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Princeton Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Egyptian Miracles of Mary (PEMM) project
Princeton Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Egyptian Miracles of Mary (PEMM) project

British Library, "Orient" Collection, Manuscript No. 640

This Geʿez language manuscript was created between 1708 and 1711. This date is estimated, based on the reigning Ethiopian royal ruler's name appearing in the manuscript. The royal ruler's name mentioned in the manuscript is Tewoflos.

This manuscript is held in the repository of British Library in their "Orient" Collection in London, UK. This manuscript's last known location in Ethiopia was South: taken from King Tewodros's royal library in Magdala.

To view the manuscript, go to the digital copy.

This manuscript has a high number of Marian miracle stories: 155.

This manuscript has no paintings of Marian miracle stories, but it does have 4 paintings of Mary and events in her life. To see the paintings in this manuscript, go to its PEMM Paintings by Manuscript page.

This manuscript has a total of 256 folios. It has 2 columns per page and approximately 20 lines per column.

The stories in this manuscript were cataloged by Jeremy R. Brown. Assistance and/or typing of incipits by Bret Windhauser.

The PEMM abbreviation for this manuscript is BOr (BL) 640.

The Beta Maṣāḥǝft abbreviation for this manuscript is BLorient640. Other shelfmarks and/or abbreviations for this manuscript include British Library Orient 640; British Library Or 640.

Regarding this manuscript's repository:

The British Library collection of over 600 Ethiopian/Eritrean manuscripts is one of the largest and most studied collections outside of Ethiopia and Eritrea. The acquisition of manuscripts began under the auspices of the British Museum in 1753. The collection has over thirty Täˀammərä Maryam manuscripts. This collection includes 349 manuscripts looted by British forces from the Ethiopian stronghold at Magdala in 1868. Multiple catalogs of this large collection have been prepared, by August Dillmann (1847), William Wright (1870), and Stefan Strelcyn (1978). View more information about this collection.

For more information about understanding this table, see Using This Site. If you think any of the information on this page is incorrect (e.g., the location, date, folios, story IDs), please use our PEMM Feedback Form to let us know. We depend on users like you to improve the site.

BOr (BL) 640

Order in MS
Story Title
Location in MS
Paintings
Story Recension
Incipit
Other Aspects
Story ID
1Book of Vision of Theophilus of Alexandria: Part 1 or 1.1: Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria has a vision of the Virgin Mary telling him about the Holy Family's flight to Egyptf. 9r-18v, col. 1, line 90---1-A
2Book of Vision of Theophilus of Alexandria: Part 2: The Virgin Mary relates how Satan urged King Herod to pursue the Holy Familyf. 18v-21r, col. 1, line 140---2
3Book of Vision of Theophilus of Alexandria: Part 3: The Holy Family returns to Egyptf. 21r-23r, col. 1, line 30---3
4Deacon Michael, who was a grocer, and his stolen ring that the Virgin Mary helped to retrieve from a fishf. 23r-27r, col. 2, line 130---4
5The innocent Frenchman who was framed for theft by a spurned innkeeper’s daughter and was hanged but did not dief. 27r-33r, col. 2, line 80---5
6The Arabs who tried to plunder an Egyptian monastery during a famine in the time of the Patriarch Matthew and kidnap a monk when thwartedf. 33r-35r, col. 1, line 60---6
7Dabra Qalemon's monk who humbly pretends not to fast and is saved from his brothers by the Virgin Mary.f. 35r-38v, col. 2, line 180EMML (HMML) 6938--7
8Dabra Qalemon's monks who are robbed by Berbers and aided by Arabsf. 38v-41r, col. 2, line 10---8
9Dabra Qalemon's tailor, Jacob the Short, has his scissors stolen and the thief falls ill until he returns themf. 41r-43r, col. 1, line 200---9
10Dabra ʾƎntsǝnā's Abbot Raphael who refused to hear the sacrament of confession during the time of Patriarch Abba Matthew of Alexandriaf. 43r-44v, col. 1, line 150---10
11Dabra Qalemon's icon of the Virgin Mary and the Arab who has contempt for it and is punished during the time of Patriarch Gabriel IV of Alexandria (1370-1378)f. 44v-46r, col. 2, line 140---11
12Patriarch Gabriel Ibn Tarik of Alexandria who composed the Masehafa Hawi (The Book of the Collector), a collection of Christian doctrine and theologyf. 46r-48r, col. 1, line 90---12
13Dabra Qalemon's gifts from two Arabs who, journeying on the Nile in Egypt, fall into the water due to a storm and are saved from crocodilesf. 48r-49r, col. 2, line 190EMML (HMML) 6938--16
14Nekwal, the deacon from Marg and Kem near Cairo in Egypt, who spent his Muslim master’s money on the poorf. 49r-50v, col. 2, line 150---17
15The priest from Nardin, Egypt, who lived piously with a nun but was accused of sexual immoralityf. 50v-53r, col. 1, line 30---18
16The Egyptian monk Issac who prayed every night for seven years that the Virgin Mary would appear to himf. 53r-53v, col. 1, line 20EMML (HMML) 4205--19
17Dabra Qalemon's icon of the Virgin Mary heals an Arab woman who had suffered from an issue of blood for many yearsf. 53v-55r, col. 2, line 180---20
18John who found a stolen book, of the Acts of Saint Juliana and Saint Barbara, on the church altar due to a vision of Mary, Juliana, and Barbaraf. 55r-57r, col. 1, line 100---21
19The priest who accidentally knocked down the lamp hanging before the icon of the Virgin Mary and yet it did not spill or go outf. 57r-57v, col. 1, line 20---22
20Two monks from the monastery of Saint Victor and the old man who stole from them and was punishedf. 57v-59r, col. 2, line 90---23
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pricenton ethiopian eritrean & egyptian miracles of marry project

The Princeton Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Egyptian Miracles of Mary (PEMM) project is a comprehensive resource for the 1,000+ miracle stories written about and the 2,500+ images painted of the Virgin Mary in these African countries, and preserved in Geʿez between 1300 and the present.

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