The literary heritage of the philosopher, theologian and philologist Hovsep‘ Arts‘akhets‘i (18th-19th centuries)

| 511 A mine Melkonyan The li e a y he i age o he philosophe , heologian and philologis Ho sep‘ A s‘akhe s‘i (18 h–19 h cen u ies) Abs ac A he Mash o s‘ Ma enada an he e a e 14 manusc ip s con aining w i ings c ea ed, edi ed o compiled by Ho sep‘ A s‘ahke s‘i. The mos popula among Ho sep‘’s wo ks was he ab idged e sion o he Philosophia by he F ench Dominican philosophe and heologian An oine Goudin (1639–1695), ansla ed and edi ed by Fa he V ‘anēs Askē ean in 1750–1751 in Venice. Ho sep‘ a dape abb e ia ed and edi ed he Commen a y on he Gospel o Ma hew by John Ch ysos om, adding in e p e a ion o some p o e bs missing om he Gospel o Ma hew. Ho sep‘‘s e sions o Goudin’s Philosophia and Ch ysos om’s in e p e a ion had mos ly p ac ical signi icance and we e aimed a p omo ing he philosophical and heological lea ning and eaching. The Shield o O ho- dox (p ese ed in only one manusc ip ) by Ho sep‘ could be a sou ce o s udying con essional issues (be ween he Lu he ans and he membe s o he A menian Apos olic Chu ch) in A s‘ahk in he 19 h cen u y. Ho sep‘ A s‘ahke s‘i compiled a B ie Dic iona y o Classical A menian (published in 1830, in he P in ing House o Shushi, ounded by Basel P o es an Missiona ies) and an elemen- a y g amma o classical A menian o he beginne s. One o he main peculia i ies o he dic io- na y is ha e y o en he classical A menian wo ds ha e dialec al as well as Pe sian and/o Tu kish explana ions. The e o e, i could be a ascina ing sou ce o s udying he language and dialec o A s‘akh o he ime. The in o ma ion p o ided by he colophons and insc ip ions o he manusc ip s (some o which a e au og aphs) and he old-p in ed books, as well as he p e aces and i les o he w i ings a e analyzed o be e unde s and he en i onmen whe e hese philosophical, heological and g amma ical ea ises we e c ea ed and sp ead. Kiel-UP • h ps://doi.o g/10.38072/978-3-928794-95-4/p25 512 | Das kul u elle E be on A zach | Արցախի մշակութային ժառանգությունը My pape seeks o p esen he li e a y and manusc ip he i age o an 18 h–19 h cen u y A menian schola , eache and a dape Ho sep‘ A s‘akhe s‘i.1 I will discuss his au og aphs housed a he Ma enada an – Mash o s‘ Ins i u e o Ancien Manusc ip s,2 as well as some old-p in ed books, ying o obse e Ho sep‘’s w i ings in he con ex o his pedagogical ac i i y and gene ally he educa ion o A s‘ahk in he 19 h cen u y. The e is no much in o ma ion abou Ho sep‘‘s ea ly li e.3 I is known ha he was bo n in he ci y o Shushi, p obably in he 60s o 70s o he 18 h cen u y. Ho sep‘ is mos ly amous o his pedagogical and educa ional ac i i ies. A 19 h cen u y A menian w i e , a elle Mes op T‘aghiadean, men ions in his a el no es ha du ing his s ay in Shushi in 1821 he me Ho sep‘ Va dape , who was hen called »a philosophe «.4 Ho sep‘ was in i ed by he p ominen noble amilies o Shushi o he pu pose o eaching hei sons and daugh e s. The e o e, T‘aghiadean also ook lessons o Logic and Philosophy om him. In his no es T‘aghiadean p esen s an in e es ing dialogue wi h Ho sep‘, cha ac e izing him as a e y pa ien , wise and knowledgeable pe son.5 Ano he A menian a elle , bishop Sa gis Jala- lean s‘, who was a s uden o Ho sep‘ o a sho pe iod, desc ibes him as » he i s sou ce o ligh o he p o ince o A s‘akh in he ecen imes«.6 A 19 h–20 h cen u ies A menian his o ian Lēō epo s he ollowing: »He (Ho sep‘) was a monk p o icien in Theology, Logic, Rhe o ic, G amma . He was a- mous o his eligious li e in he monas e ies o Gandzasa and S . Hakob«. 