Rescued & Returned: An ancient Armenian bible

Narrated by GenEd's Executive Director, Roxanne Makasdjian, this video tells the story of a precious family heirloom, the 15th century illuminated Book of Gospels, "Miraculous Word, Miraculous Work," saved from a church in Charsanjak, an Armenian district in the former Ottoman Empire. The book's journey also serves as an allegory of the legacy of the Armenian Genocide on the survivors and their descendants.
Roxanne's mother, Helen (Dadaian) Parnagian, of Los Angeles, California, donated the Charsanjak Gospels to the Matenadaran, the institute of ancient manuscripts in Armenia, on behalf of herself and her brother, Hriyr Dadaian, of Las Vegas, Nevada. The manuscript, commissioned by a wealthy Armenian, was scribed by a Jerusalem monk in 1471, and later taken to the St. Kevork church in Godarij village of the Charsanjak district of Dersim province, in the Ottoman Empire (now Turkey). The book was known throughout the region as “Hrashapar, Hrashakordz,” which means “Miraculous Word, Miraculous Work.” Considered to have healing powers, for centuries the book attracted Armenians and Kurds from throughout the region to hear passages read from its pages.
The book was rescued during the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1918, by a resident of Godarij village. This man fled to Yerevan, in eastern Armenian lands, controlled by the Russian Empire.
Helen's grandmother, Yeghsa Dadaian, led her family (including 5 sisters-in-law and their children), in their escape from the genocide and arrival to Yerevan, Armenia (Russian-controlled), where Yeghsa worked in a hospital. The man from Godarij, who was now a patient in the hospital, called for Yeghsa, entrusting her with the safe-keeping of the Charsanjak Gospels.
Life in Yerevan at that time was extremely difficult, overwhelmed with sick and dying Armenian refugees and little access to food and shelter. Yeghsa found her way to Marseille, France, and later joined her son in Davenport, Iowa, in the U.S., taking the Charsanjak Gospels with her. After Yeghsa's death, then the death of her son, John (Hovannes), the book was handed down to John's wife, Araksi, who moved to Los Angeles, CA. After Araksi's death, her daughter, Helen, took care of the book until transporting it back to Yerevan, to the Matenadaran, Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts in July, 2017.
For the video of the full Charsanjak Gospels donation ceremony: • Gift Ceremony: 1471 Bo...
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