[The Lviv Gospel Book]. [Evangelion, or The Gospel of the Blessed Evangelists] [...] Lviv, 1690.

[Lviv Gospel Book].[Evangelion, that is, The Gospel of the Blessed Evangelists] [...] Lviv, 1690. [Printing House of the Stauropigial Brotherhood], folio, pp. [12], 412, woodcuts, period binding, board covered in velvet, with brass caps and fittings, decorated page edges.

E.XVI, 117. Printed in Cyrillic, in two colors (black and red ink). An Orthodox liturgical book containing the texts of the four Gospels, bearing witness to the flourishing development of Lviv’s multicultural society in the modern era. The title page is framed by a richly decorated border featuring Christ enthroned and images of Mary, St. John, the apostles, and Old Testament figures, including Moses, Elijah, and Isaiah; above the title is a medallion depicting the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On the reverse side of the title page is a full-page scene of the Crucifixion with an urban landscape in the background. The text contains 55 woodcuts, including 4 full-page ones depicting the Evangelists (signed on the block). The first printing house in Lviv was a Ruthenian press, and following the death of its owner, Ivan Moskvichin, it remained under the control of the Uspensky Brotherhood (a stauropegial institution), thus remaining independent of the local bishops. Having secured a monopoly on the printing of Ruthenian books, it was the only institution in Lviv and the surrounding area that published and distributed books in Cyrillic. The Uspensky Brotherhood (Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God), endowed with stauropigial privilege—which exempted it from the authority of the local hierarchy—was founded in Lviv in the 1580s on the initiative of Orthodox townspeople. For many years, it was a powerful institution of Orthodox religious and social life, effectively resisting recognition of the Union of Brest (until 1708). In addition to the printing house, it ran a school and a hospital. On the reverse side of the engraving depicting St. Luke the Evangelist, below the text, there is a handwritten note in Latin: October 5, 1777, during the general visitation of the parish church in Cisów (?) [most likely: Cisoviensis—Cisów, near Stanisławów (Ivano-Frankivsk)] was presented. Confirmed by: Visitor J. Piasecki (?), archdeacon of the cathedral chapter, official of the Archdiocese of Halych. A striking period binding: a board covered in velvet, typical of Orthodox liturgical prints. The front cover features rich decoration composed of brass inlays—in the center, a semi-relief crucifix, with the Virgin Mary and St. John the Evangelist mourning Christ. Above the group is a figure of God the Father, surrounded by the moon, the sun, and stars. In the corners of the plaque, in the upper right, is a figure of St. John the Evangelist. One clasp remains, bearing the image of St. Peter. There are bumps on the back cover. The velvet is worn in places; one clasp is missing, as are the images of the other Evangelists in the corners. Inside, there are traces of insect damage; the title page has been reinforced; there are handwritten notes in pen by a former owner; minor discoloration of the paper; tears and repairs on several pages (a few fragments have been hand-restored); otherwise, in good condition . Rare.