Late Antique Liturgy

In an article by M. Abdelmalak and M. Y. Henein published in English, a thesis is defended, according to which a Coptic part of the Easter Hymn "Thok te tigom" (ⲑⲱⲕ ⲧⲉ ϯϫⲟⲙ) would be erroneous. This controversy has spread in several social networks but is based on superficial arguments and an insufficient study of liturgical sources on the one hand, and of grammatical and biblical analysis on the other hand. In reality, it is the most common Arabic translation which is erroneous (as is often the case): traduttore traditore (translator, traitor). Indeed, in the liturgy, it is Coptic which is authoritative, and not Arabic, a secondary language (including when we think that Coptic would be an alleged translation of Arabic which would be primary). In our article, we illustrate this principle and demonstrate the relevance of the current Coptic text of the Paschal Hymn, which is indeed of biblical and liturgical origin, and therefore does not need to be modified. On the other hand, it is up to all those who wish to study and possibly verify the Coptic rites to learn the Coptic language, and to study the Coptic Bible, in order to deepen the sources of the Coptic liturgy, which must always be examined a priori as a coherent whole.

في مقال بقلم محمد عبد الملك وم. ي. حنين منشور باللغة الإنجليزية، تم الدفاع عن أطروحة مفادها أن الجزء القبطي من ترنيمة عيد الفصح "Thok te tigom" (ⲑⲱⲕ ⲧⲉ ϯϫⲟⲙ) خاطئ. وقد انتشر هذا الجدل عبر عدة شبكات اجتماعية ولكنه يعتمد على حجج سطحية ودراسة غير كافية للمصادر الطقسية من جهة، والتحليل النحوي والكتابي من جهة أخرى. في الواقع، الترجمة العربية الأكثر شيوعًا هي الخاطئة (كما هو الحال غالبًا): traduttore traditore (مترجم، خائن). في الواقع، في الليتورجيا، تعتبر اللغة القبطية هي اللغة الرسمية، وليس اللغة العربية، وهي لغة ثانوية (بما في ذلك عندما يعتقد المرء أن القبطية ستكون ترجمة مفترضة للغة العربية التي ستكون أساسية). في مقالتنا، نوضح هذا المبدأ ونبين أهمية النص القبطي الحالي لترنيمة عيد الفصح، والذي هو بالفعل من أصل كتابي وطقوسي، وبالتالي لا يحتاج إلى تعديل. ومن ناحية أخرى، فإن الأمر متروك لجميع أولئك الذين يرغبون في دراسة الطقوس القبطية وربما التحقق منها، لتعلم اللغة القبطية، ودراسة الكتاب المقدس القبطي، من أجل تعميق مصادر الليتورجيا القبطية، والتي يجب دائمًا فحصها مسبقًا ككل متماسك.

Dans un article de M. Abdelmalak and M. Y. Henein paru en anglais, une thèse est défendue, selon laquelle une partie copte de l'Hymne pascal "Thok te tigom" (ⲑⲱⲕ ⲧⲉ ϯϫⲟⲙ) serait erroné. Cette controverse  s'est diffusée dans plusieurs réseaux sociaux mais se fonde sur des arguments superficiels et une étude insuffisante des sources liturgiques d'une part, et de l'analyse grammaticale et biblique d'autre part. En réalité, c'est la traduction arabe la plus courante qui est erronée (comme souvent) : traduttore traditore (traducteur, traître). En effet, dans la liturgie, c'est le copte qui fait autorité, et non l'arabe, langue secondaire (y compris lorsqu'on pense que le copte serait une prétendue traduction de l'arabe qui serait premier). Dans notre article, nous illustrons ce principe et démontrons la pertinence du texte copte actuel de l'Hymne pascal, qui est bien d'origine biblique et liturgique, et n'a donc pas besoin d'être modifié. En revanche, il revient à tous ceux qui veulent étudier et éventuellement vérifier les rites coptes d'apprendre la langue copte, et d'étudier la Bible copte, afin d'approfondir les sources de la liturgie copte, qu'il faut toujours a priori examiner comme un tout cohérent.

