Digitized Manuscripts: Faceted Search

About This Table

This table searches all collections of Syriac and Garshuni manuscripts that are freely available online by key terms. Click any of the categorized menu items to narrow down your search. If you would like to sort the manuscripts by shelf-mark or date, or search by general keyword, see our other table here, which includes all the same manuscript data.

*The Approximate Date column is derived from the best available information for the manuscript. This is not asserted as a scholarly position on the dating of the manuscript. Instead, it is merely used here for the convenience of being able to sort all manuscripts by numerical date. The user should keep in mind that there may be considerable debate over the precise dating of the manuscript and should consult the manuscript repository and relevant scholarly literature for details.

Manuscript Name / Shelf Mark / Project Number Approximate Date Language The main body text Link to Digitized Manuscript
BnF syr. 198 1,600 CE Garshuni

See catalog entry here

  • f. 1-10v Ignatius of Antioch, Letter of Exhortation to Priests (CPG 1030)
  • f. 10v-28v Questions and responses between a disciple and his master regarding the sacrament and confession
  • f. 28v-48 Memra on Lent
  • f. 48-53v Ephrem Syrus, Memra on the Departure of the soul from the body
  • f. 53v-66v On the Excellence of the Christian Religion
  • f. 70v-88v Some canons relative to Baptism
  • f. 88v-100 Canons on penitence in the form of question and answer
  • f. 100-112 Sixty-two canons on penitence
  • f. 112-130 Questions and answers of Ss. Basil and Gregory
BnF syr. 234 1,192 CE Syriac

See catalog entry here

  • Collection of the lives of saints, of the martyrs, and of the pious
    • f. 1r-18v History of St. Bishoy
    • f. 9-12r History of St. Macarius
    • f. 12v-29 History of St. Behnam
    • f. 29-61 History of Dioscorus
    • f. 61-62 Summary of the vision of Zosimus
    • f. 62-79 History of St. Mary the Egyptian
    • f. 80-84 History of Maximus and of Demetrius
    • f. 84-92r History of Isaiah of Aleppo
    • f. 92v- 94 History of Abraham of the high mountain
    • f. 95-103 History of Serapion
    • f. 104-127r History of John the Merciful
    • f. 127v-130r History of John the Monk of Antioch
    • f. 130v-135r Letter (Ps.-)Dionysius the Areopagite to St. Timothy about the martyrdom of St. Peter and St. Paul
    • f. 135v-146r History of Eustathius
    • f. 146v-153r History of James Intercissus
    • f. 153v-156r History of a virgin and infant in Alexandria
    • f. 156v-164 History of Archelides of Constantinople
    • f. 165-166 History of Maria (Marina)
    • f. 167-172 History of Jacob of Nisibis (by Theodoret)
    • f. 172-186r History of Abraham Qidunaya and of his niece (attributed to Ephrem Syrus)
    • f. 186v-210r History of the image of Jesus Christ which the Jews made at Tiberius, by Deacon Philotheus
    • f. 210v-213r History of Martinianus
    • f. 213v-221r History of Euphrosinus of Alexandria
    • f. 221v-228 Essays and examples on the adherence to the day of Friday
    • f. 229-230r History of a bishop who denied Christ and afterward did penance
    • f. 230v-238r History of John Bar-Malke
    • f. 238v-260 History of Joseph and of his brothers
    • f. 261-265 Martyrdom of Mamas
    • f. 266-270r History of the martyrdom of the Himyarites of Najran
    • f. 270v-273 History of Peter the Publican
    • f. 274-280r History of Shemuni and her seven sons
    • f. 280v-287v History of Mark, the Christian merchant, and of Gaspard the Persian pagan
    • f. 288-290 History of a rich man who lost all his children and his poor neighbor
    • f. 291-292 History of the old woman of Jerusalem and her five sons
    • f. 293-294 History of Protonike, wife of Emperor Claudius and the discovery of the true cross
    • f. 295-298 History of Fausta, the virgin of Cyzicus
    • f. 299r-299v History of a virgin from Jerusalem
    • f. 299v-307v History of Euphemia and her daughter, Sophie
    • f. 308-317r History of the 40 martyrs of Sebaste
    • f. 317v-325 History of the apostles Matthew and Andrew and their preaching in the country of Beth-Kalbin
    • f. 326r-332r History of a holy man of Rome
    • f. 332v-337 Second part of the history of St. Alexei
    • f. 338-339 History of the discovery of the head of Paul
    • f. 339-344 History of a religious woman who was dwelling in a convent and was considered to be different and pure
    • f. 345 ff. Lives of the Desert Fathers
      • f. 345-376 Life of St. Anthony 
      • f. 376-416 Life of St. Macarius
      • f. 416-440r Life of St. Pachomius
      • f. 440v-443r History of a man who was living in a tree
      • f. 443v-450r History of John the Nazirite
      • f. 450v ff. History of the two brothers, Abraham and Maron
BnF syr. 235 1,200 CE Syriac

