[141] After they were through talking, the lord of Siwnik' wanted and beseeched the holy men to dine with him at their halting place. When the treacherous Vasak had advanced a little from where [the captives] were, the blessed Ghewond called out to him loudly using his title of honor [koch'er zna patuoyn anuamb]: "Lord of Siwnik', Lord of Siwnik"! [Vasak] eagerly responded: "What say you, Lords"? The holy man replied: "Of all we have said to you, we forgot to ask the most important and useful [information]. Where are you going"? The duplicitous Vasak heard this and sank into great despair. He replied in astonisnment: "I am going to my lord, to receive a great reward for my great and worthwile efforts". The blessed Ghewond answered: "Your dew which deceptively supported you in breaking the oath you made on the holy Gospel, now leads you to believe that the Aryans can give you only the kingship of the land of Armenia as a reward for your 'worthwhile efforts'--that, and nothing else. But indeed, should you, during your lifetime manage to stick your head above the shoulders of the Armenians, then the Lord God has not spoken with me". When the treacherous prince Vasak heard this, all of his vain hopes were dispelled and dashed and he realized the personal destruction which was about to overtake him. For, when everything was over, the holy man's words did not miss the mark.

[142] 43. Now the duplicitous prince of Siwnik' reached the court, and after first seeing the court nobility, he went into the presence of king Yazkert. For the moment, the king and all the grandees at court received him with respect and pomp. Although they knew about his harmfullness, the vow and oath which he had treacherously sworn with saint Vardan and with all the princes of the land of Armenia--to destroy the others and to show himself as loyal--[the Iranians] in no way let [Vasak] know this. Rather, remaining silent about this, as though they did not know, [the Iranians] honored him as a loyal and benevolent man. [This situation continued] until they brought to court the blessed priests of God, the senior tanuters of Armenia and the sepuhs who had revolted, as well as the boys from the Mamikonean tohm and [g77] the Kamsarakans and from others azgs, the children of the rebels whom the treacherous [Vasak] led first before the hazarapet Mihrnerseh and the other court nobility.

The impious hazarapet of the Aryans first ordered that the priests be brought before him. He asked the blessed presbyter of Arac, Samuel, and his spiritual son, the blessed deacon Abraham who had extinguished the Artashat fire: "With what boldness and under whose orders did you dare to do such a deed, which is worthy of death, and to put your hands forth to such a great fire, having no fear of kings or princes? [143] For when such a deed is perpetrated against a man, it merits death, to say nothing about perpetrating it against the gods". When the two holy men, the lord Samuel and Abraham, heard this, they replied in unity, demonstrating their fearless bravery with accurate speech and contempt, ridiculing the senseless question of the listeners [? ew lsoghac'n zanzgayabar harc'mambn cicaghelov]: "Our laws also order us to fear the worthy and just kings and princes. But we refuse to replace the fear of God with fear of a man. And as for the fire which, you say, we killed, in no way did we harm it either by beating it or by wicked torture. Rather, seek the misdeed in the mob and the attendants there at the time, who had no fear of their gods, and who scornfully abandoned it and departed. We saw no man, but only the fire, in ashes. And so, it remained thus for many days without anyone giving it any attention, until we took the ashes and extinguished it [arhak' zmoxirn heghak' i bac']. For we had always observed its attendants carrying the strewn ashes and dumping them on the ground. But as for [the information] given to you about us--that we took the fire and extinguished it with water--it in no way befits your fairness to become enraged with us and to put us to death. Rather, [our actions] deserve praise and honor. For indeed according to your doctrine, which we have heard from your teachers, you have said, and it is true, that water is the brother of fire. Not only did we not extinguish or harm the fire, but we were [144] honoring it, and doing it a good turn. If any are worthy of death, it is the ones who scorned and abandoned the fire, and not we who took it and gave it to its brother so that it would be kept affectionately and with much pomp, entrusted to it forever [ew i zhamu tac'e i bac']".

44. Similarly [the authorities] threateningly questioned the other holy priests of God:

the blessed Yovsep', the true kat'oghikos of Armenia,
the blessed bishop of Erheshtunik', lord Sahak,
the most holy presbyter, lord Ghewond,

and the other blessed priests who were with them at the questioning:

the blessed Mushe Aghbakac'i, who was the court presbyter of the prince of Arcrunik', Nershapuh,
the blessed Arshen, the presbyter from the district of Bagrewand from the village called Eghegeak, and
[g78] the,blessed deacon K'ajaj who was from the district of Rstunik', a student of the holy bishop, Sahak.

