An exhibition titled "Pious Hands: Nuns’ scriptoria in Southern Armenia in 17th Century", curated by armenologist J. Dum-Tragut, Austria, has opened at the Matenadaran.

The work and contribution of the nuns of Syunik, Nakhichevan, and Artsakh in the 17th–18th centuries have been almost consigned to oblivion. Yet the nunneries and the manuscripts produced within their walls stand as unique expressions of Armenia’s spiritual and cultural heritage. The manuscripts created by the consecrated hands of these virgins remain the sole surviving witnesses to their lives and devotional pursuits, as well as to the history and spirit of their surroundings, their hermitages and their life. This exhibition is a result of the interdisciplinary the research of J. Dum-Tragut on the fragile tangible and intangible heritage of Armenian nunneries.

This exhibition offers a distinctive reappraisal of a significant treasury of Armenia’s spiritual legacy.