“You might laugh, but I must say that I heard a voice in my dream, and this Gospel Book “said” the following to me: “I want to go and rest in Armenia, I want to go and rest in my Yerevan”.” Mrs. Hripsime Dadaian-Barnakian has donated the 15^th century Gospel Book copied in Jerusalem to the Institute of Ancient Manuscripts after Mesrop Mashtots (Matenadaran).

“Every valuable manuscript donated to and kept in the Matenadaran has a story behind it, and each story reflects the history of our nation,” says chief fund keeper of the house of manuscripts Gevorg Ter-Vardanyan, reported a1plus.am.

In 1918, an ill migrant hands the Gospel Book over to Yesai’s mother, who had migrated from the state of Kharberd to Yerevan. Unfortunately, the migrant doesn’t recover, and the manuscript is kept by the Dadayans, who move from Yerevan to France and later to the United States of America. The generations of the Dadayans protected and pampered this holy relic, and now, the grandsons of Yesai’s mother – Hrayr and Hripsime – have decided to donate it to the Matenadaran. Why have they decided to donate it to the Matenadaran? According to Mrs. Hripsime, she has asked about various museums of the world and has realized that the safest place is the Matenadaran in the Republic of Armenia and that the specialists of the Matenadaran will maintain it with tenderness.

“Any manuscript that is entered into the Matenadaran, becomes a national asset,” says the acting director Vahan Ter-Ghevondyan and adds the following: “Before donating this manuscript, which is known as “Hrashapar” or “Hrashagorts”, Mrs. Hripsime rejected her lawyer’s advice to estimate the value of the manuscript.”

Hripsime Dadaian-Barnakian and Hrayr Dadaian were awarded with the “Matenadaran” Commemorative Medal as a token of appreciation.