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Summary
| Description |
English: Stele with Armenian inscription raised for the repose of the soul of Mechitar (year 1246)
Uncovered during the construction of the portico of St Peter's Square (1657-1667), in the church of St James ofthe Armenians, and transferred to the gardens ofthe Pontifical residence at the Quirinal. In 1706 it was moved to the Vatican and placed in the museum created by Clement XI (1700- 1721) in the Papal apartment (Casino di Belvedere, now the Gregorian Etruscan Museum). Between 1756 and 1758 it was moved to the Sacred Museum established by Benedict XIV at the end ofthe Gallery of Urban VIII in the Vatican Library. Transferred in 1853 to the Lateran Christian Museum, where it remained on show until 1963 when it was moved to the Vatican Museums. Inv. 33115 "In the year of the Armenians 695 (= 1246) this cross was raised for the repose of the soul of Mechitar and his parents, under the guidance of Stephen of the monastery of Lazarus. Remember them in your prayers, all you who venerate it." The most widespread symbol of Christianity and sign of the Passion and Death of Jesus, the Cross expresses faith and hope in the Resurrection. The iconographic layout of a large cross, sculpted at the centre of the slab and surrounded by smaller crosses, is part of the Armenian iconographic tradition. On the base element of the large cross, which recalls Mount Calvary, the site of Christ's crucifixion, appears the following Latin phrase: Hec crux consecrata est "This cross is consecrated". The phrase emphasises that the monument has been rendered sacred according to an apposite rite to permit its use for purposes of religion and veneration. The stele with the sculpted cross (in Armenian khatchkar) was erected by the Armenian community in Rome, whose leader, a certain Stephen, came from the monastery of Lazarus, better known as the Holy Apostles Monastery of Mush (a famous medieval centre for scribes west of Lake Van). Caption in Latin that accompanied the monument for its exhibition in 1706, containing the oldest interpretation of the text. |
| Date | |
| Source | Own work |
| Author | Yerevantsi |
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| Date/Time | Thumbnail | Dimensions | User | Comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| current | 07:54, 16 January 2024 | | 4,000 × 3,000 (3.73 MB) | Yerevantsi | Uploaded own work with UploadWizard |
