New Publication From the Armenian Church

HE “PREFACE” TO HAWATOV KHOSTOVANIM [“WITH FAITH I CONFESS”]
BY ST. NERSES THE GRACIOUS (1102-1173)*

ADMONITORY PREFACE TO THE PRAYER WRITTEN BY LORD NERSES
THE BROTHER OF CATHOLICOS GRIGOR OF THE ARMENIANS

A prayer of every Christian, to the old and the young, which all ought to learn and to teach one another: priests to the people, fathers to sons, mothers to daughters, and friend to friend. And they should pray using this [prayer] five times a day, kneeling down twelve times at the hour [of prayer], that is: on the morning, at noon, in the afternoon, in the evening and when retiring. But if one becomes slothful and lazy to pray five times, let him pray four times, or three times, or two times, or once a day; at least to realize that one is a Christian, and to come to know oneself that he is a creature of God and worshiper of Him. And if one is slow to learn every word of the prayer (there are those who learn demonic songs with much eagerness), let him learn half of it or less. If they were to learn three of its stanzas and to pray kneeling down three times at the hour [of prayer], it would be acceptable to God. But if any Christian is indifferent about learning and praying this, he should be rebuked and [deemed] as of the company of the Gentiles. Those who teach this prayer to others shall not succumb even in war, much less in peace.

As for our people, they never mention the name of God outside a place of worship, for they do not care about the orders of prayer as befits worshipers of God; rather, they prefer vain talk over prayer. And if at times some were to come to pray before the priest, they either stand with their mouths shut or chatter with one another; for they neither know the words of prayers nor allow the priests to concentrate on psalms and worship. For this reason we wrote this prayer in simple and clear words, so as to be easily understood, for the dull are slow to understand. In not too many words, it has twenty-four stanzas, in accordance with the hours of day and night and the number of prophets, and it is conceptually powerful – since it encompasses more than the needs for which we petition God.

And we offer it to our people to learn, that every Christian may learn this. And wherever they meet at the hour of prayer, they may speak with God through it – whether in church or at home, whether at rest or at whatever work, or when traveling. And all those who learn it and pray attentively, with a passionate heart and with tears, they shall have every request written in it fulfilled to them in life as well as after death. But those who despise it and neither learn nor pray, they shall themselves see the harm done to themselves. We have exhausted our reasons for coming up with this prayer – so that they will no longer make excuses that “we don’t know a prayer’s words, therefore we don’t pray”. Let such people know that Satan makes no greater effort to prevent our various acts of benevolence as [he does to prevent] prayer, for he knows that only through prayer he is chased away from us and God comes to dwell in us. We shall therefore ask the benevolent God to open the eyes of your minds, that you may willingly learn and pray this, and be loved of God.

And when you pray, remember Grigor the Catholicos of the Armenians and his brother Nerses, the author of this prayer, before Christ. And those of you who copy this prayer in writing, copy also these words of admonition. And those who copy this shall be registered in the book of eternal life. And those who shall learn and pray shall receive mercy from Christ. Those who teach their friends shall be rewarded by God. And those who copy it, let them not confuse any letter or word, departing from the original copy, or omit [anything] when copying, lest the words become distorted. Rather, let all [copies] be alike, whenever copied. As for those not skilled in lettering, let them give it to those trained in orthography to copy.

Glory to Christ, forever. Amen.

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