Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/225

 182 HTBTORT OP ARMENIA.

with the pontifical dignity. It is related, that on his first admission into the church as a priest, in Cesarea, the grace of the Holy Ghost appear- ed resting over him like a dove. Immediately after he had assumed the government of the Armenian church he introduced into it various regulations, which he had seen in use at Constan-

t. tinople, and renewed the ancient and valuable

ceremonies, which, in the preceding pontificates had been permitted to fall into disuse, inlaying^ as the old records have it, the new observances

A. D. 365. into the old, like precious stones. Many irregu- larities having also crept into the forms of public worship, he convened a large meeting in the city of Ashtishat, where every thing objectionable was condemned and expunged, and the whole established on a new and sound footing.* He erected convents to the number of 2,000, and ap- pointed, as superintendents over them, Shalita, a good and just man, the disciple of St. Daniel, with Epiphan, Ephraim and Gind Silcuney, all of them worthy servants of our Lord and Redeemer. He also built asylums for widows and orphans, inns for the accommodation of strangers, with numerous hospitals and almshouses, for the support of which the cities and villages were charged. Over these establishments be placed governors, and the whole were put under the

« See Hist. 6. 11, c. 44.

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