They were asked: "With what fearless audacity could you have surrounded your wretched selves with numerous crimes deserving the death penalty? You ruined the atrushans, and murdered such a rich fire which the gods had bestowed upon the Aryan world to protect it from bad and damaging things. Should some enemies attack us from all sides, that fire preserved us. [145] You killed the mages [Spanek' zmogeann]. With your witchcraft you destroyed the brave Vardan who was useful to the lord of the Aryans. His very great deeds are recalled in the Aryan world. Many military commanders and other Aryans with whom he fought remember his stoutheartedness. Indeed godlike lord saw this bravery with his own eyes in Marvirhot. There are few men in the Aryan world who can adequately praise the man and his deeds. And you, having been made wretched by your useless and harmful teaching, have destroyed such a man. And in such a land, an inestimable amount of blood of many Aryans and non-Aryans was shed. Now, you cannot yourselves think up a death, and a way of quitting the light (which you see today, but are unworthy of) more severe, or befitting your deeds [than I will inflict upon you] when you will experience many torments and die wickedly".

After hearing all of these words threatening punishment from the poisonous hazarapet of the Aryans, Mihrnerseh and all the court nobility, the man of God, Ghewond, came forward and responded: "All [of the clerics] who stand before your authority in interrogation, about whom you spoke at length, are distinguished [from each other] in the priestly order in accordance with our faith and with the God-given command [146] of the Church's arrangement". Then he acquainted them with each of the holy men, one by one, explaining who each one was and giving the names, and mentioning what degree in the Christian order each one had attained. For although [the Iranians] had heard the names and deeds of each [of the captives], what they had done in the land of Armenia, nonetheless, they were unfamiliar with the names of the holy men and were uninforned about the honor held by each one in the Christian consecration. Regarding the blessed Yovsep', [Ghewond] said: "That man whom you see, although younger then myself, is nonetheless worthily ranked as the head of the entire Armenian priesthood". Pointing out the blessed Sahak, [Ghewcnd] said: "This man holds the perfect order of consecration according to the correct and true Christ-given ordination of our faith. Others, and myself also are of the priestly order. Should someone be less known at this time, especially [g79] those who have sought martyrdom and be found worthy such an individual is greater yet in the abundant kingdom of God [? Isk t'e ew ok' nuaz haghordelov aysm zhamus, manawand dipelov ews xndroy katarelut'ean ew gtc'i arzhani...]. These are not my words, but those of Him Who is our Creator and vardapet, Who said: 'He who holds all [of these commandments] shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven' [Matthew 5, 19]. Those whom you have commanded to respond to us with such words and threats do not frighten us. For we did not, as some now think, carry [147] out such a great and awesome act as ignorant people, without a plan; nor do we regret it. Nor do we stand in your awesome presence in fear rather than joy. Rather, we are happy and delighted with what we have done. We are surrounded by diverse sorrows and even await death eagerly, so that we be worthy.

"Now regarding the destruction of atrushans or the killing of fire, that you mentioned, in our Bible it is said that 'The gods which did not create heaven and earth will be lost beneath the earth' [Jeremiah 10, 11]. For fire is composed of many materials. There are materials of which it is composed, and those materials will extinguish it. Those elements which compose fire will cause it to blaze up. Now, a fire is born of iron, stone, water, and wood. It is otherwise with the glass bead from which fire comes [ayl e ew uln spitak, or i nmane lini hur]. Fire can spring from argil mixed with silver, when this material is held up against the sun [lini i kawarcat'oy hur, yorzham enddem aregakan ok' shoghac'uc'eal dic'e]. If one takes a fire made of iron and puts iron on top of it, it will go out. Similarly, a fire of stone, if covered with stones will go out. The same is true of fires of water or other materials. But a fire made of wood, will grow stronger with more wood. Thus, it is not the fire, but the wood which should be styled a god, since it both gives birth to, and sustains, the fire. Now is it [148] not the lowest evil of deviance to style mutual enemies, those things created by man, to call them brothers, and god? Now if [the fire] deals with its brother and parent hostilely how would it know to honor its worshipper or to be hostile to an inimical force? Furthermore [the fire] mercilessly eats those [materials] which gave it birth. Fire is not diminished by all sorts of materials. Thus all materials of the earth are gods. If you believe this, why then with blind intellects do you term half of them gods, and loathe the other half for their dirty work? It is the same as constructing palaces of brick and stone, and then using the same materials for making privies and outhouses, [the same as] using silver for making goblets, and also for making chamberpots. You take fire--of the gods--and roast and cook cattle and sheep; and you take water to water the fields, yet to clean away purulent matter and waste. Some of the water taken alone, some of it mixed with wine, you drink without feeling terror or horror. Why should I be forced to mention or ennumerate one by one your senseless acts? The brave champion Vardan and others like him were unable to serve such deception, and always protested to you [g80] that your worship was false and your doctrines, foolish. But you did not listen. Tyrannies do not permit rights to be recognized, just as presently. As a result, [the Vardanians] were unable to bear it, gave their lives, and were crowned. And indeed, we encouraged them and were their true vardapets".

