Am I a pointy headed intellectual or what?

A religion site I visit had a contest the other day. Name this book:

I wrote that it was likely a Missal for the Maronite Church.

Answer today: A Missal for the Maronite Church.





From the dust in my synapses:

1. The language was Syriac, a form of Aramaic. I do not know the language, but I recognize the script.


2. The date of printing was Rome 1762. What Christian group who use Syriac would likely be having a book printed in Rome in the 18th century? One which was in communion with Rome then and used the West Syrian Liturgy.

3. Hence...tick, tick, tick. The Maronites. Indigenous Lebanese Christians who maintained their faith after the imperialist and colonialist conquest by the Muslim Arabs. They have long been (or, according to many of them, have always been) in communion with Rome. And since they only use Syriac/Aramaic for worship, I guessed it was a missal.

No prize, alas. Just the pleasure of being right. (Kinda scary though.)