Those who have seen Armenian Churches may have noticed a mysterious sign on top of their main altar. The interesting sign features the symbol “Է”, which in fact is the 7th letter of the Armenian alphabet. The history of this sign is of great interest to us.

The earliest evidence of the sign Eh” (“Է”) has been discovered on rock carvings in Metsamor, Armenia. These petroglyphs date to ca. 3000 BC. The sign is known to have been used by Mithraic priests in pre-Christian Armenia. During the creation of the Armenian alphabet in 405 AD, Mesrop Mashtots incorporated the sign as the 7th letter of the alphabet. The letter would subsequently be adopted by the Armenian Church, and that’s why it can be now seen in Armenian temples.

In Armenian Churches, either the sign “Eh” (“Է”) or the inscription “Asdvadz Ser Eh” (in Armenian) with its English translation “God Is Love” can be seen, mostly above the altar. What’s so special about the letter “Eh” that makes it such a key feature of the churches’ altar?

Let’s firstly look at the meaning of the sign. In the phrase “God Is Love”, the Armenian word for “is” is “eh”, so “Eh” (“Է”) literally means “is” or “he is”, which may sound like a reference to God Himself. In chapter 3 of Exodus, Moses encounters God in the burning bush. While God was briefing the prophet to deliver His people from Egypt, Moses asked:

If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”

God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

God told Moses that His name is “I am”, which technically means “Is” or “He Who Is.” God thereby is a being who just IS, and He is the only eternal God to call Himself by that name. As we already mentioned, “Eh” (“Է”) is the Armenian word for “is.” And the Armenian Church now realizes that God (Eh) dwells at the church altar, just as Moses realized that God was dwelling in the burning bush.

When pronounced, “Eh” (“Է”) is accompanied with an exhalation, so the idea of God being the breath of life is represented in the letter’s symbolism. Apart from that, the number 7 is known as the number of perfection or completion. Throughout the Bible, this number is attributed to a number of acts of God, as well as to God Himself. Thereby, the 7th letter of the Armenian alphabet “Eh” (“Է”) and its symbolism are considered Holy by the Armenian Church.

Interestingly, the letter “Eh” (“Է”) is the only letter of the Armenian alphabet that can be added as a prefix or a suffix to form a new word. “Eh” (“Է”) is not only a mere character but also a Word of and in itself.

Armenian letter Է (Ē) found in Metsamor (3,000 BCE). Sketch of the Armenian letter Է (Ē) found in Metsamor (3,000 BCE)

The Armenian eternity sign (⟨֎ ֍⟩, Armenian: Յաւերժութեան Նշան, romanized: haverzhut’yan nshan) or Arevakhach (Արեւախաչ, “Sun Cross”) is an ancient Armenian national symbol and a symbol of the national identity of the Armenian people.

It is known that in Babylon, during the confusion of languages, those who spoke with each other went in different directions with their tribes. However, only Hayk returned with his family to the vicinity of Ararat, where Noah remained. This suggests that God did not confuse the language of his tribe, but the language of Noah remained the same language of Adam, so Hayk returned to those speaking the same language as his family , to Noah, who did not take part in the construction of the tower and did not leave the vicinity of Ararat.

And at that time, Noah was still alive, because the construction of the Tower of Babel is considered to be 114-200 years after the flood, while Noah, according to the Book of Genesis, lived another 350 years after the flood. And since God confused the language of all evildoers, but Hayk’s language did not, we can conclude that Hayk was not evil in his ancestry and did not agree with the proud Babylonian rebels.

Ancestors of modern day Armenians were not pagans (in 2492 BC ancestor Hayk, having killed the tyrant Bel in battle, founded the Haykyan dynasty). Hayk was close to God the Creator, like his father Torgom, like the patriarch Noah, so Hayk could not please Bel-Nebrovt, who rebelled against the Creator. We know from the Holy Scriptures that Father Hayk Torgom was close and dear to God the Creator. According to the word of God, “you will be the vanguard for Me,” Progenitor Hayk, the beloved son of Torgom, truly became the “vanguard of God,” putting an end to the self-proclaimed and despotic Bel, who was called a servant by nature, but he was clearly a self-proclaimed and deceitful king. (Ezekiel 38:6-7). 

