and have mercy upon us. The Deacon : Also for the unity of our true and holy faith, let us pray the Lord. The Clerks: Lord, have mercy upon us. The Deacon : Let us commit our own selves and one another unto the Lord. The Clerks : Unto Thee, O Lord, do we commit ourselves. The Deacon : Have mercy upon us, O Lord God, according to Thy great mercy. Let us say so together, with one accord. The Clerks : Lord, have mercy upon us. (Three times.) Meanwhile the Priest says this prayer privately, with open arms:

O Lord our God, accept and pity the supplications of Thy servants according to Thy great mercy. Have compassion on us; and on all the congregations that have an eye unto Thee, send down Thine abundant mercy. The Deacon, aloud: Bless us, O Lord. 1

This response is said after each of the following suffrages.

[16]

The Liturgy

of the Armenian

Church.

145

Then shall the Priest say aloud: For Thou art merciful and Thou lovest men, God as Thou art; and unto Thee belong glory, dominion, and honour, now and ever, world without end. Amen.

II. e

After this the Priest bows to the Holy Table, and stepping forward, III. sits down on the steps, while the Clerks begin to sing the Psalm appointed THE LEC-

f°r

the da

y-

PX'.

Then are read the books of the Prophets and of the Evangelists. Epistle. Then after the Alleluia, according to the direction for it in the Lesson, and at Alleluia. the end of it all, the Deacon exclaims :

Orthi [opdoi, stand up]. Then the Priest turns towards the people and makes the sign of the Cross over the congregation, saying:

Peace be to all. The Clerks: And with Thy Spirit. The Deacon: Let us hearken with fear to the Holy Gospel according to N. N. The Clerks : Glory be to Thee O Lord our God. The Beacon : Proschume [•trp6ax