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
Harvard MS Syr 47 1,400 CE Syriac

​Catalog Entry

  • Bound at an early date with a manuscript of theological texts (ff. 1-160)
  • Canons by Mar Yoḥanan the bishop on the holy mysteries (ff.161r-162r)
  • Scholion of Jacob of Edessa on the communion (162r-163v)
  • Commentary on the creed and baptism by Dionysius bar Ṣalibi (163v-168v)
  • An account of the faith and the cross and the other mysteries one by one (168v-177r)
  • The holy and life-giving mysteries of the holy chrism (177r-187r)
  • The hidden mystery concerning baptism (187r-203v)
  • On the making of olive oil for chrism (203v-204v)
  • Various short sections in different hands (205-207)
Harvard MS Syr 93 700 CE Syriac

Catalog Entry

  • A collection of short works including a "Gospel of the Twelve Apostles" (ff. 47r-51v)
  • Apocalypses of Simon Kepha, James, John the little (51v-57v)
  • A fragment of the Doctrina Addai (57v)
  • Various responsa and canons (1r-46v, 59r ff.) including replies of Jacob of Edessa.
Borg. sir. 10 Unknown Syriac

Homilies of the Fathers: Catalog entry link

  • Eleven homilies of Isaac of Antioch, Jacob of Sarug, Isaac of Ninevah, and of St. Ephrem on the ascetic life and on the incarnation
  • A Memra composed by a certain bishop on the seven climates of the earth and on the variations of the climates
  • Canons of the Holy Fathers on the Christian life, on the liturgy, and on the sacrifice
Borg. sir. 52 1,468 CE Syriac

Catalog entry found here

  • First section of the Nomocanon of Mar 'Abdisho' of Nisibis
Borg. sir. 78 Unknown Syriac

See catalog entry here

  • Liturgy of the blessed apostles
  • Liturgy of Mar Theodore the interpreter
  • Liturgy of Mar Nestorius
  • Canons
  • Husoyo
  • Consecration of impure water
  • Consecration of the leaven
  • Consecration of the altar without oil
  • Signing of the cup
Borg. sir. 82 1,900 CE Syriac
  • First tome of the collection of the acts of the canons of the western and eastern councils made by Elijah 1st (see entry in Scher)
Borg. sir. 148 1,576 CE Syriac

See catalog entry here

  • Didascalia Apostolorum
  • Testament of our Lord
  • Some extracts from the Doctrina Addai
  • Apostolic Canons
  • Canons of the council of Nicaea
  • Canons of the council of Ancyra
  • Canons of the council of Neocaesarea
  • Canons of the synod of Gangres
  • Canons of the council of Antioch
  • Canons of the synod of Laodicea
  • Canons of the council of Constantinople
  • Canons of the council of Ephesus against Nestorius
  • Canons of the council of St. Cyprian of Carthage
  • Extracts from a synodal letter sent from Italy to the Bishops gathered in Antioch
  • Extracts of the letters of Ignatius, disciple of the apostles
  • Extracts of the councils of St. Peter of Alexandria on the subject of apostates
  • Questions posed to Timothy, pope of Alexandria
  • Synod of Sardica
  • Letter of Athanasius of Alexandria to Ammonius, Abbot of the monastery
  • Five letters of St. Basil addressed to the priest ܦܐܪܝܓܘܪܝܘܣ (Gregory?), to a chorbishop, to the priest Diodore at Amphilochius of Iconium
  • Canons of the council of Chalcedon
  • Extracts of the letters of certain Doctors and from St. Celestine, Bishop of Rome, against Nestorius
  • Various canons
  • Letters of St. Anthimus, bishop of Constantinople, of Basil, etc.
Vat. sir. 45 1,556 CE Syriac

Catalog entry in Assemani

Chaldean Pontifical

  • Consecration of the altar with oil
  • Instruction on the consecration of an altar when it is desecrated
  • Consecration of an altar without oil
  • Sign made over the chalice
  • Order of the ordination of deacons
  • Ordination of presbyters
  • Order of the Habit of monks
  • Order of the tonsure of monks, made by Rabban Pethion, the priest and monk
  • Order of the tonsure of nuns
  • Ordination of deaconesses
  • Ordination of Archdeacons
  • Order of installation of abbots
  • Order of the laying on of hands of a Bishop
  • Order of the perfection of a Bishop to Catholicos
  • Ordination of the Catholicos
  • The 'Onitha for Mar John Sulaqa, Catholicos Patriarch who was ordained in Rome the great by the hands of Pope Julius IV, composed by Mar 'Abdisho', Metropolitan of the tiny Gazarta
  • 'Abdisho (of Gazarta), 7-syllable poem on the Patriarch John
  • 'Abdisho (of Gazarta), A third song (7-syllable meter) mourning the death of Patr. John Sulaqa
  • Dionysius bar Ṣalibi, canons and confessions
  • Prayer for the sick
  • Canons
  • Benedictions for when Bishops leave the city
  • Benedictions the Bishop performs which going to a monastery
  • Prayer of benediction when the Bishop leaves the monastery
  • Prayer for the Archimandrites with a benediction
  • Benediction the Bishop performs for scholars
  • Admonition for ordinations
Vat. sir. 68 1,465 CE Syriac

Catalog entry in Assemani

East Syrian Beth Gazzā (Common Breviary)

  • f. 1v-211v Beth Gazzā
  • f. 212r-222v Deacon's Office Book
  • f. 223r-227v The Order of Expiation
  • f. 228r-235r Diverse prayers for Vespers
  • f. 235v-248r The Order of the Liturgy
  • f. 248v-251r Prayers and Psalms
  • f. 251v-252v The heavenly and ecclesiastical hierarchy
  • f. 252v-253v The procession of the cross
  • f. 254r-254v The Easter Procession
  • f. 262v-263v Calendar of Saints
  • f. 264r-265r Table of movable feasts
  • f. 265v Formulary for a pastoral epistle
  • f. 265v The Scribe Lazarus, on the year, andits weeks and days
  • f. 266r Idem, On the sign of the year
  • f. 266r-267r On the day and month of Adam's creation
  • f. 267v Names of the 24 prophets
  • f. 268v ff. The creed of Nicea and Constantinople
Vat. sir. 127 Unknown Syriac

Catalog entry in Assemani

  • 51 titles of ecclesiastical canons
  • The ecclesiastical canons of the holy Apostles
  • Apostolic constitutions of Hippolytus
  • Canons of Nicaea
  • Canons of Ancyra
  • Canons of Neocaesarea
  • Canons of Gangra
  • Canons of Antioch
  • Canons of the Synod of Laodicea
  • Canons of the synod of Constantinople
  • Definition of the Synod of Ephesus
  • Canons of the Synod of Chalcedon
  • Timothy the Patriarch of Alexandria, Canonical questions and responses

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