Dale A. Johnson, A Catalogue of Syriac Manuscripts in the Library of the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem (2007)
by the Rev. Father Dale A. Johnson (Bar Yohanon)
The path to manuscript recoveries is often arduous and fraught with difficulties. But the rewards are beyond one's dreams if oriental patience and diplomacy are employed. No less a path of difficulty and frustration was to be encountered with this collection.
In the Spring of 1984, with the help of Arthur Voobus who had previously seen this collection, I negotiated for a month with the Greek Patriarchate to photograph a few examples of their Syriac manuscripts. After week of waiting and the giving of gifts, I was given brief access to the documents. They were in terrible condition. A few photos of colophons were deposited in the Arthur Voobus Syriac Manuscript collection at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
Upon my return to Jerusalem in the Spring of 1987 I pursued the possibility of photographing the entire collection. Again I was met with delay and Byzantine tactics. Yet when I was finally given an audience with the secretary to the Patriarch, Father Timothy, he cleared the seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Even for him it was difficult to find a way to allow me to study and record this collection.
We agreed that the collection had to be catalogued. Fr. Timothy negotiated with the librarian who was suspicious to say the least. Yet in spite of initial refusals, Fr. Timothy secured a way for this work to be accomplished.
It is difficult to know, after more than 20 years how much of this collection remains intact. The state of the collection at the time I saw it was very poor and I have not read any report to give me hope that the situation has improved.
Overview of the Manuscripts
The School of Nisibis was founded sometime before 489 AD. Founded by Simeon it was transformed by the arrival of Narsai. Narsai left the School of Edessa, the first Christian University, sometime before 489 AD and migrated to Nisibis through the invitation of Barsauma, Bishop of the city. This virtually insured Narsai's success. A building was purchased and the school moved out of the old facilities. New construction commenced and through the experienced leadership of Narsai the school got off to an extraordinary start.
Both Narsai and Barsauma wrote the rules of the school. From these records we learn that reading, writing, and grammar constituted the core curriculum. Joseph Huzuya wrote the first Syriac grammar under the instruction of Narsai. The theology of the school was driven by the writings of Theodore. The three year course emphasized the historical and literary aspects of scripture rather than the allegorical method used in the West. The teaching involved correct recitation of liturgy and music.
From the origins of the School of Nisibis we see the literary traditions form into the texts that are found in this catalogue.
There are 48 Syriac manuscripts in this body of material. The manuscripts are of a distinctive theological character and period.
The manuscripts range in age from 1251 AD to 1880 AD, although most of the manuscripts are 15th and 16th centuries. The oldest manuscript is a document known as the liturgy for the Feast of Rogations of the Ninivites (MS. 37). The next oldest is a New Testament Text with the expected omission of the books of Revelation and of the four Catholic Epistles dated 1261 AD.
There are four Old Testament records. MS Syr. Gr. Pat. 7 is a Psalter. At the back of the manuscript is a record of prohibitions against Thomas of Harkel's texts. According to this colophon, his text was made at Alexandria in 614 AD. Thomas was a Bishop of Mabbug. His works included commentaries on all the books of the New Testament including the Apocalypse, II and III John, II Peter, and Jude.
The texts of Thomas were heavily Hellenized, perhaps as a revision of a prior work by Philoxenus who translated the Greek into Syriac. The textual tradition squeezed the Syriac into a Greek mold. It crushed the beauty and antiquity of the Semitic forms preserved in the Syriac. One can easily understand the resistance in the East to this nearly complete destruction of the language of the liturgy and scripture at the School of Nisibis.
Another supplement in this manuscript is the record of the words of Mar Aba. He was an extraordinary man born of a Zoroastrian family. He was a student at Nisibis and later in Edessa where he received instruction in Greek. Apparently, he travelled extensively throughout the Byzantine world after his student years. Eventually he returned to Nisibis where he became a famous teacher. When the Catholicos Paul died, he was the choice of the bishops to lead the Assyrian Church of the East. It was a job that demanded political skills. His enemies looked for evidence of Zoroastrian beliefs that would corrupt the pure faith.