In einem auf Englisch veröffentlichten Artikel von M. Abdelmalak und M. Y. Henein wird eine These verteidigt, wonach ein koptischer Teil der Osterhymne „Thok te tigom“ (ⲑⲱⲕ ⲧⲉ ϯϫⲟⲙ) fehlerhaft sei. Diese Kontroverse hat sich über mehrere soziale Netzwerke ausgebreitet, basiert jedoch auf oberflächlichen Argumenten und einem unzureichenden Studium liturgischer Quellen einerseits und grammatikalischer und biblischer Analyse andererseits. In Wirklichkeit ist (wie so oft) die häufigste arabische Übersetzung falsch: traduttore traditore (Übersetzer, Verräter). Tatsächlich ist in der Liturgie das Koptische maßgeblich und nicht das Arabische, eine Sekundärsprache (auch wenn man annimmt, dass Koptisch eine angebliche Übersetzung des Arabischen wäre, das die Primärsprache wäre). In unserem Artikel veranschaulichen wir dieses Prinzip und zeigen die Relevanz des aktuellen koptischen Textes der Osterhymne auf, der tatsächlich biblischen und liturgischen Ursprungs ist und daher keiner Änderung bedarf. Andererseits liegt es an allen, die die koptischen Riten studieren und möglicherweise verifizieren wollen, die koptische Sprache zu lernen und die koptische Bibel zu studieren, um die Quellen der koptischen Liturgie zu vertiefen, die immer a priori als zusammenhängendes Ganzes untersucht werden müssen.

In un articolo di M. Abdelmalak e M. Y. Henein pubblicato in inglese si difende una tesi secondo la quale una parte copta dell'inno pasquale "Thok te tigom" (ⲑⲱⲕ ⲧⲉ ϯϫⲟⲙ) è errata. Questa polemica si è diffusa su diversi social network ma si basa su argomentazioni superficiali e su uno studio insufficiente delle fonti liturgiche da un lato, e sull'analisi grammaticale e biblica dall'altro. In realtà è la traduzione araba più comune ad essere sbagliata (come spesso accade): traduttore traditore. Infatti, nella liturgia, è il copto ad essere autorevole, e non l'arabo, una lingua secondaria (anche quando si pensa che il copto sarebbe una presunta traduzione dell'arabo che sarebbe primario). Nel nostro articolo illustriamo questo principio e dimostriamo l'attualità dell'attuale testo copto dell'Inno pasquale, che è infatti di origine biblica e liturgica, e quindi non necessita di modifiche. Spetta invece a tutti coloro che vogliono studiare ed eventualmente verificare i riti copti imparare la lingua copta, e studiare la Bibbia copta, per approfondire le fonti della liturgia copta, che devono sempre essere esaminate a priori nel loro insieme coerente.

Die relifierte Ikone des Heiligen Michael aus dem 10 Jh. ist ein sehr bedeutendes Beispiel aus Konstantinopel, das die Entwicklung der byzantinischen Ikonenkunst darstellt. Die Ausarbeitung des haptischen Gebildes spricht über die Sehnsucht der Byzantiner ein Objekt zu erzeugen, das mit den mehreren Sinne wahrgenommen werden muss. Die vorliegende Arbeit gibt einen Überblick über die Ästhetik und den vielfältigen Charakter der

La conservationrestauration au coeur de la société civile 12 es JOURNÉES PROFESSIONNELLES DE LA CONSERVATION-RESTAURATION 30 MARS ET 31 MARS 2023 Cité de l'architecture & du patrimoine Auditorium 7, avenue Albert de Mun 75016 Paris SOMMAIRE Présentation générale 3 Programme 4 Biographies et résumés 10 Bibliographie de référence 27 Dossier documentaire 33 Membres du groupe conservation-restauration des biens culturels 68 La conservationrestauration au coeur de la société civile 30 mars et 31 mars 2023 Illustration de couverture : Dispositif EAC « Une école, un chantier » à la cathédrale Saint-Bénigne de Dijon (Côte-d'Or).

The late fifth-and early sixth-century upper Egyptian monastic leader and archimandrite Moses of Abydos penned several letters to the women's community under his leadership. The only extant version of these letters is comprised of six folios (IB.08.07-12) owned by the National Library of Naples. This article provides a much-needed new edition and translation of the extant letters, along with an introduction and commentary, making these letters newly accessible to scholars of late antique Egypt and of monasticism. The introduction provides a technical description of IB.08.07-12: its modern history, physical structure, layout, script, and orthography. Then it considers the content, authorship, and language of the letters and their significance for the study of Egyptian monasticism broadly and women's monasticism specifically. Particular attention is paid to Moses' reliance on Athanasius and Shenoute, what can be gleaned about the women's community under Moses' direction, and the connections between the letters and the monastic epigraphy at the Temple of Seti at Abydos.

