Rabbula Gospels

The Rabbula Gospels is a Syrian parchment manuscript of the four Gospels from the year 586 ( fol. 20-292 ) preceded by illuminated leaves ( folios 1-14). Inserted between the two parts is a Perikopenverzeichnis on paper sheets ( fol. 15-19, 12th century) The manuscript is located since 1573 in Florence, now in the Laurentian Library, cod. Plut. 1:56. From the 14th to the early 16th century it was owned by the Patriarchate of the Maronites. The manuscript covers all four Gospels ( Tetraevangeliar ) and was completed in 586 Monastery of St. John of Zagba at Apamea. The Bible text was by the writer Rabbula (also Rabulas ) copied over the no details are known, but which the work owes its present name.

In its current state the illuminated leaves are 34 cm by 27 cm tall. The original size is unknown because they were circumcised at Neubindungen. Her compositions have strong similarities with the resulting at the same time or at the beginning of the 7th century four miniatures, which are included at the end of the Armenian Echmiadzin -Evangeliars.

Text

The text is the Peshitta version of the Syriac translation of the Gospels. It is written in black or dark brown ink in two columns with a different number of rows. Below many columns there are footnotes, which are written in red ink.

Overview of the representations

Preceding the Bible text is an illustrated position of leaves, whose original membership of the Rabbula Code is disputed. The images were painted in the 15th or 16th century. They contain one of the first historical crucifixion images and also one of the first Pentecost representations. The following scenes from the Gospels are shown:

• Fol. 1v choice of the Apostle Mathias by the College of Apostles
• Fol. 1c Mother of God ( Mary) with Baby Jesus
• Fol. 2v receives Christ by two monks a Codex / Saints Eusebius of Caesarea and Ammonius of Alexandria
• Fol. 3r - 12r The canon tables of Eusebius with minor edge miniatures
• Fol. 9r Matthew and John
• Fol. 13v Crucifixion / Three Marys at the Tomb
• Fol. 14v Ascension of Christ / Christ with the four monks
• Fol. 14r outpouring of the Holy Spirit

Fol. 13v: The Crucifixion

Fol. 13v: Ascension

Fol. 14v outpouring of the Holy Spirit

Fol. 4v: Kanon panel

The Crucifixion

The Crucifixion in the Gospels Rabbula ( fol. 13a ) shows the with a sleeveless garment ( colobium ) clothed Christ on the cross, including the right Mary with John and Longinus, left Stephaton, the Christ reaches the sponge. In the foreground a group of three Roman soldiers is shown, the Rolling on the rock of Christ, also a group of women.

The Ascension image

In Ascension image in Rabbula Gospels ( fol. 14a) hovers Christ frontally in a mandorla in the sky, on the earth are Mary and the Apostles, among them are the angels who ff those who remained behind to announce his return according to the book of Acts 1.9.

The Pentecost image

The Pentecost image in Rabbula Gospels ( fol. 14b ) shows the outpouring of the Holy Spirit; left and right of Mary are the apostles, flames of fire over the heads, the Holy Spirit as a dove hovering over Mary.

Master of Rabbula Gospel

The unnamed artist and his workshop, who painted the images of Rabbula - Gospels, was sometimes referred to in the literature as unscientific "master of Rabula Gospel ".