Chap. IX. of Monfieur Tavernier. 169 



Of the Religion of the ARMENIANS, and 

 of their Principal Ceremonies. 



CHAP. IX. 



How the Armenians Confecrate and Admimjler the Sacrament. 



Since the asirntcmans Traded into Enrobe and began to be Travellers , their 

 Churches are better fet out then they were heretofore. They fpare no coft 

 to adorn the Choir and the Altar :, you tread upon ricli Carpets , and for the 

 ftrutture and cmbelliihments of it , they employ the beft Workmen and the 

 choiceft Materials they can meet with. From the body of the Church to the Choir 

 there is ufually an afcent of five or fix Steps. Nor is tnere above one Altar in any 

 Church, upon which they fet the Confecrated Bread, before they fet the Chalice where 

 the Wine is. When the Mafs for the Ceremony is faid by an Arch-bifhop, at the rea- 

 ding of the Gofpel they light an abundance of Wax Tapers, which Tapers are like 

 Torches. After the Gofpel is read , feveral of the Noviciates take flicks in their 

 Hands about five foot long , at the end whereof $re Lattcri Plates with little Bells 

 hanging about them , which when they are fhak'd , imitate the found of Cymbals. 

 Other Noviciates there are which hold a Copper Plate in their Hands hung about 

 with Bells , which they ftrike one againft another : and at the fame time the Ecclcfi- 

 afiicki and Laity fing together indifferent Harmonioufly. All this while the Arch- 

 bifhop has two Bifhops of each fide of him, who are in the room of a Dean and a 

 Sub-dean •, and when it is time , he goes and unlocks a Window in the Wall on the 

 Gofpel fide , and takes out the Chalice where the Wine is. Then with all his 

 Mufick he takes a turn about the Altar , upon which he at length lets down the Cha- 

 lice, faying certain Prayers. After that, with the Chalice in his hand, and the Bread 

 upon the Chalice , he turns toward the people , who prefently proftrate themfelves 

 upon the Ground, beat their Brefts, and kifs the Earth, while the Arch-bifhop 

 pronounces thefe words •, This is the Lord who gave his Body and Blood for you. Then 

 he turns toward the Altar , and eats the Bread dip'd in the Wine \ for they never 

 drink the Wine, but only dip the Bread in it. That clone, the Arch-bifhop 

 turns once more toward the people with the Bread and Chalice in his hand, 

 and they that will receive, come one after another to the bottom of the Choir, 

 whither it is not lawful for any Lay-perfon whatfoever to afcend ; to whom the 

 Arch-bifhop gives the Bread dip'd in Wine that is in the Chalice , which Bread is 

 without leven , flat , and round, about as thick as a Crown , and as big as the Hoft 

 of the Mafs, being Confecrated the day before by the Prieft, whole Office it is. 

 They never put Water in their Communion-Wine •, affirming that Water is for Bap- 

 tifm , and that Chrift when he inflituted the Holy Supper drank it pure , without 

 any mixture of Water. 



When the Armenians come to the Communion , the Arch-bifhop or the Prieft 

 fays thefe words : / confefs and believe that this is the Body and Blood of the Son of Cjod, 

 who takes away the fins of the World, who is not only ours, but the Salvation of alt 

 Mankind. The Pricit repeats thefe words three times to the people , to inftrua 

 them and to teach them to what end they receive the Sacrament. Every time the Prieft 

 fays the words , the people fay after him word for word-, and when the Prieft ferves 

 the people, he breaks the Hoft into little bits which he dips in the Wine, and 

 gives to every one of the Communicants. That which I moft wonder at is , that 

 they give the Communion to Children of two or three months old, which their 

 Mothers bring in their arms \ though many times , the Children put it out of their 

 mouths again. They never adminifter the Sacrament all the time of their Lent , for 

 then they never fay Mafs but upon Sunday noon, which they call Low-Mais, at which 

 time they never fee the Prieft , who has a Curtain drawn before the Altar , and only 

 reads the Gofpel and Creed aloud. Sometimes upon Thwrfday in the Paifion week 



Y they 



