The Garden of Eden

The author of this abridged version of the Bible, Serapion of Edessa, is a well-known figure in Armenian church history. An influential scholar and teacher, he was elected co-catholicos (or pope) in 1603. The Abridged Bible was written because of the 'laziness of pupils or readers' who did not want to read the whole text. The colophon to this copy, written by the 'sinful' scribe, Hohannes, tells us that Serapion commissioned this volume for his own enjoyment and as a memorial to his parents. The illuminations, beginning with the Garden of Eden headpiece, were painted by the 'adolescent' Aslan, who was 'gifted in all things and in the painting and writing of the three alien nations, Persians, Arabs and Turks.'