52. While all the senses of the listeners
were transported with delight, finding the inspired doctrine of
the Apostle-like vardapets to be like a meal of many fragrant
delicacies, suddenly a multitude of exeautioners arrived from
the ambarapet, carrying many torches which blazed fiercely.
For in accordance with the eternal, unchanging divine instruction
[172] to birds, it was the hour of cockcrow. [The executioners]
had with them a multitude of blacksmiths with the tools of their
trade--anvils, hammers, chisels and files--[unelov end ink'eans
bazmut'iwn darbnac' gorowovk' aruestaworut'ean iwreanc', saliwk'
ew urhambk, krhanok' ew xartoc'ovk'...] to file, cut and remove
the irons from the saints' hands, feet and necks. What they were
unable to cut with files, they smashed [g91] at with hammers,
placing the iron poles/nails on anvils until they broke. For they
were more solid and heavy than all ordinary iron with which they
bound those people condemned to death. The mages had had them
dealt with in this fashion as though they were malicious, destructive,
god-slaying men. This was especially true as regards the chains
of the blessed kat'oghikos Yovsep', for [the mages] had
said that his chains were to be more confining, heavier, and more
awkward than the others.
When the holy priests of God saw the
executioners and the multitude of blacksmiths who had come with
Vehdenshapuh, they all became sad and agitated. For they wanted
to answer their summonses to heaven wearing the same ornaments
which, for the name of God, they had been deserving of wearing
on themselves willingly and joyfully for such a long time. They
wanted to go to the site of their martyrdom wearing them, and,
at the place where they would become worthy of eternal [173] glory,
to put aside there once and for all the chains and fetters of
the mundane burdens of this world. [They resembled] the men and
women who fanatically seek glory, and are insatiably covered
with gold and precious gems and pearls and enthusiastically attach
[these ornaments] to their own hands, feet, and necks. Should
an enemy or a tyrannical prince by some misfortune capture [them]
and remove [the jewels] [the captives] would increase their laments
and be unable to bear it for a minute [ork' anyagut'eambn hamakealk'
oskwovk' ew patuakan akambk' ew margartovk', kapen axorzhelov...zors
t'e ok' i t'shnameac' ew kam i brhnawor ishxanac' kaper arh vtangi
ew novimb tayr kal ew ch'hanel i bac'` arhatanayin p'ghjkalov,
ew ch'unein zhoyzh ew arh vayr mi]. Thus do [the wealthy]
put on their own [ornaments], not regarding them as heavy, and
not feeling them. Rather, when they see others [adorned] with
another material, they feel envy, wondering why that too was not
among their adornments, and wondering how (once they possess that
ornament too) they may appear greater than another [bayc' ibrew
ayloc' kay, ew iw erewim k'an zok' aweli]. And should someone
heap all the world's precious things upon such a person, to the
point that he suffocated, he would not say it was too much. Yet
such transitory ornaments were not as elegant as the chains of
the children of the father-like martyr Gregory, blessed and angelic
people who bore these beautiful, luxurious, and venerable chains
with pride and joy on their blessed hands and necks. For many
hours the blacksmiths chiseled [the chains] and used diverse other
implements, yet were unable to cut the thickness of the nails.
Subsequently [174] [the blacksmiths] placed [the chains] on anvils
and broke them with hammers. But they barely freed the saints'
bodies of the iron, wickedly cutting and wounding their bodies.