Altar of the Armenian Church of the Forty Martyrs, Aleppo

Is there any other written source, complementing all this, that Hayk Nakhapet confessed the Creator Himself?
According to the source study collection of the Yerevan State University Publishing House published in 1981, “Anthology of the History of the Armenian People (from Ancient Times to the Middle of the 9th Century),” this volume contains evidence and references to the Armenian people from foreign historians and chroniclers. In the collection from the book “Kartlis Tskhovreba”(«Картлис цховреба») there are Georgian references to Hayk Nakhapet and his seven brothers.

Khorenatsi does not mention that after the confusion of languages in Babylon, Torgom came with his family to the Ararat Valley, but says: “Hayk came with his family.”
According to the Georgian main source, the biblical Torgom comes from Babylon with his family to the Ararat valley, of course, Hayk is with him. “Targamos (the book says) was a brave man and lived 600 years. 8 of his sons became famous, the first was called Ayos – Hayk…

“Targamos divided his country among these eight giants and gave the better half to Ayos (Hayk), and gave the remaining seven their share according to their merits. Agios settled in the estate of his father, Targamos.” Therefore, in the Bible, Armenia is also called the “house of Torgom.”
“Raise a banner on the earth, blow a trumpet among the nations, arm the nations against him, call together the kingdoms of Ararat, Minya and Askenaz against him, set a leader against him, bring horses like terrible locusts” (Jer. 51:27), writes about the people of the prophet Jeremiah, also referring to the other Babylon and the Babylons. And that before the Second Coming of the Lord the spirit of this victory will be faithfully manifested in our nation, we see in the completion of the famous vision of Saint Sahak Partev. (Saint Sahak Partev saw a vision of spiritual and historical events in Armenia before the Second Coming of Christ, that the Armenians would win a wonderful victory against the man of lawlessness – the Antichrist. Vision of Sahak Partev: Lazar Parpetsi “History of Armenia”).

“The seven giant brothers,” says the Georgian book, “subordinated to Hayk (Ayos), who was their ruler and master.” And all these eight giants together served the giant Nebrovt (Bel), who was the first king of the whole world.” And when King Nebrovt, the lawless Bel, demanded a tax from Hayk and his brothers, Hayk, calling his seven brothers, told them: “The Almighty God has given us strength and multitudes in our family, therefore, with the help of the Creator, let us (no longer) serve anyone, except God the Creator.”
“And when Nebrovt-Bel with all his might attacked Hayk and his brothers, then,” the Georgian book testifies, “the Targamosians defeated and destroyed sixty giants of Nebrovt and their troops. Then the seven surviving Targamos giants praised God for their victory.”

The Georgian book also describes in detail how Hayk kills Bel with an arrow, and then: “…And the tribes of Targamos got rid of the dictatorship. Then Ayos proclaimed himself king over his brothers and neighboring tribes, and each of the seven giants went to his own country and obeyed Ayos (Hayk).”
“Testimony of Eight Brothers” is of a more biblical and sacred origin with its subtle passages, language and breath, and complementing the Book of Khorenatsi with its greatness, tells of glorious and long-lived ancestors, who had an invincible pious hand.

However, for 2000 years and more, the worship of the God of ancestors of Armenians has been renewed in the Son of God Jesus Christ by the unshakable blood victory of His crucifixion, which “reconciles fathers and sons,” bringing us and our ancestors together before the same One Creator God. So that we, like our ancestors, know the God who helps us and sustains us, the life-giving God in Christ, the all-conquering King of Peace, blessed forever, amen.

Based on the book

Maxim Voskanyan Մաքսիմ Ոսկանյան “Testimonies of Artsakh”.

Reference links: https://allinnet.info/news/eh-the-armenian-name-of-god/