The Georgian Lectionary Sources
Edition: M. Tarchnischvile, Le Grand Lectionaire de
l'Eglise de Jerusalem (Ve-VIIIe S.). Corpus Script. Christ.
Orient. 189, 205. Louvain: 1959-60.
A partial edition of the Georgian lectionary was published by K. Kekelidze
in 1912. It was based on two manuscripts, those of Kala and Lathal
(outlined below). The edition published in 1959 by Michael Tarchnischvili
is reconstructed from four manuscripts:
Georgian index to the Gospel readings for the ancient liturgy of
Jerusalem. Published by G. Garitte in 1972.
- P: ms georgian 3 of the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris.
Discovered in 1898, it consists of 387 foliios
and is dated to the tenth/eleventh century.
- S: ms georgian 37 of Sinai. The manuscript hand as been
identified as probably that of John Zosimus. It falls into two sections,
the first contains the lectionary for the divine service, and the second
is a collection of hymns. The ms contains 294 folios, and has been dated
- L: the ms of Lathal. Discovered at the church of St George in
Lathal. A tenth century manuscript also attributed to John Zosimus.
- KA: ms of Kala. 174 folios. Tenth century, with a large
number of errors.
- Two fragments to note: i) GR: contained within the
lectionary of the university of Gratz, a
seventh century fragment. ii) H: eighth century fragment
containing the lectionary for Pentecost and the month of November.
This index is based upon mss georgian 30 & 38 of the monastery of St
Catherine on Sinai. Two scribes copied this work in 979, one, named Ezra,
transcribed the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, whilst the second, John
Zosimus, copied Luke and John. The index falls into a number of
- The season of the nativity.
- Fixed feasts for the months December to March 25th.
- Lent, Holy week, and Easter.
- Easter time and Pentecost.
- Fixed feasts of the months April to December.
- Commons of the Virgin, Cross, Apostles etc.
- Office of the Sunday liturgy: from Pentecost to the Encaenia, Encaenia to
Epiphany, Epiphany to palm Sunday.
- Common of the divine liturgy, marriage, monastic profession etc.
Parts 1-6 of the Index correspond with the Georgian lectionary.
An image of the Georgian lectionary describing the
Translation of the lectionary text describing the
feast of the Encaenia