[149] When the holy man of God, Ghewond, had said all of this, the blessed priests praised [his words] as if with one tongue, in loud voices. They were extremely happy. When the impious Mihrnerseh and the other Aryan nobles who sat before him heard this loud praise from the holy men and saw the delight on their faces, [Mihrnerseh] said to them in a rage:"Our laws do not comnand us to be angry at someone without hearing the words from his own mouth. Now we saw that you were somewhat joyous listening to the words of that destroyer of your land [Ghewond]. We are well informed about all the deeds and the sorcerer's doctrine of that man, through which the useful brave Vardan and his comrades were lost. Wicked recompense and death have been prepared [for him] as is fitting. But now, let us know if you share the same words as that man who deserves death, words which [Ghewond] so audaciously and arrogantly dared to express before us".

The blessed Yovsep' and Sahak responded: "Lord Ghewond has, for a long time, thought over and shared with us all, all of the words and responses which he spoke before you. He said them in a manner befitting his holiness, and was encouraged by God's aid. The words which today [Ghewond], in accordance with his God-given knowledge, beautifully outlined for you, he has thought over and said to us. All of us share the same thoughts and the same determination, and we hope we shall be worthy to die for them. With the disease of bitterness added to [150] your anger, you made an enemy of him. Blessed are those who, with their mind's eye, are just and perspicacious. But the grandees as well as [their] juniors are seized by physical illness and weaken. You are the ones with just such a disease. Do not wrathfully be hostile, for you are worthy of much ridicule".

The impious prince [Mihrnerseh] grew furious at the saints for turning their scorn at the king. He ordered the executioners to violently strike the mouths of the saints with chains, until their mouths filled and overflowed with blood. So doing, he dismissed the atean. As for the saints, after the fashion of the blessed Apostles, they left the atean with joyous faces, since for the name of Christ they had been worthy of dishonor, beating, and responsibility.

45. As regards the others in fetters--the tanuters and senior sepuhs--Mihrnerseh ordered the executioners to take them and to keep them in stringent bondage, until the [g81] king himself should say that they should be brought before him for questioning, so that he could hear what they had to say. The next day the impious Mihrnerseh went into the presence of king Yazkert and informed him of all of his questions as well as the responses of the Armenian priests. [151] The king, angered, commanded that the following day a great atean should be held in his presence, and that everyone, Aryan and non-Aryan and whoever held the king's honor [ew zor inch' ew uner ok' zpatiw t'agaworin] should come prepared, while all the captives ahould be led into his presence. But he ordered the impious Mihrnerseh to take the boys and lads of the Mamikonean tohm, the Kamsarakans, and other tohms, and to give them to whomever he pleased [Bayc' ztghaysn ew zmankunsn i tohmen Mamikoneic' ew Kamsarakanac'n ew ork' yayl tohmen].

When all the soldiers who held the king's honor heard this, they hastened to the atean the next day. As for the oath-breaking prince of Siwnik', Vasak, he decked himself out with all the honors he had received from the king and came and entered the palace of the court with great pomp. For, short of the dignity of kings, which had eluded him, there was no single useful court honor that he did not possess. Furthermore, [Vasak] thought he would be receiving the kingship of the great land of Armenia. But the wretch did not know that God had quit his side, and this impure creature [the dew] was choking him. In that hour the word of the blessed man of God, Ghewond, was fulfilled upon the wretch. When the entire palace was filled with Aryans and non-Aryans, the king ordered the rebel Armenians to be brought in shackled.

[152] [The captives] were brought into the king's presence. The king asked them: "With what audacity, thinking or immagining what, or forseeing what assistance, did you attempt such an awesome deed? Now you see that it has led to the destruction of yourselves and your land". When all of the Armenian naxarars heard this, they were silent for a moment and gave no answer. The king repeated his previous question and demanded a prompt response from them. They replied: "May your benevolence grant that one of our number whom we shall select [may speak] so that you may hear everything naturally regarding the beginings, plans and actions of what we undertook. For we should not all speak before you as a disorganized mob".

