Liturgical Texts
Dublin Core
Title
Liturgical Texts
Description
Liturgical books and texts are some of the most important objects from Byzantium, demonstrating some of the most important aspects of the liturgy. The liturgy refers to the services held by the church, which can include ordinary masses and the celebration of the Eucharist, Sacraments, and Baptisms. There are many customs that take place during these services, some of which include: blessing, singing, washing, kneeling, eating, and more. Services have many fixed aspects, but depending on the day or season, service leaders rely on these liturgical texts to help guide the service.
Lectionaries, a general term for books containing readings from the Four Gospels for the liturgical services, can be traced back to the 7th century CE. There are three major types of liturgical books: the evangelion (lectionary) which contains Gospel lections; the prophetolgion which contains Old Testament lections; and the Apostolos which contains lections from the Book of Acts. These texts are crucial as their main purpose is to provide the readings of the church during mass.
Liturgical texts found in this gallery range from fragments of Psalters, to a Menologion (a church calendar), to entire lectionaries made for Hagia Sophia, and are all exceptional examples of the importance of liturgy for the Byzantine world. The Old Testament and the New Testament are all represented, and provide an idea of what a liturgical service during the Byzantine Empire looked like.
Lectionaries, a general term for books containing readings from the Four Gospels for the liturgical services, can be traced back to the 7th century CE. There are three major types of liturgical books: the evangelion (lectionary) which contains Gospel lections; the prophetolgion which contains Old Testament lections; and the Apostolos which contains lections from the Book of Acts. These texts are crucial as their main purpose is to provide the readings of the church during mass.
Liturgical texts found in this gallery range from fragments of Psalters, to a Menologion (a church calendar), to entire lectionaries made for Hagia Sophia, and are all exceptional examples of the importance of liturgy for the Byzantine world. The Old Testament and the New Testament are all represented, and provide an idea of what a liturgical service during the Byzantine Empire looked like.
Contributor
Isabel Coopersmith
Collection Items
Illuminated Psalter
Psalters are an important part of Christian liturgical services and are some of the most popular texts of the Middle ages. Psalters contain the Psalms that would have been used in church services, but also within Orthodox communities contained the…
The Jaharis Lectionary
This 12th-century Byzantine illuminated lectionary contains readings from all four Gospels (John, Matthew, Luke, and Mark) arranged in the order in which they would be read in church services throughout the liturgical year. This lectionary is divided…
Fragment of a Menologion
This Menologion fragment, written in Greek using gall ink on parchment, has been rebound in a 19th century cover. A menologion was a book used to honor the saint or saints honored with a feast on any given day. This one contains Homilies of three…
Orthodox Liturgical Roll Fragments
Three fragments of an 11th century manuscript from about 1040 -1099 CE, roll of the Liturgy of St. Basil in the Byzantine Rite of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Probably found in Berat, Albania. Two of the fragments share a border. Text is missing…
Old Testament Fragment; Enarratio in prophetam Isaiam
This 10th-century Greek manuscript fragment consists of one folio of the Book of Wisdom and a religious commentary by Basil of Caesarea. It originated from an Old Testament parent manuscript, Codex Atheniensis 2641 (National Library of Greece). The…
New Testament / Psalter
This is a New Testament Greek Psalter found in Constantinople around 1199 CE.