Yet [the priests] regarded these frightful pains as nothing. On
the contrary, the work dragged on, until the second hour of day,
while [the priests], and those bound Armenian naxarars
with them spent the time praying and glorifying Christ, the easer
of pains. [g92]
53. Then Vehdenshapuh and those assistants
with him ordered that the noteworthy men of the shahastan
be summoned secretly at night. Similarly some of the prominent
mages [were summoned]. They were then charged with the royal order:
"Keep in mind [the question of] your own life and [the existence]
of your House. Keep in mind the dread of kings, who, resembling
the gods, dare to kill, spare, honor or dishonor. From this day
until the entlre royal caravan has passed and reached Hyrcania,
let no one permit a single Armenian who is in this shahastan
to go outside the gate of the shahastan. [This inoludes]
an Armenian man (wherever he comes from), or a lad of the captive
Armenian naxarars, or a lad of the bound presbyters (whom
we are taking out today), or any Armenian at all (who has come
from elsewhere and settled here). Should it [175] be found [that
you have disobeyed this order], your azg will be stricken
[azgaw harealk'] and the king will put you to a bitter
death, while we shall be guiltless for such wickedness visited
upon you. So take care out of fear, and see to it that pleasant
thanks is our common lot". According to the king's command,
they were afraid that one of the lads of the captive naxarars
would secretly disguise himself and discover the road of their
journey. It was as though the great treasure, the Savior Christ,
the guide and revealer of the world had been sent among them,
and they, like the Jews, ordered Pilate's troops to guard the
cemetary. The Word of God with the angels, opened [the tomb] and
revealed itself to those who believed in His name. What He said
was shown to be eternally true: "He who believes in me will
also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will
he do" [John 14, 12].
When the executioners had fulfilled
Vehdenshapuh's order, they hastened to take the saints from the
shahastan. When the Armenian naxarars who had remained
bound in the fortress of the shahastan saw this, encouraged
by and taking refuge in divine hope, with fearless bravery--in
the presence of the entire multitude of the Iranian assembly,
of foreigners and of [others] who were in the shahastan--they
fell at the feet of the blessed priests of God and joyfully and
delightedly kissed them for a long time, beseeching [the priests]
to "remember us forever, [176] in your happiness and in the
Kingdom". Similarly, the blessed priests of God with joyful
hearts and happy faces took all of them in their embrace, saying:
"May God bless you with power, give you lasting patience
for the glory of His name, and strengthen you before the pagan
peoples. May He free your bodies from the visible shackles which
bind you, guide you to the land of your birth, put your bones
to rest in the [g93] tombs of your fathers [ew i dirs harc'n
jeroc' hangusc'e zoskers jer], free your souls from the invisible
shackles of Satan, bring you to the district where we are travelling
to and settle us with you in the eternal shelter where Christ
sits on the right of God the Father".
When the infidels noticed that the blessed
priests and the Armenian naxarars were so joyfully biding
each other farewell, they derided them internally, thinking them
un- aware of the king's order, and secretly said to each other:
"If the priests knew the death which has been readied for
them, they would have much cause for weeping, and would be unable
to laugh and be so happy". But the impious ones did not know
that it was precisely [their pending martyrdom] which was the
cause of their delight, and that those who were departing and
those who were remaining were rejoicing insatiably because of
it. Having saluted each other, the blessed priests and the Armenian
naxarars parted, [the priests] going to receive their crowns.
When the holy priests of God [177] were departing, other children
of the attendants of the venerable [priests and naxarars]
who had come along with them voluntarily from the land of Armenia
to wait on and serve those in bondage, also hurriedly organized
themselves, since they too longed to be worthy of a share in their
good fate. This was especially true of the presbyter Xoren (who
was from the village named Orkovi in the district of Ayrarat),
and the venerable presbyter Abraham (who was from the village
called Zenaks in the district of Tayk'). These men and those with
them were taken to Vehdenshapuh who asked: "Where are you
preparing to go"? They replied: " We are ready to go wherever you take our spiritual lords and vardapets in life or death". Becoming enraged, Vehdenshapuh commanded that they should be forcibly seized and
held in the shahastan. He also ordered, in accordance with
the earlier command, that they should be extremely watchful until
the time that all the royal troops entered the ostan. "After
that, any of the servants of the captive Armenian naxarars
may leave the shahastan and go to serve the needs [of their
lords] wherever their lords are sent". When the blessed priests
Xoren and Abraham realized that the executioners were forcibly
restraining them in the shahastan, they began to despair
greatly, considering themselves to be unworthy of the heavenly
crown which their vardapets, the sons of the champion [saint]
Gregory, were about to receive.