During his period of rule many people from the West were transported into the Persian territories as prisoners of war. They were integrated into the Christian communities of Persia such as Gunduk Shapur. In spite of the many problems in this war torn period, Mar Aba was able to convene a Synod in 544 AD. According to records he may have been under house arrest at this time. Zoroastrian leaders of Persia were hostile to Christians. But with Mar Aba, even though he was under house arrest, he was able to carry on some of his duties. The Magi did ask him to recind the church laws regarding marriage and evangelism. Mar Aba refused.
In 548 AD an assassination attempt was made upon his life by an excommunicated member. There is record of an excommunication of Abraham, son of Audmir, who did not repent and was deprived of all his former religious privileges. The excommunication order is signed by Mar Aba and eight other bishops. Due to the attempt on his life, he was moved to Selucia where he was a guest of the Royal Court much to the protests of the Magi priests. Mar Aba was used by the Royal family to help suppress a revolt from Anoshazad in Beth Lapat. For this service the King seems to have freed Mar Aba who later died in 1552 AD.
The next Old Testament manuscript is Syr. Gr. Pat. 15. It too is a Psalter. The name of a nun appears in the document. Bart Balgana but no record of her existence can be found in any other source even though we have female saints listed in such manuscripts such as Cod. Sinaiticus, a palimpsest, titled, Lives of Female Saints. More than likely she is the copyist of this text.
A third Old Testament manuscript on the minor prophets, Syr. Gr. Pat. 20, may be of special interest for its extra-canonical material. The story of Bel and the Dragon appears in the manuscript. This story is about an episode in the life of the Prophet Daniel. Daniel challenged the King and the priests of Bel to a contest. Daniel fed the Dragon of Bel and caused it to burst and thereby Daniel claimed victory. Then with the help of Habakkuk he suppressed a revolt of the people. The story captivated the minds of the early church. Its Aramaic quality flowed through the life and culture of the Syriac speaking world. The document has implications for linguistic and biblical studies.
The fourth Old Testament manuscript in this body of materials is Syr. Gr. Pat. 25. This also is a Psalter. The Psalms of David were important in the devotional life of the church and as such frequently appears in church collections.
Syr. Gr. Pat. 1 is perhaps the most important manuscript in this collection. Its appearance deepens our understanding of the Syriac textual tradition. The text is an Old Syriac form that emerged prior to the Peshitta, a late 4th century document that became the standard New Testament text of the Syriac speaking churches. We know that Old Syriac was used by Ephraim, Aphrahaat. Also Eusebius clearly uses this text in his Theophania of 333 AD. Arthus Voobus believes that its origin "probably belongs to the third century." Burkitt suggested 200 AD but was challenged by LaGrange who placed the Vetus Syrus at the beginning of the 4th century.
general it can be said that the text emerges sometimes in the 3rd century. It could not have been created prior to 170 AD when Tatian is generally believed to have written the Gospel of Harmony known as the Diatessaron (and also in other places). The Old Syriac is a synthesis of the Diatesseron and the Four-Gospel form.
The Old Syriac text was known as the Mepharesshe, the separated gospels. This title was preserved by the copiest of Syr. Gr. Pat. 1. Until the appearance of this text, only two other Old Syriac manuscripts of this text type were known, the Curetonian and the Sinaiticus. Because the manuscript is in a lectionary format it has escaped the attention of western scholars. Since the appearance of this text in the Greek Patriarchate, a few other manuscripts have been found to harbor Old Syriac text types, such as a lectionary at Mor Gabriel Monastery and another from one of the churches in Tur Abdin. Its microfilm is housed at the Lutheran Institute for Syriac Studies. Furthermore, because the manuscript has resided in a Greek monastery, this is another reason it has escaped notice.
