10.
PILGRIMAGE PLACES AND PUBLIC TALES
OF ANTIOCH ARMENIANS
The article is dedicated to the pilgrimage places in the Armenian settlements of Antioch region, which were:
A. Gighitsigs (small, bowed chapels or churches): ruined, but sanctified small buildings, or a cave, a tree, a pile of stones, a fountain.
B. Ruins of huge medieval temple structures, which date back to the 5 – 6th or 11 – 12th centuries A. D.
C. Standing religious buildings: churches and chapels that come “from ancient times” or are newly built.
The article examines in separate subsections the concept and applications of the covenant, the popular attitude towards pilgrimage places, the spirits of the sanctuaries seen in the conversations, the popular pilgrimages in the past and in the present times, and their significance today.
The most extensive section of the article gives the location, description, cove nants, pilgrimages, celebrations, stories, and miraculous tales of the numerous sanctu aries in more than twenty settlements.
Parks adjacent to the shrines, sole trees, grasses and fountains are attributed medical properties, and have also been consecrated.
Particular attention has been paid to the attitude of nonChristian communities, such as Turkomans, Kurds, Arabs, and Alawites, towards these shrines, the existence of the same faiths, attendance to such shrines, and respect for the sanctuary and belief in them.
In legends can be seen the spiritual owner of the sanctuary, Gighitsig Babug, with whom coexists the Arvand. In some of the legends appear St. Anna, the Holy Lady, St. Kevork, the mare of St. Sarkis, three horsemen etc.
