Muron, Myron, Myrrh

[Arpa]

Միւռոն, Muron, Myron, Myrrh.

To see the liguistics, go to Language.

 

Every seven years the Armenian Church holds an extravaganza known as Muron-orh-nerq, the Blessing of the Sacred Muron.

In 1997 I witnessed one of those. in Ejmiatsin

Do you want to know my personal impression of that “pagan” rite?

How pagan and cruel can it be?

Maybe under another cover.

This post is about the composition of the Muron, the so called Holy Water/Oil..

Some say the Muron is composed of forty(40) herbs and fragrances. So what else is new? Forty? Qarasun/Qarsun? That so called Biblical number? (Read my take on about Qarsun posted here at various times).

Contrary to the above, according to this, it is not the extracts of Qarsun , but Qarsun ev Ut (48, count them) herbs and fragrances.

 

1. Բալասան Balsam Oil

2. Ջէթ Olive Oil

3. Մեխակ Carnation. My take would be “Clove Oil”

4. Մշկնկոյզ Nutmeg

5. Բաղշտակ Sweet Flag

6. Հնդիկ Նարդո Spikenard

7. Սեւ Բերան Gooseberry

8. Դարիսենիկ Cinnamon

9. Խունկ Incense

10. Արջտակ Cyclamen

11. Քրքում Crocus

12. Մարզանոն Sweet Marjoram

13. Կղմուխ Hors elder

14. Վաղմեռուկ Camel’s Hair

15. Մրուանտակ Hazelwort

16. Երիցուկ Camomile

17. Մանիշակ Violet

18. Նունուֆար Water Lily

19. Նարնջածաղիկ Orange Flower

20. Դարապղպեղ Allspice

21. Դափնի Laurel

22. Մուրտ Myrtle

23. Նարկիս Narcissus

24. Դափնեհունտ Laurel Seed

25. Դափնեծաղի Laurel Flower

26. Լատան Crystal tea

27. Կոճապղպեղ Ginger

28. Մազտաքէ Mastic

29. Մուշկ Musk

30. Յակինթ Hyacinth

31. Նարինջի Ծաղիկի Ջուր Orange Flower Water

32. Վարդի Ջուր Rose Water

33. Հալուէ Aloes

34. Անդրիտակ Cardamom

35. Ճանդան Sandal

36. Վարդ Rose

37. Կնդրուկ Olibanum

38. Ստախշ Storax

39. Կիբեռիս Galingale

40. Հնդկապղպեղ Cubeb

41. Հուսամ lavender

42. Խնկունի Rosemary

43. Թոր Թրնչխոտ Lemon balm

44. Անաննուխ Spearmint

45. Դաղձ Wild mint

46. Ռահան Basil

47. Թիւմ Thyme

48. Ծոթրին Summer Savory

Edited April 9, 2006 by Arpa

[gamavor]

Yes Arpa, indeed this is maybe the most colorful and festive celebration in the Armenian Church calendar. The flower extracts of 48 different flowers are sent to Armenia, Etchmiadzin from all corners of the world. The Rose oil extract for example was send regularly from Bulgaria ( I know this for sure since close relative of mine was in charge with this).

 

The ceremony is preceded with blessing of the four corners of the world by the Katolikos and all the bishops of the Church are present. Than one by one the containers with the flower oil are poured into lavishly elaborated gaza specially designed for preparation of miro. At the end the Katolikos pours the miro from the previous year symbolizing the eternity and continuity. After some time miraculously (due to a chemical reaction) the miro starts warming up and believers hand over handkerchiefs to the presiding clergy to “touch” the gaza.

 

I have a video tape of one such historical celebration (historical because it was conducted by both heads of the Church – Vazgen II and Karekin I – both of blessed memory.

 

[Yervant1]

Like;

 

Ali Baba and Fourty thieves.

They feasted Fourty Days and Fourty Nights

Was it Fourty days that rained with Noah?

Feel free to continue.

[kakachik77]

insn't cinnamon Darchin?

[Arpa]

Like;

 

Ali Baba and Fourty thieves.

They feasted Fourty Days and Fourty Nights

Was it Fourty days that rained with Noah?

