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GRIGOR TATEVATSI AND THE SACRAMENTS OF INITIATION DIANA TSAGHIKYAN DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH 2014 I, Diana Tsaghikyan, hereby declare that this thesis has been entirely composed by me. I confirm that it has not been submitted in pursuit of any other academic degree or professional qualification. [Diana Tsaghikyan] ! i! ABSTRACT This thesis investigates the sacraments of initiation of Grigor Tatevatsi (1346-1409), one of the most prominent ecclesiastical leaders of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian in Armenian Church Patristic and Other Essays examined Tatevatsi’s sacraments of initiation, and declared that Grigor Tatevatsi abdicated the theology of the Armenian Apostolic Church and integrated many important issues from Thomas Aquinas. This study challenges Ashjian’s statements, and by examining the political, historical and theological context, elaborates the sacraments of initiation of Grigor Tatevatsi in different colours. At the beginning of the fourteenth century, according to a missionary programme of Rome, successful work was started by the Latin Church in Armenia. During the crucial period for the Armenian Christianity, in time of political, social, intellectual and ecclesiastical changes, Grigor Tatevatsi becomes one of the dominating figures, and the first chapter examines his life. The second chapter of this work examines the purpose of the Dominican Order in Grand Armenia, and the origin of the Unitors, the Latino-Armenian Brotherhood, during fourteen century. The last three chapters deal with Tatevatsi’s sacramental theology of initiation. The third chapter focuses on the sacrament of baptism, the fourth chapter investigates the sacrament of confirmation, and the fifth chapter deals with the sacrament of communion and elucidates how Tatevatsi sees the sacrament that unites us to Christ. These three chapters compare the theology of Grigor Tatevatsi within that of Thomas Aquinas, showing how Tatevatsi engaging with Aquinas, not to abdicate Armenian theology but to defend it within the context of wider Christian practice, comparing ! ii! Latin, Greek and sometimes Syriac practice to show that Armenian theology reads the early Christian tradition in ways that sometimes differ from the other traditions, but are not inferior to them. ! iii! ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many generations of enthusiastic and inquisitive students at Edinburgh University have carried out research and attempted to raise and solve a number of academic and scientific objectives. The writing of this thesis has been one of the most significant academic challenges I have ever had to face. I have been honoured to be a post-graduate student at the School of Divinity, which has granted me an unprecedented opportunity to conduct an interesting research in ecclesiastical history. I would have never been able to complete my research without the guidance, support, patience, and commentaries of the following people. First of all, I would like to thank the professors, staff and faculty members of the School of Divinity for their positive attitude and for promoting, stimulating and welcoming academic and social environment. I would like to express my great appreciation to Dr. Sara Parvis who undertook to act as my supervisor despite her many other academic and professional commitments. I would like to thank Dr. Sara Parvis and Dr. Paul Parvis, who introduced me to the world of Thomas Aquinas. It is with particular pleasure that I express my affectionate and deeply-felt gratitude to director of "Matenadaran" Scientific Research Museum-Institute of Ancient Manuscripts after Mesrop Mashtots Prof. Hrachya Tamrazyan and staff of Matenadaran, who were kind enough to give me access to their treasures: the unique manuscripts and other materials helped me to solve and understand a number of issues relating to the theme of my thesis. ! iv! I would like to express my indebtedness to Dr. Naira Paronyan from Yerevan State University. Her knowledge and commitment to the highest standards of Old Armenian inspired and motivated me. My warmest thanks go to my family members and friends for the help and encouragement they have given to me. This research would have been impossible without their continuous support. They really deserve additional appreciation for acting so patiently and tactfully in settling a number of problems. ! v! TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration…………………………………………………………………… i Abstract…………………………………………………………………….