The king and all the nobility gladly accepted this, and [the king]so ordered. [The captives] brought forth the Kamsarakan, Arshawir, and said that everything could be fully learned by listening to him. Arshawir Kamsarakan, strengthened by the holy Spirit, came forward and began to speak before the king and all the nobility, fearlessly:

"The initial cause of the problem arose when the thought formed in the head of your kings, was revealed to us, and [g82] furthered with force, that you had ordered us to hold a faith [153] which neither we, nor our ancestors' ancestors knew nor served. We often protested that it was impossible for us to consent to serve a faith which our ancestors had not served and which seems heavy and contemptible to us. Your very truthful aesembly can testify that there was such a protest from us. Though you did not want to listen, through your forceful will, and through force you undertook to [make us] accept the faith. With our lips atremble we exalted that false [religion], wanting to cover with deception for a moment [our] fear of you. In our hearts we regarded the deed as loathsome, and we hated [doing it], but we decided to get our- selves free through strategems, to go to our land and to quit it with our wives and children, departing to be lost in a foreign country. The first to do this was your servant Vardan who in everyone's opinion was prominent in the land of the princes [Zor nax k'an zamenesean est amenec'un xorhdoc'n erewelin est ashxarhin ishxanac' carhayn jer Vardan arar]. Many Iranians from the senior tohms who today are well and here with you know this and can testify to my words. Taking only his wife and family, [Vardan] turned to go as a fugitive to the country of Byzantium, from fear of you.

"When the lord of Siwnik', Vasak, realized what had happened, [154] he quickly sent as emissaries the senior tanuters and sepuhs and the blessed priests, to take [to Vardan] the blessed Book of our faith, sealed with his own ring, the very Book on which he had indeed sworn. Among [the emissaries], [Vasak] also sent me. [Vasak] wrote the following in a letter [to Vardan]: "Why are you fleeing, what and from whom do you fear? You did not say. Do not flee and fear no one. Though you are terrified of the lord of the Aryans and his strength, do not fear. Return, and we shall write a letter to the emperor, and give ourselves to him in service. He will agree that such a great land would go into his service by our own will, and he will delightedly agree to give us a force. [The Byzantines] and we, united, will tire out the lord of the Aryans and the Aryan people. Should the emperor think otherwise and not recognize his advantage in this, then [be aware of the fact that] when I was the marzpan of Iberia, and the Gate of the Aghbanians was under my control, many of the Honk' military commanders became my friends through covenant and oath, and they [will] come to me today by the same oath. The taxes of the entire land of Armenia are with me, all the officials are in my hands, as well as much equippage taken from the Iranian officials here in Armenia which is in my treasury. Should I send part of this to the Honk', I will so greatly arouse the Honk' that the land of Iran will be insufficient for their looting".

[155] "Having written all of this with an oath, Vasak, the lord of Siwnik', caused Vardan to turn back, involuntarily. [Vardan, at the time the emissaries reached him] was near [g83] the territory of foreign princes, who are not subject to your authority. The letter which the lord of Siwnik' wrote to Vardan is intact, bears the seal, and is here with us. Order to see it. Regarding his sons, [Vasak] had said: 'I will take all the Iranians in Armenia, place them in shackles and put them in secure fortresses until the Shah is forced to release my sons'. He did indeed seize a few Iranians and temporarily bound them. And when he treacherously decided to carry out the plan of our destruction which he had been thinking about, then he released them. [Vasak] also wrote to the emperor, other court nobility, and to the sparapet of Antioch. Then he sent Vahan Amatuni and other naxarars from each tohm to Byzantium. After this, he sent Vardan and us with a brigade to fight in Aghbania. Having stupidly betrayed us, he precipitated this evil. He killed such a useful servant of yours [as Vardan], and was the cause of the deaths of such a multitude of Iranians and Armenians, and the destruction of the land. And now, behold him there, seated in your midst without a care, like a doer of good, decorated. Why do you not order him to show all the letters, which he wrote and sealed to the emperor, to the entire land of the Byzantines, and to many others. Whatever the will of you [156] Aryans is, order it carried out upon us. As your justice demands, since the written and sealed [letters] are here, there is no need for superfluous words and loquaciousness".

When the Shah of Iran and the nobility of the court heard all of this in order from Arshawir Kamsarakan, and saw the letter written by Vasak, the lord of Siwnik', king Yazkert and all the princes of the court were greatly astonished.

