COLLECTION: SHURISHKAN
This Gospel, famed for its miraculous and protective power, was written in 1498 in the village of Aspilnak, Kajberunik. During Shah Abbas’s forced deportations in 1604, it was taken to Iran, where it has been preserved in the village of Shurishkan. From its place of preservation, the manuscript acquired one of its names and is also known as the “Pap,” the “Red,” and the “Saint Barsegh of Caesarea” Gospel.
According to tradition, before a raid by enemy forces, the Shurishkan Gospel was buried underground for safekeeping, and a willow branch was planted above it. Seven to eight days later, peace returned to the village. When the villagers went to retrieve the holy Gospel, they noticed that the ground where it had been buried was damp and the edges of the book had turned yellow. A few days later, a spring emerged at the same spot and gradually grew. This spring still exists today, is considered a sacred site, and is known as the Spring of Pap.
For centuries, believers and the sick have come to the Shurishkan Gospel to kneel before it, offer their prayers, and fulfill their vows. Since 1973, the Shurishkan Gospel has been preserved and permanently displayed at the Matenadaran Museum Complex.
