ΨΥΧΗΣ ΙΑΤΡΕΙΟΝ

HARBOUR OF THE SOUL

In the thousand-year-old manuscript library of the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian on Patmos, Greece, Nicolas Mirzayantz photographs one of the most significant Byzantine collections in the world: books he cannot read, in a language he does not speak.

Drawn instead to what the worn pages reveal about touch, time, and devotion, the work asks what survives across centuries when made with meaning, and what doesn’t.

Worm holes, water stains, marbled endpapers, a librarian’s hands on a binding: the photographs stay close to the material itself, letting damage and care sit side by side as part of the same history.

The project extends beyond the library itself, into Chora, the village that has kept it, its people, and its daily life.

Access to the library came through the monastery’s librarian, whose father held the role before him.

A close-up image of a colorful mineral or rock with intricate patterns and textures, featuring shades of pink, yellow, black, blue, and beige.
Black and white photograph of a cityscape with numerous buildings, a castle on a hilltop, and a person riding a horse in the foreground. The image appears aged and is partially covered by a label with handwritten text.
A black and white photo of a narrow alley with stone walls, uneven stone steps, a small tucked-away door, and a person walking away in the distance.
A black-and-white photograph of a decorative empty picture frame hanging on a plain wall and a vintage key on the floor below it.
A person working on an art project with a large canvas displaying a painting of flowers, set in an art studio or workshop.
A black and white photo of a patio area with potted plants, a table with an oval stone and a tile tabletop, multiple potted plants, a closed glass door, and patterned curtains. Shadows from the plants cast pattern on the walls and floor.
Close-up of an old, weathered, metallic surface with engraved or faintly visible words that are partially illegible.
A close-up view of a fluorescent light fixture on the ceiling, casting bright light onto a textured, cracked concrete surface.
Fragmented ancient manuscript with Greek script, damaged and cracked, with black ink drunk splatters on aged, torn parchment.
A close-up black and white photo of a tree trunk with rough bark, showing peeling layers and holes.
A cluttered table with various papers, cardboard boxes, and wrapping paper next to a bookcase filled with books.
A cluttered room with various electronic and office equipment, including an old television, a keyboard, a computer tower, a monitor, and a printer. There is also a decorative sculpture of a lady holding a tall staff or object in the center. The backg
Close-up of a row of cheese wedges with textured surfaces, black background
A large stack of black and white newspapers placed on a black background.
Close-up of a tree trunk's cross-section showing growth rings, with a prominent crack down the middle, in black and white.
An elderly man with a long white beard, glasses, and a hat, sitting on a stone ledge with a walking cane in hand, in front of a stone building.
Black and white photograph with scattered blurred white circular shapes on a textured surface.
Stack of old, worn books with damaged covers and torn pages placed on a dark surface in black and white.
Close-up black and white photograph of old, worn books and paper materials with torn and frayed edges stacked vertically.
Close-up of rotted and peeling wood with torn paper and fibers attached.
Black and white photograph of an open book displaying a map of the world with the continents outlined and filled with artistic abstract lines and patterns.
Hand-drawn sketch of a human figure with an animal head and an arrow pointing to the head, surrounded by handwritten text.
Black and white sketch of a person's profile with a speech bubble coming from their mouth, containing a small black square with an X inside. The sketch includes decorative swirls around the head and part of a coat or clothing with a checkered pattern
Close-up black and white photograph of old, worn books with visible pages and bookmarks, arranged upright on a shelf.
A close-up of an old handwritten mathematical or scientific notes with numbers, calculations, and sketches on aged paper.
Black and white photo of organized workspace with shelves filled with stacks of papers, a door, a desk with a computer, and a lamp.
Black and white photo of a landscape showing white colonial style buildings on a hillside, with mountain peaks, a river or lake, and hills in the background under a cloudy sky.
Black and white photo of a narrow alleyway with white walls and a stone floor, showing shadows cast by the sunlight on the walls.
A metal crucifix depicting Jesus Christ on a pink wall with small, evenly spaced holes and scattered dark spots.
Black and white photo of a row of wooden chairs with high backs in a room with a window and a textured wall.