This paper looks into the ways in which the memory of Gregory the Great was constructed and used in early medieval Europe. Conrad Leyser distinguished three main ways in which the memory of Gregory was constructed in the early Middle Ages: a Gregory as consolidator of Frankish power, a Gregory as model bishop of Rome and finally a Gregory as model for a bishop in a world without clear political order. By looking at the Libellus Responsionum,
a set of answers by Gregory to questions from Augustine of Canterbury, constructions of other Gregories become visible: a Gregory who defended local ecclesiastical customs, endorsed patterns of close kin marriages, and a Gregory who promoted a lenient approach to ritual purity, in particular with regard to women.

The Bible provides Jesus with a genealogy, parentage and place of birth. It even indicates the time of year that he was crucified. But it does not say when he was born. Nor does it state that Jesus’s birthday was celebrated either by himself or his followers. This is unsurprising since unlike the Egyptians, Persians, Greeks and Romans there is little in biblical and rabbinical literature to suggest that, with the exception of Jewish royalty, the practice was widespread. Equally silent about the date of Jesus’s birth, if not the circumstances and meaning of his nativity, were nearly all the Church Fathers writing before the fourth century.

The text describes the merits accumulated by Professor Marcel Metzger in his long academic and scientific career at the service of the Church and the Liturgy. These merits form the solid basis for his recognition as Doctor honoris by the Pontifical Liturgical Institute.

Autorizzazione del Tribunale di Roma n. 65/2017 del 30-03-2017-Direttore responsabile Stefano Visintin PONTIFICIO ISTITUTO LITURGICO ECCLESIA ORANS 2 fascicoli all'anno | published two times a year Prezzo annuale | Subscription rate: 50,00 Euro + spese postali | posting Tariffa studenti/ex-alunni | Student/alumni rate: 40,00 Euro + spese postali | posting Per la valutazione degli articoli la rivista segue le procedure internazionali di peer review. Articles submitted for publication will be reviewed according to the international standards of double blind peer review. The National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research Institutes (ANVUR) recognised Ecclesia orans as an Academic Journal in category A. This journal was approved according to ERIH PLUS criteria. Ecclesia orans is available on ATLA.

This article is the latest in a series examining the offices in the Horologion of Sinai Arabic 232 (13th century). This Book of Hours has its origin in Melkite Alexandria and has never been studied before, nor indeed have the Arabic Books of Hours, in general. The article presents an English
translation of the Office of Compline from this manuscript (apart from the psalms, which are simply indicated), with comments and identification of the individual texts. Features of particular interest are the extra saints in the intercessions, different psalms and prayers from the modern rite,
and the series of common troparia at the end. The additional saints in the intercessions pose a conundrum: whereas the analysis of Matins, the Hours, and Vespers has suggested that this is an Arabic Melkite Horologion from Alexandria that must have been received from Jerusalem c. the 7th century and then underwent both Alexandrian (Coptic) influences and later Byzantinisation which did not entirely eliminate more archaic elements from Jerusalem such as the tri‑ode system at Matins,
the choice of additional saints suggests a double provenance from both Alexandria and Sinai. We therefore suggest that the Horologion was brought from Alexandria and underwent some degree of
adaptation on Sinai without eliminating all the specifically Alexandrian features.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

This is a pre-publication version of an article accepted for publication by Bibliotheca Sacra 2024. This version was provided to the author for editing and correcting in preparation for publication. Several small changes were made, but the article in the whole remains the same and may be cited by the volume and pages presented here.

