The original of the copy from which the following letter isprinted by Father Basil Sarkisean[1] inhis volume on the 'Manichean Paulician Heresy' (Venice, 1893, in Modern Armenian),is preserved in a codex called the Book of Letters, which used to be in thelibrary of the Fathers of Antony at Constantinople. This codex was written outin 748 of the Armenian Era = A.D. 1300, in Hromkla by Thomas the Vardapet, oncharta bombycina, from an older copy which belonged to Gregory Vkayaser in theyear 527 = A.D. 1079. The convent of Kdjav, to the Abbot of which the letterwas written, was very ancient, and was situated in the province of Mokatz.

About the year 987 accusations were made against manyArmenian monks and priests of being secret or open members of the Thonraki sect.Among those accused was Gregory of Narek, the famous saint and author of a bookof devotions which is still in the hands of every Armenian priest. A councilwas held at Ani before which he was acquitted, and, to fully exculpate himself,he was forced to write the following letter to the Abbot of Kdjav, whonotoriously leaned to the side of the heretics.

[1] Many of Father Sarkisean's valuable notes I translate, adding hisinitials B. S.