1600th Anniversary of the Armenian Alphabet
Start the session by writing the words “Holy Translators” on the board. Say: “This year, our Diocese is marking the 1600th anniversary of the invention of the Armenian alphabet and the translation of the Bible into Armenian and the year’s celebrations were launched on October 8, with the Feast of the Holy Translators. Anyone know anything about this feast?”
Write students' answers on the board or, if your question draws a total blank, provide some yourself. Use the information in “Feast of the Holy Translators” to guide you. Then say, “We're going to focus on the best-known of these saints, Mesrob Mashdotz, to learn a little—maybe a lot—more about the value of his life and work today.” Then conduct a mini-lesson as follows:
1. Read the story together by dividing the group into two’s or three’s and having them read silently together, underlining key phrases. Write this question on the board for them to answer and discuss together at the end of their reading: The first thing Mesrob did when he felt a call to “devote himself completely to the service of God” was to live alone and pray. What would you do?" Allow 10 minutes or so for the reading and five for discussion.
2. Then go around the room asking each pair to comment on a paragraph or two (depending on class size) and what they felt were key phrases, as a review of the story. When this had been concluded, ask groups to share their answers to the question. Then say, “You know, everyone is different and is called to do different things in different ways in God's service. But St. Mesrob had a superb example in what he did—Jesus himself. Turn to Mark 1:9-13.” Read the verses aloud once students have found the reading in their Bibles. “What happens right after Jesus is baptized?” (He goes into the wilderness to be alone.) “Notice he is led by the Spirit and faces temptations there. What does this tell us?” (That part of a life in God is facing who we are and how we handle the world’s values—after all, Satan was tempting Jesus to worldly power and glory—and that we do need undistracted time to focus on that. Jesus often withdrew from his busy ministry to pray or simply be alone.)
3. Conclude discussion by asking a few general questions: “Why do you think it was important to have a written Armenian language?” (Remind them to think of their own use of reading and writing and its use in a society in general; answers might include being a basis for communication, cultural growth, etc.) “Why do you think that St. Mesrob wanted to use this tool to spread the good news of Jesus Christ?” (Answers might include to make the process easier, to make people feel comfortable, to unite people in one faith, etc.) “Do you think there is any importance to having the first words and the first book in written Armenian to be the Bible?” (A symbol of the importance of faith in Armenian life, influence on future writing, etc.)
4. Break group into three distinct groups and assign them three different tasks: Group 1 to come up with a crossword puzzle based on the story, Group 2 to come up with a multiple-choice quiz based on the story and Group 3 to come up with a matching exercise based on the story. Use results in your Sunday School or church newsletter!
Feast of the Holy Translators
This October feast honors the lives and accomplishments of the saints who founded the Armenian alphabet, translated the Bible into Armenian, and started a movement of writing and translating important works into Armenian; this 5th century (and beyond) period is called Armenian’s “Golden Age.” At the apex of this group is St. Mesrob. Later “disciples” of St. Mesrob include Yeghishe, who served St. Vartan as secretary and wrote a history of the Battle of Vartanantz. He also wrote many biblical commentaries. Another important “translator” was Movses of Khoren also known as the father of Armenian history .He wrote a number of histories and poems. A student of Movses was Tavit the Invincible, renowned for his genius in philosophy. He translated works of Plato and Aristotle. The 10th and 12th century giants, St. Gregory of Narek and St. Nersess Shnorhali are also counted among this group of holy men but their bios are far too extensive for consideration.
MESROB MASHDOTZ
Mashdotz was born in the village of Hatzegatz in the province of Daron some time in the late 4th century.
His father, Vartan, sent him to learn Greek literature when he was a child. Eventually, he served in the royal court of Armenia directly under the military governor, Arvan. Mashdotz was greatly admired by the princes for his understanding of law and military matters, but he still found time to read the Bible and the works of Christian philosophers. He was eager to learn more about God. In fact he was filled with such love for his faith that he left his duties in the court, became a monk and, for a time, lived alone on a mountainside with little to eat or drink. He hardly slept, praying day and night, thinking about his new life. Soon he had a group of young followers who wanted to learn from him. Word of his goodness and wisdom spread throughout Armenia .
