1921.] Oldest Christian Tomb. 323 
lies Martin (Martinus) the slave of the Lord Jesus.’ This 
was done and after his death all that remained of his goods 
was partly spent in building and adorning the Chapel, as 
he had ordered, partly given to the poor whom he had 
appointed heirs to his property.” 
The above testimony from the pen of a good Jesuit Father, 
who evidently knew the pious Armenian personally, is eloquent 
proof of the goodness of my noble countryman. 
My good Jesuit friend, Father Hosten, who brought to light 
the above highly interesting letter and to whom I personally am 
very grateful for the valuable discovery, comments on it as 
follows :— 
‘Ts it not pathetic that the inscription on that good 
man’s grave should have been so long a puzzle to anti- 
quarians or that his good deeds should be made public again 
after an oblivion of three centuries? The inscriptions on 
his tomb, both in Armenian and Persian, are near the right 
hand recess of the octagonal Chapel as one enters. These 
lines, the oldest in the cemetery, will have been read at times 
with incredulity, as a piece of vain boasting. How modest 
an expression they are of great realities and of the grati- 
tude of the poor.”’ 
skilled artisans, brave soldiers and military officers, all with a 
history, and it clearly shows that the Armenian éolony at Agra 
= LOO 
PDIP 
