Ethiopian Gospels from Tigray

Tigray, northern Ethiopia · early 14th century · Ge’ez · W.836

Written in Ge’ez, the old church language of Ethiopia, by the scribe Matre Krestos, and once owned by a church of Saint George in Tigray. Before the Gospels comes a series of paintings: canon tables, a chart of how the Gospels agree and scenes that seem to follow a much older model, with buildings recalling the holy places of Jerusalem as they stood in the 6th century. Water has stained some pages; the most damaged are left out here.

All pages of the manuscript at OPenn

7 pages

Pages

fol. 2v · The first canon table: under an arch of interlace, with birds and a chalice above, columns of numbers in Ge’ez mark the passages that all four Gospels share.Walters Art Museum · W.836 · CC0
fol. 6r · A chart of how the four Gospels agree, drawn as a building of columns under a tent-shaped roof topped with a cross.Walters Art Museum · W.836 · CC0
fol. 7r · The risen Christ between two women, with the sun, the moon and three crosses above and the guards asleep with their shields below. The domed building recalls the shrine over the tomb of Christ in Jerusalem.Walters Art Museum · W.836 · CC0
Matt 28:9Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came to Him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him.
fol. 7v · The Ascension: Christ enthroned in a ring held up by the four living creatures, and below him Mary among the apostles.Walters Art Museum · W.836 · CC0
Luke 24:51While He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven.
fol. 79v · Mark stands under an arch holding his Gospel, painted face on, with large eyes, in the early Ethiopian manner.Walters Art Museum · W.836 · CC0
fol. 123v · Luke sits writing inside a frame of checked pattern; the stain along the top of the page is water damage.Walters Art Museum · W.836 · CC0
fol. 193v · John stands in a green niche under a pointed arch, holding his book.Walters Art Museum · W.836 · CC0