SECONDE CIRCULAIRE 45 e Journées internationales de l'Association Française d'Archéologie Mérovingienne L'architecture religieuse du haut Moyen Âge dans le monde franc et ses marges : héritages et transformations Toulouse (Haute-Garonne), 23-25 octobre 2025 En 2018, lors des 39 e Journées Internationales de l'Association Française d'Archéologie Mérovingienne consacrées à L'archéologie de la construction au haut Moyen Âge, plusieurs communications ont questionné nos connaissances sur l'édification des lieux de culte durant cette période. La multiplication des opérations de fouille et des études d'archéologie du bâti, ainsi que les possibilités offertes par les analyses archéométriques et de nouvelles méthodes de datation permettent aujourd'hui une lecture plus fine et parfois même une redécouverte des édifices religieux des premiers siècles du Moyen Âge. Ces dernières années, on constate en effet un renouvellement des problématiques autour de cette thématique, en France et, plus largement, en Europe. Ces nombreux travaux s'inscrivent, par exemple, au sein de vastes programmes de recherche internationaux tels que l'élaboration du Corpus CARE -Corpus des monuments religieux antérieurs à l'an mil. Ils sont largement soutenus par une dynamique plus régionale qui s'exprime récemment à travers la réalisation de thèses ou au sein de programmes collectifs de recherche particulièrement actifs. Les 45 e Journées Internationales de l'Association Française d'Archéologie Mérovingienne qui se tiendront à Toulouse du 23 au 25 octobre 2025 aborderont donc la question de L'architecture religieuse du haut Moyen Âge dans le monde franc et ses marges en privilégiant, en particulier, les effets d'héritages et de transformations. Ces journées ont pour objectif d'essayer d'élaborer un état des lieux sur ce thème, d'ouvrir de nouvelles perspectives de recherche et de poser un nouveau regard sur l'architecture, l'organisation spatiale et fonctionnelle des édifices ecclésiaux du premier Moyen Âge. Au regard de ces enjeux, les communications privilégiant des approches synthétiques seront favorisées. Des bilans régionaux et/ou thématiques centrés sur le monde franc sont particulièrement attendus, ou des synthèses sur les zones de contact (Espagne du Nord, Italie du Nord, Suisse, Allemagne, Belgique, Angleterre), illustrées par des monographies. Il s'agira de considérer des églises aux statuts divers, intégrées ou non à des ensembles monastiques ou cathédraux. Il sera tout autant utile d'évoquer des édifices inédits que de reprendre des dossiers anciens afin d'essayer de caractériser l'organisation spatiale et monumentale des lieux de culte chrétien et

L’Ordo romanus I è il più antico testimone completo giunto fino a noi della celebrazione eucaristica papale a Roma. Si tratta di un testo risalente alla seconda metà del VII secolo e che è stato tramandato tramite manoscritti romani e gallicani. Il presente volume avvia allo studio di questa fonte attraverso diverse prospettive: i saggi introduttivi permettono al lettore di districarsi in mezzo alle complesse vicende della Roma dell’epoca (K. Ginter) e a quelle che hanno dato origine agli ordines e, dunque, al testo stesso (F. Bonomo), per poi entrare nello specifico della descrizione della celebrazione (Ł. Żak) e di alcuni degli elementi teologici che emergono dalla lettura dell’Ordo (G. Zaccaria). Il cuore del volume è costituito dalla traduzione all’italiano con il testo originale a fronte, che permette anche a chi non ha familiarità con la lingua latina di accostarsi a questo importante documento liturgico. Infine una concordanza verbale (A. Toniolo) permette a chi si dedica agli studi di teologia liturgica e non solo, di accedere al testo da un punto di vista differente ma altrettanto importante.

In the Wednesday Θεοτοκία (Theotokia), the Coptic Orthodox believers chant: “God who is at rest in his holies took flesh from the Virgin for our salvation” (7.2). Translated from the Coptic ⲛⲏ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ ⲛ̀ⲧⲁϥ as “those which are holy and His (i.e. His holies),” this prayer references both God’s holy ones and His holy places, and allows for both definitions. While an emphasis can be placed on either definition, for our purposes, we will reflect on His holy ones in order to elaborate three points: the saints in the eyes of God, referencing a few Scriptural verses on God’s delight and pleasure in the saints and righteous ones; the saints in the eyes of the Church and the importance of their veneration in the Church by their placement within the liturgical services; and the saints in our personal eyes, including the importance of not only viewing the saints as models to imitate, but also recognizing that we are called to be saints and must freely accept this invitation from God. Thus, we will delve into how the saints are viewed in the Orthodox sense throughout the Scriptures and the Liturgy, and how we are to emulate them in our daily lives.
This article is an adaptation of a paper submitted for “Introduction to Orthodox Christianity,” offered by Fr. Christopher Flesoras, PhD, in Spring 2024 at Hellenic College Holy Cross.
Cover Art: The apse of the ancient church at St. Antony Monastery, Red Sea (circa 13th century).

12. Some texts could be associated to more than one type. 13. I have studied this mutual relation and I think that it could be interesting in order to understand the origins of the features of the archangel Michael in Coptic texts. However, the problem is really complex and it should be the subject of another article.