With his students, Mashdotz went to the province of Koghtn, a place still untouched by Christianity .He taught the people there about Christ and they eagerly accepted his instruction. Mashdotz was overjoyed to see a new life blossom in these people as they rejected their superstitions and fears. He was so moved by this transformation that, after many tears and worried prayers, he was more determined than ever to do what needed to be done.
Mashdotz went immediately to his spiritual father, Catholicos Sahag. This great man had the same concern, and they prayed together for strength to carry out their plan. First of all, they called a special council of priests to see what might be done to develop an alphabet for Armenia , since they would need to read and learn in their own tongue. Even Vramshabouh, the King of Armenia, was asked to help, and he did so by providing a set of Armenian letters created by Syrian bishop Daniel. Unfortunately, tests with children in various parts of Armenia showed that they were not adequate. A new set of letters had to be found.
With the blessings of the King and Catholicos Sahag, Mashdotz sent his pupils on a mission; some were to learn Syriac in Edessan schools while others were sent to Samosata to learn Greek. These were the two languages in which Armenians of the time learned about God. These were the alphabets used in worship and in Bible reading. It was important for the young Armenians to learn as much as they could about these languages so that they could be better translators.
While his students were eagerly training for the work ahead, Mashdotz withdrew from the world and prayed day and night for help from God. It seemed an impossible task to devise an alphabet out of absolutely nothing, to create written letters for the beautiful sounds of his beloved tongue. Only God could create! Saint Mesrob, who had given his entire life to the service of his people and was praying now for God's help to make it just a little bit easier, was granted that help at a time when he felt so desperate, when he needed God so badly. God gave him an idea—as He had done for so many men and women who had worked and prayed for the key to a mystery—and out of the love and hope of Mashdotz himself, came all the letters of the Armenian alphabet. They came to him in a vision, a vision from his very heart and soul. In it he saw a hand writing the letters on rock and they were all as clear and well- defined as if they had been traced on snow.
Mashdotz found a Greek scribe, Roupanos, who was able to draw all the letters with the right curves and lines. Once this miraculous set of letters was finished, Mashdotz brought his pupils together at once to translate the Holy Scriptures into the new written Armenian. They began with the proverbs of Solomon. Not surprisingly, the first words written in the brand new Armenian letters were, as tradition tells us, “that men may know wisdom and instruction, understand words of insight.'
Immediately they began to teach others the alphabet and set out translating at a feverish pace. Returning to Edessa, Mashdotz showed the bishop the new Armenian alphabet. His fine achievement and the work of his energetic pupils were applauded and they were encouraged to continue. And at last, after a full year of prayer, study, and training, Mashdotz and his followers set off for Armenia . They were gratified to see the city of Vagharshabad, capital of Armenia , loom just beyond them, and overjoyed to know that they were bearing the most precious of gifts to their people, a language of faith that would bring Christ closer to every Armenian heart.
Even Moses, who came down from the mountain with the ten commandments in his hands, could not have been happier than Mashdotz was at that moment. For Moses brought commandments to a people who had forsaken God and needed laws to bring them to Him again. Mashdotz bore this gift of God to a people who were eager to receive Him. When the king and bishop knew their beloved friends were returning, they went to greet them. With huge throngs of people and all the nobles of the city, the king and bishop filed down to meet them in a welcoming procession. After warmly embracing their returning heroes, they all sang hymns and prayed and returned to the city, singing and dancing.
With that first. small success in the shadow of Ararat, a new feeling came over Mashdotz and his pupils. The gospel was being read, written, taught in Armenian! Though the people of this land had been visited by the great Illuminator, Gregory, less than a hundred years before, they had not yet taken the faith into their hearts. And how could they have! How could they have made their own a faith that was articulated in the sounds and letters of other lands? Now they were beginning to worship, read Scripture, and learn all the profound concepts of their faith for the first time. Mashdotz' heart over-flowed with love for God and his people.
A great teaching movement began: young men were taught the Armenian alphabet and sent off to teach both the alphabet and the faith to their countrymen allover Armenia . And in turn, people from allover Armenia came to study these letters and the Word of God. Mashdotz and Sahag, like Moses the law-giver and Paul the missionary sent teachers to the four comers of Armenia , spreading the Word of God.