[178] 54. At the sixth hour of the
day, Vehdenshapuh and the priests left Niwshapuh, setting out
on the road leading to Hyrcania. This was learned by a merchant
who was a Xuzhik by nationality, and who, in the custom of trade,
had travelled to Armenia many times and who was extremely well
versed in the Armenian language [or er azgaw Xuzhik, oroy est
orini vacharhakanut'ean shat angam chanaparhordeal er i Hays,
or ew zlezu hayeren xosic' k'aj teghekabar giter. Xuzhik
is P'arpec'i's term for a native of Khuzistan]. This man from
childhood had been a model of virtue, and was the son of Christ-loving
believing parents. He was on very intimate terms with the [g94]
venerable priests of God and the Armenian naxarars who
were in bondage. He had rendered them many services and paid many
of [their] expenses while they were still in Hyrcania every day
carefully watching so that he might be worthy [of possessing]
a fragment of the remains of the saints. Having heard of the kings
order, with no delay he immediately entrusted his pack animals
and baggage to his children and comrades, and, without telling
anyone, took the most resistant and powerful of his pack animals.
Resembling a man on a caravan, he took the road going to the land
of Apar, accompanying the ambarakapet Vehdenshapuh, and
pointing out to him the road and the lodging places where they
might rest. He did this with prompt alertness, and Vehdenshapuh,
pleased with all the services of the Xuzhik, liked him a great
deal and was solicitous about his well-being. For it was God Who
was furthering this matter.
Thus, having boldly found favor with
the great prince, the Xuzhik was asked to entertain the ambarakpet
by telling him about his village and parents, what kind of people
they were, and wherefrom. The Xuzhik studiously altered the facts
about his past, saying: "I am the son of believing parents
who, as their ancestors, were loyal servants of the fire and sun,
and through them, from my childhood I was committed to the same.
With their protection I have lived to the present day and exist
clearly recognizing the assistance of the gods". The venerable
Xuzhik recalled the pretexts of Paul, the vardapet to the
pagans, who, at times was a Pharisee and elsewhere a Roman (though
according to the Gospel, the vardapet preached in, and
was from, the city of Tarsus in the district of Cilicia, being
of the same rank as the spiritual hosts above). [Paul] deluded
the minds of his listeners temporarily so that he could establish
truth and make it grow. In the same way the venerable Xuzhik did
this, delighting Vehdenshapuh for the moment with false statements,
so that what he longed to accomplish might indeed be done as he
wished.
As for the ambarapet Vehdenshapuh,
he felt his meeting with the Xuzhik was [a favor] of the gods.
Seeing that the [180] man was adept in everything, [Vehdenshapuh]
esteemed him yet more as loyal and suitable for the task he had
embarked upon. Consequently, he did not permit the man to quit
his side for a moment, day or night, but kept him with him in
great honor and affection. [Vehdenshapuh] confided to him the
king's plan and the needs of the work he was going to do. For
as has been said above, God was seeing to matters according to
His will, for the destruction and embarassment of the ranks of
the impious and to the benefit and glory of of His blessed Church.
[g95] The word of the holy Spirit was fulfilled which said: "They
made a plan, but not mine", and the psalmist who said: "They
made a plan but were unable to realize it" [Isaiah 30, 1;
Psalms 20,12].
Then the venerable Xuzhik pretended
to excuse himself saying that his needs would take him elsewhere,
and he entreated Vehdenshapuh to bid him farewell. Thereby hoping
to put off the ambarakapet's plan, he revealed himself
as yet more trustworthy, realizing through the influence of the
holy Spirit that God would not allow [Vehdenshapuh] to let him
go. Indeed, Vehdenshapuh refused even to listen to Xuzhik but
rather said to him: "Would not someone as yourself, nourished
in the faith and alive due to the glory of the fires, enthusiastically
[181] remain with me to watch the destruction of infidel men condemned
to death for killing the fire. And would you not rejoice"?
When the venerable Xuzhik heard all of these words from the ambarapet,
with great adoration he thanked Vehdenshapuh for the favor. But
in his heart he glorified and blessed the most powerful giver
of justice, God, Who caused the ambarakapet to speak. [Xuzhik]
begged [God] for a fragment of the saints' relics, and that he
could go to the place where God's martyrs were to die, along with
them. Such would be the disperser and disgracer of the king's
order, and a symbol and share of the great heavenly treasure of
the saints.