7 Al hough Ho sep‘ was in i ed o Shushi o a special mission, he did no s ay in he ci y o long and mainly ca ied ou his scien i ic and educa ional ac i i ies in he monas e ies o Gandzasa and Me saṛana s‘ Su b Hakob.8 His ame was so g ea ha he ich amilies o Shushi sen hei child en o li e in hose monas e ies in o de o con inue he discipleship. Ho sep‘ collabo a ed wi h he P o es an Missiona ies o Basel Mission in Shushi as well, 1 The A menian names and wo ds a e ansli e a ed acco ding o he Lib a y o Cong ess sys em. All ansla ions om A menian a e mine. I p e e ed o make a mo e li e al ansla ion in o de o con ey he essence o he o iginals as accu- a el y as possible. 2 The sigla M is used o he Ma enada an–Mash o s‘ Ins i u e o Ancien Manusc ip s. 3 I assume ha i would be possible o ge mo e in o ma ion in he a chi al documen s, which, howe e , is beyond he scope o his pape . 4 Mes o b T‘aghiadean s‘ M., Ճանապարհորդութիւն Մեսրովբայ Թաղիադեանց Սարկաւագի Սրբոյ Էջմիածնի ի Հայս [T a el o Mes ob T‘aghiadean s‘, Deacon o Holy E chmiadzin, o A menia], 1, Calcu a, 1847, 292–293. 5 Ibidem, 293–295. 6 Sa gis Jalalean s‘ (A chbishop), Ճանապարհորդութիւն ի Մեծն Հայաստան [Jou ney o G ea e A menia], Pa 2, Tbilisi, 1858, 355. 7 L ēō , Պատմութիւն Ղարաբաղի Հայոց թեմական հոգեւոր դպրոցի, 1838–1913 [His o y o he A menian Diocesan spi i ual school o Ka abakh, 1838–1913], Tbilisi, 1914, 84–85. 8 These monas e ies we e amous educa ional cen e s and sc ip o ia. See Tama a Minasyan, Արցախի գրչության կենտրոնները [Sc ip o ia o A s‘akh], Ye e an, 2015, 9–26. Melkonyan: The li e a y he i age o Ho sep‘ A s‘akhe s‘i | 513 eaching in hei school.9 The his o ian Lēō e en alked o he elde s o Shushi o lea n mo e abou him. Acco ding o hem, Ho sep‘ was »ex emely ace ious and a wine lo e «.10 Ho sep‘ A s‘akhe s‘i passed away in 1847. By he o de o he p ima e o he Ka abakh diocese, Me opoli an Baghdasa Hasan-Jalalean s‘, he was bu ied on he no he n side o he Gandzasa monas e y. The e si ied epi aph desc ibes him he bes : »Ho sep‘ was a amous schola eache - a dape A agean s‘ o A s‘ahk: O, A k, how a e you able o su e / And ca y he g ea eache inside you / You w ap up an old bene icen / You lea e he speechless child en as o phans om hei holy a he . / Come, iends, o you lo ely muses / Le us mou n wi h p o use ea s he dea h o ou a he / As Jesus wep o his Laza us/. 1847«.11 A he Mash o s‘ Ma enada an he e a e 14 manusc ip s con aining w i ings c ea ed, edi ed o compiled by Ho sep A s‘ahke s‘i. Some o he manusc ip s a e au og aphs o copied by his disciples. Below is a lis o he ea ises I am going o discuss in de ail. 1. Book o Theo e ical Philosophy 12 [Գիրք Տեսական փիլիսոփայութեան, Gi k‘ Tesakan P‘ilisop‘ayu ‘ean] – M 2525 (d. 1816), M 6818 (d. 1812, 1816), M 2835 (d. 1831), M 2990 (d. 1835), M 3619 (d. 1835), M 8750 (d. 1835), M 2828 (d. 19 h c.), M 4038 (d. 19 h c.), M 4045 (d. 19 h c.), M 6556 (d. 19 h c.). As we will see, he i s pa o his wo k was published in 1840 in Shushi. 