Psalter

The book was printed at the printing house of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra in 1886. Printed in two colors (black and red), the text in Church Slavonic, set within a double frame: a thin one and one decorated with a floral ornament. Catchwords appear at the foot of the pages, with letter foliation in the upper right corner of the frame, decorated with running heads with ornamental patterns, headpieces, initials, and tailpieces. The edition contains two engravings: "The Dormition of the Mother of God" and "King David Playing the Lyre." The cover is of stiff cardboard, bound in dark-brown leather. At the center of the front cover is an eight-pointed cross within an oval cartouche of leaves; in the corners are four-petaled flowers inscribed in circles, with vignettes.

Donated to the museum by Liubov Vasylivna Kramarenko of Kharkiv in 1974.

Note: the Psalter is one of the most important Old Testament books of the Bible, containing 150 prayerful chants and psalms. Most of the psalms are traditionally attributed to King David. It is a collection of prayers combining repentance, the glorification of God, thanksgiving, and appeals to Him in life's most difficult circumstances. The text of the Psalter is divided into 20 sections — kathismata.