The Georgian Lectionary Sources

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:

1. 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.
2. 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 to 982.
3. L: the ms of Lathal. Discovered at the church of St George in Lathal. A tenth century manuscript also attributed to John Zosimus. 322ff.
4. KA: ms of Kala. 174 folios. Tenth century, with a large number of errors.
5. 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 sections:

1. The season of the nativity.
2. Fixed feasts for the months December to March 25th.
3. Lent, Holy week, and Easter.
4. Easter time and Pentecost.
5. Fixed feasts of the months April to December.
6. Commons of the Virgin, Cross, Apostles etc.
7. Office of the Sunday liturgy: from Pentecost to the Encaenia, Encaenia to Epiphany, Epiphany to palm Sunday.
8. Common of the divine liturgy, marriage, monastic profession etc.