Armenian Island

 The Armenians are a very proud, but under-recognised people. 

Armenians have a deeply rooted presence in Venice dating back to the 6th century, establishing a significant cultural and merchant community. The centre of this community is the island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni, granted to Armenian Mekhitarist monks in 1717, which serves as a world-renowned monastery, library, and museum containing over 4,000 Armenian manuscripts. (Google AI overview)

We visited the Armenian Island yesterday. What a gem! A beautifully maintained monastery, I think currently 8 monks, and we saw several who said hello. Their church was very bright blue, a bit new to us in Venice. By far the prettiest church.

It was originally a leper colony, a disease which is highly contagious and gives rise to hideous deformities of the face and limbs. So infected people were sent to isolated communities, especially to islands. There was the remains of a bricked in archway, were the lepers were able to hear mass from outside the church itself.

The monks had been scholars, of course, and collectors. They became an important teaching fraternity and were always on the lookout for 'collectables'. They had also established an important publishing arm. Because of these things, Napoleon did not close down the Armenian Church on the island. In 1797 he kept open about 6 churches, all the big cathedrals, but closing dozens of smaller parish ones.

Napoleon saves Armenian Church

In the collection were ancient human figurines, Egyptian mummy and sarcophagus - not made initially for this person, it had to be whittled down to make room for current occupant! There were coins, crockery, little urns, embroideries, swords and portraits. 

Nave curtain to hide the priest from the people, now behind glass

But the best of all was the Library of ancient texts, and books printed in armenian script. Sometime about the 5th century, the Armenians defined their own script containing 38 letters, as a phonetic alphabet.

There were so many treasures here. No crowds. The vaporettos only go once an hour to and from the islands, although we got a private water taxi back because of the worsening weather. 

This was one of my most enjoyed places, the guide was very pleasant and knowledgeable, but they all have been in truth. It was so peaceful, and in current use, and really a surprise at every turn that was not just simple awe. I bought a little book in the gift shop called 'The History of My Ancestors', great title, but more of a kids history book of Armenian myths and legends. Possibly some real history, but I have not yet read it.