Mereja Forum

[Revelations]

The 1548 Ethiopic Gospel in Print

June 25, 2020 by Anchi Hoh


Woodcut title: Device of Arms of Pope Paul III. Opening page of the New Testament and other books. Library of Congress African & Middle Eastern Division.

The Ethiopian collection at the Library of Congress has recently acquired a rare Gospel book printed in Rome in 1548. This book is the first printed edition of the New Testament in the Ge’ez language, ግዕዝ (Ethiopic), the ancient liturgical language of Ethiopia. It was edited by three Ethiopian monks who traveled from the Debre Libanos monastery in Ethiopia to the Vatican, passing through Jerusalem on the way. Located northwest of Addis Ababa in the far reaches of the Oromia region, the Debre Libanos monastery was built in the 13th century by the Ethiopian saint, Tekle Haymanot. Debre Libanos suffered great destruction during the rise of Ahmad Ibn Ibrahim Al-Ghazi, popularly known as Ahmad Gragn, and an Imam and general from the Muslim sultanate of Adal in the Horn of Africa, who fought against the Ethiopian empire. One of his followers set fire to the monastery on July 21st, 1531.

It was during this destruction that the three Ethiopian monks, namely, Tesfa-Sion, Tensea Wold and Zeselase, who assumed the Latin names Petrus, Paulus and Bernardus respectively, fled their country carrying sacred manuscripts, one of which was the Ethiopic Gospel. They may have been sent to the Vatican by Gelawdewos, King of Ethiopia, out of fear of further devastation and the loss of sacred books. Be this as it may, the three monks found hospitality at the Monastery of St. Stefano in Rome, and in 1548-9, the Ethiopic New Testament was published in Rome under the auspices of both the Pope and the Emperor of Ethiopia.

The senior monk, Tesfa-Sion, also known as “Petrus Aethiops,” or even “Pietro Indiano” by his European counterparts, was the driving force behind this printing of the first Ethiopic Gospel. According to various sources, Tesfa-Sion appears to have been a learned man who enjoyed a considerable reputation in Europe. He assisted in creating the Ethiopic alphabet table with the Ge’ez numeral system, and edited the works of his two associates, the brothers Valerius and Ludovicus Doricus, neither of whom knew the Ethiopic language. Tesfa-Sion wrote an introductory remark in the preamble of the Ethiopic Gospel stating that the book was a product of two blind men “since those who composed it could not read Ethiopic, and we who read Ethiopic knew not how to compose.” Tesfa-Sion and his associates may – as he remarks – have been like “the blind leading the blind,” but together they effected the first printed Ethiopic Gospel. Tesfa-Sion labored day and night for three years to complete the making of the New Testament book. Most importantly, “T.S. was able to finance in full his publication of the N.T.” [A. Bausi & G. Ficcadori, Encyclopaedia Aethiopica, 526.].


he school dedicated to Ethiopian pilgrims in Vatican City, Rome. At first the pilgrims were welcomed at San Stefano degli Abyssini. Later on it became a school assuming the name Collegio Etiopico. Ethiopian Collection. Library of Congress African & Middle Eastern Division.



The Gospel of Matthew in Ethiopic. Ethiopic Gospel, 1548. Library of Congress African & Middle Eastern Division.

[tarik]

Revelations

Good Day Sir

Dude why r u lying? Its written in ERITREAN TIGRINYA, NOT AGAMINYA OR AMHARIC. ETHIOPIANS STOP STEALING EVERYTHING ERITREAN. DAMN.

Good Day Sir

[sun]

Revelations

Good Day Sir

Dude why r u lying? Its written in ERITREAN TIGRINYA, NOT AGAMINYA OR AMHARIC. ETHIOPIANS STOP STEALING EVERYTHING ERITREAN. DAMN.

Good Day Sir

Why are you asking such question from a liar bishop walking around without hope? If an individual old guy calling himself ato Revelation, stole something in the dark it does not mean that 110 million Ethiopians are thieves.

[Halafi Mengedi]

In 1500 AD:

There was no Ethiopia, but one united Tigray Axumite kingdom.

For the Bologna maid Hamassiens no role at the time and do not faaaart to much to be relevant at the time.