Manuscripts Syr. Gr. Pat. 26 and 40 are pericopes of New Testament texts. They should be of enormous interest as they contain catena and references to other text types and variants.
There are eight hymnbooks in this collection. Syr. Gr. Pat. 2 features several important hymn writers. Gabriel of Mosul was the founder of the Upper Monastery in Mosul. Founded before Gabriel's death in 739 AD, it became the center for a major liturgical reform. The movement was as significant in scope and importance as was the Franciscan Latin reform of 1250 AD. Also the hymns of Giwargis Warda are listed. Giwargis wrote his hymns in the first part of the 13th century.
In Syr. Gr. Pat. 23, Mar Ishoyab of Beth Arbaye is mentioned. He instituted a Synod in 585 AD late in his administration. Due to war and theological battles, Ishoyab was plagued by conflict. On the one side, Khusro II aligned himself with Emperor Maurice in order to overthrow the Persian throne. The studied neutrality of Ishoyab caused deep resentment from Khusro. On the other side was the famed teacher Henana of Nisibis who complained about the theology of Isoyab and the Assyrian Church of the East. Still, Isoyab was able to write important documents in the midst of these conflicts.
Syr. Gr. Pat. 31 is another example of a hymnbook of the same type as the previously mentioned two. Here we have the name of Bardaisan, the father of Syriac poetry and contributor to the development of the Syriac language. Bardaisan was bishop Edessa in 154 AD and he is best known for his Hymns Against Heresies and Prose Refutations.
Syr. Gr. Pat. 38 are the hymns of Giwargis Warda exclusively. His works are interesting in light of the fact that he quotes from the Old Testament. Thus, in the 13th century, there is a line of transmission through this manuscript of an ancient strata of literature.
Hymnbook Syr. Gr. Pat. 5 is a lectionary companion. It was to be used in conjunction with the daily scripture lections. Designated hymns were ordered according to the days of the year.
Hymnbook Syr. Gr. Pat 28 is ordered according to the eight tones. For students of liturgy and musicology it may hold important clues to the historical development of these areas of research.
There are three lectionaries in the collection. Syr. Gr. Pat. 3 is a daily lectionary and a product of late lectionary development.
Syr. Gr. Pat. 4 may be of more value as it includes much information about the Holy Feasts of the year.
Syr. Gr. Pat. 6 includes a menologion with the lectionary. Materials relating to saints of the church are buried within this enormous tome.
This is the biggest category of the collection. Syr. Gr. Pat. 13 is a service book for the priest. Syr. Gr. Pat. 16 is a service book for vespers. Likewise Syr. Gr. Pat. 18 is a prayerbook for the mornings of various feasts. It is interesting to note that the author of this document is the famous grammarian Eliya bar Shinaya.
Syr. Gr. Pat. 19 is a servicebook for Easter/Passover. Both 18 and 19 have residual Jewish characteristics that show through. From the earliest times, Eastern Christianity bore the mark of Jewish origins. The Chronicle of Arbela list a number of bishops who have Jewish names. Addai, who is said to be the founder of the Christian church in Edessa, met with the Jew Tobias upon his arrival in the city. Later the heads of the schools in Edessa and Nisibis are called Rabban. It seems that a symbiotic link between the synagogue and the church in diaspora is a primary characteristic of Christianity in the East.
Two other manuscripts reflect the deep impression cast by monastic communities. Syr. Gr. Pat. 21 and 28 are service books for monks. The first one is a liturgy. Monks conducted worship for the laity. This often was a source of conflict between the priests and monks. At times, the clergy scolded the laity for seeking spiritual enrichment and even the sacraments from monks. Driven by a love for God, and the failure of the clergy to serve their needs, the laity often abandoned the clergy directed services on Sunday for the sanctity of monastic worship. A canon of 585 AD states that the laity are forbidden to neglect Sunday services and festivals but they are allowed to visit monks during the weekdays.