Feel free to continue.

This is too scarily eerie!

Yervant! Who are you ? Are you my alter ego?

Please search and find my many references to the number forty, among which The Forty Thieves of Ali Baba, the Forty Days and Nights of the Flood, and Qarsun Yev Qarsun Or yev Qarsun Gisher of Feasting/Fasting. Not to forget the Forty Days of Musa Ler.

When I raised this question with one of our theological experts, his answer was that it is - Biblical.

Yeah right! Biblical/Schmiblical!

Here is at least one of them.

=====

 

http://hyeforum.com/index.php?showtopic=3294&hl=qarsun

 

Originally posted by Sip:

I think it's because Jesus and Moses and a few other guys in the bible did things in 40 days. I know for sure Jesus was wondering around somewhere for 40 days and that's why it's so important.

 

I actually read a while back a few theories of why the number 7 is so prevelant in different contexts ... why some consider it as lucky ... why is the week 7 days. I found some of those theories completely fascinating and they trace the origins back to a VERY VERY long time ago (to the ancient egyptian days). Anyway, let me know if you want to hear about 7.

 

Yes Seap, please do tell us about the number 7. (Is it beacuse the Lunar month, which is 28 days is evenly divided into 4 seven day periods?)

In the meantime I will tell you about my opinion about the number 40 and the "revelation" that answered long stanting question of of mine.

For a long time I had concluded that number 40 was a mythical numberand nothing more than a superstition of peoples that were so much less sophisticated than we. Of all the people you will understand best as it seems you are well versed in math.

I had come to the conclusion that the number 40 was simply a mythical number and every story and so called historical account that invokes it is nothing more or less than a myth. Consider such stories that are supposed to be the "gospel truth", that we adopted as a new religion, trashing two thousand years of native tradition, has stories like; "It rained 40 days and 40 nights"(the myth of the "flood" and the garbage about Noah. Moses was 40 years old when he was called to lead his people out of Egypt. (Don't forget that according to that mythical book called the Bible there were 7 years of plenty and 7 of famine). Moses led his people in the desert for 40 years. There is no proof that there actually was an Exodus, not even a shred of evidence. When we can still find artifacts from Alexander's trek through Armenia and Persia there is not even a vestige, not even a shoelace to prove that people traversed the desert for 40 years, time enough for at least three generations.

Ali Baba had 40 accomplices(thieves)

Dzenov Ohan had such thundering voice that it could be heard beyond 40 villages. When Sasountsi David pushed Msra Melik into the pit he piled "qarsun gomshu kashi" and "qarsun jaghatsi qar" on top of him. It is customary to celebrate "qarsun or ev qarsun gisher". Traditional mourning period is 40 days hence the "qarasunq". Infants must be baptized before "qarasun or" after birth. There may be scientific reason for the latter since infant mortality is highest after 40 days or thereabouts when the immunity acquired from the mother is lost.

I'm sure you can think of more examples of mythical and superstitious applications of the number 40.

I will use the provincial and colloquial use of the word "qarsun" rather than the formal Armenian form of "qarasun" since the myth is nothing more than a provincial folk myth and superstition.

 

Survey the second picture below and I'll tell you a story.

 

http://www.cilicia.com/armo5_clickmap.html

 

We were standing at exactly the foreground of that picture, about where the chain link fence gate is and surveying the scene. We were admiring the fact that when that church was destroyed during the Eearthquake it was precisely dissected in two and the bell tower (you can't see it in this picture) had fallen almost intact with the bell still attached to the structure with the cross on top undamaged. While we were talking among ouselves I noticed that this native, a mature man (could have been 60 or 70 yrars old) was intently watching us, I could tell that he wanted to paricipate in the conversation. To encourage and engage him I saked if he knew how old that church was. He said; "Oooh, es ekeghetsin shat hin e". I asked him several times in several different ways, his aswer was still the same. Finally, realizing that I was not getting anywhere I came with the genius and asked him if he was baptized at that church. His answer was; Not only he was baptized there but his father before him, his father's father and his father also. I was satified, kind of. If he was 70 years old, his father if living, would have been 90, his gradfather, 110 and his great grandfather... 130.