See catalog entry here

Collection of Saints' Lives

  • f. 1r-2 History and preaching of St. John the Evangelist at Ephesus
  • f. 3-12r History (attributed to St. Ephrem) of Abraham Qidunaya and his niece
  • f. 12v-15 History of the man of God (St. Alexei) who died at Edessa in the time of Bishop Mar Rabbula
  • f. 16-18 Second part of the history of St. Alexei
  • f. 19-24 History of Bishop Paul and of the priest, John
  • f. 25v-31 History of Julian Saba (by Theodoret)
  • f. 32-51r History of Maximus and Domitius, by Abba Bishoy
  • f. 51v-55r Letter of St. Dionysius the Areopagite to St. Timothy
  • f. 55v-60r History of the preaching of the apostle Philip at Carthage
  • f. 60v-66 History of Archelides of Constantinople
  • f. 67-73r History of a saint (attributed in one copy to St. John Chrysostom)
  • f. 80v-81 History of a solitary who was living on a tree 
  • f. 82-84r History of Martinianus
  • f. 84v-91r Vision of Zosimus
  • f. 91v-124 History of John the younger (translated from Arabic?)
  • f. 125-142r History of Ephrem Syrus
  • f. 142v-143r History of Dioscorus, the priest (by Palladius)
  • f. 143v-146 Histor of Jacob the Lame
  • f. 147-160r History of Hanania, addressed to Philotheus, by Jacob of Sarug
  • f. 160v-174 History of Daniel, the anchorite of Galash, by Jacob of Sarug
  • f. 175-204r History of Serapion
  • f. 204v-209r History of Andronicus and of Athanasius, his wife, from Antioch
  • f. 209v-230r History of Antigonus and his wife Euphraxia and their daughter, Euphraxia
  • f. 230v-242r History of St. Onesima, the princess
  • f. 242v-250r History of Euphrosina
  • f. 250v-251r History of a virgin from Jerusalem 
  • f. 251v-260r History of Domitius the doctor
  • f. 260v-264 History of Dionysius the Aereopagite
  • f. 265-274 History of Mark the Christian merchant of Antioch, and of the pagan Gaspard from a country of the east
  • f. 275v-312r History of John the chaplain, patriarch of Alexandria
  • f. 312v-315r History of Moses the Ethiopian
  • f. 315v-325 History of Jacob Burd'oyo, Bishop of Edessa, by John of Ephesus
  • f. 326-335 History of the seven sleepers of Ephesus
  • f. 336v ff Martyrdom of St. Barbara and of St. Julienne
BnF syr. 239 1,493 CE Garshuni

