This manuscript copy of the Gospel of Saint Mark can be dated to the 18th century. The text is copied clearly and enclosed in a double-lined frame in red. The folios are numbered with Coptic numerals. The manuscript has many marginal notes and Old Testament references in Arabic, with Coptic numerals employed for chapter and verse citations. The marginalia may have been added by Wadi’ Muftah, whose name appears on the front endpapers. The text is complete and is in excellent condition. The binding is brown leather over boards with a flap. The scribe, date, and place of copying are not given. Chapter headings in the Gospel text are indicated in red. Saint Mark the Evangelist is held in special veneration as the founder of the Coptic Church in the first century AD. A short biography precedes the Gospel, covering his birth and apostolate with Jesus Christ, his residency in Alexandria, Egypt, and his martyrdom. The story is much the same as that recounted in modern versions of his life and reflects his centrality in Coptic Church history. Other prefatory material includes a table of contents with brief explanations of the events of each chapter. This work is part of the Iryan Moftah Collection of Coptic Books and Manuscripts at the American University in Cairo.
This manuscript copy of the Gospel of Saint Mark can be dated to the 18th century. The text is copied clearly and enclosed in a double-lined frame in red. The folios are numbered with Coptic numerals. The manuscript has many marginal notes and Old Testament references in Arabic, with Coptic numerals employed for chapter and verse citations. The marginalia may have been added by Wadi’ Muftah, whose name appears on the front endpapers. The text is complete and is in excellent condition. The binding is brown leather over boards with a flap. The scribe, date, and place of copying are not given. Chapter headings in the Gospel text are indicated in red. Saint Mark the Evangelist is held in special veneration as the founder of the Coptic Church in the first century AD. A short biography precedes the Gospel, covering his birth and apostolate with Jesus Christ, his residency in Alexandria, Egypt, and his martyrdom. The story is much the same as that recounted in modern versions of his life and reflects his centrality in Coptic Church history. Other prefatory material includes a table of contents with brief explanations of the events of each chapter. This work is part of the Iryan Moftah Collection of Coptic Books and Manuscripts at the American University in Cairo.