Sculptor Raffi Yedalian has donated his bronze sculpture of Hakob Meghapart to Matenadaran. This sculpture, created in 2012, commemorates the 500th anniversary of the first Armenian printed book, “Urbatagirk” (“The Book of Friday”). Pope Benedict XVI performed the unveiling and blessing of the statue. The monument, titled “Hakob Meghapart,” is located in the Zmmar Congregation area in Lebanon, and the bronze sculpture is part of the collection of Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican. In his speech, Ara Khzmalyan, the director of Matenadaran, emphasized the significance of creatively reinterpreting and appropriating past values, an essential focus of the exhibition activities in Matenadaran. He expressed that this approach helps to renew our perspective on renowned figures from the Middle Ages, allowing them to serve as a lasting source of inspiration. The sculpture will be included in the permanent exhibition and displayed alongside the “Urbatagirk.”
