Page 57 - THE ARMENIAN CHURCH_Neat

58 The Armenian Church

(sarkawag) is to assist the pastor or bishop
during the liturgy. A deacon may also
assume limited pastoral and educational
tasks under the supervision of a diocesan
primate or pastor.
The following titles are used for the
clergy: for the catholicos, His Holiness (norin
surb ōc‘utiwn); for a patriarch, His Beatitude
(norin amenapatuut‘iwn); for a locum tenens,
His Eminence (barjrašnorh); for an archbi-
shop, His Eminence (gerašnorh); for a bishop,
His Grace (gerašnorh); for a supreme varta-
bed, Very Reverend (kerapatiw); for a var-
tabed, Reverend Father (hogešnorh); for a celi-
bate priest, Reverend (hogešnorh); for a mar-
ried priest, Father (aržanapatiw); for a dea-
con, Dear (barešnorh). The catholicos is ad-
dressed in Armenian as vehap‘ar˙ tēr; an
archbishop or bishop as srbazan hayr; a var-
tabed or supreme vartabed or monk as hayr
surb; a married priest as tēr hayr.
The Armenian Church has specific salu-
tations for greeting clergy in accordance
with their distinct ranks. A married priest is
greeted by "bless me father" (orhnea tēr), and
he acknowledges the salutation by saying
"may God bestow upon you His blessings"
(Astuac ōrhnē jez). When a clergyman meets
people, he says, "I greet you all" (vołjˇoyn jez).
Celibate clergy of all ranks are greeted by
the phrase "God help you" (Asduac ōgnakan),
and they reply, "may God protect you" (Asduac