The venerable Xuzhik lifted the prayers
of his heart to the lord God, beseeching Him on high to grant
him the sense and breadth of the heart to be deserving to accurately
inscribe in his mind [orov arzhani lic'i grel hawasteaw i taxtaks
mtac' iwroc', orpes yarjanagri] all the questions asked by
the tyrants as well as the replies and prayers of each one of
the saints at the time of their death and passage to God, so that
later he might accurately narrate [these events] in order, to
be remembered by all believers until eternity. The Provider happily
granted his prayers to narrate with a perpetually joyful heart
to all the orthodox peoples everywhere [what took place] to the
amazement and glorification of Christ's name.
[182] 55. Now at first Vehdenshapuh
did not consider it proper to reveal to the Xuzhik what he planned
to do with the blessed priests, saying instead: "I am taking
them to Hyrcania, where I shall set them free". That day
they travelled until they came to a village named Rhewan some
six hrasax or more distant from Niwshapuh (or more, according
Iranian standards) [herhi i Niwshaphoy orpes hrasaxok' vec'iwk'
ew t'e aweli ews est ch'ap'oy hamaruc' Parskac'n], where they
stopped until the morning watch. At that time they hurriedly arose,
and without letting anyone from the village or even all of the
people in their party know, (with the exception of the venerable
Xuzhik and the impious executioners by whom the saints were to
be killed at the king's order), [those participating] secretly
and silently left the village. The executioners [g96] took the
saints and travelled the entire remaining portion of the night
through an untouched desert far from the village, a distance of
perhaps one Iranian hrasax, or more. At dawn they reached
a rocky, sandy valley to which no herdsman came, and through which
no traveller ever passed, since there was no road to it.
Chairs were placed for the three princes,
and they sat: the ambarapet Vehdenshapuh, Jnikan the court maypet
and Movan the anderjapet. The venerable Xuzhik raised
his thoughts to the Creator of all.
[183] Having brought the blessed champions
to the atean, Vehdenshapuh said to them: "You have
worked numerous, countless evils, and are guilty of the deaths
of many Aryans. If you were the cause of death for merely two
or three people, that would be great enough and you would not
deserve to live. [But you were guilty of the deaths] of such people
of a great land as Armenia is, and furthermore a huge number of
Aryans died there. You are responsible for all of this, and all
of it was done by you and with your counsel. Despite your grave
crimes and condemnation to death, the king of kings has done you
a great kindness, for he ordered us, saying: 'Should they consent
to worship the sun and fire, and accept our faith, I will excuse
the death-penalty, I will send the bound nobles [zatatorearsn]
back to Armenia, and give to each tanuterut'iwn, gah
and patiw'. Remember and keep in mind the large number
of captives in prison, and willingly and enthusiastically accept
the king of king's command; so that, just as you were the cause
[of death] for many Aryans, you may be the cause of life for many.
But should you not accept it, and persist in the same foolishness,
then you shall die, and [the king] will order them killed, and
the gods will demand from your souls all the blood which you have
shed and will shed". Vehdenshapuh and his comrades said all
of these things to the saints.
[184] They ordered the venerable bishop
Sahak to translate this for the blessed Yovsep', the blessed Ghewond
and their other comrades, for none of the other saints except
the blessed Sahak knew Iranian. But the holy bishop Sahak immediately
responded to Denshapuh and to the others seated with him: "Do
not ask me to say something to them which does not befit their
hearing, for how can I say something to them which I myself find
hateful and ridiculous. For I know that as soon as they hear it,
they will all deride both you and the sender. Do as you please,
but do not procrastinate speaking futile words and [relaying]
vain messages to us".
Denshapuh and the others became enraged
and said to the saints: "You will inform them. Let us know
their words and wishes". The holy bishop briefly informed
his blessed [g97] comrades of the words and the king's message,
and as soon as the saints heard them, they began to loudly jeer.
When the impious princes saw this, they became yet more angered.