2. a. A compila ion Commen a y 13 o he Gospel o Ma hew c ea ed by John Ch ysos om [Ծաղկաքաղ մեկնութիւն Աւետարանին Մատթէոսի, զոր արարեալ է Յօհաննու Ոսկեբերանին, Tsaghkak‘agh Meknu ‘iwn Awe a anin Ma ‘ēosi, zo a a eal ē Yōhannu Oskebe anin]. b. Ho sep‘ A s‘ahke s‘i’s In e p e a ion on he P o e bs, which a e no ound in he conco dance o he Gospel o Ma hew [Յովսէփայ Արցախեցւոյ մեկնութիւն Առակաց, որք ոչ գտանին ի համաձայնութիւնս Աւետարանին Մատթէոսի, Yo s ē p‘ay A s‘akhe s‘woy Meknu ‘iwn A ṛ aka s‘ o k‘ och‘ g anin i hamadzaynu ‘iwns Awe a anin Ma ē osi] – M 3618 (d. 1817), M 3620 (d. 19 h c.). 9 Mo e abou he ac i i y o he missiona ies see S yopa Pe oyan, Շուշիում բազելյան բողոքական քարոզիչների հաստատումը եւ տպարանի հիմնադրումը [The Ins alla ion o Basel P o es an Missiona ies in Shushi and he Foun- da ion o he P in ing House], Eu opean Uni e si y: Collec ion o Scien i ic A icles, 2019, 10, 372–384. Abel Manoukian, Die Basle Missionsgesellscha und die A menie 1823–1835, in: M. Tamcke e al. eds., Das A menische Kul u e be in Be g-Ka abach/A zach und die Deu schen, Uni e si ä s e lag Gö ingen, 2021, 61–84 u. 85–114. See also Manoukian’s con- ibu ion o his olume. 10 L ēō , Պատմութիւն Ղարաբաղի Հայոց թեմական հոգեւոր դպրոցի, 1838–1913 [His o y o he A menian Diocesan spi i ual school o Ka abakh, 1838–1913], 85. 11 Maka Ba khu a ean s‘ Արցախ [A s‘akh], Baku, 1895, 179. 12 This is no an o iginal i le, bu a con en ional one, used in he Manusc ip Ca alogues o he Ma enada an. 13 I will some imes use he e m ›Flo ilegium‹ o his wo k. 514 | Das kul u elle E be on A zach | Արցախի մշակութային ժառանգությունը 3. A book called Shield o he O hodox [Գիրք, որ կոչի Վահան ուղղափառաց, Gi k‘ o koch‘i Vahan ughghap‘a ṛ a s‘] – M 2622 (d. 1838). 4. This book is called a Pamphle o Ve b o he use o beginne s [Գիրքս այս կոչի տետրակ բայի ի պէտս համբակաց, Gi k‘s ays koch‘i e ak bayi i pē ʹs hambaka s‘] – M 2563 (d. 1839), M 3620 (d. 19 h c.). 5. B ie Dic iona y om G aba ṛ 14 o Ashka haba ṛ 15 o he use o beginne s [Hama ṛ o ba ṛ gi kʻ i g aba ṛē yashkha haba ṛ n i p ē ʹs hambaka s‘]. This dic iona y was published in 1830 in Shushi. The in o ma ion p o ided by he colophons and insc ip ions o he manusc ip s, as well as he p e aces and i les o he w i ings a e e y impo an o be e unde s and he en- i onmen whe e hese philosophical, heological and g amma ical ea ises we e c ea ed and sp ead. 1. An oine Goudin’s Philosophia in he A menian en i onmen The mos popula among Ho sep‘‘s wo ks was he Book by he F ench Dominican o Theo e ical Philosophy. In ac , i is he ab idged e sion o he philosophical ea ise by a F ench Dominican philosophe and heologian An oine Goudin (1639–1695).16 Goudin’s Philosophia was ansla ed in o A menian in he 18 h cen u y by he A menian ansla o and philologis Fa he V ‘anēs Askē ean,17 a membe o he Mekhi a is Cong ega ion, and was published in 1750–1751 in Venice.18 The Philosophia had been ansla ed in o A menian al eady in he 17 h cen u y by he heologian and ansla o Ghukas a dape Kha be d s‘i, who li ed in Cons an inople and p o ided ansla ions om La in and I alian in o A menian.19 Mo eo e , he e a e se e al A menian commen a ies on his ea ise.20 14 Classical A menian. 15 Mode n A menian. 