The paper demonstrates the extensive similarity between the divisions of the Psalters of four liturgical rites: the ninth-century rite of Jerusalem (= Byzantine Psalter), the Old Georgian rite, the Armenian rite and the East-Syrian rite. This similarity exists despite the fact that the former two Psalters are divided into 60 small units and the latter two into 57. Based on comparative and contextual analysis, the paper argues that all four Psalters not only relate to Jerusalem, but represent consecutive stages of the Jerusalem Psalter itself. It is shown that the the ninth-century Psalter of Jerusalem, which is identical to the Psalter of the (present) Byzantine or Orthodox rite, had been Byzantinized, containing a portion of the Psalter of Hagia Sophia. The paper notes that there exists also a basic similarity between the Palestinian Jewish Psalter division and the Jerusalem Psalter of 57 units and discusses the possibility of a Jewish origin to the Christian Psalter of Jerusalem.

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.

In this entry for the Claremont Coptic Encyclopedia, I provide a historical study on the evolution of the pre-Christmas (Nativity) fast in the Coptic Orthodox rite based on hagiographical, canonical, liturgical, and historical sources from antiquity through the modern period.

Notes before the International Conference on Theology and Leadership (ICTL) (19-21 June 2024) in Lucerne - organised by the Chair of Pastoral Theology at the Faculty of Theology Lucerne in cooperation with the Institute of Leadership and Social Ethics (ILSE) of the Protestant Theological Faculty Leuven in Belgium (ETF)

Inspired by reading the analyses of Brian Dive, Accountability and Leadership in the Catholic Church. What needs to be improved, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Newcastle upon Tyne 2020

Presentazione del libro 'Il «miracolo» dell'olio. Dal «vangelo» di Augusto all'unzione dei re medievali" di Orazio Licandro, Baldini+Castoldi, 2024. In dialogo con Monica Centanni.

«Licandro ricostruisce un filo di pratiche e tradizioni relative al “sacro” che parte dall’olio miracoloso scaturito presso il Tevere nel 38 a.C. e giunge agli imbarazzanti rituali medievali ancora oggi in uso alla corte d’Inghilterra.» Dalla prefazione di Luciano Canfora

Veniva da Gerusalemme l’olio crismale usato dall’arcivescovo di Canterbury il 6 maggio 2023 durante la solenne cerimonia di incoronazione di Carlo III nell’abbazia di Westminster. Il fatto che ancora nel terzo millennio il rituale di investitura di una delle più blasonate monarchie europee sia legato all’olio sacro proveniente dalla Terra Santa dimostra come la nostra modernità, pur con i suoi profondi e continui cambiamenti, sia avida di rituali e simboli eterni. E cos’è l’olio crismale se non un rito e un simbolo antico che rimanda direttamente a Gesù Cristo, l’Unto, e ancora prima ad Augusto, il fondatore dell’Impero romano? Orazio Licandro ci accompagna in un appassionante viaggio a ritroso in cui l’olio sacro è protagonista delle cerimonie di investitura di re e imperatori, sino a Napoleone, incoronato due volte, prima a Nôtre-Dame e poi nel Duomo di Milano, passando per Carlo Magno e la celebre notte di Natale dell’800, quando papa Leone III lo nominò imperatore dei Romani, aprendo una vera e propria crisi diplomatica con Costantinopoli. Quella dell’olio crismale è una storia antica e insieme modernissima, un racconto affascinante di uno degli elementi forse meno noti ma più significativi della cultura del nostro mondo.

The article presents a multidisciplinary analysis of an old fragment of a hymnody manuscript recently recorded in one of the ecclesiastic libraries of East Tǝgray. The handwriting on the fragment demonstrates pre-14th century palaeographic features. A peculiarity of the text is represented by the so-called “odd vocalization”, with many words vocalized in a way different from the standard Gǝʿǝz. The content of the fragment is a sequence of antiphons, some having been identified. A non-destructive material analysis, aimed at identifying the chemical components of the inks, revealed that the black ink used in the fragment is dissimilar from the common carbon inks attested in more recent manuscripts of the same ecclesiastic library. It does contain a high quantity of iron and a few other metals; however, it cannot be plainly identified as iron-gall-inks.

