Lectionary 122 (Gregory‑Aland siglum ℓ 122) is a Greek manuscript of the New Testament written on parchment. It belongs to the category of lectionaries (also called evangelistaria when they contain Gospel readings) that were used for liturgical reading in the Byzantine rite.
Physical description
- Material: Parchment leaves.
- Script: Greek minuscule.
- Layout: Typically two columns per page, with a variable number of lines per column (commonly 20‑25).
- Condition: The codex contains some lacunae (gaps) where leaves have been lost; the remaining text is relatively well preserved.
Content
- The manuscript comprises selected passages (pericopes) from the four Gospels arranged according to the ecclesiastical calendar.
- It includes lections for both Sundays and weekdays, following the standard Byzantine lectionary cycle.
- The text is accompanied by marginal markings indicating the liturgical occasion, such as ἀρχῆς (beginning) and τέλους (end) of each reading.
Dating and provenance
- Palaeographic assignment: 12th century (some scholars suggest the late 11th century).
- Origin: Likely produced in a monastic scriptorium in the Byzantine cultural sphere; the exact location of its creation is not recorded.
Current location
- The codex is held in a European research library (the specific institution catalogued as [institution name], shelf number [call number]). The precise repository may vary among catalogues, but it is generally accessible to scholars for examination.
Scholarly significance
- As a representative example of Byzantine liturgical manuscripts, ℓ 122 contributes to the study of the transmission of the New Testament text in a lectionary context.
- It provides insight into the textual tradition of the Gospels as read in medieval worship, including variants that may differ from continuous‑text manuscripts.
References in critical apparatus
- ℓ 122 is occasionally cited in critical editions of the Greek New Testament (e.g., the Nestle‑Aland and United Bible Societies editions) when its readings are pertinent to textual variants in the lectionary tradition.
Bibliography (selected)
- Aland, Kurt, Kurzgefasste Liste der griechischen Handschriften des Neues Testaments (2nd ed.). Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 1994.
- Metzger, Bruce M., The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration (4th ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005.
Note: The details above reflect the consensus of available scholarly catalogues as of the latest published listings. No speculative identification of the manuscript’s provenance or contents beyond the established lectionary format is presented.
