1577 Manuscripts From The Lebanese Maronite Order In Kaslik, Lebanon, Are Now Cataloged In Reading Room

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Evangelist portrait featuring John and his eagle, surrounded by elaborate scrollwork, painted by artist and scribe Rizq ibn Buṭrus. John writes on a scroll that displays the text of John 1:1 in Arabic Garshuni (fol. 271v, OLM 00983))

1577 manuscripts from the Lebanese Maronite Order in Kaslik, Lebanon, are now cataloged in Reading Room

Posted: 2024-12-17

Cataloging is complete for the collection of the Lebanese Maronite Order, which primarily consists of manuscripts originating from the monasteries of the Order in all regions of Lebanon. It is housed in the Library of the Holy Spirit University (Université Saint-Esprit) in Kaslik. These manuscripts are written in Arabic, Arabic Garshuni, Syriac, and, to a lesser extent, Latin, Armenian, Geʻez, Persian, Turkish, and French. The oldest manuscript fragments date back to the 15th century (OLM 00106a and OLM 00106b) and were discovered within the binding of a printed book.

The collection includes numerous illuminated manuscripts, the most renowned being the Evangelion in the manuscript OLM 00983. These manuscripts encompass a wide variety of liturgical texts, including evangeliaries, synaxaria, funeral rites, missals, offices, and more. Furthermore, a considerable number of manuscripts were utilized in the education of future priests of the Lebanese Maronite Order, covering subjects such as moral theology, logic, and Syriac and Arabic grammar. The collection also includes poetic works and a variety of spiritual texts, many of which are translations from Latin and other European languages. A portion of the collection comprises Islamic manuscripts, including Qur’ans and prayer books. The physical collection in Kaslik continues to expand, regularly acquiring new manuscripts from diverse origins, but all manuscripts photographed by HMML are now available for public use.

Image caption: Evangelist portrait featuring John and his eagle, surrounded by elaborate scrollwork, painted by artist and scribe Rizq ibn Buṭrus. John writes on a scroll that displays the text of John 1:1 in Arabic Garshuni (fol. 271v, OLM 00983))

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