The source comes from the people. Toumanian probably used G. Hovsepyan’s "Crumbs" folklore collection, where we can read about "Aparan" place name "… It's not Abaran, but Aparan, because the lamp full of the enlightment's tears hangs on the sky without a rope * among "hachas" (peaks). That’s why it calls Aparan."

Vardan Vardapet, the 13th century author, writes about the Enlightener’s lamp hanging without a rope on the four-peaked Aragats (mountain), the saint's tears burning inexhaustibly instead of oil and being visible only to the righteous. "The Lamp is hanging without a rope and filled with tears instead of water and burned with sky flame and it’s eternal till today and it will stay until the Day of Doom, until the Coming of Christ, and many worthy men have seen and see the miracle for the glory of Christ."

* In Armenian "without a rope" pronounced – "anparan"

DEEP in the night,

The lantern burns bright,

Hanging in heaven on high,

St. Gregory’s lamp, ever ablaze.

Bans darkness from Armenia’s sky.

Ընթերցել ամբողջությամբ →