46. Then the king summoned the prince of Siwnik', Vasak, to come forward and he began to speak to him in a violent and extremely angry fashion: "Indeed we have heard about all of your duplicitous affairs and actions. But come now, say, what were you imagining, what were you thinking that you dared to undertake and carry out such damaging deeds? For you were the prince and chief of the land of Armenia. First, you encouraged people by words written by you in letters, letters which have been given to us to read, and from which we were accurately informed of this. You made our meritorious and useful servant, the brave Vardan and his comrades swear an oath, and then deceived [us] by letters sent to the emperor and to his sparapet. You duplicitously made such brave, useful, and meritorious men as Vardan and his other comrades swear an oath. Then you sent him with an army to Aghbania [157] causing him to dare to go against the Iranian forces [i veray Parskac' gumartakin hamarjakec'uc'er ert'al]. You duplicitously betrayed the land of the Aryans, you destroyed and were the cause of the killing of so many of my Aryan and [g84] non-Aryan servants. While the emperor or the king of the Honk' wanted to forcibly take from me such a servant as our Vardan, with all the strength of the Aryans I fought, and permitted no rest until I had him back. And so you, with your own hand killed such a useful servant, destroyed such a great and advantageous land, and then insolently dared to come and see us, as though we were unaware of your treacherous action. But know this: from now on you are no longer the lord of Siwnik', and all the evils which you planned and carried out will now be visited upon your wicked head. My taxes from the land of Armenia, the Iranians whom you killed, the large amount of equipment which you took--I have ordered that [the value of them] be demanded from your tun and your sons', until all of it is paid back".

Now although the pitiful oath-breaker Vasak wanted to say something and to reply, no one listened to his words or wanted to hear them. For [the consequences of] breaking an oath on the blessed Gospel, and the curse of that blessed man of God, Ghewond, had come upon him, surrounded and trapped him. Although the [158] man enjoyed some merit with the Iranians, and attempted to demonstrate it then, it was no use. Mired even more in accusation, [his words] hurt him. The word of the psalmist was fulfilled regarding him, that "He emerges from his trial accused, and his prayers are turned to sins" [Psalms 108, 7]. King Yazkert then commanded that all [of Vasak's] previous honors should be seized from him with insults. The guards beat and stripped him [ew jaghkeal zna paykac'n merkac'uc'in zna]. Stripping him of the ornaments of honor of [his] lordship, they removed him from the court assembly in disgrace. That same day they appointed his enemy, Varazvaghan, the apostate sepuh of Siwnik', as lord of the land of Siwnik'. During the entire time that [Varazvaghan] held the authority in Siwnik', he worked many injustices, constructed numerous fire-temples in the land of Siwnik', to the scandal of his House. As mentioned above, after being tormented for a long time by a dew, he died a wicked, bitter death.

The treacherous Vasak stayed at the court some years very grieved and experiencing great difficulties. He spent his days sighing and lamenting every day and every hour, to the point that he started beating his own face with his hand in hostile derision, saying: "Behold, you have fallen into this dishonorable state, which was brought on by your [159] violation of an oath sworn on the holy Gospel, and by the martyrs' blood of the blessed Vardan Mamikonean and of other desirable people who cooperated with him. They have inherited eternal life and left on earth a good and permanent name for themselves for all time. But you, sinner, [are fated] to spend the few remaining days of your life in remorse and pain, and eternal unending Gehena is ready and waiting for you". We were accurately informed about his sighs and [g85] tears which lasted until the day of his death, by prince Vasak's own attendants. That blessed man of God, Ghewond, related that [Vasak] died there in the country of Iran.

47. King Yazkert commanded that the following individuals should be held in Vrkan in stringent bondage until the sixteenth year of his reign [=A.D. 455]:

the holy priests of God:

lord Yovsep', the kat'oghikos,
lord Sahak, the bishop of Rhshtunik',
the blessed presbyter lord Ghewond,
lord Mushe, the court presbyter of Nershapuh, lord of Arcrunik',
lord Samuel, presbyter of Arac,
lord Abraham the deacon,
lord Arshen, presbyter of Eghegek,
lord K'ajaj, the deacon.