I had one another important was not part of it at the time but let me be politician for this post only and I would not say it.

[Revelations]

The 1548 Ethiopic Gospel in Print

June 25, 2020 by Anchi Hoh


Woodcut title: Device of Arms of Pope Paul III. Opening page of the New Testament and other books. Library of Congress African & Middle Eastern Division.

The Ethiopian collection at the Library of Congress has recently acquired a rare Gospel book printed in Rome in 1548. This book is the first printed edition of the New Testament in the Ge’ez language, ግዕዝ (Ethiopic), the ancient liturgical language of Ethiopia. It was edited by three Ethiopian monks who traveled from the Debre Libanos monastery in Ethiopia to the Vatican, passing through Jerusalem on the way. Located northwest of Addis Ababa in the far reaches of the Oromia region, the Debre Libanos monastery was built in the 13th century by the Ethiopian saint, Tekle Haymanot. Debre Libanos suffered great destruction during the rise of Ahmad Ibn Ibrahim Al-Ghazi, popularly known as Ahmad Gragn, and an Imam and general from the Muslim sultanate of Adal in the Horn of Africa, who fought against the Ethiopian empire. One of his followers set fire to the monastery on July 21st, 1531.

It was during this destruction that the three Ethiopian monks, namely, Tesfa-Sion, Tensea Wold and Zeselase, who assumed the Latin names Petrus, Paulus and Bernardus respectively, fled their country carrying sacred manuscripts, one of which was the Ethiopic Gospel. They may have been sent to the Vatican by Gelawdewos, King of Ethiopia, out of fear of further devastation and the loss of sacred books. Be this as it may, the three monks found hospitality at the Monastery of St. Stefano in Rome, and in 1548-9, the Ethiopic New Testament was published in Rome under the auspices of both the Pope and the Emperor of Ethiopia.

The senior monk, Tesfa-Sion, also known as “Petrus Aethiops,” or even “Pietro Indiano” by his European counterparts, was the driving force behind this printing of the first Ethiopic Gospel. According to various sources, Tesfa-Sion appears to have been a learned man who enjoyed a considerable reputation in Europe. He assisted in creating the Ethiopic alphabet table with the Ge’ez numeral system, and edited the works of his two associates, the brothers Valerius and Ludovicus Doricus, neither of whom knew the Ethiopic language. Tesfa-Sion wrote an introductory remark in the preamble of the Ethiopic Gospel stating that the book was a product of two blind men “since those who composed it could not read Ethiopic, and we who read Ethiopic knew not how to compose.” Tesfa-Sion and his associates may – as he remarks – have been like “the blind leading the blind,” but together they effected the first printed Ethiopic Gospel. Tesfa-Sion labored day and night for three years to complete the making of the New Testament book. Most importantly, “T.S. was able to finance in full his publication of the N.T.” [A. Bausi & G. Ficcadori, Encyclopaedia Aethiopica, 526.].


he school dedicated to Ethiopian pilgrims in Vatican City, Rome. At first the pilgrims were welcomed at San Stefano degli Abyssini. Later on it became a school assuming the name Collegio Etiopico. Ethiopian Collection. Library of Congress African & Middle Eastern Division.



The Gospel of Matthew in Ethiopic. Ethiopic Gospel, 1548. Library of Congress African & Middle Eastern Division.

[Revelations]

Folio 177 of the 1548 New Testament showing the first page of Romans on the right, and bottom left, the note where Tesfa-Sion acknowledges Pope Paul III for his support.

[Revelations]

God the Father creating the universe. Ethiopic Gospel, 1548. Folio 133. Library of Congress African & Middle Eastern Division.

[Deqi-Arawit]

All the monks were from the eritrean highland.

It was during this destruction that the three Ethiopian monks, namely, Tesfa-Sion, Tensea Wold and Zeselase, who assumed the Latin names Petrus, Paulus and Bernardus respectively, fled their country carrying sacred manuscripts, one of which was the Ethiopic Gospel. They may have been sent to the Vatican by Gelawdewos, King of Ethiopia, out of fear of further devastation and the loss of sacred books. Be this as it may, the three monks found hospitality at the Monastery of St. Stefano in Rome, and in 1548-9, the Ethiopic New Testament was published in Rome under the auspices of both the Pope and the Emperor of Ethiopia.