Some monks were called Bet Qayama, Sons of the Covenant, and likewise female solitaries were called Daughters of the Covenant. They were the spiritual athletes and preservers of the true way. The clergy, on the other hand, tended to be worldly and despotic in the eyes of the laity. Thus, there were many battles for liturgical leadership as evidenced in the Synod canons.
Syr. Gr. Pat. 24 contains three documents. The first document is a loyalty oath for monks. This must have been demanded from various Kings as eastern Christians were plagued by invading armies in nearly every generation. This document is followed by a section of psalmody. Finally, the third part is a list of the sayings of John bar Penkaye who wrote a remarkable history of the world.
Manuscripts Syr. Gr. Pat. 27 and 29 are prayer books. MS. 27 has general prayers while MS. 29 contains evening prayers similar to Syr. Gr. Pat. 16. Syr. Gr. Pat. 35 is a service book for priests. This text is undated and its value is limited although it appears to probably not much earlier that the 17th century.
The oldest manuscript is Syr. Gr. Pat. 37. Writings about the Rogation of the Ninivites is a major portion of the document. Students of Syrian Liturgy may find this volume especially useful. Also Syr. Gr. Pat. 44 and 50 are special services. MS. 44 is a monastic service of procession and MS. 50 is a service of blessing for children.
Syr. Gr. Pat. 43 is another service book of prayer for evening which is the third such manuscript of this type.
Syr. Gr. Pat. 48 is a funeral service for priests.
There are six theological manuscripts. They reveal the primary doctrines and dogmas of the Assyrian Church of the East. Syr. Gr. Pat. 8 is the most definitive of the records. Syr. Gr. Pat. 36 and 42 indicate how people are to enter into religious vocation. These guides are titled "The Teaching of the Orders."
Manuscript Syr. Gr. Pat. 39 and 46 are documents on Christology. These reveal understandings of the nature of Christ from his incarnation to his Resurrection.
There are two commentaries in this collection. Both are of considerable importance.
Syr. Gr. Pat. 10 is a commentary of Ishodad of Merv, a 9th century east Syrian exegete. His quotations should be of special interest to those engaged in the study of this important saint. Recovery of Old Syriac texts and perhaps even diatesseron material may await discovery.
Syr. Gr. Pat. 34 is a major discovery of Emmanuel of Mosul who wrote the Hexameron, which has escaped serious attention because of the paucity of manuscripts. This is a poetic commentary on the six days of creation. Many Church Fathers wrote extensively in this area: Rabban Gabriel of Katar, Mar Aba, Basil, Babai, Theodore of Mopsuestia, and others.
There are three sermon manuscripts in the collection. The first one is by Abdisho who wrote a catalogue of Syriac works. This is an invaluable document for without it we would not be able to identify some manuscripts. Syr. Gr. Pat. 11 allows us to view the theological landscape of this scholar's mind.
The second book of sermons is also by Abdisho. We can see that his mind was directed to the great personalities of scripture. John the Baptist, Peter and Paul, the Evangelists, and Stephen are the subjects of his homilies. They are written after the manner of Harmonius and Ephrem who created powerful sermonic traditions of metrical writings.
The third and final sermon book is a set of funeral sermons. There are from an unknown author and from an unknown time. The colophon is missing.
There are two history manuscripts. The first is a remarkable document that includes twenty-three accounts of various saints, evangelists, and martyrs. It does include a section on the words of Jesus also.
Most notable is a text on Rabban Khormizd who was immortalized by monk Shemon in his History of Rabban Khormizd. Professor Voobus writes, In every instance where he presents the Gospel text we meet with readings taken from the Old Syriac Gospel type. A careful study of this phenomenon should be checked in this manuscript Syr. Gr. Pat. 17.
Syr. Gr. Pat. 22 is important for our understanding of the history of the Assyrian Church of the East. Of special importance is a study on the life of Theodore of Mopsuestia in this work.. He was the teacher and primary influence on Nestorius.