However, the blessed kat'oghikos Yovsep' replied: "That
question was put to us in the atean at court, before the
hazarapet of the Aryans, Mihrnerseh. He heard our response
and wishes and informed the king. We all have the same responses
and wishes as then and have not altered them, as though we thoughtlessly
and foolishly said them and now, having become well, seek asylum
as guilty people. As this [185] sole plan and matter has grown
in our hearts day by day, why today should we be less fervent
about the good deed we accomplished than yesterday? We have resolved
to live or die together with the same faith we now have. As for
the king's order you mentioned, that 'should you agree to worship
the sun, you and the noble folk in bondage, shall live, but if
you stubbornly refuse, you will die and we shall order them killed'--God
forbid that we should apostasize the truth and serve falsely named
gods, which are not gods at all. Let it not happen that through
our apostasy anyone of the believing captives be released and
fall into eternally unbreakable bonds. They are now, more than
we, beseeching God for our death for God, than for our lives with
apostasy. Too bad it is not possible for you to know through prophecy
the extent to which you seem to us mindless and lost because of
that message you have brought us by the king's order, and that
we consider you and the one who sent you, the king, more pitiful
than all the wretches of mankind. But do as you please, right
away, or whenever you choose".
When the blessed kat'oghikos
Yovsep' had said this, Vehdenshapuh and the loyal men with him
became enraged, and [Vehdenshapuh] ordered the blessed Sahak to
say to Yovsep': "Although we regard your enmity toward us
as grave, which made you call us mindless and lost, we consider
these personal insults as nothing compared to the worthless things
you boldly [186] dared to say about the god-like king. But know
that the destruction which you sought for yourselves you now have,
and that it is impossible for you to live. However, we must know
the wishes and choice of each of the others, for our laws so dictate"
[vasn zi orenk' mer ayspes asen].
56. [Vehdenshapuh] ordered the blessed
Sahak to tell them: "Do not listen to his foolish words,
stand back from such senseless advice, and like a human, choose
life over death. He who now dared to say such words deserving
death [g98] is very sinful, unworthy of life. His bad deeds do
not permit him to live. But as for you, although you are still
somewhat guilty, if you would only submit to the king's wishes
and worship the sun, he has ordered that your guilt is to be forgiven
[hramayeac' zvnasn t'oghul jez] and you should be sent
to your homes well and with honor".
Then Vehdenshapuh and the loyal men
with him further commanded the blessed Sahak to say to the venerable
man of God, Ghewond: "We have heard that no one is as knowledgeable
in the Christian faith as you, and that as a result of your counsel
the land of Armenia was ruined yet more. Now such a great and
wise intellect must recognize the benevolence of the king of kings
to [offer to] forgive the great amount of [18'7] guilt which
you have, and to acquaint you with the true god. Now, just as
you were a counselor, and many died from your actions, be now
a counselor of life, and permit them and countless other individuals
to live. Tell them to worship the sun and live, and you shall
find so much honor from the king that you will be renowned in
your land and among all peoples". The holy bishop Sahak patiently
suffering and ridiculing, immediately translated all of these
words of the ambarakapet and his impious associates for
the saints so that the impious ones would know through the saints'
responses the will, desire and unshakable firmness of each one's
faith.
The holy man of God, Ghewond, began
to speak with saint Sahak alone, saying: "We must respond
to their question just as the Savior responded to Pilate at court
[atean]. Now so that you fearlessly inform them about the
question of our demand, tell them, 'As for what you have heard
about me, that I am knowledgeable about our faith [it is true],
I have been the teacher of many people, [and] this should show
you that I am at the age of discretion. As for your statement
that I have good learning, as you yourselves testify, I have learned
[all] from God and not from man. Today, out of mental fear and
crazed humanity, should I change this and be lost? God forbid;
I counter with the words: [188] What you preach you do not yourself
apply [Romans 2, 21]. As for the honor and glory which you promise
to give, God forbid that we should accept honor from mortal, earthen
man, who is polluted by the worm and the grub, and whom the thief
digs up and carries away. We cannot compare this to the glory
and heavenly honor [granted] by the eternal right hand of the
One on High, for neither Heaven nor earth nor what is precious
therein, can compare. There is but one thing lacking from our
blessed glorification, and that is the cup of death, which we
hurry to drink as thirsty men. Let us drink quickly, and let us,
joyfully escape from this transitory diseased life. And do [g99]
not attempt to prolong the senseless and damaging words of your
king who is predestined to prison [ew mi ews yerkareal jgdek'
zanmit ew zvnasakar bans bandagusheal t'agaworin jeroy]".
