DOSSIER THE OFFERGIFTS IN THE ARMENIAN TRADITIONKing Archdale A.: The Rites of Eastern Christendom, vol.2, Rome, Catholic Book Agency, 1948[585] ARMENIAN RITE The synod of Partav (767), can.22, directed that the bread and wine for the liturgyshould be prepared by priests, and as far as possible on the actual day, while prayers were ordered to be said asthe offering was being made ready. This practice has been discarded by the Catholic Armenians.Gregorians as well as Catholics use unleavened bread (neshkhar, surb khaths), a legacy of hate for the Greeksand Syrians. The tradition that St. Gregory the Illuminator adopted the custom1 either from the church of [586]Caesarea or from Pope St. Sylvester is without foundation. The national council of the Armenians (Rome,1911) said that the practice had existed from the "most remote times," and ordered priests strictly to adhere tothe custom2. "The katholikos Moses II (574-604), a little time after 590, was invited to a conference by theemperor Maurice (582-602), but he was unwilling to attend, as he would not eat "bread cooked in an oven." Adecree (can 8) of the synod of Manazkert (726), held under John III Oznetzi (717-728), was directed against theuse of fermented bread. The Jacobite James of Edessa 3 (+ 708) condemned the Armenians because theyfollowed the Jews in using azymes and pure wine (i. e. without water).Armenian altar breads are flat round cakes about 3 by 1 1/8 inches, stamped with an ornamental border, acrucifix or lamb and the sacred monogram.Neither asterisk nor spoon are used in the rite, and water4 is not added to the chalice either at the offertory orbefore the communion (zeon). As regards the latter practice, the katholikos Moses declined to attend a synod,which the emperor Heraclius (610-641) had proposed with a view to promoting union with the Greeks, saying:"I am unwilling to cross the river Aza (then in Persian territory) to be compelled by the Byzantines to eatleavened bread and to drink hot water." ...