I thanked him and turned around to relate and translate his answer to my companions when I felt a tap at my shoulder. I turned around, it was him, his deep blue eyes(did I say he was blond and blue eyed?) virtually falling out of their sockes with a bright gleam. He brought his face close to mine and declared; "Es ekeghetsin shat shat hin e, gouste...."qarsun" taru e"!

I could not believe my ears.

That was my revelation and the answer to my years of wonderment about the number 40. QARSUN.

You see? Unlike you, crunching numbers in the billions, trillions and grillions, some time ago people could only count up to the limit of their physical surroundinggs, 10 fingers, 10 toes and that many of ther companion, and voila... qarsun, the highest number imaginable, an eternity, even beyond the stars.

 

Now you tell us why the universe was created in 7 days. Did you say 7 gazillion days!?

 

Speaking of myths and superstitions. I wish we had stuck to our own rather than adopt others idiots' mythology that masquerades as a religion. With religions like that who needs more myths and supertitions. Even I can compose more fantastic and fabulous stories than that

[Yervant1]

Arpa when I said feel free to continue didn't mean to give "qarsun" of them with one post and end the fun.

Most of the time I don't use search, I just write what comes to mind at the moment.

[Arpa]

Arpa when I said feel free to continue didn't mean to give "qarsun" of them with one post and end the fun.

Most of the time I don't use search, I just write what comes to mind at the moment.

Qarsun lashes to you!

Of course not.

The fun is only beginning.

Please do continue.

I just had a revelation as to "darchin".

I'll give you a hint. "dar el cin/dar el sin"?? "Darsenik/Cinnamon"?

[Yervant1]

Qarsun lashes to you!

Of course not.

The fun is only beginning.

Please do continue.

I just had a revelation as to "darchin".

I'll give you a hint. "dar el cin/dar el sin"?? "Darsenik/Cinnamon"?

Dar el cin/dar el sin is a location but I don't get the connection.

So give me another Qarsun lashes but don't forget the Qarsun virgins. Talking about 70 virgins how come it's not Qarsun, where did they go wrong and they came with number 70.

BTW "darchin" isn't in the anitsyal language?

[Yervant1]

Arpa ok I get it.

It's from China Right?

[kakachik77]

yes, I checked, darchin is from turkish but I always heard armenians using that word.

[Arpa]

Arpa ok I get it.

It's from China Right?

Bingo!

Darcin, dar (el) sin.

We know that the Arabs still call China El Sin. Consider such as Sino-Soviet etc. When the Latins first saw such as Dar (el) Cin (C as in S) they interpreted it as Dar (El) Chin- DarChin, C as in Cuccina/Cuchina/kitchen.

No Kakachik it is not Turkish as there is no such thing as Turkish language.. It is Latin via Arabic.

Aramazt hogin lousavoreh! Ajarian as thorough as he may have been, I have noticed that he had missed a few fine points. Then again, of course, he did not have the luxury of the internet.

So, as you see, above” darsenik/darcinak” is correct.

That “anitsyal lezu” where the C is also used to sound like CH, darcin will be pronounced as darchin.

Let us not, once again throw the baby with the bath water. Everything you may think is Turkish is NOT.

It is either Arabic, Persian, Greek, Latin or… Aramazt mi arastseh.. Armenian.

 

PS. Kakachik, the Turks also use "karenfil" to mean carnation/clove, which does not make it necessarily Turkish. As above. There is no such animal as Turkish language. It is from the Arabic-qrunful. Mekhak in Armenian.

[Arpa]

Yes Arpa,

=====.

 

have a video tape of one such historical celebration (historical because it was conducted by both heads of the Church – Vazgen II and Karekin I – both of blessed memory.

 

Yes, Gams, I also have a video of the 1997 Muronorhneq which I personally took. When HH Garein I, only two meters from my perch ceremoniously brought the Lousavorich Aj to the altar.

It was one of my most exhilarating yet tragic moments when all those so called princes of the Church, including bishops and Patriarchs like Torgom etc. all dressed in their pagan regalia of gold and glitter all the way from their veghars(mitre) to their mujaks(slipper), while at the same time, still fresh out of the Earthquake and the War the common people could not even find bread, forget the cheese….