There is one grammar. Syr. Gr. Pat. 30 was written by Elias bar Shinaya. Elias lived during the 11th century in the autumn of the Syriac age.
Syriac literature falls into three periods. The first ended with the schism between western and eastern syriac churches over the writings of Nestorius. He was condemned in 431 AD. The closing of the school at Edessa was the final blow that eliminated any hope of compromise on theological grounds in 489 AD. With the rise of the school of Nisibis slightly before the 6th century and extending into the Islamic period until the end of the millennium constitutes the second period. Clearly, Syriac developed into two distinct dialects and grammars. The third period opens with Bar Hebraeus, Elias Tirhan, and Elias bar Shinaya. In this period Arabic gains some influence over Syriac. Nevertheless, linguistic achievements rose to supreme heights at the very point where the living language was gasping for breath.
Elias bar Shinaya formalized the East Syrian dialect along with his contemporary Elias Tirhan. The grammar in this collection was copied within one hundred years of its origin. It appears to be the oldest known copy of Elias' grammar.
Syr. Gr. Pat. 1
Size: 58x40 cm
Pages: 124
Title: Holy Scriptures of the Reverend Gospels, the
Mepharreshe
Comment:Preserves a strata of Old Syriac quotations.
Date: 1679 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 2
Size: 31x20 cm
Pages: 167
Title: Hymns
Comment: Hymns contain hagiographal material on Giorgi
Barda, Kamis bar Kardaki, and many others.
Date: ?
Syr. Gr. Pat. 3
Size: 31x20 cm
Pages: 449
Title: The Final Liturgy and Scriptures that are being
offered Each Day of the Year
Comment: Lectionary and Service book combined.
Appears to have been made in Mardin.
Date: 1560 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 4
Size: 29x18 cm
Pages: 363
Title: Treasury of Days of Feasts of the
Administration and Memorials that are on Fridays that
are conducted throughout the whole year in homes and
churches.
Comment:
Date: 1586 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 5
Size: 26x20 cm
Pages: 162
Title: Liturgy of Anthems (Kudrah) Ordered according
to the Days
Comment:
Date: 1711 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 6
Size: 26x20
Pages: 552
Title: Treasury of Supreme Feasts and Memorials of
processions of All the Year
Comment: Festival Breviary
Date: 1645 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 7
Size: 22.5x17 cm
Pages: 143
Title: Writings of the Sayings of the Blessed David
King and Prophet, Heart of the Lord with Divine
Prohibitions to Mat Thomas Issuer of the Holy
Scriptures and the Memorials of the Statements to Mar
Aba Catholicos.
Comment:
Date: 1588 AD with and addition dated 1724 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 8
Size: 26x16 cm
Pages: 132
Title: Kephalia, that is to say the chief doctrines of
the learned and studious.
Comment: This is a theological and doctrinal text.
Date: 1554 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 9
Size: 25x17 cm
Pages: 250
Title: The New Testamentv
Comment: All books but Revelation, Jude, II and III
John and II Peter.
Date: 1261 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 10
Size: 25x16 cm
Pages: 191
Title: Light on Difficult verses that are in the Holy
Scriptures that makes the Pardon of God by Ishodad the
Bishop of Hdatta of Syria
Comment: This is Ishodad of Merv
Date: 1380 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 11
Size: 25x17 cm
Pages: 138
Title: Writing of the Paradise of Eden the planting
and arrangement in the metrical sermons of Abdisho bar
Berikha appointed Metropolitan of Nisibis and Armenia
Comment: Abdisho was a teacher of exegesis and a
librarian. [Also known as Ebed Jesu]
Date: 1458 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 12
Size: 24x17 cm
Pages: 154
Title: Writings on the Incarnation of Jesus Christ,
John the Baptist, the Apostles Peter and Paul, the
Evangelists and Stephen
Comment: by Abdisho
Date: 1458 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 13
Size: 22x15 cm
Pages: 170
Title: Topikon (the Pattern)
Comment:
Date: 1710 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 14
Size: 22x15 cm
Pages: 169
Title: Throne of the Departed
Comment:
Date: 1710 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 15
Size: 20x15 cm
Pages: 192
Title: Psalter
Comment: the nun Saltana Bart Balgana appears in the
colophon
Date: 1593 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 16
Size: 14x17 cm
Pages: 194
Title: Chant of the Night and the Dark Evening for
the whole year being called Kaskoul
Comment:
Date: ?
