Lուսաւորիչ (Գրիգոր) [GRÉGOIRE L'ILLUMINATEUR (saint)?]. Գիրք - Lot 121

Lուսաւորիչ (Գրիգոր) [GRÉGOIRE L'ILLUMINATEUR (saint)?]. Գիրք Որ Կոչի Յաճախապատում [A book entitled "The Book of the Common Era"]. Constantinople, Imprimerie Astvatsatur, 1737, In-8, 359-[1] p. (including engraved title), Armenian period tan basane binding, stamped wood edges, spine with 4 nerves (binding worn, spalls and rubbing, crack to upper board, corners dull, tail cap missing, boards rubbed, cut and corners worn, jaws and hinges split, endpapers missing, soiling and wetness, page 1-2 faded with small loss at lower corner (does not affect engravings), small worm work in lat. margin of pp.1-4). Rare first edition of this collection of sermons, stromata, homilies and prayers entitled Hatchakhapatoum (The Book of the Common Era). Composed of 23 chapters, it teaches Christian morality. According to the preface, this collection is based on two manuscripts dating from the 5th century. These were copied many times over the centuries, the most complete copy dating from the 13th century and preserved in the Matenadaran in Jerusalem. The colophon details the history and purpose of the publication, as well as the names of the contributors, including Abraham III of Crete. Beautifully printed, two-column text in a botanical frame, decorated with illustrated woodcut lettering and an altar band on page 3. A full-page woodcut vignette depicting Gregory the Illuminator is on the verso of the title. The attribution of this work remains controversial. According to one theory, the author is Gregory the Illuminator (Grigor Lusavorich, c. 257 - c. 328), founder and first official head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. He is said to have converted Armenia from paganism to Christianity in the early 4th century (traditionally in 301), making the country the first state to adopt Christianity as its official religion. Another theory attributes this collection to Mesrop Mashtots (Mesrop Maštoc', 362 - February 17, 440), Armenian linguist, theologian, composer and hymnologist, best known for recreating the Armenian alphabet in 405. [SAHAKYAN, David (deacon). "Once again on the attribution and dating of the oft-repeated Discourses of Saint Gregory the Illuminator: On the occasion of a recent publication by Abraham Terian", Banber Matenadarani, 33, 2022], pp. 97-114. [PETROSYAN, Nelli. "The manuscripts and publications of the Faithful Discourse on this issue", Revue Ararat, 1, 2010], pp. 76-88.