16 Philosophia jux a inconcussa u issimaque di i Thomae dogma a: blogicam, physicam, mo alem & me aphysicam qua- uo omis complec ens. 17 See Asa u P‘ashayan, Վրթանես Ասկերյանը եւ նրա թարգմանական ժառանգությունը [V ‘anes Aske yan and his ansla ion he i age], Pa ma-banasi akan handes, 2005, 3, 96–102. 18 V ‘anēs Askē ean, ans., Philosophy acco ding o he une ing and in allible doc ine o S . Thoma, di ided in o 4 o- lumns, c ea ed by Fa he An on Ko din heologian a dape o he ci y o Pa is..., ansla ed wi h he p ecau ion in o A - menian by Fa he V ‘anēs a dape Askē ean o Cons an inople... [Փիլիսոփայութիւն ըստ անըստերիւր եւ անսայթաք վարդապետութեան սրբոյն Թովմայի՝ բաժանեալ ի չորս հատորս, զոր արարեալ է հօր Անտոնի Կովդնոյ աստուածաբան վարդապետի Փարես քաղաքի..., թարգմանեալ զգուշութեամբ ի հայկազեան լեզուիս ոճոյ ի հայր Վրթանէս վարդապետէ Ասկէրեանց Կոստանդնուպօլսեցւոյ...], Venice 1750 ( ol. 1–3), Venice 1751 ( ol. 4). 19 See No ay Pogha ean (Tso akan), Ղուկաս վրդ. Խարբերդցի [Ghukas a dape Kha be d s‘i), Sion, 1979, Ma ch-Ap il, 67–68. 20 Hakob Anasyan, Հայկական մատենագիտություն, Ե-ԺԸ դդ [The A menian Bibliog aphy, 5 h –18 h cen u ies], 1, Ye e an, 1959, 965–966. Melkonyan: The li e a y he i age o Ho sep‘ A s‘akhe s‘i | 515 One o hem was composed by Yakob a dape T‘op‘uzean s‘ in he He mi age o Lim21 » o he acili y o he s udious pupils«.22 I is ob ious ha he Philosophia has enjoyed a g ea epu a ion among he A menians since he 17 h cen u y and has been popula in di e- en monas e ies, educa ional cen e s, as well as in A s‘akh. In ac , Ho sep‘ A s‘akhe s‘i compiled his philosophical wo k om he men ioned ansla ion and edi ion by V ‘anēs Askē ean. Acco ding o Askē ean’s ansla ion and edi ion, in he manusc ip s Ho sep‘s Philosophy consis s o 4 pa s: • On Logic [Յաղագս տրամաբանութեան, Yaghagʹs T amabanu ‘ean], • On Physics [Յաղագս բնաբանութեան, Yaghag ʹ s bnabanu ‘ean], • On Me aphysics [Յաղագս համաբնաբանութեան, Yaghag ʹ s hamabnabanu ‘ean], • On E hics [ Յաղագս բարոյականի , Yaghag ʹ s ba oyakani]. 23 Al eady in 1840, he i s (and he only) pa o he Philosophy was published in Shushi unde he i le: »The i s pa o Philosophy, which is said Logic, ab idged om he main Logic o he heologian a dape Goudin in 1830. Edi ed by he schola a dape Fa he Ho sep‘ Tē -Awagean A s‘ahke s‘i, who is a membe o he holy monas e y o Gandzasa , in he Khach‘en dis ic o A s‘akh. In he days o he pa ia cha e o His Holiness Yo hann Ka be s‘i, a holy Ca holicos o all A menians and a Knigh , and by he o de o he lo d His Holiness Me opoli an Bagh asa Hasan-Jalalean s‘ he high A chbishop, in he p in- ing house o he Diocese P ima e high and holy Me opoli an o Ka abakh, Bagh asa , in Shushi, 1840«. 24 Based on he i le-page, one can say ha he book published in 1840 was p epa ed al eady in 1830. A he Ma enada an, he e is a manusc ip con aining his wo k, copied in 1816 »by 21 The Lim monas e y was loca ed in he island Lim in Lake Van,Wes e n A menia. I was a amous sc ip o ium. See Lusine T‘umanyan L., Վանայ Լճի կղզիների վանքերի գրչության կենտրոնները [The Sc ip o ia o he Monas e ies o he Van Lake Island]Ye e an, 2020. 22 M 5369, ol. 1 . See also M 2645, ol. 1 –164 , c . Gēo g Tē -Va danean e al., eds., Մայր Ցուցակ հայերէն ձեռագրաց Մաշտոցի անուան Մատենադարանի [Gene al ca alogue o A menian Manusc ip s o he Mash o s‘ Ma enada an], 8, Ye e an, 2013, 911–914. 23 See e.g. M 2828, ol. 3 , 52 , 63 , 98 . 