In the United States school education system, there are students who are identified as English Language Learners (ELLs). ELLs are multilingual students who speak any other language apart from English at home. While majority of the ELLs are born in the United States, a few of them are immigrants from different parts of the world who later joined the US school system (Zong & Batalova, 2015) [18], and this study focuses on the latter student population at a college level. Various second language teaching approaches are often utilized by language teachers to make their classroom instructions effective. Lightbown & Spada (2013) [6] state communicative, task-based and content-based instructions, which appear to be commonly used when compared to the grammar translation and audiolingual approaches. The former instructions provide a ground for students to interact, converse, and communicate using the target language, and the students are expected to actively engage in the class discussions and interactions while the teacher facilitates them (Lightbown & Spada, 2013) [6]. However, little is known how culturally responsive the communicative and task-based instructions are to African ELLs in a college English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom in the Midwest. In order to address this gab, five African ELLs were selected based on convenience sampling and data were gathered through semi-structured interview and focus-group discussion. After analyzing the data through Miles & Huberman's (1994) [8] qualitative data analysis procedures, the following findings were reported. The cultural identity of the African ELLs did not seem to align with the principles of communicative and task-based instructional approaches, as the ELLs were raised to speak less but to listen more, avoid eye contact, and keep their head down when conversing as a sign of respect to the teachers. These elements of African cultural identity appeared to inhibit the ELLs from participating freely and actively in the English conversations, interactions, and group works in a college ESL classroom in the Midwest, United States. The study concludes that the communicative and task-based instructions should be culturally responsive to meet the unique needs of the African ELLs in a college ESL classroom.

Eastern Orthodox and the Oriental Orthodox are yet to come together in Holy Communion. This short study on the Holy Week hymns of both traditions reveal more similarities than dissimilarities. Further studies are prompted to bring together these two traditions.

3 S. Mrozek, Les distributions d'argent et de nourriture dans les villes italiennes du Haut Empire romain, Bruxelles, 1987; sur la signification sociale des dons alimentaires, S. Mrozek, "Caractère hiérarchique des repas officiels dans les villes romaines du Haut-Empire", La sociabilité à table. Commensalité et convivialité à travers les âges. Textes réunis par M.

e image of the church as a pilgrimaging community under the sacramental authority of the bishop as the high priest of his ock (SC 41) is central to liturgy in which church buildings and altars are dedicated. is article sums up the reform of that part of the Roman Ponti cal, which contains these rites. It also o ers some liturgical and ecclesiological insights, which could be of interest in the context of the current worldwide synodal process in the Roman Catholic Church. An undoubtably positive result of the reform of these rites is the pneumatical e ort which can be observed throughout the entire celebration. Much more important than the church building is the trinitarian focus on the church as People of God, Body of Christ and Temple of the Holy Spirit.

Benedictine monks of Pannonhalma (Hungary) decided 1991 to elect as their new Archabbot the then Auxiliary Bishop Asztrik Várszegi OSB of Esztergom-Budapest. With this extraordinary move we can witness how a (Titular) Bishop without pastoral jurisdiction receives his own ock (SC 41) by being elected to lead Hungary's oldest monastery and only Territorial Abbey. is paper presents some remarkable liturgical and ecclesiological aspects of the liturgy, in which Bishop Asztrik was introduced as new Archabbot and Ordinary of his local Church. Also interesting is the fact, that he was elected by members of the Order with a solemn vow, both clerics and lay brothers, and later con rmed by the Supreme Ponti. For the synodal process, initiated by Pope Francis, the way of selecting bishops is a key theme. Bishop Asztrik's election and appointment could be a striking example for how lay people in the future can get a more active and direct role in selecting their shepherds.

This research document seeks to explore one of the most widely circulated formats of the Scripture since the age of the ancient Christian church, in fact, one most attested pieces of evidence of the text of the New Testament, that document is the Greek lectionary. In particular, the paper pursued to take the Greek lectionaries as a test case to show interdisciplinary work between the New Testament Textual Criticism and the Theological Interpretation of the Scripture.
A paper presented in a PhD Seminar at NOBTS-2019

In this article we demonstrate that the interpretation of the epiclesis of the Byzantine liturgy, contained in the so-called “descriptive” part of the Acta graeca of the Florence Council (1439), is a reinterpretation of Nicholas Cabasilas's anti-Latin argumentation, presented in his “An Explanation of the Divine Liturgy.” This reinterpretation had as its source the explanation of the epiclesis in the Thomistic spirit offered in the debate by a Dominican cardinal Juan de Torquemada and recorded in the Acta Latina. Further we hypothesize that this new interpretation became the basis of a new method of Catholic proselytism in the following centuries and impacted the editio princeps of the texts of the Liturgies of St. John and St. Basil in 1526, on which subsequent editions of the Venetian euchologies depend. In that edition, we believe, the specific interpolations, which were previously seldom encountered in the early manuscripts in different contexts, have been made to form a correct “intention” of the celebrant according to the sacramentology of the Catholic Church. We are sure that the results of our study could become a paradigm for reconsidering, for instance, the causes and content of the disputes on the moment of consecration that have taken place since the sixteenth century.

