Some Comments on a Miniature in Mashtots’ Matenadaran Manuscript No. 316

Among the miniatures of this illuminated Gospel, attributed to the Artsakh-Utiķ school of miniature painting and produced at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries, the scene on folio 11r is of particular significance. It depicts Christ seated at a table surrounded by His eleven apostles, while Judas appears in the lower right corner, accompanied by the caption: “Judas took his jackpot and left.” Beyond its narrative value, this composition may also embody a pedagogical symbolism: Christ appears here not only as the divine teacher but as a didaskalos, surrounded by his disciples in the mode of instruction and this image may be interpreted within the conceptual framework of encyclical education. The notion of “sitting in a circle while studying” finds echoes in Armenian written sources, which employ expressions such as ներշրջական արտաքին ուսմանցն, շուրջ եկեալ վարդապետութիւն, or մօտն շուրջն նստէին (“they sat in a circle closely around him”). These phrases, based on the literal renderings of the word encyclical—derived from the Greek ἐγκύκλιος (en- “in” + kyklos “circle”)—suggest that this format of teaching, centered on dialogue and proximity within a circular arrangement, i.e. while sitting in a circle–was known and conceptually valued in medieval Armenian thought. The act of sitting in a circle while studying can be traced back to antiquity, where it promoted attentiveness, intellectual exchange, and a sense of equality among participants. Thus, this miniature may be read not only as a biblical illustration of the Last Supper but also as a visual metaphor for communal learning and spiritual instruction—an image where theology, pedagogy, and artistry converge in the ideal of encyclical, or circular, education.