24 Առաջին մասն փիլիսոփայութեան որ ասի Տրամաբանութիւն՝ համառօտեալ ի բուն Տրամաբանութենէ աստուածաբան վարդապետին Կովդնոյ ի 1830 ամի: Աշխատասիրութեամբ հօր Յովսեփայ գիտնական վարդապետի Տէր-Աւագեան Արցախեցւոյ, որ է միաբան սրբոյ վանիցն Գանձասարու՝ եղելոյ ի Խաչէն գաւառակին Արցախայ: Ի հայրապետութեան տեառն եւ տեառն Յովհաննու Կարբեցւոյ սրբազնասուրբ կաթուղիկոսի ամենայն Հայոց եւ ասպետի, հրամանաւ տեառն Բաղտասարայ ասպետափառ մետրապօլտի եւ բարձր սրբազան արհիեպիսկոպոսի Հասան-Ջալալեանց: Ի տպարանի վիճակաւոր առաջնորդին Ղարաբաղու բարձր սրբազան Մետրապօլտին Բաղտասարայ: 1840 ի Շուշի, ՌՄՁԹ.: 516 | Das kul u elle E be on A zach | Արցախի մշակութային ժառանգությունը he hand o Ho sep‘ a dape and his disciple, a sin ul p ies Va dan«,25 which p o es ha Ho sep‘ A s‘ahke s‘i had wo ked on Goudin’s Philosophia be o e o a leas in 1816. This means ha be o e being published, his wo k was used in a manusc ip o m, se ing as a philosophy manual in he schools o A s‘akh. Manusc ip s con inued o be used e en a e he wo k was published. Fo example, M 2835, copied in 1831 in Shushi, la e belonged o A shak Te -Mik‘ēlean, a 19 h cen u y ou s anding A menian heologian, his o ian who s u- died in Ge many and was a s uden o Hein ich Gelze and Adol  onHa nack. Acco ding o a la e colophon, a e he dea h o A shak Te -Mik‘ēlean his b o he Sed ak Te -Mik‘ēlean dona ed he manusc ip o he Lib a y o he Mo he See o E chmiadzin.26 In he manusc ip s, Ho sep‘‘s Philosophy has an in oduc ion, which is missing om he 1840 edi ion. The au ho explains he aim o his ea ise and gene ally he ele ance o philosophy and logic o heology, he impo ance o knowledge o ai h: »Be awa e, O eade , o as he in isible beings o God a e known by he isible hings, so God he C ea o is ecognized by examining hem. Fo ins ance, Ab aham, he a he o ai h, was skilled in as onomy, ha ‘s why he ecognized God easily, while his a he , Ta a, was no skilled in as onomy, ha ‘s why he emained in he da kness o idola y. And al hough God can only be ecognized by ai h, i is known ha any hing admi ed wi hou a eliable knowledge is incomple e. Like wine is be e seen om abo e han om ou side o om he sides. And in addi ion o knowing God by ai h wi h he na u al ligh o he mind, he mo e he eade knows he c ea u es, he mo e skilled he will be in heology, and ice e sa, he mo e he lacks he knowledge o beings, he mo e emp y and de oid o heology he will be. The e o e, all he ai h ul eade s who did wish o lea n heology, i s endea ou ed o examine he a ional beings, wo king o he bes o hei abili y, and soon a e hey ound hemsel es skill ul in Theology«. 27 In his chap e , I p esen only a gene al o e iew o he A menian e sions o Philosophia by An oine Goudin wi h he ocus o he compila ion and edi ion by Ho sep‘ A s‘akhe s‘i. A de ailed s udy on he A menian ansla ions, commen a ies, edi ions o Philosophia would be an in e es ing opic o u he esea ch, aking in o accoun ha Goudin’s wo k has been widely sp ead and used as a logic and philosophy manual since he 17 h cen u y. 25 M 2525, ol. 1 , c . G ē o g T ē -Va danean e al., eds., Մայր Ցուցակ հայերէն ձեռագրաց Մաշտոցի անուան Մատենադարանի [Gene al Ca alogue o A menian Manusc ip s o he Mash o s‘ Ma enada an], 8, 362. 26 M 2835, ol. 1 , c . G ē o g T ē -Va danean e al., eds., Մայր Ցուցակ հայերէն ձեռագրաց Մաշտոցի անուան Մատենադարանի [Gene al Ca alogue o A menian Manusc ip s o he Mash o s‘ Ma enada an], 9, 2017, 837–840. 