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The rich collection of old-print manuscripts at the Matenadaran after Mashtots 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. Thanks to the donation by VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian the volume is now at home and can add brilliancy to the exhibition. 

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 made by a representative of the Erzrum School, one of the famous centers of the Armenian silversmith art, is a marvel of the art of inlay. It is a well-known fact that the artist, who worked on the cover had mastered both the art of jewelry, and the miniature painting, and, what is most important, had profound knowledge in theology, which helped him reach perfection in making the cover. 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 the Matenadaran has the same symbolic meaning to us that the biblical Ararat has. It is a sacred place that best characterizes us. Armenian 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 save their culture. I am happy to have managed to be useful to the Matenadaran with my modest contribution,” said VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian.

It appeared that Ralph Yirikian had yet another surprise. He donated to Matenadaran another two Bibles from his personal library. One of the Bibles was dated 1854, and the age of the other Bible will be determined by respective specialists.