October 31, 2025 — The GAIDZ Charitable Foundation proudly announces a groundbreaking research initiative to produce the first critical edition of the 14th-century Armenian theologian St. Yovhan Orotneci's commentary on the letters of the Apostle Paul. This landmark project fills a major gap in the study of medieval Armenian biblical exegesis and will make Orotneci’s work accessible in both modern Armenian and English.
St. Yovhan Orotneci, a leading Armenian philosopher, theologian and exegete of the 14th century, composed extensive biblical commentaries that have largely remained inaccessible to the global academic community and the average reader. GAIDZ’s initiative represents a vital step in preserving and sharing Armenia’s rich patristic literature and medieval biblical scholarship.
The first phase of the project focuses on Orotneci’s commentary on St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. All known manuscripts, scattered across monasteries and libraries worldwide, have been digitized, and a dedicated research team has been assembled. This phase is made possible primarily through the generous support of UK-based Armenian business NYRAF in partnership with GAIDZ.
An international team of scholars, including doctoral and postdoctoral researchers specializing in biblical studies and Classical Armenian philology, will lead the project. Under the supervision of Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, Director of the “Karekin I Educational Center” of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the team will study and decipher fifteen Classical Arhmenian manuscripts currently held in repositories across Armenia, Jerusalem, Lebanon, Paris, and Venice.
The team will produce a critical edition of the Classical Armenian text in electronic format, accompanied by English and modern Armenian translations and a comprehensive introduction that contextualizes the commentary’s theological significance and relevance to contemporary biblical scholarship. This publication represents the first modern edition of Orotneci's work on Ephesians and launches a multi-volume series that will eventually cover all his commentaries on the Pauline epistles.
This project exemplifies collaborative international scholarship, uniting manuscript repositories, academic institutions, and philanthropic organizations to advance knowledge of Armenia’s theological and intellectual heritage. Read more about this and other initivates of GAIDZ by visiting the website: www.gaidz.net