Matenadaran gets first Armenian language printed Bible

PanARMENIAN.Net - The collection of old-print manuscripts at Matenadaran, the Depository of Ancient Manuscripts, has been enriched with a unique exemplar of the first Armenian language printed Bible.

The Bible by Voskan Yerevantsi, a volume of unique value, was printed in 1666 in Amsterdam. This stunning sample of book art has for years been part of a private collection and was brought to Yerevan thanks to the donation made by VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian.

The volume is of particular cultural and historical importance: Voskan Yerevantsi had presented it to Catholicos Hakob Jughayetsi, one of the most active proponents of the development of Armenian typography. In 1668 the Bible was decorated with a silver cover, a unique example of the Armenian iconographic arts.

The cover was made by a representative of the Erzrum School, one of the famous centers of the Armenian silversmith art. The face of the cover depicts a scene of Annunciation and the back of the cover holds a picture of the Resurrection. The opening part of the book depicts the four evangelists and their symbols.

“Probably, I won’t be exaggerating, if I say that Matenadaran has the same symbolic meaning to us that the biblical Ararat has. It is a sacred place that best characterizes our nation. Armenians’ love for the writing and the literature knows no bounds. Even the menace of physical extermination could never hold back the people who fought for its honor and existence from saving books often at the expense of own life. The Armenian people have expressed their pain through music, art and prayer and have saved their culture. I am happy to be useful to Matenadaran with my modest contribution,” Mr. Yirikian commented.

He also donated to Matenadaran another two Bibles from his personal library. One of the Bibles was dated 1854, and the age of the other Bible is still to be determined by specialists.