Ethiopian Prayer Book

Unknown

Parchment manuscript containing a series of prayers together with the gospels of Mark and John, written in Ge'ez and dated to the 19th century. It is illustrated with twelve full page paintings and five smaller paintings. Most of the texts are introduced with elaborate interlace headings (12 in total). Important sections are bookmarked with blue thread laced through the folios. The book opens with a pair of paintings depicting the Archangel Uriel with the Prophet Ezra facing a pair of saints, Abba Sehma and Akala Krestos (with a snake swallowing his beard). A hymn to the Virgin Mary closes with a portrait of the Virgin and Child. Prayers to the Trinity, lessons for each day of the week and "Sword of Divinity" prayer follow, interspersed with three paintings of saints. A portrait of St Mark introduces his gospel (with index). Prayers to St George are bookended with paintings of the saint, followed by a double-page painting of the Trinity facing the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. This is followed by the Gospel of John with index and the book closes with a series of six full page paintings, Saint Gabra Manfas Qeddus, Saint Takla Haymanot, and four scenes from the Passion: Flagellation, Carrying the Cross, Crucifixion and Entombment. The red leather tooled binding is decorated with a central cross on front and back, small squares of woven black textile are used as board linings.