International

The Toledo-Lucas County Public Library is fortunate to own many rare books and documents, some of which can be found on display in the Blade Rare Book Room at Main Library. The oldest book in the collection – an Armenian manuscript – dates back to 1351 A.D.

Bound with a leather cover, the manuscript contains the Gospels according to Luke and John. After acquiring the book, the Library sent it to an Armenian university for dating and verification and learned that it was handwritten by a scribe known as “Karapet,” who most likely was a monk living in the Armenian Monastery in Jerusalem. During that time period, many Orders would produce manuscripts of this nature to sell to wealthy families as mementos of their pilgrimage.

At the time the manuscript was written, “His Holiness Jacob” residing in Sis, the capital of Cilicia, was the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians under the rule of Constantine III. This was during the Loussinian dynasty of the Cilician Armenian Kingdom.

A man by the name of Amir Agha saved the book from being destroyed many years ago. Afterward, it was passed down from generation to generation, eventually being gifted to a missionary (and close family friend) and finally making its way to the Library’s permanent collection.