27 M 2990, ol. 2 . Melkonyan: The li e a y he i age o Ho sep‘ A s‘akhe s‘i | 517 2. Flo ilegium o he Commen a y on he Gospel o Ma hew by John Ch ysos om As indica ed in he colophon (in e wined wi h he i le) he sc ibe o M 3618, copied in 1617 in he monas e y o S . Hacob, is Ho sep‘ A s‘akhe s‘i: »Book o In e p e a ion on he Holy Gospel o Ma hew, c ea ed by sain John Ch ysos om, om which we ha e compiled and b ie ly collec ed and di ided in o six pa s [...]«. 28 Thus, Ho sep‘ clea ly in o ms he eade ha his manusc ip ep esen s an ab idged e sion o Ch ysos om’s Commen a y.29 The manusc ip has 280 olios, he i s pa ( ol. 5 –261 ) is he commen a y on Ma hew, he second pa ( ol. 261 –279 ) is en i led Ho sep‘ A s‘akhes s‘i’s In e p e a ion on he P o e bs, which a e no ound in he conco dance o he Gospel o Ma hew .30 In he beginning ( ol. 2 –4 ), Ho sep‘ inse ed a p e ace o he Flo ilegium whe e he ex- plains he s uc u e, con en and he pu pose i was w i en o . A he same ime he con eys his e lec ions on he biblical in e p e a ions, emphasizing hei majo ole in heology and spi i ual li e: »Be awa e, O kind eade , ha we ha e di ided his book in o six pa s and a ached a p ope lis o each o hem, so ha he philologis s [li : lo e s o he wo d], when hey ha e doub s abou any hing, do no was e e o and sol e he unce ain y o hei hea s. A he end o he six pa s, we added he in e p e a ion o se e al i ems ha a e no in he Gospel o Ma hew and pu i as a sepa a e sec ion«. 31 The au ho also explains he aim and use ulness o his e sion: »[...] by compiling exce p s om he Commen a y, we ied o ab idge i , because hose who ead an ex ensi e in e p e a ion can ha dly keep he i ems in mind and soon o ge hem. While b ie hings a e easily imp essed in he mind o a eade and a e kep in he memo y o a long ime«. 32 28 M 3618, ol. 2 29 John Ch ysos om’s w i ings ha e been ansla ed in o A menian in he 5 h cen u y and had a g ea in luence on he A menian medie al li e a u e. 30 M 3618, ol. 261 . 31 M 3618, ol. 2 . 32 Ibidem, ol. 3 . 518 | Das kul u elle E be on A zach | Արցախի մշակութային ժառանգությունը In he p e ace, he c i icizes (wi hou speci ying anyone) some con empo a y heologians who did no alue he Commen a y as i dese es (i is no clea whe he his e e s o he commen a y as a whole o o he ab idged e sion): »Some heologian a dape s heologian a dape s do no need his, mo eo e hey call his a child’s oy. While igno an s like me conside i as a p iceless pea l and an hono able diamond«. 33 Ho sep‘ highly app ecia es he Bible commen a y in gene al, cha ac e izing i as he alpha- be o heology, he lowe le el and a necessa y s age. In his ega d, he makes a beau i ul compa ison: »Jus as man is no a man wi hou a a ional soul, so heology is no heology wi hou he in e p e a ion o he Sc ip u es«. 