Syr. Gr. Pat. 17
Size: 20x15 cm
Pages: 466
Title: Histories
Comment: Histories include the Lives of the 40
Martyrs, History of Joseph, Life of Jacob, Mark the
Father, the Martyr Ina, the Holy Philip, Job, the
Prophet Jonah, the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
History of John the Evangelist, Visions of John the
Evangelist, the Martyr Maurikios, the Holy Martyr
Eugenius, Rabban Kormizd, the Holy Martyr Anastasius,
the Martyr Shamoun and his Son.
Date: 1612 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 18
Size: 22x15 cm
Pages: 276
Title: Prayer of the Morning of the Hebrew Feasts
According to Mar Elias the Third Catholicos.
Comment: This document may be from Eliya bar Shinaya
who for more than 40 years occupied the seat of the
Metropolitan of Nisibis and died after the year 1049
AD. He ruled after the downfall of the caliphs. The
resulting wars left the Christian populations
devastated and lost to Islam.
Date: 1657 AD.
Syr. Gr. Pat. 19
Size: 21x15 cm
Pages: 176
Title: Liturgy According to the Feast of the Passover
Comment: Note the Semitic character of the feast.
Date: 1660 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 20
Size: 20x17 cm
Pages: 158
Title: Writings of the Prophets
Comment: Includes Hosea, Joel, Amos, Jonah, Micah,
Nahum, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Bel and the Dragon
Date: ?
Syr. Gr. Pat. 21
Size:22x16 cm
Pages: 302
Title: Liturgy of the Reading of the Monks
Comment:
Date: 1593 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 22
Size: 21x16 cm
Pages: 114
Title: Of the Holy Apostles, of Holy Theodore of
Mopsuestia, of the Holy Nestorians
Comment:
Date: 1655 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 23
Size: 20x15 cm
Pages: 180
Title: Hymns
Comment: Include hymns of Gabriel, Kamis, Ishoyab
Metropolitan of Arbeya, Avia Bar Avali, Giwargis
Warda, and Isaac
Date: 1610 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 24
Size: 20x14 cm
Pages: 148
Title: The Pledge for the Monk about the Body and
Soul. The Sayings of Solomon the Son of King David the
Prophet. Also the Writings of John of Mosul and the
Profitable Sayings of Mar John Bar Pankeya.
Comment:
Date: 1649 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 25
Size: 18x13 cm
Pages: 141
Title: Psalter
Comment:
Date: 1656 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 26
Size: 18x13 cm
Pages: 148
Title: Pericopes of Scripture
Comment:
Date: 1550 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 27
Size:8x13 cm
Pages: 239
Title: Prayers
Comment:
Date: 1587 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 28
Size: 17.5x13.5 cm
Pages: 512
Title: Hymnbook of Eight Tones
Comment:
Date: ?
Syr. Gr. Pat. 29
Size: 17.5x13.5 cm
Pages: 131
Title: Synopsis
Comment: This document is called Kashkool in Syriac
Date: 1571 AD
Syr. G r. Pat. 30
Size: 18x13 cm
Pages: 328
Title: Grammer of the Syriac Language
Comment: Written by Elias bar Shinaya on of the most
important East Syriac grammarians.
Date: ?