Tesfasion
Tensae wolde is supposed to be Welde Tensae

[Zmeselo]

The Axumite kingdom was already finished by that time, anta mehaym!!!

Aksumite Empire
መንግስቲ ኣኽሱም (Ge'ez)
c. 100 AD – c. 940 AD

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Aksum

In 1500 AD:

There was no Ethiopia, but one united Tigray Axumite kingdom.

For the Bologna maid Hamassiens no role at the time and do not faaaart to much to be relevant at the time.

I had one another important was not part of it at the time but let me be politician for this post only and I would not say it.

[EthioRedSea]

God the Father creating the universe. Ethiopic Gospel, 1548. Folio 133. Library of Congress African & Middle Eastern Division.

The monks were Ethiopians. Emperor Geladewos send them to Rome. There was no Tigray or Eritrea as a government or country. Most probably they were amharas or Ethiopians.
The name Ethiopia is known to ancient world before the times of Aksum. They say Ethiopia is the name of one of the kings of Aksum.

[Deqi-Arawit]

God the Father creating the universe. Ethiopic Gospel, 1548. Folio 133. Library of Congress African & Middle Eastern Division.

The monks were Ethiopians. Emperor Geladewos send them to Rome. There was no Tigray or Eritrea as a government or country. Most probably they were amharas or Ethiopians.
The name Ethiopia is known to ancient world before the times of Aksum. They say Ethiopia is the name of one of the kings of Aksum.

You are a dumb arse

[Revelations]

The Ethiopian collection at the Library of Congress has recently acquired a rare Gospel book printed in Rome in 1548. This book is the first printed edition of the New Testament in the Ge’ez language, ግዕዝ (Ethiopic), the ancient liturgical language of Ethiopia. It was edited by three Ethiopian monks who traveled from the Debre Libanos monastery in Ethiopia to the Vatican, passing through Jerusalem on the way. Located northwest of Addis Ababa in the far reaches of the Oromia region, the Debre Libanos monastery was built in the 13th century by the Ethiopian saint, Tekle Haymanot. Debre Libanos suffered great destruction during the rise of Ahmad Ibn Ibrahim Al-Ghazi, popularly known as Ahmad Gragn, and an Imam and general from the Muslim sultanate of Adal in the Horn of Africa, who fought against the Ethiopian empire. One of his followers set fire to the monastery on July 21st, 1531.


Debre Libanos Monastery, Ethiopia. Photography by Owen Barder.

The 1548 Gospel is composed of two volumes in one, Part One consisting of the New Testament (fols. 1-176); and Part Two containing the Pauline Epistles together with the baptism service and additional prayers at the end (fols. 177-266). There are 18 woodcuts in the text, seven of them half-page depictions of biblical scenes. This first Ge’ez edition gained authority in the European milieu and formed the basis of all subsequent studies of the Ethiopic Gospels.

[Noble Amhara]

The Ethiopian collection at the Library of Congress has recently acquired a rare Gospel book printed in Rome in 1548. This book is the first printed edition of the New Testament in the Ge’ez language, ግዕዝ (Ethiopic), the ancient liturgical language of Ethiopia. It was edited by three Ethiopian monks who traveled from the Debre Libanos monastery in Ethiopia to the Vatican, passing through Jerusalem on the way. Located northwest of Addis Ababa in the far reaches of the Oromia region, the Debre Libanos monastery was built in the 13th century by the Ethiopian saint, Tekle Haymanot. Debre Libanos suffered great destruction during the rise of Ahmad Ibn Ibrahim Al-Ghazi, popularly known as Ahmad Gragn, and an Imam and general from the Muslim sultanate of Adal in the Horn of Africa, who fought against the Ethiopian empire. One of his followers set fire to the monastery on July 21st, 1531.


Debre Libanos Monastery, Ethiopia. Photography by Owen Barder.

The 1548 Gospel is composed of two volumes in one, Part One consisting of the New Testament (fols. 1-176); and Part Two containing the Pauline Epistles together with the baptism service and additional prayers at the end (fols. 177-266). There are 18 woodcuts in the text, seven of them half-page depictions of biblical scenes. This first Ge’ez edition gained authority in the European milieu and formed the basis of all subsequent studies of the Ethiopic Gospels.