Armenian Advent Literacy
1. In the Christian East, Christmas is a religious feast. Exchange of gifts, feasting, visiting friends and celebrating are done at New Year’s, known as “Gaghant” in Armenian. Christmas trees are set up on that occasion and gifts are exchanged either at midnight or on January 1. Traditionally the Armenians refrained from sumptuous meals on New Year’s day, since January 1 always falls within the week of fasting that precedes the great feast of Theophany (January 6).
2. Advent in the Armenian tradition is longer than the Western Advent. It is known as Hisnag, which means a period of “fifty days,” as it precedes not December 25, the Western Christmas, but January 6, the Feast of Theophany, which is popularly referred to as “Armenian Christmas.” Advent is always preceded by one week of “strict” fasting. The word “strict” indicates abstinence not only from animal products but also from liturgical commemoration of saints. On the Saturday of that week St. Nicholas is commemorated with St. Gregory the Wonderworker and Bishop Myron of Crete. The Saturday preceding the Third Sunday of Advent is always dedicated only to the commemoration of St. Nicholas Bishop of Myra.
3. The week that follows the Third Sunday of Advent is a fasting period but saints are commemorated during the days of that week. The Saturday of the same week is reserved for the commemoration of St. James of Nisibis, a favorite saint of the Armenians, since he is considered to be a nephew of St. Gregory the Illuminator who converted the Armenians to Christianity. St. James is also said to have climbed Mt. Ararat in order to visit Noah’s ark.
4. During the weeks following the Fourth Sunday the Armenian Church celebrates the feasts of King David, St. James Brother of the Lord, St. Steven the Protomartyr, the Apostle Peter, St. Paul, and James and John.
5. The Feast of Theophany (Christmas) is always preceded by a week of strict fasting. The only exception during this period of strict fasting is the celebration of the feast of Sts. Basil, St. Gregory of Nyssa, Pope Silvester I of Rome and Ephrem the Syrian, who are all commemorated on the same day.
6. The feast of Theophany begins on January 5. That day, as well as the Saturday that precedes Easter, is known as Jrakalooyts which means ‘lighting the lamps.’ After the fasts of the advent season, the lamps in the church are filled with wax and new wicks. In the late afternoon vespers are said and then there are numerous readings from the Old Testament. The story of the Three Young Men from the Book of Daniel is ceremoniously chanted from the altar. While a deacon from one side of the altar chants Daniel 3:1 and the following verses, three young people—usually children—from the other side chant the parts of the Three Young Men. After the reading, the Divine Liturgy is celebrated. At the end of the Badarak, priests, deacons, clerks and the celebrant go around the church in procession. Following this, they line up in the nave of the church and sing the Hymn of Nativity, “Great Mystery” (“Khorhoort Medz”), which is based on the words of a homily by St. Gregory the Wonderworker dedicated to the theme of the Incarnation. After the hymn the celebrant reads from the Gospel of Luke 2:8-14, blesses the congregation and dismisses them.
7. On January 6 the Armenians celebrate the feasts of the Theophany, the Nativity, the Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord, The term ‘theophany’ [manifestation of God] captures the mystery in all of these feasts, since it indicates that the Word of God became man and manifested himself in human form. At the end of Christmas Liturgy, the deacons bring a large basin full of water to the bema. A priest and the deacons bring the metal dove containing the Holy Chrism, the symbol of the Holy Spirit with which all Armenian Christians are anointed after they are baptized. The deacons and the priest read several excerpts from the Old and New Testaments and the Prayer of St. Basil the Great. The water is blessed in commemoration of Christ’s baptism and a large cross is placed in it. Then the priest pours Holy Chrism, dismisses the congregation and urges them to come and take blessed water in small containers. The water, mixed with the Holy Chrism, is taken home and used for anointing the sick or even drinking. Celebrating the Baptism of the Lord on the same day as his birth is based on very ancient Christian sources.
8. The feast of Theophany extends over a period of eight days—January 6 to January 13—and is referred to as the “Octave of Theophany.” The eighth day is dedicated to the Circumcision of the Lord. Throughout these eight days people greet each other with the expression: “Christ is born and is revealed.” The answer to this is: “[These are] great tidings to you and to us.” During the Octave of Theophany there are neither fasts nor commemorations of saints.
--Fr. Krikor Maksoudian
