Folio. Syriac and Karshuni text printed in red and black within borders, manuscript note in Arabic at head of title-page, contemporary blind-tooled leather, rubbed & soiled, some soiling and wax stains, heavy in places, stamp on second leaf, top corners of few leaves torn away (not affecting text), leaves 2-3 becoming loose, Monastery of St Antony, Kozhaya, Lebanon, 1855.

Synopsis

RARE PUBLICATION FROM THE MONASTERY, WHICH STARTED PRINTING IN THE MIDDLE EAST IN 1584. Third edition of this liturgical text, the Maronite missal, with the text in Syriac and Garshuni (Arabic written in Syriac characters with diacritics), together with the portions of the Gospels appointed to be read at the same throughout the year; previously issued by the same press in 1816 and 1838. The translator, Jibra’il (Germanus or Gabriel)Farhat (1670-1732), was archbishop of Aleppo and a renowned Arabic scholar.
The monastery of St Antony in Kozhaya (or Qozhaya; sometimes Qazahya), in northern Lebanon, first began printing in 1584 with what is considered to be the first printing press in the Middle East.
Blibliographic reference: Moss, Syriac Printed Books in the British Museum, col. 651.