ACI MENA, Nov 8, 2025 / 07:00 am

In the Vatican Apostolic Library rests one of its most treasured possessions: the “Gospel of Qaraqosh,” a richly illuminated Syriac manuscript dating back to the 13th century. Catalogued as “ Vat. Syr. 559 ,” it was penned in A.D. 1220 by monk Mubarak ibn Dawud al-Bartelli of the Monastery of Mar Mattai near Mosul.

Written in Estrangelo Syriac script, the manuscript gathers passages from the four Gospels used in the Syriac liturgical year and is adorned with vivid miniatures depicting scenes from Christ’s life and miracles.

According to Father Behnam Soni, an expert on Syriac Church Fathers, the manuscript endured multiple thefts throughout history but was repeatedly reclaimed by the faithful of Qaraqosh, who finally offered it to the Church of al-Tahi

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