… ii Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………... iv Introduction………………………………………………………………..... 1 Chapter One: Grigor Tatevatsi (1346--1409)……………………………... 20-83 Introduction…………………………………………………………………... 20 1.1 Early Years……………………………………….………………….. 22 1.2 Tatevatsi and Vorotnetsi..…………………………………..………... 31 1.3 Tatev…………………………………………………………………. 46 1.4 Gratun/Library………………………………..…………………...…. 51 1.5 The Scribal Arts and the ‘Art of Writing’………………………….... 53 1.6 Education in Tatev…………………………..………………..……… 58 1.7 Syunik and the Mongols……………………..………………………. 61 1.8 Grigor Tatevatsi and the Age of Feudalism………………..………… 67 1.9 Tatevatsi’s Writings………………..…………...…………………… 71 1.10 Tatevatsi as an Ecclesiastical Leader – The Controversy of the Akhtamar...................................................................................................... 75 Summary………………………………………..……………………........ 81 Chapter Two: The Unitors………………………………………..…..…..... 84-144 Introduction…………………………………..…………………………… 84 2.1 The Kingdom of Cilicia and the Beginning of Relations with the Latin West.…………………………………….……...…………………... 86 2.2 The Thirteenth Century…………………………………..……….…... 92 2.3 Grigor VII Anavarzetsi………………………….………………….… 94 2.4 The Fourteenth Century………………………………….…………… 100 2.5 Hovhannes Vorotnetsi …………………………………..…………… 110 2.6 Latin Missionaries and the Unitor Movement………….…………….. 115 Summary……………………………………..…………………………… 144 Chapter Three: Sacrament of Baptism………………………….………… 145-206 Introduction…………………………………………………..………..….. 145 ! vi! 3.1 Armenian Tradition…………………………………………………… 149 3.2 Grigor Tatevatsi………………………………………………………. 153 3.3 The Formula of Baptism……………………………………………… 154 3.4 Who is honoured to baptize?.................................................................. 162 3.5 The Water of Baptism………………………………………………… 169 3.6 Original Sin………………………………………………………...…. 172 3.7 Christ fulfilled the Law……………………………………………….. 183 3.8 The Baptism of Christ………………………………………………… 185 3.9 The Effects of Baptism………………….............................................. 192 Summary………………………………………………………………….. 202 Chapter Four: Sacrament of the Seal………………....…………………... 207-247 Introduction……………………………………………………………….. 207 4.1 Sacrament of Hope……………………………………………………. 209 4.2 Formula of the Seal…………………………………………………… 213 4.3 Holy Muron…………………………………………………………… 221 4.4 Symbols of the Sacrament of the Seal………………………………... 229 4.5 Anointing……………………………………………………………... 234 Summary………………………………………………………………….. 245 Chapter Five: Sacrament Of Communion…………………...…………… 248-312 Introduction……………………………………………………………….. 248 5.1 The West……………………………………………………………… 250 5.2 Thomas Aquinas……………………………………………………… 253 5.3 The Eucharist in Armenian Church Tradition………………………… 259 5.4 The Use of Pure Wine………………………………………………… 262 5.5 Grigor Tatevatsi on the Eucharist…………………………………….. 277 5.6 Tatevatsi and Eucharistic Controversy. The Issue of Pure Wine …….. 292 5.7 The Holy Spirit and the Form of the Eucharist……………………….. 298 5.8 Transubstantiation…………………………………………………….. 302 Summary………………………………………………………….………. 308 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………... 313 Map……………………………………………………………………...…… 320 Appendix I…………………………………………………………………… 321 ! vii! Appendix II…………………………………………………………………... 324 Appendix III………………………………………………………………….. 335 Appendix IV…………………………………………………………………. 338 Appendix V…………………………………………………………………... 349 Bibliography………………………………………………………………… 353 ! viii! INTRODUCTION Medieval Armenia’s history was complex. It was marked, on the one hand, by the formation and subsequent fall of the Armenian kingdom of Cilicia (1080-1375), and on the other, by the Mongol-Tartar destruction of Greater Armenia in the middle of the thirteenth century, which introduced numerous difficulties and areas of contention. However, it was the Armenian Church in particular which faced new problems in this period, perhaps greater than those of any of the previous nine centuries, filled as they had been with achievements and failures, politics and polemics. At the beginning of the fourteenth century, the Latin Church made inroads in Armenia by the aid of a Roman missionary programme. Through the missionary efforts of the Franciscan Order, which established a base in Cilicia, most of the Armenians in Cilicia became Roman