A catalogue of Armenian Manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries

MS. Arm. c. 1

Oriental Manuscripts

Contents

Summary of Contents: The manuscript contains a Lectionary (Ճաշոցգիրք), which the scribe calls Տարեգիրք (annals) in his colophon. According to Baronian and Conybeare, the lectionary “follows the new arrangement made in the 15th century, which differs from the old, chiefly in addition of more Saints’ days. […] So it agrees in all but a few particulars with the editions of Venice (1688) and Constantinople (1732). The commemorations of St Cyriacus and that of St Vahan Gołt‘natc‘i are omitted. Stologis and šarakans with musical notes are added in a smaller hand (the same as wrote the main text), and where (as e.g. ff. 126, 144) the scribe found his archetype defective, he leaves blanks or lacunae” (p. 138). Moreover, it “contains, fol. 115 foll. (not the ancient rite of Washing of the Feet on Maundy Thursday, but) the rite of Ephrem Syrus, translated in the 11th cent by Gregory Vkayasēr Catholicos: f. 192, the Epistle of Cyril of Jerusalem to the Emperor Constantine; and fol. 229v, the Pentecostal Prayers of Chrysostom and the Homily of Nersēs Catholicos, called his Panegyric of the Holy Spirit. Like most lectionaries, it gives, fol. 113v, the bishop’s address before the Evening Communion of Maundy Thursday and on fol. 10v following the rite of Blessing the Waters on the Epiphany” (Baronian and Conybeare, p. 141). An anonymous reader of the manuscript has inserted notes at the bottom of some folios pointing out passages that are missing from the main text. At the bottom of folio 191v, for instance, in the margin a note reads: այս տեղս մի գործք պակասէր (“in this section one work is missing”). Similar notes can be found at the bottom margin of ff. 170r, 220r, 290r, 246r, 329v, 333r, 340v, 341v, 342v, 344r, 348r, 350v, 353v, 354v, 356r, 358r, 360v, 361r, 361v, 362v, 364r/v, 368r, 369v, 371v, 374v, 382r, 384v, 427r.
Colophon: 431v-432rՓառք անբաժանելի եւ միասնական սուրբ երրորդութեանն` յամենայն սրբոց եւ յամենայն արարածոց. յիմանեալեաց եւ ի սգալաց ի հրեշտակաց եւ ի մարդկանէ ամէն: Արդ ես անպիտան եւ անիմաստ գրիչն չստեփաննոսս, ողորմութեամբ տէառն, սկսա եւ նախախնամութեամբ նորին կատարեցի զսուրբ գիրքս որ կոչի տարեգիրք։ քանզի ունի սա զբոլոր մասունս տաւնից տէրունականաց զոր սուրբ հարքն հաստատեցին զընթերցուածն զոր յակովբոս եղբայր տէառն, եւ կիւրեղ Երուսաղեմայ հայրապետն հաստատեցին: Եւ զտաւնս նամակաց սրբոց առաքելոցն, եւ մարգարէից եւ մարտիրոսաց, հայրապետաց, կուսանաց, ճգնաւորաց: Որ ունի ընդ ինքեանս միաւորեալ ըզմեծ մարգարէութիւն Եսայեա, եւ զաւետարանն: Ի խնդրոյ պարոն եւ մեծահաւատ խաւճա Բարաղամին եւ Պարաքիազին զոր Տէր Աստուած վայելել տացէ, ամէն: Հոգոյն սրբոյ թելադրութեամբն կատարեցաւ սա ի թուականութեանս հայոց Ռ եւ Ձ. ամին: ի հայրապետութեան հայոց տէառն մովսէսի եւ արհիեպիսկոպոսութեան մերոյ մայրաքաղաքիս տէր Խաչատուրի ամբիծ աղաւնոյ՝ ի թագաւորութեան պարսից Շահ Սէֆու. եւ իշխանութեան մերո գեւղիս պարոն խաւջա Նազարի. ի քաղաքս Շաւշ։ ի գեւղս ճուղայ որ է հիմն Հայաստանեայց։ Արդ աղաչեմ զընթերցողսդ եւ կամ զհարեւանցի տեսանողսդ. յիշեցէք ի ժամ անարիւն զենմանն գառինն. զխաւճա Բարաղամն եւ Պարաքիազն եւ ծնաւղսն իւրեանց զԹորոսն եւ զԹանթակն եւ քեռքն իւրեանց զՄէրտատիկն եւ ըզԳուլ Պարիխանն. եւ հանգուցեալ եղբարքն Մխիթարն, Սաֆարն եւ զհանգուցեալ որդիքն Աւետիկն, Մարիամն, եւ կողակիցքն իւրեանց Ոսկիտատիկն, ըՌուպիկն։ Դարձեալ աղաչեմ յիշել ի Տէր զպարոն Բարաղամն` եւ զմեծ պապն իւր Եզտանպաշխն, եւ զմեծ մամն Գիլանն, եւ իւր պապն Մխիթարն եւ իւր հանիկն Գայիանէն եւ հաւր եղբարքն Աղբրատեղն, Փիրբաշխն, Սատբաշխն, Գրիգորն եւ հաւր եղբաւրորդիքն ըՍտեփանոսն, Եզտանբաշխն, Մալազատն, Զաքարէն, Յակոբջանն: Դարձեալ յիշեցէք զպարոն խաւճա Բարաղամն որ ստա[ցա]ւ սա ի հալալ եւ ի արդար վաստակոց իւրոց յիշատակ իւրն