NOTE: - 41 -

Neither the Holy Scriptures nor the early Holy Fathers of the Church taught us the name *Purgatory* [*k‘awaran*], but rather spoke of an *abode* [*kayan*]; for this name *abode* indicates to us that place wherein the souls of those fallen asleep with venial sins without penance abide, waiting in hope for the mediation of the redeeming, propitiatory Holy Sacrifice [of the Mass]. Therefore, the Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ and her true members do not accept at all this newly-invented word *k‘awaran* [Purgatory], which is alien to Holy Scripture. I said newly-invented; for our holy Church, by the grace of the Holy Spirit of God, is ever found to be a faithful guardian of the ancient Evangelical and Apostolic traditions and of the divinely-wise doctrine of the early Holy Fathers. If thou wishest to know that *k‘awaran* is a certain newly-fashioned (fabricated) word, read the work entitled *Theology* by Father Mkrtich‘ Awgerean of the Mekhitarist Order. Even he, compelled by the truth, writes boldly thus: “*K‘awaran* in our language properly signifies *propitiator* or *expiatory*, wherefore it is said only of God and of divine things; but by way of label, it has become customary in recent times to use it in the sense of the Latin word *Purgatorium*, which translates as *place of cleansing*—that is to say, the place or abode of the intermediate souls of the righteous, who have to suffer some punishment according to their offenses, until, being entirely cleansed thereof, they may enter into the rest of the saints in the Kingdom of Heaven” (ch. 4). Therefore, with orthodox faith and unhesitating, perfect hope, our Holy Apostolic Church confesses and acknowledges with all fervor the operations of the manifold, wondrous graces of Divine forgiveness to be truly a *Propitiation* [*K‘awaran*]—that is, an expiation of sins, a pardoner of transgressions—and she further confesses the saving mystery of the propitiatory, holy, immortal Sacrifice [of the Mass] that is celebrated within the holy Church. See the testimonies written below: “O Lord our God, thou heardest them; thou wast a propitious God to them” (Ps. 98:8). “For they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest, saith the Lord: for I will be propitious to their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jer. 31:34). “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful [propitious] to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). Behold, that even the holy Evangelist John confirms...

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