When the blessed man of God, Ghewond,
had finished his reply, the holy presbyters Mushe and Arshen and
the holy deacon K'ajaj beseeched the blessed bishop Sahak to say
to the impious prince: "What our holy vardapets and
spiritual fathers lord Yovsep' and lord Ghewond have said, is
also our will and concern. Do quickly what you came here to do,
and delay not. We ask that God grant us and find us deserving
of eternal honor and the Heavenly Kingdom".
When Vehdenshapuh and his impious collaborators
heard this they were transported with rage, and wanted to say
other [189] false and futile words with the blessed champions,
thinking that they could yet dislodge one person from this brigade
of unshakable union. But this was impossible, They commenced forcing
the holy bishop Sahak to translate what they wanted to say to
the holy men. But the blessed bishop Sahak said to Vehdenshapuh
and to their other accomplices: " To now, although I have
agreed to familiarize you with what was said and to translate
what you have said to the saints, I did not want to associate
myself with either you or the obscene words of your king. For
what use is there for rational men who still have their senses
to hear your jail-bird words, if indeed the ears or senses of
such men could put up with it? On the contrary, [such talk] merely
serves to acquaint you with the foolishness of your position,
and [serves to] strengthen us in the unshakable truth of our God-learned
confession".
57. The three impious princes became
yet more angered and were unable to tolerate hearing any more
of what the saints had to say, as though they were doing the king
an honor in the face of such hostility. Vehdenshapuh himself arose
before his accomplices and personally struck the holy bishop Sahak
with his sword, striking him on the shoulder and carrying the
wound close to the waist. Struck by this blow, the holy bishop
did not fall over to the ground, but rather stood up against a
rock. And he began to say, as though from the mouths of all the
saints: "We thank you Christ, for sharing with [190] us many
times your life-giving lamb which cannot be consumed, offered
in eternal sacrifice. And now that we are being sacrificed, accept
all of your officiants humanely as worthy of entering your fragrant
flock". The blessed bishop strengthend by the grace of the
Allmighty, spoke these words as though he were not at all wounded,
although streams of blood gushed from the saint's wound.
They then commanded that the blessed
kat'oghikos Yovsep' [g100] be beheaded with a sword. When the
executioners stripped the saint, he said: "Return, body of
mine, to the earth, and to your rest, for the Lord has favored
you". He was thus killed with the sword.
Then the impious princes commanded the
executioners to strip the blessed Ghewond and to drag him on his
shoulders over sharp rocky places. So they dragged him for long
hours until the saint's entire body, his sides and shoulders were
stripped bare of skin, and until the bones were stripped of flesh.
This was because all the Iranians said that the venerable man
of God, Ghewond, was the chief advisor and cause of all of Vardan's
actions and deeds which had been done in the land of Armenia.
While some of the executioners were dragging the venerable Ghewond,
others were cutting off the [191] heads of the blessed priests
Mushe, Arshen, and the holy deacon K'ajaj. At the time of their
deaths they said: "Lord Jesus, accept our souls".
Then the executioners who were dragging
the blessed Ghewond pulled him with little breath remaining where
the other saints had been killed, and there they beheaded the
blessed one with a sword. At the time of his death, [Ghewond]
said with a joyful sound; "I thank You Christ, Who, with
much kindness aided and kept me from my childhood on to reach
this hour. You have made me worthy of the destiny of Your saints.
Savior, I entrust my soul to Your care". There was still
some life left in the blessed bishop Sahak. After killing all
the others, [the executloners] cut off his head with a sword.
In a failing voice he offered prayers, said "amen",
and gave up the ghost.
Thus did the six saints die on the twenty-seventh
day of the month of Hrotic', in the sixteenth year of the reign
of king Yazkert, in the land of Apar, close to the village of
the mages named Rhewan. They were:
the blessed kat'oghikos Yovsep'
from Vayoc' Jor,
the blessed bishop Sahak from Rheshtunik',
the blessed presbyter Arshen from Bagrewand,
[192] the blessed man of God, Ghewond
the presbyter [erec'], from Vanand,
the blessed presbyter Mushe from Aghbak,
and the holy deacon K'ajaj from Rheshtunik'.