Syr. Gr. Pat. 31
Size: 18x13 cm
Pages: 279
Title: Hymns
Comment: Gabriel Metropolitan of Mosul, Kamis, Barda,
Maram Issac of Sabdanai, Ephraim, etc. The manuscript
appears to have been copied in Nisibis.
Date: 1512 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 32
Size: 18x13 cm
Pages: 183
Title: Teaching of the Orders
Comment:
Date: 1611 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 33
Size: 17x13 cm
Pages: 224
Title: New Testament
Comment: John of the Jacobite Monastery
Date: 1608 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 34
Size: 18.5x13.5 cm
Pages: 214
Title: Book of the Four concerning the Six Days with
the word of the Administration in the Twenty Eight
Sayings - propositions of the servant Emmanuel.
Comment: The work of Emmanuel of Mosul or Emmanuel
ash-Shammar. This document is sometimes known as the
Hexaemeron composed in heptasyllabic meter. The oldest
known text was Ms. Br. Mus. Or. 1300 dated 1685 AD.
Now we can push back the date 400 years.
Date: 1289 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 35
Size: 18x13 cm
Pages: 319
Title: Throne of the Shroud of the Priests, Ministers,
Bishops, and Monks, and the Patriarch and the Remnant
of the Sons of the New
Comment:
Date: ?
Syr. Gr. Pat. 36
Size: 18x13 cm
Pages: 187
Title: Teaching of the Orders
Comment:
Date: 1683 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 37
Size: 16x12 cm
Pages: 205
Title: The Writing of the Sayings of the Rogation of
the Ninivites. Also various materials: Ephrem, etc.
Comment: This is a fast of three days three weeks
before Lent.
Date: 1251 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 38
Size: 18x13 cm
Pages: 138
Title: Anthems of the teacher Giwargis Warda
Comment: Other notable manuscripts of Warda are found
in MS. Camb. Add. 1982 and Vat. Syr. 184. He wrote his
poems in the first part of the 1200's.
Date: ?
Syr. Gr. Pat. 39
Size: 16x12 cm
Pages: 164
Title: The Teaching of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ
and the Theophany.
Comment:
Date: 1542 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 40
Size: 15x10 cm
Pages: 304
Title: The Inscriptions and Pericopes of the New
Testament
Comment:
Date: 1531 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 41
Size: 16x12 cm
Pages: 140?
Title: The End of the Consolatory Discourses.
Comment:
Date: ?
Syr. Gr. Pat. 42
Size: 15x10 cm
Pages: 178
Title: Teaching of the Orders.
Comment:
Date: ?
Syr. Gr. Pat. 43
Size: 16x10 cm
Pages: 164
Title: Text of the Ordinary Evenings, that is to say,
before and after all requisites.
Comment:
Date: 1597 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 44
Size: 14x10 cm
Pages: 174
Title: Liturgy of the Priest like the Liturgy of the
Journey in the Monastery of Elias from Mosul
Comment:
Date: 1670 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 45
Size: 15x10 cm
Pages: 170
Title: (misc.)
Comment:
Date: 1579 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 46
Size: 15x10 cm
Pages: 189
Title: His Deeds and Resurrection
Comment:
Date: 1576 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 47
Size: ?
Pages: 115
Title: Writings of Rabban Enanisho and Rabban Konan
Comment: Enanisho was a monk of the Monastery of Izla
and later Beth Abhe. This prolific monk had both
philological and philosophic interests. Sometime
during the leadership of Catholicos Giwargis (658-680)
he was commissioned to organize monastic documents of
a didactic and historical charater. He was most famous
for his text "Paradise of the Fathers."
Date: 1880 AD
Syr. Gr. Pat. 48
Size: 14x10 cm
Pages: 170
Title: Memorial for the Priests
Comment:
Date: ?
This text was transcribed by Fr. Dale Johnson, 2007. The author has kindly placed this file and all material on this page in the public domain - copy freely.
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