[160] In addition to these eight priests, were the following thirty-one bound Christ-loving naxarars of Armenia:

from the tohm of Siwnik', the two brothers Babken and Bakur,
from the tohm of Arcrunik', Nershapuh, Shawasp, Shngin, Pargew and Tachat,
from the tohm of Mamikonean, Hamazaspean, Hamazasp, Artawazd and Mushegh,
from the tohm of Kamsarakan, Arshawir, T'at', and Varjay,
from the tohm of Amatunik', Vahan, Arhanjar and Arhnak,
from the tohm of Gnunik', Atom,
from the tohm of Dimak'sean, T'at'ul, Satoy plus two other members of the tohm,
from the tohm of Anjewac'ik', Shmawon and Arhawan,
from the tohm of the first Arhaweghean, P'ap'ak, Varazden, and Dat,
from the tohm of Arcrunik', Aprusam,
from the tohm of Mandakunik', Sahak and P'arsman,
from the tohm of the Tashrac'ik', Vren,
and from the tohm of Rhop'sean, Babik and Yohan.

48. In the 16th year of his reign, king Yazkert took all of his troops and went to war against the K'ushans. He also ordered that the bound Armenians, priests and naxarars, be taken along from Hyrcania. Arriving in the land of Apar, he came to the shahastan called Niwshapuh. [161] He ordered that the bound Armenians, priests and naxarars, be held there in a fortress in the Niwshapuh shahastan [i dgheak shahastanin Niwshapuh]. But [Yazkert] commanded that the two blessed priests, lord Samuel and Abraham be taken along with him. He had them constantly oppressed with wicked torments, heavy shackles, and beatings to strike awe and terror into the Christians who were with him in the caravan [ork' end nma i karawanin ein]. When they reached the borders of the enemy, [the Iranians] were unable to implement any part of the king's demands; rather, totally defeated, they turned back in shame, and [the king] lost choice and renowned men from his troops, as well as rhamik cavalrymen [noynpes ew yayl rhamik ayrujioy]. For the enemy did not battle with the Iranians face to face.[g86] Instead, they unexpectedly fell upon one wing after another, putting many men to the sword, while they themselves returned unharmed, and vanished. Doing this for many days, they defeated the Iranian troops with severe blows.

When king Yazkert realized his ignominious disgrace, he sank into unbelievable depression. He anxiously demanded to know the causes of his encountering such a heavy defeat. In doubt, sometimes he cast the blame on the disunity of his [162] brigade, sometimes on the laziness of the mages, saying: "They were unable to propitiate the minds of the gods with gifts and worthy sacrifices [Uremn och' karac'in encayiwk' ew arzhanaworapes zohiwk' hachel...]. Thus enraged, [the gods] did not want to aid us. Rather, abandoning us, they strengthened the enemy's side. And we, defeated, returned full of shame". When the mages learned about the king's anger

they consulted among themselves, and on the xrat of the impious hazaratpet, Mihrnerseh, they began speaking with the king, saying: "Brave of the Aryans [Areac' k'aj], may your mind not veer to a different explanation for the bad experiences we have had from the enemy. [The cause] is rather the wrath of the gods who are extremely angry at us because of the god-killing Armenian priests, who long since deserved death, but because of your delay, are still alive today. For if they were merely killers of men, and if you delayed so long, preserving them from death, such an action would be very heavy and blameworthy. But they dared set their hands forth to kill the gods, yet they are still alive and see the light of day. Indeed, [for this reason] we have been mercilessly punished by the gods".

The king listened to this and, believing that their false explanations were true, was moved to great anger regarding the bound priests. Considering that it was indeed their [163] fault that such a slaughter of his troops had occurred, [Yazkert] immediately ordered that first those priests who were with him, the blessed presbyter Samuel and the holy deacon Abraham, should be taken to an unknown place very far from the caravan and beheaded there, so that no Christian would be able to find their bones and revere them, But before king them [Yazkert] ordered that saint Samuel's right hand should be cut off and placed in the hand of lord Abraham, and that saint Abraham's right hand should be cut off and placed in the hand of lord Samuel. He said [that he was doing this] ''since they dared stretch forth their hands against the venerable fire and kill it''. Then he ordered them beheaded. Thus were these saints martyred in the district named Vardges, on the seventh day of the month of Hrotic' [Horotic', the twelvth month of the ancient Armenian calendar].

49. After this king Yazkert ordered that an emissary go in great haste to Asorestan where the blessed bishop of [g87] Basen, T'at'ik, was being held in bondage, having been wickedly tortured for a long time. He ordered that [T'at'ik] be killed there, and that the saint's body be disposed of so that none of the Christians would find it and take the bones to revere them. When the emissary arrived the mages there carried out the order and were filled with joy. But before the saint's death, for many days [the mages] flayed the flesh from the [164] holy man's bones with tortures. Then, in accordance with the king's order, they killed him by beheading him with a sword.

