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[[Image:Echmiatsin altair.jpg|thumb|300px|An Armenian altar, with curtains.]]
The '''Armenian Rite''' is an independent [[liturgy]]. This rite is used by both the [[Armenian Apostolic Church|Armenian Orthodox]] and [[Armenian Catholic Church|Armenian Catholic]] Churches; it is also the rite of a significant number of [[Eastern Catholic Churches|Eastern Catholic]] Christians in the Republic of Georgia.  

The liturgy is patterned after the directives of [[Gregory the Enlightener|Saint Gregory the Illuminator]], founder and [[patron saint]] of The Armenian Church. Unlike the [[Byzantine Rite|Byzantine Church]], churches of the Armenian rite are usually devoid of [[icon]]s and have a curtain concealing the [[priest]] and the [[altar]] from the people during parts of the liturgy, an influence from early apostolic times. The use of [[bishop]]'s [[miter]] and of unleavened bread, is reminiscent of the influence Western missionaries once had upon both the [[Miaphysitism|miaphysite]] Orthodox Armenians as well as upon the Armenian Rite Catholics.


==Celebration of the Eucharist==
The order of the Armenian celebration of the [[Eucharist]] or [[Mass]] is initially influenced by the Syriac and [[Cappadocian Fathers|Cappadocian]] Christians, then (from the 5th century A.D. onwards) by [[Liturgy of St. James|Jerusalemites]], then by [[Byzantine Rite|Byzantines]] (from ca. the 10th century) and lastly by the [[Latin Rite|Latins]] in the Crusades. The Armenians are the only Eastern Church using wine without added water, and are criticised by the East and West for their seemingly [[monophysite]] beliefs, see ''[[W:Armenian_Orthodox_Church#Miaphysitism_versus_monophysitism|miaphysitism versus monophysitism]]'' in the Armenian Apostolic Church. The Armenians use unleavened bread for the Eucharist.

From all the Armenian language [[anaphora]]s the only one currently in use is the anaphora of [[Athanasius of Alexandria]]. It became the standard anaphora of the Armenian church before the end of the 10th century and is a translation of the Greek version. In research it is often attributed to [[Gregory of Nazianzus]], or to an older version of the Armenian anaphora of [[Basil the Great|St. Basil]] or seen as a composite text.

== Source ==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_Rite Wikipedia - Armenian Rite]

[[Category:Liturgics]]