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
Vat. sir. 124 1,300 CE Syriac

See entry in Assemani

  • Binding
  • f. 1r-276r Isaac of Ninevah, Ascetical Discourses, Part 1 (1-81)
  • f. 276r-353v John of Dalyatha, Ascetical Discourses (1-27)
  • f. 353v-354v Colophon and Notes
  • Binding
Vat. sir. 125 700 CE Syriac

See entry in Assemani

  • Binding
  • f. 1r-145r Isaac of Ninevah, Selected Ascetical Discourses from Part 1 (16, 18, 22-48, 50-53, 57-58, 64, 60-63, 66-67, 69-70, 72-74, 78, 80, 82, 25-26, 81)
  • f. 145r-158v Philoxenus, Bishop fo Hierapolis, Response to the question of Patricius
  • f. 158v-211v John of Dalyatha, Ascetical Discourses (1-27)
  • Binding
Mingana Syriac 86 1,300 CE Syriac

See catalog entry for Mingana 86

  • f. 4r-90v Mystic treatises (Mingana believes them to be Isaac or Ninevah. Many headings are missing)
  • f. 90v-97v St. Macarius of Alexandria, A Prayer
  • f. 97v-109r Philoxenus of Mabbug, A Prayer
  • f. 109-112r A treatise of the holy and godly elder [John of Dalyatha or John Saba?] (ܡܡܠܠܐ ܕܣܒܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ ܘܐܠܗܝܐ) (called "18th mimra" in the margin)
  • f. 112r-115v Isaac of Ninevah, Treatise consisting mostly of prayers
  • f. 115v-116v Palladius, A treatise on the virtues without which no man can make any progress
  • f. 116v-117r The virtues which an old monk possessed
  • f. 117r-119v A treatise on mysticism
  • f. 119v-138v Mark the Monk, A long treatise on mysticism, often consisting of good sayings
  • f. 138v-139v Ephrem Syrus, A treatise (ܡܡܠܠܐ) in prose
  • f. 139v-154v Isaac of Ninevah, A long mystical treatise
  • f. 154-166 A treatise on mysticism attributed to the holy and godly elder [John of Dalyatha or John Saba?] (ܡܡܠܠܐ ܕܣܒܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ ܘܐܠܗܝܐ)
  • f. 166v-178v Gregory the Monk [Gregory of Cyprus], A treatise on spirituality for monks
  • f. 179r-179v Isaac of Ninevah, A short discourse on spirituality
  • f. 179v-184v Isaac of Ninevah, A short discourse on spirituality, on night vigils
  • f. 184v-190v Evagrius, A discourse on mysticism
  • f. 190 St. Ephrem, A short mimra on mysticism
  • f. 190v-198r John Saba, A treatise on mysticism
  • f. 198r-198v John Naqar (ܝܘܚܢܢ ܢܩܪ), A short treatise on mysticism
  • f. 198v-200v John Naqar (ܝܘܚܢܢ ܢܩܪ), A short treatise on mysticism
  • f. 201r-207v Evagrius, Exhortations and good advice on mysticism
  • f. 207v-213v Evagrius, A treatise on the definition of vices and virtues 
  • f. 213v-232v Evagrius, A long treatise on mysticism (f. 229r-232v contain 97 evangelical sayings on perfection)
  • f. 233r-263v John the Seer (Hazzaya) or possibly John of Lycopolis, A long discourse on mysticism
  • f. 264r-274v The Monk Isaiah (Esha'ya) of Scete, A mystical treatise
Vat. sir. 126 pt. 2 1,253 CE Syriac

Catalog entry in Assemani

pp. 397-end (Begins with Abba Isaiah the Monk)

