VEHAMOR AVETARAN

The oldest surviving full-fledged Armenian manuscript is “Vehamor Avetaran” (“Վեհամոր Ավետարան”), stored in Yerevan at the Institute of Ancient Manuscripts Matenadaran

In the XIII century, it was kept in the monastery of Havuts Tar (near the village of Garni), from where it was acquired by a certain Amenavag in 1294. In the 15th century, the manuscript was in the monastery of Makenyats Rus. (near Vardenis), in the 16th century came to the village of Banants in Gardman. In 1974, with the assistance of Banants resident Asya Grigoryan, the manuscript was handed over to the head of the Azerbaijani diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Bishop Vahan Teryan. The latter, in turn, presented it to Catholicos of All Armenians Vazgen I on January 1, 1975, dedicating the gift to the blessed memory of the mother of the Catholicos. On July 25 of the same year, Vazgen I handed over a valuable copy for storage to the Institute of Ancient Manuscripts. Mesrop Mashtots.

Since 1991, the Presidents of the Republic of Armenia have taken a solemn oath during their inauguration on this gospel.