Aravod Looso

The attached piece is my translation of Dr. Armenag Yeghiayan’s latest posting to his friends (https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2023/10/blog-post_25.html.) It reminded me of my days in Sourp Nshan Armenian National School where, every morning we lined up before going to class and recited the first four or six stanzas of Aravod Looso. 

Vahe H. Apelian

Courtesy Garo Konyalian

“This long poem of 36 stanzas (each thee lines of the 36 stanza begin with a the alphabetical listing of each character of the 36 characters of the Armenian alphabet) or 108 lines is one of the gems of the Armenian spiritual culture, written by Nerses Shnorhali(Nerses the Graceful in 12th century). For a thousand years, it has been sung almost every day in our churches, by their thousands of celebrants, and it is likely that it will continue in the same way "to the end of the world". There was a time when the students of our schools would start their day with this prayer, turning to the righteous sun, asking on the one hand, for its light, and on the other hand, beseeching the Heavenly Fatherds for spiritual things.

O morning of light

O thou righteous sun

Shed on me thy light.

 

O Father’s Spirit,

Pour forth from my soul

Words pleasing to thee.

 

During my nine years in Abgarian School , every morning, we sang its first six stanzas as a group. At the same time, the students of more than forty schools of the Armenian Apostolic Community in Lebanon also sang the song under the blessed sky of the Cedars of Lebanon , but also in other diaspora schools as well.

And not only in schools, but also in churches, where the service begins with "OMorning Light" and all its 36 stanzas will be sung.

It was the healthiest, and the finest of the decisions our educational officials had made for the Armenian schoolchildren to start their day with a sublime and soulful prayer for Sunlight and for the Spiritual.

Many of us would not be satisfied knowing the first six stanzas, but succeeded in learning all 36 of them by heart and recited them flawlessly, as is the case with me and for the countless friends of mine from the crowded school classes of those days.

Meanwhile, whatever the school missed, the the church supplemented.

Throughout more than 70 years of my life, "Aravod Looso" has been my companion, and has become an integral part of my being. Every time, with deep spiritual satisfaction, I recite fragments of it, and at times the whole prayer, pausing at each word of the message, admiring Nerses Shronali Shnorhali’s supreme talent and often time discovering a new light, a new ray, revealing  a new message from its inexhaustible advice, always wondering how I had not noticed it before.

*****

When I started attending Djemaran in 1953, I became a little bit confused...

My city-dwelling friends either hadn't heard "O Morning Light" or... they wouldn't manage to sing even the first four stanzas of it, as required by the institution. Some of them had copied the prayer on pieces of paper and had them in their hands, if they really participated in the group singing, which took place in the reception area of ​​the first floor of building No. 1, under the constant supervision of Mrs. Gohar, next to whom Mushegh Ishkhan sometimes appeared or Mrs. Yolant Ajemian.

The initiator or the "voice giver" - as we would call him - was one of our friends, Hovsep Eskijian, the future well-known "sworn translator", with his booming voice,  and the others followed him. or rather pretended to follow him timidly or with the appearance of  participating.

All of these were completely strange and inexplicable to me, but also, I would assume, to the newcomers from the national schools. However, with the passage of time, I can even say very soon, the knot started to entangle we came to find out the reality.

*****

Levon Shant, who had died approximately a year and a half ago, in his days, had strictly prohibited in the school he had established, all prayer, as well as all hints and teachings related to the church and religion, An ardent follower of the materialist doctrine, God or no god had no meaning for him.Twenty generations were educated and brought up by this spirit. It was only after his death, during the days of Simon Vratsian, that the administration tried to make a timid return to the traditions of our national church. (see the note below)

Following the start of the new academic year, Mushegh Ishkhan would enter the classrooms one by one, carrying with him   "Aravod Looso" and "Hayr Mer" prayers, because he didn't know them by heart, and would write  them on the blackboard: "They need to be learned by heart," he would mutter under his nose, having fulfilled a duty, without adhering to the letter and the spirit of his directive.

Once a year only, the students were taken in small groups and under the guidance of a teacher, to the Sourp (Saint) Nshan cathedral to attend the sunrise mass and receive communion.

In a third and supreme effort to make the students worthy of theheavenly kingdom, Ormanian's "Armenian Church" was taught to the graduating class, which would include a sermon by a priest from the  Cilicia Catholicosate. We understood nothing from the sermon.

In this manner, the students of Djemaran, would have the deep satisfaction of having paid their dues to their Armenian Christian heritage. Having thus saved their souls, they would not add anything else to what they  had received, and would remain convinced that they would find the “ Gabriel’s gate”, the doors of the heaven wide open to receive them.

armenag@gmail.com  

***** 

Note

Antranig Zarougian, who was a student of Levon Shant and Nigol Aghbalian in Djemaran attested to what Armeniag Yeghiayan wrote. In comparing and contrasting these two eminent educators, Antranig Zarougian wrote:

“During the weeks of lent, Aghpalian wanted us to come down early in the morning and attend mass with him. He adored the mass. We accompanied him several times, but our church attendance did not last, while he continued remaining in the church all alone attending arevakal (mass before the sunrise).

I have not seen Shant in a church, even during Christmas or Easter. Djamaran had already done away with the reciting of “Aravod Louso”  (Hymn for the Morning by St. Nersess Shnorhali) we customarily recited in the other schools.

Aghpalian lived with Krikor Naregatsi. Shant remained faithful to the pagan gods, to his “Hen Asdouatzner - Ancient Gods”. The reference alludes to Shant’s famous namesake play.” (see Unlike Twins-https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2021/07/antranig-zarougian-levon-shant-and.html)