34 Thus, he exho s he eade s o engage in sc ip u al in e p e a ion, especially in he New Tes amen . A he end o he p e ace, he asks he eade s and hose »who as e he ui s o his soul-sus aining ee«, o emembe him in hei p aye s, modes ly calling himsel a »wo hless philologis «.35 I would be in e es ing o compa e his Flo ilegium wi h he o iginal e sion o lea n which e ses we e chosen, which passages we e conside ed o be he mos impo an ones o Ho sep‘. I wonde whe he he e a e any addi ions by he compile o i be e o he wo ld iew and he eligious dogma ical challenges o his ime. The ab idged e sion o John Ch ysos om’s Commen a y on Ma hew would be ele an o he pa is ic s udies as well, in espec o lea ning he pe cep ion o Ch ysos om’s wo k in he 19 h cen u y. Mos p obably his Flo ilegium was also p epa ed o be published, as Goudin’s Philosophia, bu he publi- ca ion was no implemen ed. A he Ma enada an, he e is ano he manusc ip copied by Ho sep‘ A s‘akhe s‘i and an anonymous sc ibe (pe haps one o his disciples) con aining his Commen a y.36 33 Ibidem. 34 Ibidem. 35 Ibidem, ol. 4 . 36 M 3620, ol. 1 –260 . Melkonyan: The li e a y he i age o Ho sep‘ A s‘akhe s‘i | 519 3. Shield o he O hodox – a sou ce o s udying con essional issues in he 19 h cen u y In 1838, Ho sep‘ A s‘akhe s‘i w o e a dogma ic ea ise A book called Shield o he O hodox by he eques o he p ima e o Ka abakh diocese, Me opoli an Baghdasa Hasan-Jalale- an s‘. This wo k is p ese ed only in one manusc ip 37 – M 2622, ol. 21 –42 , penned by Ho sep‘ in 1838, in he ci y o Shushi.38 In he i le, he au ho -sc ibe calls himsel » he mos humble Ho sep‘ he monk (li : clo hed in black) A s‘ahke s‘i, om he cong ega ion o he Holy monas e y o Gandzasa «.39 The Shield consis s o h ee pa s: 1. On as ing, 2. On in e cession o sain s, 3. On he lo e/ espec and ha e o images. 40 I becomes ob ious om he con en ha hese we e he main issues ha had been dispu ed be ween he Lu he ans and he ollowe s o he A menian Chu ch. The ea ise is w i en in he o m o an exho a ion, wi h nume ous e e ences o he Holy Sc ip u es.41 Ho sep‘ speaks mainly in he second pe son. One can say ha he add essees we e he membe s o he A menian Chu ch who sympa hized wi h o ollowed he Lu he an Chu ch42 as well as he ep esen a i es o he Lu he an Chu ch. The ph ases »You see, o, Lu he an«, »You should know, o, Lu he ans« a e ound in he w i ing, which a e ollowed by cla i ica ions abou he con ession o he A menian Chu ch on he men ioned opics. Ho sep‘ ies o jus i y his app oach, pa icula ly wi h sc ip u al quo a ions and examples (and no he Chu ch Fa he s o adi ion), o : »I know ha you do no accep he es imony o he pa ia chs, saying ha a pa ia ch was a man like me«. 43 37 A leas his is he only example known o us a he ime. 38 Fo he de ailed desc ip ion see G ē o g T ē -Va danean e al., eds., Մայր Ցուցակ հայերէն ձեռագրաց Մաշտոցի անուան Մատենադարանի [Gene al Ca alogue o A menian Manusc ip s o he Mash o s‘ Ma enada an], 8, 751–768 ( he wo k in ques ion 753–754). 39 M 2622, ol. 21 . 40 Ra he han using he e ms ›iconoclas y‹ and ›iconola ia‹ I p esen a li e al ansla ion. 41 I wonde whe he some passages could had been ead as se mons du ing he Li u gy by he commissione Me opoli an Hasan-Jalalean s‘ o by Ho sep‘ himsel . 42 The Basel missiona ies we e o iginally o ien ed o p each among he pagan and Muslim peoples o T anscaucasia. How- e e , hey soon ocused hei a en ion on he local A menian popula ion, ying o in ol e hem in he Ch is ianiza ion o he Muslims. Thus, many A menian belie e s began o ollow hem, which was nega i ely assessed by he Mo he See o Holy E chmiadzin. See Abel Manoukian, Die Basle Missionsgesellscha und die A menie 1823–1835, 87–93. 43 M 2622, ol. 24 –25 .