Armenian Legends and Festivals Part 12

[126] Abeghian pp. 72-74.

[127] The 13th of February according to the old style calendar corresponds to the 26th of February of the Latin calender.

[128] Abeghian p. 72.

[129] Ibid. p 20.

The remainder of the paragraph is a free translation of selected parts of pp. 20-22.

[130] Abeghian p. 22.

[131] Maschtotz, St. Mesrob. One third of the book is devoted to this purpose.

[132] Ormanian p. 189.

[133] Abeghian p. 23.

[134] Ibid. This and preceding paragraph are a free translation from selected sentences of pp. 23 and 24.

[135] Tavernier 1:507-9.

[136] Elisee.

[137] Lidgett, Ancient People.

[138] Ibid.

[139] Raffi p. 158.

[140] Translated by Miss Boyadjian, Armenian Legends and Poetry.

After the first and third lines of the charm song, the following line is sung, which I give in the German of Abeghian:

"Liebe Rose meine, liebe, liebe."

and after the second and fourth lines:

"Liebe Blume meine, liebe, liebe." (Abeghian p. 65.)

There are thousands of similarly constructed folk-songs treating a variety of subjects current among the people, many of which have been collected by an Armenian by the name of Tcheras, whose book, unfortunately, I have not been able to obtain. Miss Boyadjian has collected a few of them in her Armenian Legends and Poetry. However, I shall mention only such as are relevant to the festivals to be described.

[141] Abeghian pp. 61-62.

[142] World's Great Cla.s.sic Series. Section on Armenian literature, with introduction by Robert Arnot. See David of Sa.s.sun pp. 57-79.

[143] Abeghian p. 51, 52.

Emin, Ancient Armenian Legends.

[144] Abeghian p. 62.

[145] These beliefs are a.n.a.logous to those in connection with the bringing of healing water, or the water of perpetual life, the source of which is guarded by monsters, snakes, and scorpions. The hero steals cautiously to the source in order not to be observed by the watchmen, fills his vessel with water and hurries away, for the mountains and trees call out to warn the guardians of the source who awake and follow the hero. (Ibid. p. 63.)

[146] This part of the festivities is also accompanied with song. In Astapet the following song is sung by way of introduction:

"Holt einen grossen Meister, La.s.set ihn den Hochzeitsrock meines geliebten zuschneiden Die Sonne sei der Stoff Der Mond diene als Futter.

Stellt aus Wolken die Einfa.s.sung her, Wickelt aus dem Meer Seidengarn, Befestigt die Sterne in einer Reihe als Knopfe, Naht die ganze Liebe hinein." (Abeghian p. 64.)

[147] Abeghian pp. 63-66.

[148] Ormanian pp. 189-90.

[149] For the ritual side of this festival, the church ceremony known as the Blessing of the Crops, or the Blessing of Harvest, and the prayers in connection therewith, F. C. Conybeare's Ritual Armenorum, and St. Mesrob's Maschtotz may be consulted. The social side I have gotten from my wife who has taken part in the festival several times.

[150] A very common custom, especially in the interior villages of Armenia, is to give a lighted candle and an apple or orange in which small silver coins have been stuck, as gifts to the children. This is done by the eldest member of the family, usually the grandmother, at the time the younger ones come up to kiss her hand and receive her blessing.

[151] For a description of the Easter and Christmas fasts, see Tavernier, Voyages 1:497-98.

[152] The festivals of New Year's Day, Easter, and Christmas, I have described as related to me by my wife who has celebrated them in company with others in Constantinople. Such variations practiced in the interior of Armenia as I am aware of, I have indicated.

[153] F. C. Conybeare, Ritual Armenorum pp. 213, 294.

[154] Survey 36:167. Anonymous.

[155] Tavernier, Voyages 1:496.

[156] Dubois 3:441.

[157] Ormanian p. 177.

[158] F. C. Conybeare, Ritual Armenorum p. 224.

[159] Brightman, Eastern Liturgies, chapter on Armenian Liturgy. For an interesting variation of this ceremony see Tavernier 1:502.

Closely related to this ceremony is that of the blessing or purifying of a well. A well is not used until a priest has first blessed it, or if the water of a well becomes impure, it is necessary to purify it by the blessing of a priest. The latter takes a cross and a Bible and having requested the people to draw a pail of water which is thrown away, a second pail is drawn, over which the priest reads a psalm. The water is then blessed with the cross, incense is burned over the well, and the pail of water is emptied back. (Maschtotz.)

[160] Lynch 1:203, 204.

[161] Contemporary Review 70:695. J. T. Bent.

Tavernier, 1:500, 501.