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HEROINES OF HOMILIES OF MUSH RESCUE REMEMBERED
http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2013-08-02-heroines-of-homilies-of-mush-rescue-remembered
by Joseph Dagdigian
Published: Friday August 02, 2013
Homilies of Mush - on display at the Matenadaran along with the
smallest Armenian manuscript on right. Joseph Dagdigian
YEREVAN - In Venice, in 1512, manuscript lover Hagop Meghapart printed
the first Armenian book, the Urbatagirk prayer book, giving birth to
the art of Armenian printing. Prior to this Armenian manuscripts were
laboriously hand written, copied, and illustrated by scribes.
Last year, 2012, Armenians celebrated the 500th anniversary of
Armenian printing with a number of events. One of these events was the
establishment of a monument commemorating the heroic rescue of the Msho
Jarntir, Homilies of Mush, manuscript in Armenia's capital of Yerevan.
During the 1915 Genocide of the Armenians, Turkey not only was intent
on destroying the Armenian population in Western Armenia, it also
attempted to erase from the Turkish occupied Armenian homeland any
remnants of Armenian civilization - including cultural monuments,
libraries, monasteries, and manuscripts.
Two women, both from Mush, whose names as far as I know are unknown,
determined that a priceless Armenian manuscript which they found in
the ruins of Mush's Surb Arakelots Monastery must be rescued. The
manuscript was huge, 22 inches wide and 27 inches long, weighing
61 pounds. The women divided the manuscript into two parts, each
endeavoring to transport their half to the relative safety of Eastern
(Caucasian) Armenia. Probably not knowing if they, their families,
Mush, or even Armenia would survive the horrors of the Genocide,
they determined that this religious, cultural, and literary treasure
must live to see another day. It is not even known if these women
were literate.
This book was and is a part of Armenia's cultural heritage. One woman
succeeded in delivering her half of the book to Holy Echmiadzin. The
other woman did not survive her journey. Reaching Erzurum, she buried
her half of the manuscript in a monastery there, and subsequently
died. Later a Russian soldier found this half of the book and
ultimately both halves of the book were reunited in Armenia's
manuscript repository, the Matenadaran, in Yerevan.
In the Matenadaran's display room the Msho Jarntir - Homilies of Mush,
the largest manuscript in the Matenadaran's collection, is on display
next to the smallest manuscript in the Matenadaran's collection. These
and numerous other ancient manuscripts may be viewed by visitors,
and photographed (without flash) for a small fee.
The monument commemorating the rescue of the Homilies of Mush may be
seen on the greenway near the intersection of Teryan and Moskovyan
streets in Yerevan. The monument depicts the Msho Jarntir and two
women rescuers.
A homily is a story or sermon intended to set a moral example without
delving into detailed religious or theological issues. The Homilies of
Mush was written in the Avag Monastery in Yerzinga, Western Armenia,
around 1200-1202. It was commissioned by a man named Astavatsadur,
perhaps a wealthy merchant, who was killed during the Mongol - Tatar
invasion of Armenia. Through a series of events the manuscript ended
up in Mush. It miraculously survived the Genocide, and was rescued
by two women - cultural heroes of Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2013-08-02-heroines-of-homilies-of-mush-rescue-remembered
by Joseph Dagdigian
Published: Friday August 02, 2013
Homilies of Mush - on display at the Matenadaran along with the
smallest Armenian manuscript on right. Joseph Dagdigian
YEREVAN - In Venice, in 1512, manuscript lover Hagop Meghapart printed
the first Armenian book, the Urbatagirk prayer book, giving birth to
the art of Armenian printing. Prior to this Armenian manuscripts were
laboriously hand written, copied, and illustrated by scribes.
Last year, 2012, Armenians celebrated the 500th anniversary of
Armenian printing with a number of events. One of these events was the
establishment of a monument commemorating the heroic rescue of the Msho
Jarntir, Homilies of Mush, manuscript in Armenia's capital of Yerevan.
During the 1915 Genocide of the Armenians, Turkey not only was intent
on destroying the Armenian population in Western Armenia, it also
attempted to erase from the Turkish occupied Armenian homeland any
remnants of Armenian civilization - including cultural monuments,
libraries, monasteries, and manuscripts.
Two women, both from Mush, whose names as far as I know are unknown,
determined that a priceless Armenian manuscript which they found in
the ruins of Mush's Surb Arakelots Monastery must be rescued. The
manuscript was huge, 22 inches wide and 27 inches long, weighing
61 pounds. The women divided the manuscript into two parts, each
endeavoring to transport their half to the relative safety of Eastern
(Caucasian) Armenia. Probably not knowing if they, their families,
Mush, or even Armenia would survive the horrors of the Genocide,
they determined that this religious, cultural, and literary treasure
must live to see another day. It is not even known if these women
were literate.
This book was and is a part of Armenia's cultural heritage. One woman
succeeded in delivering her half of the book to Holy Echmiadzin. The
other woman did not survive her journey. Reaching Erzurum, she buried
her half of the manuscript in a monastery there, and subsequently
died. Later a Russian soldier found this half of the book and
ultimately both halves of the book were reunited in Armenia's
manuscript repository, the Matenadaran, in Yerevan.
In the Matenadaran's display room the Msho Jarntir - Homilies of Mush,
the largest manuscript in the Matenadaran's collection, is on display
next to the smallest manuscript in the Matenadaran's collection. These
and numerous other ancient manuscripts may be viewed by visitors,
and photographed (without flash) for a small fee.
The monument commemorating the rescue of the Homilies of Mush may be
seen on the greenway near the intersection of Teryan and Moskovyan
streets in Yerevan. The monument depicts the Msho Jarntir and two
women rescuers.
A homily is a story or sermon intended to set a moral example without
delving into detailed religious or theological issues. The Homilies of
Mush was written in the Avag Monastery in Yerzinga, Western Armenia,
around 1200-1202. It was commissioned by a man named Astavatsadur,
perhaps a wealthy merchant, who was killed during the Mongol - Tatar
invasion of Armenia. Through a series of events the manuscript ended
up in Mush. It miraculously survived the Genocide, and was rescued
by two women - cultural heroes of Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress