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Parsing the text of an old miniature book of the sixth century, scientists Harvard University suddenly discovered in it hitherto unknown “The Gospel of the Lot of Mary.” Researchers were surprised by the fact that in the manuscript does not say about the life of Jesus Christ, as it is “supposed” to every gospel, a unique old text turned out to be a collection divination – a fortune-telling book.
The unusual gospel came to Harvard University as a gift from daughter-in-law of Dikran Kelekyan, a famous antiquary. Book is written in a rare Coptic language and may well fit in the palm of your hand, her sizes – 7, 5 cm by 6, 9.
Anna Maria Leyendake, a manuscript reader, expected find in the book a description of the life of Christ, but the old text turned out to be a collection of divinations that should have been discovered at random page to find out your future.
There are 37 divinations based on 160 pages of the manuscript. traditional Christian texts, such as the Gospel of Luke, Matthew, Psalter, Epistle of James the Book of Job. However topics miracles, eternal life, God’s kingdom in the “Gospel of the lot of Mary” not mentioned. The author of a miniature book warns that the answers to questions that concern us in it can only be found by someone who cast aside doubt and believe in the power of divination.
We’re used to thinking the gospel is the story of the life of Jesus Christ, forgetting that the word “gospel” means primarily good a message such as that brought by the archangel Gabriel to the Mother of God, a mention about which the found manuscript begins. That people once considered good news a story about their own future, makes to think about the gospel in a broader sense.
The miniature size of the book is quite explainable: it was hidden in the sleeves clothes or worn in your pocket because even in those days the church did not recognize fortune-telling.
Leyendake believes that the “Gospel of Mary’s Lot” was used soothsayers of the Egyptian temple of St. Collouf. Arriving at this the temple pilgrims performed ablutions in the holy spring, which healed the sick, and … certainly turned to fortune-tellers in order to find out your near future.
A photo from open sources
A life
