The ”Lemberger Evangeliar” (Lemberg Gospel), produced in 1198/1199, is a first-class monument of the early book illumination in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (present-day south-eastern Turkey). It has been known to researchers of the history of art since 1910, however, was presumed to be missing after the 2nd World War. In 1993 it was unexpectedly re-discovered in the cathedral archives of Gnesen (Poland). In the course of the evacuation of the Lemberg uniated Armenian community by the Soviet Russians during 1945/1946 it reached Poland and has remained in the Gnesen cathedral archives since 1985. It came to Warsaw during the middle of 1997.
The book illuminations of the manuscript are unusually extravagant and extensive. It begins with the letter of Eusebios from Caesara to Karpanios in which he describes the system of his Canon Tables on the books of the gospel. This is followed by Canon Tables I-VIII decorated with extremely sophisticated ornaments, then, at the beginning of each gospel, in total four full-page pictures of the evangelists as well as the artistically decorated beginning parts of the relevant gospels in ornamental letters opposite the pictures. The following texts of the gospels themselves are decorated with numerous ornamental and scenic border miniature figures.
The manuscript was produced in the Cilician Taurus monasteries of Mlidsch and Skevra by the writer and book illuminator Gregor who is also known for his other illuminated manuscripts. He was commissioned by a priest Stephanos (Adam) who also obtained the extremely fine parchment from Cyprus.
This edition contains all full-page miniatures of the gospels in facsimile as well as numerous coloured illustrations of his other scenic or ornamental border and text miniatures. Various contributions, including a brief description of the gospel, give a detailed explanation and documentation of the rank of the gospel and its miniatures in the history of art. In addition, the history of the manuscript itself, its restoration which took place in Mainz as well as the cultural-historical surroundings of the Armenian monasteries where it originated are described in this work.