Chap.XI. of Monfieur Tavernier. 171 



CHAP. XL 



Of their Baptifrn. 



? ^^ ^ * ^ * ne cu ft° m °f tne Armenians to Baptize their Infants upon Sunday ^ 

 or if they Baptize any upon the week-days, it is only in cafe of neceflityj 

 when they think they will not live. The Midwife carries the Infant to 

 JL Church, and holds it in her arms, 'till either the Archbifhop, the Bifhop, 

 or the Prieft has laid fome part of the Form of Baptifrn. Then he that baptizes takes 

 the Infant which is naked, and plunges it in the Water , and then taking it out again, 

 puts it into the hands of the God-father, and goes on with the Prayers. While he 

 reads them , with the Cotton which he has in his hand he twifts a firing about half 

 an EH long. We makes another alio of red Silk, which is flat-, then twifting thole two 

 firings together, he puts them about the Child's neck. They fay, that thefe two 

 firings, one of white Cotton, and the other of red Silk , fignifies the Blood and Water 

 which flow'd from the Body of C h r i s t, when he was wounded with the Lance upon 

 the Crofs. Having ty'd the cord about the neck of the Child , he takes the holy Oy I 

 and anoints the Child in feveral parts of the body, making the fign of the Crofs in 

 every place where he drops the Oyl ', every time pronouncing thefe words, / baptize 

 thee m the name of the father , the Son, and the Holy Ghofi. He fird anoints the 

 Forehead, then the Chin, then the Stomach, the Arm-holes, the Hands and Feet. 



As to the making this Oyl, youmuft know, that every feven years, upon the Eve 

 of our Lady in September, againft which day they obferve a fmall Lent of eight days, 

 the Patriarch makes this holy Oyl*, there being no perfon but he who has power to 

 make it. He ufes all forts of fragrant Flowers , and Aromatical Drugs •, but the 

 principal Flower is that which the Armenians call in their Language Balaffan-Jaguefsc 

 in ours , the Flower of Paradife. When the Oyl is made , the Patriarch fends two 

 Bottles to all the Coven ts of AJia , Europe, and Africa, without which they cannot 

 baptize. 



The Ceremony of Baptifrn being over, the God-father goes out of the Church with 

 the Infant in his arms , and a Taper of white Wax in each hand. According to the 

 quality of the perfon , when the Child is carry'd out of the Church , the Trumpets, 

 Drums, Hautboys, and other In ftruments of the Country make a hideous noife, and 

 go before the Infant to the Parents Houfe , where being arriv'd , the God-father 

 delivers the Child to the Mother. She proftrates her felf at the fame time before the 

 God-father , killing his kct\ and while fhe continues in that pofturc, the God-father 

 kifies her head. Neither the Father nor God-father names the Child, but he that 

 baptizes gives him the Name of the Saint whofc Feftival falls upon the Sunday on which 

 the Child is baptiz'd. If there be no Saint's day that Sunday in the Almanack , they 

 take the next Name whole Feftival fucceeds the Sunday of Baptifrn', fo that they have 

 no affected Names amongthem. Upon the return of the God-father with the Child 

 home, there is a Fcaft prcpar'd for all the Kindred and Friends, and him that baptiz'd 

 the Infant, with whom all the Pricfls and Monks of the Covent, at leaft of theParilh, 

 go along. The poor people were wont to be fo prodigal at thefe Feafls, as alfo 

 upon their Marriages and Burials , that the next day they had not wherewithal to 

 to Hty Victuals, much lefs to pay what they have borrow'd for fo needlefs an expence. 

 But now the poor Armenians are grown fo cunning to avoid the Baftinado's which 

 are giv'n to Debtors upon the foles of the Feet, when they cannot pay, according to 

 the cuftom of Perfia ; that they carry the Child to Church upon the week-days, 

 without any Ceremony, with tears in their eyes, pretending it to be ftckly and like 

 to dye , and fo make no Feafls at all. 



If the Women lye in fifteen of twenty days, of two months before Chriftmas, they 

 defer the baptizing the Infant 'till the Feftival , provided the Infant be healthy. Then 

 in all the Cities and Villages where the Armenians live, if there be any River or 

 Pond , they make ready two or three flat-bottom'd Boats , fpread with Carpets to 

 walk upon *, in one of which upon Chrif mas-day they fet up a kind of an Altar. 

 In the morning by Sun-riftng all the Armenian Clergy, as well of that place as of the 

 parts adjoyning , get into the Boats in their Habits, with the Crofs and Banner. Then 



Y 2 they 