See catalog entry here

  • f. 1-99 The Paradise of the solitaries, or Sayings of the Fathers
  • f. 100-104r Dogmatic definition of the Trinity according to the Syrian Orthodox Church
  • f. 104v-107r Syrian Orthodox dogmatic definitions of the Trinity and the incarnation
  • f. 107v-110r Monastic Rule of St. Anthony
  • f. 110v-112r Another excerpt of the exhortations of St. Anthony
  • f. 112v-119r The teaching of Abba Isaiah
  • f. 119v-121 Another excerpt of Abba Isaiah
  • f. 122-133r Three other excerpts on the doctrine of Abba Isaiah
  • f. 133v-136r Lamentation of Abba Isaiah
  • f. 136v-137r Excert of John of the Thebaid
  • f. 137v-139r Excerpt from Stephen of the Thebaid
  • f. 139v-141 Exerpt from the letters of St. Macarius the Great
  • f. 145-148 Various excerpts of St. Macarius the Great
  • f. 149-152r Another excerpt of the apophthegmata of St. Macarius the Great
  • f. 152v-154r Sentences of the Fathers
  • f. 154v-156r Other sentences
  • f. 156v-166 Homily of Abba Pachomius
  • f. 167-168 Five homilies of Abraham of Nathpar
  • f. 168 Excerpts of the apophthegmata of Abba Moses
  • f. 169 Discourse of Abba Moses on the thoughts
  • f. 170 Discourse of Abba Moses on sadness
  • f. 171-173 Twelve Discourses of St. Nilus: Spiritual Exhortations
  • f. 174-175 St. Basil, Discourse on the monastic life
  • f. 176 St. Basil, Excerpt from his doctrine
  • f. 176-178r Excerpt from a letter of St. Basil
  • f. 178v-180r Excerpts from the homillies of St. Gregory the Theologian
  • f. 180v-181r Excerpt of a homily of St. Basil
  • f. 181v-188 Homily of St. John Chrysostom
  • f. 189-193r Homily of St. John Chrysostom on those who draw back to the world
  • f. 193v-195 Homily of St. John Chrysostom on penitance and renunciation
  • f. 196-203 Another homily of St. John Chrysostom on penitance
  • f. 204-210r First discourse of St. Macarius the Great
  • f. 210v-213r Second discourse of St. Macarius the Great: On the inner-affections of the soul and its purification
  • f. 213v-216 Third discourse of St. Macarius the Great: on the necessity of combatting demons who oppose those who desire to enter into the way of truth
  • f. 217-218r Letter of St. Macarius to his beloved children
  • f. 218v-219r Second Letter of St. Macarius
  • f. 219v-220r Third Letter of St. Macarius
  • f. 220r-220v Fourth Letter of St. Macarius
  • f. 220v Fifth Letter of St. Macarius
  • f. 221 Sixth Letter of St. Macarius
  • f. 222 Seventh Letter of St. Macarius
  • f. 223 Eighth Letter of St. Macarius
  • f. 223v-225r First homily of Abraham of Nathpar
  • f. 225v-227r Second homily of Abraham of Nathpar
  • f. 227v Third homily of Abraham of Nathpar
  • f. 228-229 Fourth homily of Abraham of Nathpar
  • f. 230-231r Sixth homily of Abraham of Nathpar
  • f. 231v-234r Seventh homily of Abraham of Nathpar
  • f. 234v On impurity and the villany of demons and the purity of the just
  • f. 235-237 Letter of St. Nilus
  • f. 238v-241r Various excerpts of the doctrine of Phlioxenus of Mabbug
  • f. 241v-243r Discourse on simplicity
  • f. 243v-248r Discourse on the fear of God
  • f. 248v-252 Discourse on poverty
  • f. 253-254r Discourse on mortification of the flesh and asceticism 
  • f. 254v-256 Discourse on mortification of the flesh and asceticism 
  • f. 257-263r Discourse on chastity
  • f. 263v-265 Excerpts of the Book of Obedience
  • f. 266-280r Doctrine of Abba Isaiah, explained by a disciple of Mar Isaac
  • f. 280v-281r Excerpt of the doctrine of Abba Stephen of the Thebaid
  • f. 282-284 Two excerpts of one anonymous author
  • f. 285-287 Letter of Tyrius, addressed to a monk
  • f. 288-289r Another excerpt of Tyrius
  • f. 288-289r Homily on Dorotheus on the palace of the soul
  • f. 291v Excerpts of the Apophthegmata Patrum
  • f. 292r Excerpts of the Lamp of the Sanctuary (by Bar Hebraeus)
  • f. 292v-299r Twenty-seven paragraphs on the solitary life, prayer, etc. (from Barhebraeus, The Book of the Dove)
  • f. 299v-305r Excerpts from "the Spiritual old man"
  • f. 307-308r Excerpts of the Apophthegmata Patrum
  • f. 308v-323 Excerps from the Doctrine of Abba Mark
  • f. 324-326r Excerpts from the doctrin of John of the Thebaid
  • f. 326v-327r Other excerpts from the doctrine of John of the Thebaid
  • f. 327v-330r Other excerpts from the doctrine of John of the Thebaid
  • f. 330v-334 Another dialogue of John of the Thebaid
  • f. 335-337r Another dialogue of John of the Thebaid
  • f. 337v-339r Another dialogue of John of the Thebaid
  • f. 339v-341r Another dialogue of John of the Thebaid
  • f. 341v Another dialogue of John of the Thebaid
  • f. 342 Excerpts from the Apophthegmata Patrum
  • f. 343-345r Other excerpts from the Apophthegmata Patrum
  • f. 345v-349 Other excerpts from the Apophthegmata Patrum
  • f. 350-376 Sixth Homily of Ephrem Syrus on the fear of God
  • f. 377-383r Homily of Ephrem Syrus on charity and faith, and on the second coming of Jesus Christ
  • f. 383v-385r Response of Ephrem Syrus concerning penitence
  • f. 385v-392 Homily of Ephrem Syrus on the end of the world and the Antichrist
  • f. 393 ff. First book of the works of Isaac of Nineveh