It hurts as much now just as it hurt then!!!

As Hacob Baronian would say in his Azgayin Chocher… Anor al ays juren!!

[Yervant1]

Arpa Mustafa Ataturk when he was bringing his reforms to Turkey, he also advised his linguists to clean the Turkish language from foreign words.

After all the foreign words were taken out, there were only four hundred or so words left for them to use. Soon they realized that a language with four hundred words only won't work he ordered them to forget it and keep the foreign words.

[Vanetsi]

I have a video tape of one such historical celebration (historical because it was conducted by both heads of the Church – Vazgen II and Karekin I – both of blessed memory.

 

 

Gamavor, in this video does Abp. Avak Asadourian happen to be standing next to the Catholicos, holding the relics of St. Gregory encased in a forearm cast?

[Arpa]

As above, the fun is just beginning.

So, what is Muron/Միւռոն?

Armenian sources, after much meandering say it is from Greek “myron”, see below. But they don’t go far enough to see that it is in fact from the Arabic, which simply means “bitter“, լեղի. However Ajarian says something very interesting, that the Greek Myrrh is basis for IE words like German Schmeiren…. And Enlish “Smear”, to apply as in ointment . And based on that it is concluded that the word that appears as Myuron in the Armenian in fact means “fragrant oil/անուշահոտ իւղ”

In fact the Armenian word for Myrrh is zmours/զմուռ. We read in Matt 2-11 when the three magi visited Jesus;

Matt.2

[11] And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. Ոսկի, կնդրուկ եւ զմուռս.

 

myrrh n. < m&r > : 1. Aromatic resin burned as incense and used in perfume; SYN: gum myrrh. 2. Aromatic resin used in perfume and incense; SYN: gum myrrh, sweet cicely. [ETYM: Old Eng. mirre, Old Fren. mirre, French myrrhe, Latin myrrha, murra, Greek; cf. Arabic murr bitter, also myrrh, Hebrew mar bitter.]

Expressions:

myrrh tree n. : 1. Tree of eastern Africa and Asia yielding myrrh; SYN: Commiphora myrrha

 

Above, among the 48 we will see that kntrouk is translated as olibanum, yet according to the Bible it is frankincenseղ

Do you want to have more fun? Look above at number 33, Հալուէ/halweh=Aloes

Edited April 9, 2006 by Arpa

[gamavor]

Gamavor, in this video does Abp. Avak Asadourian happen to be standing next to the Catholicos, holding the relics of St. Gregory encased in a forearm cast?

 

Yes!

[Arpa]

Today, Sept. 21 2008 is 7 days away from the 28th when the Holy Muron will be consecrated.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexanyan/2821808463/

We have written about it on numerous occasions.

And, please observe that the Muron consists of 40 herbs. No, no I lied, it is 48. See above.

Matt.2

[11] And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

---

11Եւ երբ այն տունը մտան, տեսան մանկանը իր մօր՝ Մարիամի հետ միասին եւ ընկան ու երկրպագեցին նրան. եւ բանալով իրենց գանձատուփերը՝ նրան նուէրներ մատուցեցին՝ ոսկի, կնդրուկ եւ զմուռս

http://www.reporter.am/

See what our own Fr. Dajad says…

"The word muron means ‘fragrant

oil’ in Greek, derived from the root

‘to rub’ or ‘to anoint’."

Yes, we know, that is what Ajarian says in his monograph of “muron/միւռոն” , that it is from the Greek “Zmyron” to mean “smear/քսել” then , let us see what he says in his monograph under Muron/ՄԻՒՌՈՆ and Zmours/ԶՄՈՒՌՍ”.

I’ll let Johannes tell us about the Arabic word “myrrh/murr” (“qahwa murra”) to mean bitter/լեղի/ դառն”.

by Nyree Abrahamian

YEREVAN – The Armenian Church

is rich with ancient rituals and sacred

traditions dating back to the

early days of Christianity, but often,

their meanings get lost to modern

Armenians in the elaborate ceremonies

that go with them. Among

the most intriguing and mystical of

these rituals is Muronorhnek, the

Blessing of the Holy Chrism. Muronohnek

traditionally occurs once

every seven years at Echmiadzin,

though this is not a hard and fast

rule – in the whole of the 20th century,

the muron was only blessed

nine times – and will take place this

year on September 28.