Arshawir Kamsarakan asked the venerable
Xuzhik for accurate information about these events, pressing him
warmly, and we have truthfully written what he heard from him
about the speeches of each of the deceased saints.
Then Vehdenshapuh and the other princes
who were with him quit that place. Having selected nine men, they
left them there armed with weapons. First and foremost among them
(thanks to God's influence) was the venerable Xuzhik, whom Vehdenshapuh
had selected and left there, beseeching him, and saying that he
was fundamental and necessary [for carrying out] his order. [The
Iranian princes] gave the [g101] guards this order: "For
ten or more days carefully guard the corpses, so that they will
be devoured by the birds. Then toss the bones here and there,
on the top of a mountain or into the caves of a deep valley".
Do this before the royal caravan has passed. For perhaps, [Vehdenshapuh]
said, one of the Christians, having been informed by someone,
will come and find their bones, and take and spread them about
to all [193] the Christians. Then we shall be condemned to death
in the king's presence".
In accordance with the command of Denshapuh
and the anderjapet Movan and the maypet Jnikan,
the guards remained there. During this time the venerable Xuzhik
was pondering by what strategems God would show the man a way
to be worthy of stealing the remains of the saints from the other
guards. While the venerable man was in this turmoil of thought,
suddenly that same day, in the evening, a great earthquake occurred
at that place. Great explosions and frightful noises were heard
from the abyss. A multitude of clouds massed and covered the land.
Sounds of thunder and lightning made the mountains tremble. A
column of light, resembling a rainbow, descended from the sky
and enveloped the bodies of the martyrs. The guards fell to the
ground, half-dead, no one knowing where his comrade was. Those
who had tumbled to the ground were unable to stand erect, for
the shaking of the great quake hurled them up from the ground.
Thus, with their legs bent and their speech impeded, all of them
were confounded. But the right hand of the Allmighty preserved
the venerable Xuzhik free from care. Joyfully he glorified God,
realizing that now all the requests he had made for such a long
time would certainly be fulfilled, After the entire night, the
whole next [194] day as well as the second night until the hour
of sunrise had passed in fear, the sounds of roaring from the
abyss quieted, the thundering clouds were reduced, the earth stopped
shaking and the flashes of lightning ceased.to appear. This [earthquake]
had taken place in an area only two asparez around the
place. Now when the guards had somewhat recovered from the awful
alarm of numbness, they had a mind to flee from the place. But
because their hearts were smiten with terror, they were unable
to stand on the ground, They could only look at each other's faces,
but were unable to speak.
Now at the ninth hour of the second
day, the venerable Xuzhik arose, as he wanted, and looking behind
him, hobbling along, he fled from the place so that the others
would be strengthened to stand up and depart after him. Those
who saw the venerable Xuzhik limping away were brought to their
senses by the danger, and hurried after him. Out of fear they
did not dare to turn and look back at the place. They hastened
after Vehdenshapuh and his assooiates. But the venerable Xuzhik
separated from them and went off by another road. [g102] When
the guards reached the princes, on the sixth day, they related
all the disastrous events which had happened to them during the
one day and two nights. When Denshapuh and those with him saw
the color of their faces and heard about the frightful events,
one by one, they were horrified and stupified for many hours.
Taking counsel among themselves, they could not [195] come up
with any strategems, but could on;y attempt to keep the guards
quiet so that they would tell no one at all, or inform anyone
about the death of the priests or about such phenomenal signs.
But as for [the princes] they were absorbed in incredulous thought
as though plunged into senselessness. Denshapuh and Jnikan said
to each other: "The deeds of the Christians are neither small
nor insignificant. Rather, it is certain that the power of their
faith and belief is great, while we, damaged by ignorance, will
be lost and do not realize it".
But the venerable Xuzhik realized that
God had reduced suspicions all around. Furthermore, he heard the
princes' responses to the guards and realized that no one was
concerned about the saints' bones. Thus he took with him ten other
companions whose Christian faith he knew well, they took along
pack animals and a square trunk for each of the saints, and they
silently went at night to accomplish the matter. Having approached
the site, they missed the place where the saints' bodies were,
because the night was very dark. After working in one place they
became dismayed, thinking themselves undeserving of finding the
heavenly treasure. As they were disturbedly moving about the area,
lo, suddenly something resembling a radiant eagle flew down from
the sky and perched on the body of the blessed man of God, Ghewond.
