The history of the oldest Bible in the world is closely tied to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and its religious tradition. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church claims to possess one of the oldest Christian Bibles in the world, known as the "Garima Gospels." This ancient manuscript is revered as a sacred relic and a significant cultural and religious artifact

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1. Origin and Creation: The Garima Gospels are believed to have been created in the 5th century, making them one of the earliest Christian manuscripts. According to Ethiopian tradition, the Gospels were written and illustrated by a Christian monk named Abba Garima, who was renowned for his piety and devotion. Abba Garima is said to have completed the manuscript in isolation, with the help of angels who provided him with light to work during the night.
2. Preservation: The Garima Gospels have been remarkably well-preserved over the centuries. The remote location of their monastery, the Church of Abba Garima, located in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia, contributed to their survival. The dry climate of the Ethiopian highlands also played a role in preventing decay and deterioration.

1. Contents: The Garima Gospels consist of the four Gospels of the New Testament—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They are written in Ge'ez, an ancient Ethiopian language, and are adorned with intricate illustrations and decorations, making them not only a religious text but also a work of art.
2. Historical Significance: These ancient manuscripts are of immense historical and religious significance. They provide insight into early Christian traditions and practices in Ethiopia and represent a unique branch of Christianity that developed independently from the Western Christian traditions.

1. Rediscovery: The Garima Gospels were largely forgotten by the outside world until their rediscovery in the 1950s. At that time, a British art historian named Beatrice Playne visited the Church of Abba Garima and was astonished to find these ancient manuscripts in such pristine condition.
2. Protection and Conservation: Recognizing their importance, efforts were made to protect and conserve the Garima Gospels. Conservation work, including cleaning and restoration, was carried out to ensure their continued preservation.

1. Access and Study: While the Garima Gospels have been studied by scholars, access to these manuscripts has been limited. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church guards them closely, and they remain primarily in the Church's possession.
2. UNESCO Recognition: In 2010, the Garima Gospels were added to UNESCO's Memory of the World Register, which recognizes documentary heritage of global significance.

The Garima Gospels are a testament to the rich and ancient Christian tradition of Ethiopia, which dates back to the earliest days of Christianity. They continue to be a source of pride and reverence for Ethiopian Christians and are a significant part of the country's cultural and religious heritage.

Scientists finally read the oldest biblical text ever found

The charred lump of scroll sat in an archaeologist’s office, impossible to read without destroying it – until now.

Scientists finally read the oldest biblical text ever found using 'virtual unwrapping'

The 2,000-year-old scroll has been in the hands of archaeologists for decades. But it hasn’t been possible to read it, since it was too dangerous to open the charred and brittle scroll. Scientists have now been able to read it, using special imaging technology that can look into what’s inside. And it has found what was in there: the earliest evidence of a biblical text in its standardised form.

The passages, which come from the Book of Leviticus, show the first physical evidence of a long-held belief that the Hebrew Bible that’s in use today has is more than 2,000 years old.

The discovery was announced in an article in Science Advances written by researchers from Kentucky and Jerusalem. It described how the researchers used a tool called “virtual unwrapping”, which provides a 3D digital analysis of an X-ray scan.

By using that, it was the first time that researchers have been able to read an ancient scroll without actually opening it.

"You can't imagine the joy in the lab," said Pnina Shor of the Israel Antiquities Authority, who participated in the study. The digital technology, funded by Google and the U.S. National Science Foundation, is slated to be released to the public as open source software by the end of next year.

Researchers hope to use the technology to peek inside other ancient documents too fragile to unwrap, like some of the Dead Sea Scrolls and papyrus scrolls carbonized in the Mt. Vesuvius volcano eruption in 79 CE. Researchers believe the technology could also be applied to the fields of forensics, intelligence, and antiquities conservation.

The biblical scroll examined in the study was first discovered by archaeologists in 1970 at Ein Gedi, the site of an ancient Jewish community near the Dead Sea. Inside the ancient synagogue's ark, archaeologists found lumps of scroll fragments.

The synagogue was destroyed in an ancient fire, charring the scrolls. The drygs of unopened Dead Sea Scrolls.

"It's not only what was found, but the promise of what else it can uncover, which is what will turn this into an exciting discovery," Mizrahi said.

THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW: How many different types of Bibles are there? There are thousands of different Bibles, which are simply a collection of works that the sect views as canonical. The ultra-thin parchment was made of calf- or sheepskin. It is estimated that 350 animals had to give their hides for it. A whole cow or goat herd for a single Bible! A writer copying the Bible could rightly say of it, “holy cow!”

THINGS YOU MAY WANT TO SAVE: YOUR BIBLE

ZENTRAVELER SAYS: ANCIENT HISTORY CAN UNLOCK THE FUTURE

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