  • 'Enanisho', Paradise of the Fathers
    • Book 1: Palladius, Bishop of Heleopolis
    • Book 2: Palladius (Begins in this section)
    • ​Lives of the Fathers according to St. Jerome
    • Book 4: Apophthegmata Patrum 
    • Doctrine and Admonitions of the Fathers on the monastic institution
    • Abba Evagrius, Sermons
    • Abba Anthony, Letters to the monastic brothers 
    • St. Macarius of Egypt, sermons
    • St. Macarius of Egypt, epistles
    • St. Macarius the Alexandrian, Sermons
    • Abraham Nathpar, sermons
    • Ammon the monk and Bishop of Oxyrinchus, letters
    • St. Xystus of Rome, sermons
    • John of Dalyatha, sermons
    • Gregory the Monk on the isle of Cyprus, sermons
    • John of Thebes, sermons
    • St. Basil the Great, Monstaic institutions, Questions and answers from the brethren
      • Letter to his brother Gregory of Nyssa
      • Paranaetic Chapter
      • Ascetic Chatper
    • Jacob of Sarug, letter on the ascetic way
      • Letter to an abbot on the soul
      • Letter about the virtuous men
    • Philoxenus of Mabbug, on the one whose desire is changed toward refraining from the priesthood
      • Letter to the monks of Amid
    • St. Ephrem, sermon
    • St. Mark the hermit, paranaetic sermon
Vat. sir. 377 Unknown Syriac

Catalog entry in Assemani

  • 'Enanisho', Paradise of the Fathers
    • Abraham of Nathpar, Sermons
    • Ammonius the monk and bishop, Epistles
    • Xystus of Rome, Ascetic Sermons
    • John of Dalyatha, Sermons
    • Gregory the Monk, sermon to monastic fathers and brother
    • Gregory the Monk, Epistle to Theodore the monk
    • Gregory the Monk, On the office of Archimandrite
    • Gregory the Monk, Epistles to Epiphanius
    • Gregory the Monk, Questions and Responses
    • John of the Thebaid, Paraenesis and Hesychia
    • John of the Thebaid, On Prayer
    • John of the Thebaid, When tribulation is intolerable for the soul
    • John of the Thebaid, When there is no need for the body to suffer infirmity
    • John of the Thebaid, On that statement, "Blessed are peacemakers" 
Harvard Ms Syr 115 1,889 CE Syriac

Catalog entry

  • ff. 1-7r Blank
  • ff. 7v-8r John of Dalyatha, Apology
  • ff. 8r-54r John of Dalyatha, Homilies numbered 1-24
  • ff. 54r-56v Chapters (sic) of knowledge, numbered 25
  • ff. 56v-97r John of Dalyatha, Letters numbered 1-51
  • ff. 97r-124r John of Dalyatha, Chapters of knowledge
  • ff. 124r-126r John of Dalyatha, Diverse chapters by the same author
  • ff. 126r-127r John of Dalyatha, Madrashe by the same author
  • ff. 127r/v John of Dalyatha, Apology by the author's brother
  • ff. 127v-128r John of Dalyatha, The author to his brother
  • ff. 128r-129r Extract of David the Phoenician
  • ff. 129r Colophon
  • ff. 129v-130r Extract from Jacob of Serug
Saint Mark's Monastery, Jerusalem MS 222 (SMMJ 00222) 1,791 CE Garshuni, Syriac

Filoksinos Yohanna Dolabany, Catalogue of Syriac Manuscripts in St. Mark’s Monastery (1994).

  • fol. 1v-60r Yūsuf al-Kaslūqīṯī, Syriac Grammar (Garshuni)
  • fol. 61v-62r Dionysius bar Ṣalibi, On the Twelve Apostles (Syriac)
  • fol. 62v-63v Jacob of Sarug, Homilies (Syriac)
  • fol. 63v-66r Commands of the Gospel (Syriac)
  • fol. 66r-69r Philoxenus of Mabbug, Admonition to keep the Lord's commands (Syriac)
  • fol. 69r-69v Evagrius and John of Dalyatha, Collection of sayings
  • fol. 69v-72r Philoxenus of Mabbug, Creed (Syriac)
  • fol. 72r-74v Dionysius bar Ṣalibi, Creed of the Syriac Orthodox Church (Syriac)
  • fol. 74v-75v Dialogue on the body of Christ (Syriac)
  • fol. 75v-91v Jacob of Edessa, Letter on the Providence of God (Syriac)
  • fol. 91v-94r Ephrem of Nisibis, Selections from a homily (Syriac)
  • fol. 94r-99r Jacob of Sarug, Homilies (Syriac)
    • Includes note on the life of Jacob of Sarug, fol. 98v-99r
  • fol. 99r-99v Jacob of Edessa, Letter on God's providence