The question of semantic connections between Early Christian funerary art and texts of an Early Christian prayer for the dead-Ordo commendationis animae-remains controversial. Some scholars endorse the idea that iconographic programs of Roman catacombs and Early Christian sarcophagi can be traced back to the prayer. Others highlight the distinctions between them, emphasizing that the oldest text of the Ordo commendationis animae cannot be dated earlier than the 4 th century A.D. Both the prayer and the funerary art embody the same themes of salvation and resurrection, often depicted through shared biblical heroes and narratives. Although there are inconsistencies between the biblical heroes mentioned in the prayer and the most popular characters and narratives in the Early Christian art, the semantic parallels cannot be simply dismissed. This research seeks to uncover the origins of the prayer itself and propose liturgical sources that could have influenced regional traditions of Early Christian funerary iconography. The earliest texts of Early Christian prayers known so far (the so-called Orationes pseudocyprianae) were dedicated to martyrs. They originate from the Eastern Mediterranean region (Antioch) and can be dated to the 3 rd c., which makes them contemporary to the early phase of Christian funerary art. Originally they were penned in Greek. The list of biblical episodes and heroes mentioned in the Orationes differs from that of Ordo commendationis animae and includes some New Testament episodes that used to be popular subjects of the Early Christian art. Additionally, it hypothesizes explanations for the iconographic principles of several renowned Early Christian monuments.

3 S. Mrozek, Les distributions d'argent et de nourriture dans les villes italiennes du Haut Empire romain, Bruxelles, 1987; sur la signification sociale des dons alimentaires, S. Mrozek, "Caractère hiérarchique des repas officiels dans les villes romaines du Haut-Empire", La sociabilité à table. Commensalité et convivialité à travers les âges. Textes réunis par M.

A note on this literal translation: This is a literal translation that I have done, is from the original Greek text. The difficulty with the standard translations is that those who do them has to compromise to suit the right expression, grammar in English and resort to just a "single" meaning for a "multiple-meaning-term. But a literal translation tries to preserve the finer details of the original, being faithful to Greek grammar, its important nuances, syntax, rather than being faithful to a guest language, and its grammar, to which it is to be translated. Surely, this will result is "poor" English, but the advantage is deeper understanding of the Greek original and its richness, with multiple meanings which suggest inner implications of the text. The double meanings are very important in interpreting the parable, while the translators has to be content with one "single" meaning, which impoverishes the beauty and message of the parable. The marking […] which you see in my translations are not in the original but added by me in an attempt to explain the missing grammatical terms. You will surely notice the beauty of the original text, and that there is an enormous difference between the original text and the translations.-Fr. John Britto

This article presents for the first time an edition and translation of an important early Syriac witness to ancient traditions about the Virgin Mary’s Assumption and Dormition, known as the Departure of Mary in six books (CANT 123-124), also referred to as the Transitus Mariae and the Six Books Dormition Apocryphon. Dating to the 6th century, the lower-layer palimpsest folios of Sinai Arabic 588 contain Syriac fragments of the Departure as well as of the Protevangelium of James (CANT 50) and of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas (Paidika Iesu) (CANT 57). These three works originate from the same manuscript and constitute a unique witness to this Syriac Marian compilation found in other 6th-century manuscripts, the only known pairing of the Departure’s long recension with both the Protevangelium and the Infancy Gospel of Thomas. New textual and paratextual evidence from these manuscripts offers proof that late antique Syriac Christians understood the three works to form a single unified volume, a Book of Mary. This compilation functioned as a hagiographical account of the Virgin’s life, a witness to the growth of the cult of Mary in the 6th century. Internal details within the account of the Departure indicate that it was edited to be integrated with the Protevangelium, likely in the Book of Mary. Furthermore, an internal date together with references to Christmas in both December and January shed new light on the origins of the Departure.