եւ իւր ծնաւղացն Թորոսին Թանթակին. ամէն. Եւ արդ՝ անյիշելի ստեփաննոսս յիշման արժանի արարէք եղբարք, եւ սխալանաց եւ խոշորութեան գրիս մի մեղադրէք զի իմ կարն այսէ։ Դարձեալ յիշեցէք զվարդապետն իմ զխաչատուր վարդապետն. եւ զծաղկաւղ սորա զմկրտիչ վարպետն եւ իւր ընտրեալ տէլէտն զտէր պետրոս աշակերտն յիշեցէք եւ Աստուած ողորմի ասացէք եւ Աստուած ձեզ ողորմեսցի. Դարձեալ յիշեցէք զխաւճա Բարաղամն եւ հաւրեղբաւր որդին. զտէր Ղուկասն եւ զայլ ամենայն մերձաւորսն յիշեցէք եւ Աստուած ողորմի ասացէք. եւ յիշողքդ ի Քրիստոսէ յիշեալ լինէք. Որ է աւրհնեալ յաւիտեանս ամէն. Հայր մեղա յեր[կինս և առաջի քո] (Ղուկ. ԺԵ 18) Դարձեալ աղաչեմ յիշել ի Տէր զխաւճա Բարաղամն եւ կողակիցն իւր ոսկիտատիկն եւ զորդիսն. Դարձեալ աղաչեմ զձեզ զի զիս անարժանս յիշէք զՀաղօբաներ որ եմ ամենայն չարեաք լցեալ:
Colophon: 431v-432rGlory to the undivided and unified Holy Trinity from all the saints and all the creations, rational and sensitive, from angels and the humankind, amen. Now I, useless and foolish scribe, no-Step‘annos, with the Lord’s mercy, began and, with his providence, completed this holy book which is called taregirk‘ [annals], for it contains all the portions for dominical feasts which the holy Fathers fixed: the lections which Yakovbos [James], the Lord’s brother, and Kiwreł [Cyril], the patriarch of Jerusalem, fixed alongside the feasts of the epistles of the apostles, the prophets, and the martyrs, the patriarchs, the virgins, [and] the hermits., which incorporates in itself in a unified form the great prophecy of Yesayi [Isaiah] and the Gospel. At the request of baron and the most faithful xawča Barałam and Parak‘iaz; may the Lord God allow them to enjoy it. Dictated by the Holy Spirit, it was completed in the year 1080 [= 1631 CE] of the Armenian Era, under the patriarchate over Armenians of tēr Movsēs and during the archepiscopate in our metropolis of tēr Xač‘atur, a spotless dove; in the reign over Persia of Shah Sēfi, and during the rule over our village of baron xawča Nazar, in the city of Šawš, in the village of Čułay, which is the settlement of Armenians. Now I beseech you, my readers, and also you who perfunctorily sees this, to remember in the hour of the bloodless sacrifice of the lamb xawča Barałam and Parak‘iaz, and their parents T‘oros and T‘ant‘akin, and their sister Mērtatik and Gul Parixan, and their deceased brothers Mxit‘ar, Safar, and deceased sons Awetik, Mariam, and their spouses Oskitatik and Ṙupik. Again I beseech you to remember in the Lord baron Barałam and his great grandfather Eztanpašx, and great grandmother Gilan, and his grandfather Mxit‘ar, and his grandmother Gayianē, and his father’s brothers Ałbrateł, P‘irbašx, Satbašx, Grigor, and his father’s brother’s sons Step‘anos, Eztanbašx, Malazat, Zak‘arē, Yakobǰan. Again remember baron xawča Barałam who purchased this with his honestly and fairly earned assets as a memorial for himself and his parents T‘oros [and] T‘ant‘akin, amen. And now, brothers, deem worthy of commemoration the unmentionable Step‘annos, and blame me not for the faults and rudeness of my calligraphy, for I could do this much. Again remember my teacher Xač‘atur vardapet, and the Illuminator of this master Mkrtič‘, and may you remember his chosen leader of rhetors his pupil tēr Petros, and say “God have mercy”, and God will have mercy on you. Again remember xawča Barałam and his father’s brother’s son tēr Łukas and may you remember all other relatives and say “God have mercy”, and you who remembers will be remembered by Christ, who is blessed for ever, amen. Father, I have sinned [against heaven and against you] (Luke 15:18). Again I beseech you to remember in the Lord xawča Barałam and his spouse Oskitatik and his children.
Language(s): Armenian