50. [Yazkert] also gave an order regarding the other blessed priests who had been left bound in the fortress at Niwshapuh. He ordered Vehdenshapuh the ambarapet to take two other nobles as assistants, Jnikan the court maypet and Movan the anderjapet who was an assistant to the Movpetan movpet [Tayr hraman Vehdenshaphoy ambarapeti arhnul end iwr erkus ews ognakans yawaganwoyn, zJnikan maypetn ark'uni, ew zMovan anderjapet` i jerhane movpetan movpeti, ert'al...], to quickly go in advance of himself, to remove the blessed priests from the prison where they were being held bound with the Armenian naxarars. [Yazkert] ordered that they should be taken to an untrodden and deserted place far from the city and cruelly tortured there however [Vehdenshapuh]chose until they died. But the king ordered Vehdenshapuh to be extremely careful that no one should find out that they had been taken from the city, or by what road, or the place where they were to be slain. "Since", he said, "we have accurateiy learned that those who belong to the erroneous sect of Christianity will go to their deaths with great joy for [such a fate]. For, they say that if someone should have in his home even a tiny fragment of the bones of someone who died for their God, nothing bad or malicious [165] can befall him, his house, or his loved ones. They also say that [such relics] give aid in speaking at trials, wisdom, bravery, and protection. To the point of death they strive in person and with their wealth to obtain but a tooth or fingernail from such [martyred Christians] and to take it to their homes. Furthermore we have been informed by trustworthy men who had belonged to their devious sect but now hold our radiant and just faith, that their women, sons and daughters will take their ornaments of gold, silver and pearls and give them in exchange for even a very small portion of the bones of people who have so died, regarding [the bones] as very respect-worthy and venerable. What else shall I say? Ornaments of their fathers and mothers, which were made for them with great labor--[ornaments] having a neck or base of extremely costly pearls [ew zharc' ew zmarc' zards, zor yanun noc'a arareal e mecaw ashxatut'eamb, chitaks ew kam ztaks inch' margartoy kari mecagnoy...] Christian women regard it as nothing to remove them from their persons and give them to purchase but a small piece of the bones of such [martyrs]. So you be careful that the site of their killing is somewhere that those who hold such beliefs and are awaiting the bones to revere them, will be unable to locate".

When the ambarapet Vehdenshapuh heard all of these words [g88] from the king in the land of Apar, he entered that fortress [166] in the Niwshapuh shahastan. He spoke [the following] false words [to the captives], duplicitously giving them "good news": "The king of kings has commanded me to dispatch the Armenian priests held here in bonds to their own land. With regard to the other nobles from Armenia he stipulated that he would release them from their shackles when he arrives". When the multitude [of captives] in the shahastan heard this, they thought that Vehdenshapuh was speaking the truth. But when the blessed priests heard it, through the influence of the holy Spirit they immediately realized that the good hour of the hope of their martyrdom had arrived. They began speaking with the Armenian naxarars with whom they were bound, saying: "Although Vehdenshapuh wanted to conceal the truth, he was unable to do so. For both of us shall be killed as indeed all of you heard from him [k'anzi erkok'ean mer ayd irk' aydpes katareloc' en, orpes ew luann isk i nmane amenek'ean]. You, with the mercy of Christ, will be freed from bondage; we, with the power of the holy Spirit, having passed the wearisome days of our lives as exiles, will go to our natural land and family, where the ranks of the Apostles are, and the dwellings of the saints, to the army of the tanuter and creator of all, Christ, Who said: 'Wherever I am, my servant will be'" [John 12, 26].

51. While they were discussing this matter, one of the executioners--as was accurately learned from the blessed [167] Xuzhik--a man affectionately inclined toward the bound Armenian naxarars--came and revealed to them [the Iranians'] actual plan. He informed them of the truth, regarding how the king had given the order concerning the killing of the priests. When the naxarars were certain of this, they wept bitterly, not because they did not want the saints martyred, since they themselves desired to be worthy of the same, but because of those who would be left orphaned and unconsoled.

