Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended the ceremony of the donation of the precious Gospel of the 15th century by the Armenian Government to Matenadaran, Mesrop Mashtots Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts.
The manuscript was handed over to Matenadaran by Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, President of Matenadaran Board of Trustees Zhanna Andreasyan.
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Prime Minister Pashinyan congratulated everyone on the occasion of this important event. “The book of the 15th century, as the director of the Matenadaran noted, is returning home. Mr. Khzmalyan thanked me, I want to re-address my thanks to all the law-abiding taxpayers of Armenia, the money paid by whom gives the Government the opportunity to solve such problems.
I considered it important to emphasize this so that the taxpayers of the Republic of Armenia see that the payments they make are spent for such purposes as well. Of course, I don’t think that the state budget expenditures have reached perfection in terms of effectiveness, but this is a very important point, because in general, our policy comes to the point that we must replace the logic of charity with the logic of law-abiding tax payment, because the biggest benefactors are those who pay their taxes dutifully, who, at the same time, strengthen the state, state institutions, and the state, in turn, gets the opportunity to strengthen the spiritual foundations, value foundations, and cultural foundations of the state.
And this is a very important point. Of course, we also intended for this not to be an isolated event or step. In the next year’s state budget, we have earmarked funds for such acquisition, because this is indeed the case when the government reacted very quickly to Matenadaran’s incitement. It is important that we have this example of quick response as a procedure for all cases when we have the opportunity to preserve, protect and return our spiritual and cultural values. This is one of our important political orientations, which we must develop.
I also want to draw attention to the fact that we are providing a lot of funds to preserve and restore cultural and historical monuments in Armenia, and we are also increasing the financing of science so that the research, preservation, and study of these monuments are placed on more institutional foundations.
I also want to draw attention to the fact that we are providing a lot of funds to preserve and restore cultural and historical monuments in Armenia, and we are also increasing the financing of science so that the research, preservation, and study of these monuments are placed on more institutional foundations.
As for the manuscript itself, to be honest, I can’t say much about the manuscript. I am here to see it more with my own eyes, and in that sense I think I share the mission of many of you, and perhaps the experts will speak better about the value and history of the manuscript, and I am glad that we were able to give them that direct opportunity,” Nikol Pashinyan said.
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The manuscript donated to Matenadaran was written in the Arberd St. Astvastatsin Monastery of Vaspurakan, which is located not far from Narekavank and is unique due to the fact that it is a unique manuscript preserved from the famous Arberd Monastery and is also rich in illustrations.
The manuscript written and decorated in this now ruined monastery is the only witness of the culture and developed writing traditions of the Armenian people in that monastery. The manuscript was written in 1405 by Izit, of which only one Gospel has been known to us until now, copied in Narekavank in 1420, and which is kept in Matenadaran.
And today, hundreds of years later, two manuscripts of the same writer are located in Matenadaran.
Prime Minister Pashinyan also got acquainted with the “Christmas: miniature inspirations” exhibition opened in Matenadaran Museum ahead the Christmas holidays, which features unique examples of Armenian miniatures, many of which are being exhibited for the first time.
INFORMATION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT OF THE OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