The ceremony is quite complex

and preparations begin 40 days before

the festive service. Seven layers

of veils cover the cauldron in

which the chrism is already cooking.

A prayer service begins a 40-

day process of psalms, hymns and

scripture readings. On the eve of

the Blessing of the Holy Chrism,

a vigil is held at the cauldron and

the next day, the Catholicos of All

Armenians leads the Blessing celebration,

assisted by bishops from

around the world. The chrism is

kept in the cauldron for several

weeks and is then taken to Armenian

Apostolic Churches around

the world.

The word muron means ‘fragrant

oil’ in Greek, derived from the root

‘to rub’ or ‘to anoint’. The muron itself

is an extremely precious mixture

whose recipe is derived from

the Old Testament:

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take

the following fine spices: 500 shekels

of liquid myrrh, half as much (that

is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon,

250 shekels of fragrant cane, 24,500

shekels of cassia – all according to the

sanctuary shekel – and a hin of olive

oil. Make these into a sacred anointing

oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a

perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing

oil.

—Exodus 30:22-25

Armenian muron is made with pure

virgin olive oil, balsam (a fragrant

liquid that comes from the bark of

some evergreens), and 40 kinds

of incense, flowers, roots, plants,

oils, and leaf extracts. Balsam is

the trickiest ingredient and perhaps

the most important. The Hayr

Mashtots (the Armenian Pontifical

Book of Rituals) states: “More balsam

is commendable. The more the

balsam, the more praiseworthy it

is.” The balsam must first be boiled

with linseed oil so that it is soft

enough to mix with the other ingredients.

It’s kept separate from

the olive oil until both have been

properly boiled. Then it’s poured

into the olive oil and boiled again

until the two are well blended. This

mixture is kept separate from the

other ingredients until the day of

the Blessing Service.

Some of the ingredients the recipe

calls for can only be obtained

from distant and exotic locations,

like Sumatra and Nepal. It seems

a tad lavish, especially considering

the Armenian Church has gone

through some pretty difficult times

– persecution, Genocide, Soviet rule.

One may wonder why the Blessing

of the Chrism has to be such an extravagant

process, with such a rare

list of ingredients, performed only

by the Catholicos of All Armenians.

And what exactly is the muron for?

Can the Church function without

it? What happens if they run out?

Der Dajad Davidian is a reliable

source for the answers to these

questions and for some insight on

the topic. A priest who served for 30

years in Watertown Massachusetts,

he has been living in Armenia for

the past eight years. Der Dajad is

the leader of the Armenian Church

Youth Movement, which he started

six years ago. He has a popular TV

show in Armenia called “Ask the

Priest,” where viewers call in with

all kinds of questions ranging from

“What do I do with a broken cross?”

to more serious questions about

relationships, addiction, and faith.

“Sometimes we deal with the sublime,”

says Der Dajad, “Sometimes

the ridiculous.”

Der Dajad explains that chrism is

used in all the traditional Churches

(Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox,

Coptic, Assyrian and Armenian)

but its preparation, blessing

ceremony, and uses vary slightly in

each church. In the Armenian Apostolic

Church, it’s used to consecrate

altars, churches, gospels, and

other holy items, in baptism (a few

drops of oil go into the water to seal

in the Body of Christ), and in the

ordination of priests, where their

hands and heads are anointed with

oil. Apparently, when a Catholicos

is ordained, the oil is poured right

over his head.

On the topic of the extravagant

ceremonial process, Der Dajad says

that while it’s important in keeping

an ancient tradition alive, it’s not

the point. “All rituals in the Church

have one aim,” he says, “Salvation

of the soul. Rituals are only a

means for us to come to our faith.”

And as for the elaborate list of ingredients

from the far reaches of

the world? Der Dajad’s response is

surprising: “If all those ingredients

are not available, regular oil can be

used. Necessity dispenses from law.”

In other words, what’s important

is the meaning behind the ritual.