Mr Revelations

Debre Libanos of the Amhara Gebrarya Province (Now Selale) and Addis Ababa previous Barara Yekker Province was all inhabited by Amharas. Galla came into contact into these districts in the 16th and 17th centuries and during the Era of these Monks there wasn’t a Galla Kilil Gallalu didn’t live in Ethiopia until 1600s. These 3 Monks where Amharas who perfected the Art of Geez

[Noble Amhara]

Debre Libanos, Amhara Oromia

[Revelations]

Revelations

Good Day Sir

Dude why r u lying? Its written in ERITREAN TIGRINYA, NOT AGAMINYA OR AMHARIC. ETHIOPIANS STOP STEALING EVERYTHING ERITREAN. DAMN.

Good Day Sir

What are you smoking, tarik? Do you know where Debre Libanos is?

[Revelations]

Why are you asking such question from a liar bishop walking around without hope? If an individual old guy calling himself ato Revelation, stole something in the dark it does not mean that 110 million Ethiopians are thieves.

Painful truth delivered to you and yours. You sure know what this means, don't ya, Mr. ONEG/OLF?!

[Horus]

ይህን በአማራኛ የምጽፈው እንግሊዝኛ የማይችሉ ሰዎች እንዲያነቡት ብዬ ነው እንጂ በንግሊዝ ብጽፈው ይመቸኝ ነበር ። ሶስት ታሪክዊ ፋክቶች (አብነቶች) ልንገራችሁ ። እንዚህን አብነቶች ስራዬ ብሎ ለፈለገ ሊያረጋግታቸው ይችላል ።

አንድ፣

ግራኝ ኢትዮጵያን ወርሮ ቤት ክርስቲያናትን (አብዛኞቹ የሳር ቤት ስለነበሩ) ከማቃጠሉ፣ በብዙ ሺ የሚቆጠሩ መጻህፍት ከማቃጠሉና የወርቅ ዘውዶች፣ መስቀሎች ወዘተ ከመዝረፉ 1520ች በፊት የኢትዮጵያ ኦርቶዶክስ ቤት ክርስቲያናት ማለትም ኢትዮጵያ ከጠቅላላው ሜዲኢቫል አውሮፓ ገዳማት የሚበልጥ መጻህፍት ነበራት ። The Ethiopian Orthodox Church had more printed books than the entire medieval Europe. This is a fact.

ሁለት
በ1510 እንደ አውሮፓ አቆጣጠር የቫቲካን ቄሶች ኢየሩሳሌም ይመጣሉ ። እዚያ ሶስት የኢትዮጵያ መነኩሴዎችን ያገኛሉ ። ኢትዮጵያ ካንድ በላይ ገዳምት በኢየሩሳሌም ስለነብራት ። ከሮማ የመጡት ቄሶች የኢትዮጵያን መጻህፍት አይተው ማመን እስከ ሚያቅታቸው ተደነቁና መነኩሴዎቹ ግ ዕዝን ወደ ላቲን ተርጉመው እኒያስተምሩዋቸው ወደ ሮማ ይዘዋቸው ሄዱ ። ስንቱ እንደ ሄዱ ቁጥሩን ረሳሁት ። ይህ የሆነው 1510 ነው ።

ከዚያም ቄሶቹ ሙልዉን የግዕዝ ወደ ላቲን ለውጠው እዚያ ቫቲካን ውስት ቤት ተሰጥቷቸው ኖረው ሞቱ ። በዚህ ምክኛት ነው ዛሬ ግዕዝና ላቲን ተወራራሽ ቋንቋ የሆኑት ።

ሶስት
ዛሬ ፕሮቶ ኢንዶ ኢሮፒያን የሚባለው የዘመናዊ አውሮፓ ቋንቁዎች ግንድ እጅግ በብዛት ግ ዕ ዝ ነው ። ያም የሆነበት ምክኛት ከላይ ያሳየሁት ግንኙነት ነው።

ስለዚህ 1548 ማለትም ቄሶቹ ሮማ ከሄዱ 38 አመት በኋላ የግዕዝ ወንጌል ሮማ ቢታተም አትደነቁ ለማለት ነው።