More Armenian info

Posted on by Roger Pearse

I’m still trying to find out about Armenian catenas and biblical commentaries.

It seems that there are not many references to books in Armenian on the net. Apparently the Mesrop Mashtots Matenadaran, the Institute of Old Manuscripts, Yerevan (not the same as the Armenian National Library) has a new website. Unfortunately it is only in Armenian now. But you may see there many beautiful miniatures. One can search on that site in the bibliographies too, to find what is there in the Matenadaran collection (although presumably only if you know Armenian and can type Armenian text).

There is also a website of publications by the Gandzasar Theological Centre where my contact works and the Publishing House of Holy Etchmiadzin. She adds:

I’m still adding annotations in that section of the website and there are still many books that need to be added there. I think I’ll put there also that bibliography of biblical commentaries when I get it. So you’ll have more references for published Armenian texts. You may check our website from time to time to see the additions.  http://www.vem.am/en/topics/books-1/

The bibliography of biblical commentaries and catenas in Armenian is something we should all be interested in, and I will add more details as I find out more.

UPDATE: some commentaries in classical Armenian are available here and here.  There is also a critical edition of the classical Armenian translation of Gregory of Nyssa, On the making of man!

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5 thoughts on “More Armenian info”

  1. The SUPPLEMENT TO A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF CLASSICAL ARMENIAN LITERATURE TO 1500 AD:PUBLICATIONS 1993-2005

    gives following article (excluding those in Armenian)

    Ch. Renoux, “La chaîne arménienne sur les épitres catholiques. IV. La chaîne sur 2-3 Jean et Jude,” PO 47/2, no. 210, Turnhout 1996.

    I suppose the original bibliography (pre-1993) will list some other articles and works. I will look them up next monday.

  2. It also lists one manuscript and one text:

    E. Petrosyan and A. Ter-Step ̈anyan, S. Grk’i Meknutyunneri Matenagitutyun, Hayastani Astvacasnc ̈ayin Enkerut ̈yun 2002.

    A. Malxasean, Ananun. Meknutiwn Margareuteann Esayeay, ed. A. Bozoyan,Ejmiacin 2003.

    Don’t know what the first one title means exactly, but the second is somethingsomething (exegesis? chain?) of the Prophecy of Jesajah.

  3. Thank you very much for these details, which are very helpful. The Petrosyan is a recent book, then. I wonder if it is still in print and can be obtained from somewhere?

    Where does one obtain Armenian books?

  4. A search for author=Petrosyan date=2002 in COPAC reveals a couple of copies. Both are in the British Library, so inaccessible. One is listed as published by “Erevan Bible Society of Armenia 2002”.

    The other has more details, including an ISBN:

    Main author: Petrosyan, Eznik, 1955-
    Title details: S. grkʿi hayeren meknutʿyunneri matenagitutʿyun / patrastetsin Eznik Eps. Petrosyan Armen Ter- Stepʿanyan.
    Series: Astvadsashntchagitakan matenashar / Hayastani Astvadsashntchayin Eukerutʿyun
    Published: [Yerevan] : Hayastani Astvadsashntchayin Eukerutʿyun, 2002.
    Physical desc.: 129 p. ; 29 cm.
    Identifier: ISBN: 9993052841
    Subject: Bible. Armenian — Commentaries — Bibliography.
    Other names: Hayastani Astvadsashntchayin Eukerutʿyun.
    Genre: Bibliography
    Language: Armenian

    It’s not a huge volume, and the ISBN is useful. Is it worth translating into English, I wonder?

    Clicking on the name in the COPAC entry reveals that the author is sometimes called “Yeznik Petrossian”. Once again there is a copy in the BL; the reason, I suspect, is that the keeper of oriental collections is an Armenian (he once replied to an email of mine, and seemed to be a Good Guy):

    Main author: Petrosyan, Eznik, 1955-
    Title details: Armenian Apostolic Holy Church / Yeznik Petrossian ; translated by Gayane Aleksanian.
    [ Hay Aṛakʿelakan Surb Ekeghetsʿi. English ]
    Published: [Echmiadzin] : Mother See of Etchmiadzin, 2001.
    Physical desc.: 95 p. : ill. ; 20 cm.
    Notes: Includes bibliographical references.
    Translated from the Armenian.
    Subject: Armenian Church — Doctrines.
    Armenian Church — History.
    Armenian Church — Liturgy.
    Other names: Armenian Church. Hayrapetutʿiwn Amenayn Hayotsʿ.
    Language: English

    This seems to be listed at http://openlibrary.org/b/OL3632312M. The Armenian church has a website here: http://66.208.37.78/index.jsp?sid=1&id=2162&pid=2115

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