It is a rare thing when a national culture is revolutionized
by a small group of scholars. But that is exactly what happened in 5th-century
Armenia, through the efforts of the Holy Translators. The leaders of the
movement—Catholicos Sahag Partev and Mesrob Mashdots—truly gambled when they
imagined creating an Armenian version of the Bible.
(Mesrob Mashdots by the artist Ashod Zorian)
But their risk paid off. The unique Armenian alphabet
they devised for the Bible was quickly deployed to translate great works of
theology, philosophy, and history. As a result, literate Armenians were able to
connect, as never before, with the great minds of the past: to absorb the
wisdom of other cultures, and the lessons of other times.
Far from narrowing the worldview of Armenians, the Holy
Translators broadened it, transforming it into a heritage which could—and
would—defy the swords of invaders, endure calamity and dispersion, while
aspiring to the highest forms of the arts and humanities.
That is the spirit the Translators laid down some 16
centuries ago. And it is a spirit we celebrate today, on the feast day
dedicated to St. Sahag and St. Mesrob: a spirit born from a love of Christ, and
expressed in treasures of faith, culture, and language that Armenian Christians
can still pass on to their children and grandchildren.
Click on the following links to read more about their
story http://www.armenianchurch-ed.net/wpblog/2015/06/the-holy-translators-sahag-mesrob/
and to read an
article by historian Robert Louis Wilken http://www.getprinciples.com/may-2015/
in which he discusses how the early spread of the Christian
faith depended on literacy and language, and touches on the contribution of
Mesrob Mashdots.
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder
Not: Yalnızca bu blogun üyesi yorum gönderebilir.