“The Church can exist without muron,”

he says, “Muron cannot exist

without the Church.”

The most intriguing aspect of

the Blessing of the Muron is its

continuity factor. According to

tradition, a portion of the chrism

that Moses blessed still remained

in Jesus’ time. Jesus blessed it as

well, and gave some to St. Thaddeus,

who took it to Armenia and

healed King Akbar of a terrible skin

disease by anointing him with the

oil. St. Thaddeus buried the bottle

of holy oil under an evergreen tree

in Daron, where St. Gregory the Illuminator

was later able to find it

through a vision. He took the bottle

and mixed it with the muron he

had blessed. To this day, whenever

a new batch of muron is prepared

and blessed, a few drops of the old

one go into it, so that the Armenian

muron always contains a small

amount of the original oil blessed

by Moses, Jesus Christ, and Gregory

the Illumintor. Without getting

into the sticky business of trying

to prove or disprove the accuracy

of this story, the symbolism behind

it is beautiful. The notion of continuity

it evokes is what makes this

ritual so rich.

On September 28, His Holiness

Karekin II will continue the

thread of this tradition as old as

Christianity itself. There is already

an air of excitement in Echmiadzin,

but on that day, Armenia’s Mother

See will be filled with a frenzied

mass of press, political and religious

leaders, and thousands of

pilgrims from near and far. It’s

easy to get lost in all the pomp and

circumstance, or even to be disillusioned

by it. But the idea that

this tradition has been kept alive in

the Armenian Church for over 1700

years – surviving foreign rule, war,

division, and a nomadic existence

due to persecution – is pretty neat

in itself. Rituals have an air of the

mystical, of the ancient, and sometimes,

of the downright strange.

But ultimately, as Der Dajad points

out, rituals are a vehicle: a means

by which we come to our faith.

Edited September 21, 2008 by Arpa

[Arpa]

Yes, we know, that is what Ajarian says in his monograph of “muron/միւռոն” , that it is from the Greek “Zmyron” to mean “smear/քսել”

Then, what doeս the name of that city Zmyrna/ Izmir/ Զմիւռնիա mean?

Edited September 21, 2008 by Arpa

[Johannes]

Smyrnia է անունը, որից էլ Smyrnoff

[Arpa]

Today, Sep. 28, 2008 is the culmination of the long anticipated, forty days of watch/հսկում, when the Holy Muron will finally be consecrated. We are anxiously waiting for pictures of the actual finale.

Watch and enjoy the below videos and see how many times the word “orhnyal/orhnestsi” is used.

“orhnyal” will be covered under another topic.

How different is it from when some exclaim - “Praise Da Lawd!”?

I don’t know who the author of the below quote is. Please observe the orthography where Է is Է and “թիւն” is “թիւն“.**

ՕՐՀՆԵԱԼ ՏԷՐ ՄԵՐ ՅԻՍՈՒՍ ՔՐԻՍՏՈՍ ԱՄԷՆ

Հայր մեր որ յերկինս ես. սուրբ եղիցի անուն քո. եկեսցէ արքայութիւն քո. եղիցին կամք քո որպէս յերկինս և յերկրի. զհաց մեր հանապազորդ տուր մեզ այսօր. և թող մեզ զպարտիս մեր, որպէս և մեք թողումք մերոց պարտապանաց, և մի՛ տանիր զմեզ ի փորձութիւն, այլ փրկեա զմեզ ի չարէն. զի քո է արքայութիւն և զօրութիւն և փառք յաւիտեանս. ամէն:

http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1...annel=627275615

** Why am I hitting my head against the ROCK? Which is harder? My skull or the ROCK/ԱՊԱՐԱԺ?

Look what Siamanto said about the “diamantine rock/ Ադամանադեայ Ապարաժ”

Գ Ի Ւ Տ Ի Ն Փ Ա Ռ Ք Ը

Մեսրո´պ, հայ դարերուն դիմաց կեցող

Դուն ադամանդեայ ապառաժ,

Դո´ւն մանուկներու մերկ ուղեղէն

Մինչև հանճարը ցոլքեր ցանող

, Edited September 28, 2008 by Arpa