The place [196] was more illuminated than in daytime, and the
bodies of each of the saints were clearly revealed. With joyous
hearts, they worshipped the lord God, and then, setting to work,
they placed each saint's body in a trunk, [each body] being clearly
revealed to the venerable Xuzhik as though in writing. Such a
sweet fragrance wafted from the saints' bodies that it delighted
the senses of everyone.
After quickly placing the trunks on
the pack animals, they moved them to another place in the desert,
about three Iranian hrasaxs distant. Seven days later,
after the fear of the matter subsided, they separated the saints'
bones from the fragrant bodies. Wrapping the bodies in linen cloth
in a fitting manner, they buried them in the desert carefully.
They brought the bones to the shahastan where they kept
them secretly for many days among themselves. Then they quietly
began to distribute them to some of the virtuous Christians in
the caravan, who received them considering [the bones] to be a
find of salvation for their souls and bodies. They were urgently
urged to return each [body] to its own land, to [g103] benefit
the spiritual life of the families and the district. But the venerable
Xuzhik first brought the first fruit of that God-given great treasure
and presented it to the captive Armenian naxarars. As soon
as they were worthy of this, they received this find of their
salvation, and thereupon realized that God had visited them, and
that at some time [197] they would be released from their bonds
to see their own land, through the intercession of the saints'
bones, in accordance with the words of the blessed man of God,
Ghewond, who had counseled them of the grace they would receive
from God on that night. And the words of the saint had been fulfilled
in their time.
Thereafter that blessed man of God,
the Xuzhik (whom I shall hereafter style "Xuzhik", as
I am wearying of it) related [events] one by one to the captive
naxarars of Armenia. No one had bothered to relate this
minaculous man's name to us, but the Omniscent has recorded it
and is keeping it for the day of the great visit, and will generously
reward him in accordance with his labors, with the joy of his
name. [Xuzhik] spoke ceaselessly of the very great care and aid
which the Almighty had bestowed upon him. He related how in Vardges,
Christ had revealed the king's plan to him and had accompanied
and encouraged him with hope: "He exalted me and made me
trusted by the hambarakapet Denshapuh, to the point that
he beseeched me and forcibly took me (because of Almighty God)
to the coveted site of the saints' martyrdom. Everything is possible
for him. He made me worthy of seeing everything I did not think
I would see, and to hear [the saints' speeches] one by one [speeches]
which I did not think myself deserving to hear. [I heard] the
question of [198] the tyrants and the answers of the saints, one
by one, their prayers, and I saw the death of each of them, and
heard them. And now, behold, he has made me worthy of finding
and bringing to you this great part of the remains of the heavenly
treasury of the saints, a favor of the blessed Trinity. He caused
the guards to flee in alarm with shame, he terrified the hearts
of the unbelieving overseers, rent asunder the king's mindless
plan and raised aloft the name of His blessed Church". With
such words of glory and joy the venerable merchant tirelessly
related these things to all the believers in Christ. He was once
a merchant [possessing] an earthly treasure, but suddenly became
a merchant who through his good deeds became honored with the
great heavenly treasure of the remains of the martyrs.
These same words were a comfort to the captive Armenian naxarars in their comings and goings, as they sat at home, when they arose, at celebrations and at the beginnings of the months. Relating them with insatiable delight, they cheered them up, renewing all the faltering thoughts of the listeners and oonfirming them in the faith of justice. This was especially true for Arshawir Kamsarakan, the lord of Arsharunik'. For him, every day, morning and night the doctrine of the saints [199] and especially the words and spiritual advice of the blessed Ghewond, the replies of each of the saints to the question of their slayers, the prayers of each at the time of his death--all of this served as [Arshawir's] spiritual food and [g104] sweet meditation and he tirelessly repeated them together with psalms. We heard this many times from the marvellous Kamsarakan, and wrote it down with enthusiastic concern. For although we were not able to recall everything in order (because of our feeble-mindedness) nonetheless we were not careless to lazily delay and forget things.
Return to Historical Sources Menu