A catalogue of Western manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries and selected Oxford colleges

MS. Holkham Gr. 19

Summary Catalogue no.: Not in SC (late accession)

Diktyon no.: 48087

Contents

Language(s): Greek

Menologion for February-April.
1.
⟨Menologion for the month of February⟩
1.1. (fol iii)

Table of Contents; tit. + οὗτος ὁ πίναξ τῆς παρούσης πυκτίδος+

1.2. (fols 1–10v)
Passio of St Tryphon,

1 February; BHG 1857; tit. Μαρτύριον τοῦ ἁγίου μεγαλομάρτυρος Τρύφωνος.

1.3. (fols 10v-22r)
Life and Miracles of St Parthenios, Bishop of Lampsacus,

7 February; BHG 1423; tit. Βίος καὶ πολιτεία καὶ μερικὴ θαυμάτων ἐξήγησις τοῦ ἐν ἁγίοις πατρὸς ἡμῶν Παρθενίου ἐπισκόπου Λαμψάκου.

1.4. (fols 22v-33)
Passio of St Theodore the General,

7 February; BHG 1752; tit. Μαρτύριον τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ ἐνδόξου μεγαλομάρτυρος Θεοδώρου τοῦ στρατηλάτου.

1.5. (fols 33v-82v)
Life and Miracles of St Luke the Younger,

8 February; BHG 994; tit. Βίος καὶ πολιτεία καὶ μερικὴ θαυμάτων διήγησις τοῦ ὁσίου πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ θαυματουργοῦ Λουκᾶ τοῦ νέου τοῦ ἐν Ἑλλάδῃ κειμένου.

1.6. (fols 82v-92)
Passio of St Nikephoros,

9 February; BHG 1332; tit. Μαρτύριον τοῦ ἁγίου μεγαλομάρτυρος Νικηφόρου.

1.7. (fols 92–99v)
Passio of St Blasius,

11 February; BHG 277; tit. Μαρτύριον τοῦ ἁγίου ἱερομάρτυρος Βλασίου.

1.8. (fols 99v-116v)
Life of St Martinianos,

13 February; BHG 1178–1179; tit. Βίος τοῦ ὁσίου πατρὸς ἡμῶν Μαρτινιανοῦ.

1.9. (fols 117–127v)
Passio of St Theodore the Recruit,

17 February; BHG 1763; tit. Μαρτύριον τοῦ ἁγίου μεγαλομάρτυρος Θεοδώρου τοῦ τήρωνος.

2.
⟨Menologion for the month of March⟩
2.1. (fols 127v-141v)
⟨Euodius monk⟩, Passio of the Forty-Two Martyrs in Amorium,

6 March; BHG 1214; tit. Μαρτύριον τῶν ἁγίων καὶ ἐνδόξων τοῦ Χριστοῦ τεσσαράκοντα δύο μαρτύρων.

2.2. (fols 141v-150v)
Passio of the Forty Martyrs,

9 March; BHG 1202; tit. Μαρτύριον τῶν ἁγίων τεσσαράκοντα τοῦ Χριστοῦ μαρτύρων.

2.3. (fols 150v-159)
Narration in remembrance of the salvation of the City from the Persians

March; BHG 1060; tit. Διήγησις ὠφέλιμος ἐκ παλαιῶν ἱστοριῶν συλλεγεῖσα καὶ ἀνάμνησιν δηλοῦσα τοῦ παραδόξως γενομένου θαύματος ἡνίκα Πέρσαι καὶ βάρβαροι τὴν βασιλίδα ταύτην πόλεων ἐκύκλωσαν· οἳ καὶ ἀπώλοντο θείας δίκης πειραθέντες· ἡ δὲ πόλις ἀσινὴς συντηρηθεῖσα πρεσβείαις τῆς Θεοτόκου ἐτησίως ἔκτοτε ᾄδει εὐχαριστήριον ἀκάθιστον τὴν ἡμέραν ἑορτάζουσα. In top margin: Τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς ἀκαθίστου.

3.
⟨Menologion for the month of April⟩
3.1. (fols 159–177v)
⟨Sophronius of Jerusalem⟩, Life of St Mary of Egypt,

1 April; BHG 1042; CPG 7675; tit. Βίος τῆς ὁσίας Μαρίας τῆς Αἰγυπτίας συγγραφεὶς παρὰ Σωφρονίου ἀρχιεπισκόπου Ἱεροσολύμων.

3.2. (fols 178–192)
⟨Niketas David Paphlagon⟩, Passio of St George,

23 April; BHG 676; tit. Μαρτύριον τοῦ ἁγίου μεγαλομάρτυρος Γεωργίου.

3.3. (fols 192–201v)
⟨Asterius of Amaseia⟩, Enkomion of St Basileus, Bishop of Amaseia,

26 April; BHG 240; CPG 3265; tit. Ἐγκώμιον εἰς τὸν ἅγιον ἱερομάρτυρα Βασιλέα ἐπίσκοπον Ἀμασείας.

3.4. (fols 201v-202v)
John Chrysostom, Sermon on the Annunciation of the Mother of God,

25 March; BHG 1128 f; mutilated at the end des. mut. (PG 50, 793, lin. 15 ab imo). tit. Τοῦ ἐν ἁγίοις πατρὸς ἡμῶν Ἰωάννου τοῦ Χρυσοστόμου λόγος εἰς τὸν εὐαγγελισμὸν τῆς ὑπεραγίας Θεοτόκου.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment.
Extent: iii+ 204
Dimensions (leaf): 345 × 265 mm.

Layout

Written in two columns; 30 lines per column.

Hand(s)

There seem to be several hands.

Decoration

Decorated headpieces before each Vita. Also with illumination on fols. 1r. See Hutter III,I, pp. 82–83.

Binding

Holkham binding of black leather, with Coke family ostrich crest in gilt in the centre of the upper cover; Date: early nineteenth century. Rebound by John Jones of Liverpool (worked for Holkham 1816–1823). SPINE: lettered in gilt: SYMEONIS| METAPHRASTAE|VITAE| S.S. MARTYRUM| G.R.| M.S.| SAEC. XII|–| FEB. MAR. APR.|

History

Origin: 11th century

Provenance and Acquisition

Old Catalogue Nrs: Morezenos (or Morezinos ?) 27. Giustiniani 17. Olim Holkham Hall, Libr. of the Earl of Leicester, 89.I.

Fol. 1r: a note written in Montfaucon’s hand: 1698. Codex 17. Annorum circiter 600. Metaphrastae mensis februarius et quaedam vitae mensis martii et aprilis.

Fol. 159r: ἐκ τ(ῶν) ἱερε(ως) τοῦ μορεζήνου βἰβλ(ων)

Record Sources

Description by Dimitrios Skrekas (November 2017), with the support of the Leventis Foundation, the Oxford Centre for Byzantine Research, the Yerolemou Trust and the Michael Marks Charitable Trust.

Bibliography

Last Substantive Revision

2018-08-14: Record fully revised according to new description by Dimitris Skrekas