As for the holy men, when they accurately learned that the glad tidings regarding them were definite, they were strengthened and became joyously happy. They glorified God, and immediately prepared for the evening worship which on that day was later than on other days. The fact that the ambarakapet had not come early to the shahastan meant that they were obliged to spend the night there. After the holy men completed the canon of the evening service, they enjoyed a poor and small [meal, provided for] by [their] maintenance [vayelein sugh inch' ew doyzn rochkovn orpes bazmaxortiks anushahotut'eamb] as though it consisted of many fragrant delicacies. Joy in the delicious meal prolonged the joy of comfort, with the power of the holy Spirit of God. Arising from the meal, they glorified and blessed God performing prayers. The holy priests of God commanded the bound naxarars, in accordance with each one's rank [est kargi iwrak'anch'iwr uruk'], to pass that night in prayer and vigils. [168] [The priests] said to all of them: "If any of you today should travel to Armenia would you not, truly, send letters [g89] of greeting and messages of joyous delight to each of your dear ones? You should beseech God about the journey so that each person reaches his family safely, and that your compact with Him is fulfilled. But behold, now we are about to leave you to go to God. All of you beseech the Savior Christ and His holy Spirit that we, with intrepid encouragement, be worthy of the desirable heavenward road, and that we salute the most merciful Christ and the blessed brigade of Apostles, the prophets and all the saints, and recommend you to them. With the intercession of the kind and most compassionate creator, Christ, He may be your consoler and savior. May you be released from the heroic shackles which now confine you, and may your detractors and enemies be put to shame. May you see the land of Armenia and your families, and may your bones be placed there with those of your fathers. May your souls be freed from the invisible shackles of Satan, and be kept unharmed until the day of the lord Jesus Christ".

When all the naxarars heard such a command from the blessed priests of Christ, they replied: "Who can be conquered by sleep in the Kingdom, where there is no sleeplessness and no burden of weariness. And who will be grieved by disease in the eternal goodness, where pain, sorrow, and sobbing [169] are absent? For us, today is a precursor of that day, and an opportunity to hear in our midst the doctrines of the blessed priests of God sermonized. And why should sadness be felt in anyone's heart? For we are worthy to see in our own lifetimes, in the flesh, our parents and spiritual vardapets, who are like angels, and who, in their death are joyfull. But our eyes are full of tears, like Christ the Savior of all seeing Jerusalem, or Lazarus who was raised from the dead, [wondering] why the deathless and disease-free creation of the Creator, ensnared by the trickery of the enemy, returns again to earth, fallen to disease and death".

When the holy priests of God heard such words of glad tidings from the naxarars, all of them began to raise their hands to heaven, thanking God with great gladness, saying: "We thank You, God, that through the grace of the preaching of the blessed Apostles, You begot many Apostles, and through the grace of ascetic martyrs, You begot many martyrs. Such an Apostle was the confessor lord Gregory, a doer of clean deeds and a teacher of a clear and vigilant doctrine which/who made everyone strive for the good, who begot vardapets and innumerable martyrs, many cenobites, uncountable orders of virgins, creating in everyone a temple for the dwelling of the blessed Trinity. We thank you, Savior, [g90] [170] for making the sheep of the flock of saint Gregory more rational than the shepherds, and for making students drawn from the people more wise than the vardapets. We are now strengthened and encouraged by the graceful words of our spiritual parents, fathers to sons, vardapets to students, priests to the people. We depart from those who have placed us on the path to You joyfully. [Our spiritual teachers] remaining in the flesh stay with you and are strengthened by you [ew ink'eank' mnalov i marmni` end k'ez en ew arh k'ez, ew k'ez zoranan]. Preserve them with Your almighty right hand, surround them with the security of Your holy Spirit, comfort them with the gladness of Your word. Give them our peace and let [Your] grace grow in them".

So blessing the venerable captives and entrusting them to the Omnipotent, [the priests] said: "He will preserve you in health, and always comfort you with His holy Spirit. Be not saddened, but rejoice in the word that 'I shall not leave you as orphans, but will come to you' [John 14, 18]. For indeed He has come and is among you. He will release you from the bonds which now confine you, and will keep you with the hope of His aid. He will cause you to boldly say in glory: 'For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded [171] as sheep to be slaughtered' [Romans 8, 36]. The lord of all will crush Satan beneath your feet and display you as prominent and radiant in the midst of impious people, and He will return you to your country. May he preserve your tuns, nourish your children,and let your son(s) inherit the share of their fathers [Pahesc'e ztuns jer, snusc'e ztghays jer, zharhangec'usc'e zawaki jerum zvichak harc' iwreanc']. Glory to Him now and forever, amen".

The blessed Ghewond completed these words of doctrine and consolation in accordance with the command of the blessed Yovsep' and Sahak, who also blessed the venerable naxarars and the others gathered with them. They entrusted all of them to the holy Trinity and completed their prayers. Every one of the venerable captive naxarars resembled those men who had assembled in [Christ's] attic, and they dwelled among the blessed Apostles, filled with the grace of the holy Spirit, encouraged and taking refuge in divine hope.



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