References

Renoux, Charles. « Traduction liturgique et rite arménien ». In Albert, Micheline, Beylot, Robert, Coquin, René Georges, Outtier, Bernard, Renoux, Charles et Antoine Guillaumont (éds.), Christianismes orientaux : introduction à l'étude des langues et des littératures. Paris: Editions du Cerf, 1993; pp. 130-136.
van Lint, Theo Maarten and Robin Meyer (eds.). Armenia: Masterpieces from an Enduring Culture. Oxford: Bodleian Library, 2015, no 15, p. 112.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Thick paper.
Extent: ff. 432
Dimensions (leaf): 340 × 220 mm.

Collation

37 quires, of 12 leaves each.

Condition

The MS is in a good condition. Two folios are missing after ff. 217 and 227. A small part of the f. 368 in the bottom corner has been cut.

Layout

In two columns, most of 35 lines, some of 33 or less, towards the end of the volume, and ruled on both sides. 248 × 163 mm.

Hand(s)

Script: Written mainly in medium bolorgir, but there are also passages with smaller bolorgir, whereas towards the end of the volume it becomes bolder and larger. Most of the text is written in black ink while occasional passages and the beginning of sections are in red ink. In the lower margins the same hand supplies passim details about the text, most of which are instructions about when the texts should be read (for examples, see the Colophons section) and, occasionally, how a rite should be performed (e. g. see ff. 246v, 317v, and 339r); these notes are often accompanied by pleas for commemoration of different individuals and occasional references to recent events. Scribe: Step‘annos.

Decoration

Baronian and Conybeare (p. 138) provide the following description: “Throughout the volume the rubrics are in red, and the headings of each day bear a large initial, and a coloured arabesque in the margin. The great liturgical divisions of the year are distinguished by superb headpieces and arabesques. The most conspicuous of these mark the beginning of the festivals of Theophany (f. 2r) and Resurrection (f. 152r), and of Pentecost, f. 228r. In the one on f. 152r the headpiece includes a vignette of the Deipara with the infant Jesus, and on the two sides erect figures of Peter and Paul. The page opposite to this headpiece (f. 151v) contains the representation of the resurrection, with a large figure of Christ holding a cross with a banner in the left hand while the raised right hand is pointing to the sky. There are three guards under his feet.” Three full-page illuminations; size about 242 x 157 mm: 1. The Adoration of the Magi, f. 1v. 2. The Myrrhiphore woman (two figures) and an Angel at the Holy Sepulchre, f. 150v. 3. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ, f. 151v.

Binding

Brown leather over wooden boards. The front of the cover has the Star of David stamped in the centre surrounded by geometric patterns. Folios are edged in red. It bears a flap, and traces of 3 pegs and 3 studs.

History

Origin: The city of Šawš, in the village of Čułay, which is the settlement of Armenians.; Copied “in the year 1080 [= 1631 C.E.] of the Armenian Era, […] during the reign over Persia of Shah Sēfi [Safi, r. 1629 – 1642].

Provenance and Acquisition

Bought by the Bodleian Library on January 13, 1893.

Record Sources

Availability

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Digital Images

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Funding of Cataloguing

Carnegie Foundation