Le présent article offre pour la première fois une édition avec traduction d'un important témoin syriaque des traditions anciennes relatives à l'Assomption et à la Dormition de la Vierge Marie, connues sous le nom de Départ de Marie en six livres (CANT 123-124), ou de Transitus Mariae ou encore de Dormition en Six Livres. Datée du VI e siècle, l'écriture inférieure des folios palimpsestes du Sinaï arabe 588 contiennent des fragments syriaques du Départ, tout comme du Protévangile de Jacques (CANT 50) ou de l'Évangile de l'enfance du pseudo-Thomas (Paidika Iesu) (CANT 57). Ces trois oeuvres proviennent du même manuscrit et constituent un témoignage unique de cette compilation mariale syriaque que l'on retrouve dans d'autres manuscrits du VI e siècle, le seul regroupement connu de la recension longue du Départ avec à la fois le Protévangile de Jacques et l'Évangile de l'enfance du pseudo-Thomas. De nouveaux arguments textuels et paratextuels tirés des manuscrits syriaques apportent la preuve que les chrétiens syriaques de l'Antiquité tardive comprenaient ces trois oeuvres comme un seul et unique récit continu, le Livre de Marie. Cette compilation a fonctionné comme un récit hagiographique de la vie de la Vierge, témoin de l'essor du culte de Marie au VI e siècle. Des détails internes au récit du Départ indiquent qu'il a probablement fait l'objet d'un travail éditorial pour être intégré avec le Protévangile dans le Livre de Marie. En outre, une date interne ainsi que des références à Noël, à la fois en décembre et en janvier, jettent une lumière nouvelle sur les origines du Départ.

Although the term »church orders« is widely used there is no agreement as to its definition.
The genre of the Didache is examined in the light of recent discussion, and the conclusion is reached that it should be termed a Christian associational lex. This conclusion is based principally on the grounds of common content and purpose with other ancient non-Christian associational leges, but also to an extent on form. It is then noted
that Traditio apostolica manifests the same phenomenon and may similarly be classified as a Christian associational lex. On this basis it is argued that whereas the later church orders form a literary tradition, rather than conforming to a single genre, they originate as associational leges.

This article examines the existing sources on King Merkourios and the unification of Nobadia and Makouria with the intension to shed light on the King's probable contribution to this unification and the fact that he has been called a "New Constantine" by at least one source and by modern scholars. The article highlights the fact that there was no royal fanatical disposition against the Melkite Orthodox Church and that the unification of the two kingdoms was the result of economic, practical, military and political reasons rather than religious ones, which were probably secondary. The examination of sources from Merkourios's reign, the preMerkourios period and the post-Merkourios epoch leads to new interpretations and suggestions as well as to alternative hypotheses.

This paper considers archaeological evidence for various aspects of early Christian church building and comes to the conclusion that diversity was an essential quality of late antique Christianity. The diversity in question is ill-attested in written sources, but becomes apparent when the material record and everyday life are taken into consideration (cultural/material/pictorial/iconic turn). Church buildings looked and functioned differently in various regions and provinces of the late Roman empire. The diversity does not appear to have been accidental, but was cultivated throughout late antiquity. It was sometimes related to, but did not depend on, differences in liturgical practice, nor was it a matter of knowledge, ability, and workshop tradition alone. Provincial diversity was maintained even when and where the metropolitan alternative was manifestly known and available and although secular art and architecture continued to uniformly emulate the capital cities. A combination of written and material evidence suggests that the diverse formal repertoire of early Christian art and architecture was chosen and decided individually, but tended to form local/provincial/regional clusters. The decision makers seem to have been guided by religious conventions as well as by personal or political allegiances, many of which appear to have been determined locally, each province or region onto itself.

* Part of this article was read at the workshop Seconda Giornata di Studi Etiopici dedicati a Paolo Marrassini, organized by the Dipartimento di Lingue, Letterature e Studi interculturali, Università degli Studi di Firenze, on 24 March 2017. I would like to thank Prof. Loren Stuckenbruck, my scientific host at the LudwigMaximilians Universität München, for his scholarly and allaround help during my postdoctoral research awarded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. I am grateful to Prof. Getatchew Haile for his useful suggestions on how to approach the study of this text. My colleague Ted Erho deserves special thanks for providing me materials and helpful comments on the draft of this article.

Identifiant de l'opération archéologique : 10147 Date de l'opération : 2009 (SD) Au sud de Valence, sur les bords de la rive gauche du Rhône, fut implantée au XIIe s. une abbaye de l’Ordre de Saint-Ruf. Cet ordre vit le jour en 1039 lorsque quatre chanoines de la cathédrale d’Avignon obtinrent de leur évêque le droit de se retirer dans l’église dédiée à saint Ruf pour y développer une communauté de clercs réguliers. En 1158, l’Ordre de Saint-Ruf transféra la maison-mère à Valence sur des terr..

Didascalia apostolorum, also entitled the Syriac Didascalia, is a pseudo-epigraphic work, written in Syria in the 3rd century CE. Belonging to the literary genre of church orders, it is chronologically situated between the Didache, from which it was inspired, and the Apostolic Constitutions, which embodied it in the first six chapters with substantial changes.