# Synaxarium > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Synaxarium > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Synaxarium.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synaxarium > Source revision: 1299686871 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Collection of hagigraphies of the Eastern Churches' saints and martyrs}} [[File:Յայսմաւուրք.JPG|thumb|250px|A Haysmavurk (Synaxarion) in [Armenian](/source/Armenian_language) restored and kept in [Matenadaran](/source/Matenadaran)]] '''Synaxarion''', '''Synaxarium''' or '''Synaxary''' (plurals ''Synaxaria'', ''Synaxaries''; {{langx|el|Συναξάριον}}, from συνάγειν, ''synagein'', "to bring together"; cf. [etymology](/source/etymology) of ''[synaxis](/source/synaxis)'' and ''[synagogue](/source/synagogue)''; [Latin](/source/Latin_language): ''Synaxarium'', ''Synexarium''; {{langx|cop|ⲥⲩⲛⲁⲝⲁⲣⲓⲟⲛ}}; [Ge'ez](/source/Ge%CA%BDez): ሲናክሳሪየም(ስንክሳር); {{langx|ar|ٱلسِّنْكِسَارُ/ٱلسَّنْكِسَارُ/ٱلسِّنَكْسَارُ|translit=As-sinkisār/As-sankisār/As-sinaksār}}{{Cite web |last=Team |first=Almaany |title=ترجمة و معنى السنكسار بالإنجليزي في قاموس المعاني. قاموس عربي انجليزي الكل مصطلحات صفحة 1 |url=https://www.almaany.com/ar/dict/ar-en/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%86%D9%83%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B1/ |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=www.almaany.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Team |first=Almaany |title=تعريف و شرح و معنى سنكسار بالعربي في معاجم اللغة العربية معجم المعاني الجامع، المعجم الوسيط ،اللغة العربية المعاصر ،الرائد ،لسان العرب ،القاموس المحيط - معجم عربي عربي صفحة 1 |url=https://www.almaany.com/ar/dict/ar-ar/%D8%B3%D9%86%D9%83%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B1/ |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=www.almaany.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=السنكسار بحسب الكنيسة المارونية |url=http://www.mecliban.com/index.php/16-synaxarium-maronite |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=www.mecliban.com}}) is the name given in the [Eastern Orthodox](/source/Eastern_Orthodox_Church), [Oriental Orthodox](/source/Oriental_Orthodox_Churches) and [Eastern Catholic Churches](/source/Eastern_Catholic_Churches) to a compilation of [hagiographies](/source/hagiography) corresponding roughly to the [martyrology](/source/martyrology) of the [Roman Church](/source/Roman_Catholic_Church). There are two kinds of synaxaria:{{sfn|Delehaye|1911|p=292}} *'''Simple synaxaria''': lists of the [saints](/source/saints) arranged in the order of their anniversaries, e.g. the calendar of [Morcelli](/source/Morcelli){{sfn|Delehaye|1911|p=292}} *'''Historical synaxaria''': including biographical notices, e.g. the [Menologion of Basil II](/source/Menologion_of_Basil_II) and the synaxarium of [Sirmond](/source/Jacques_Sirmond).{{sfn|Delehaye|1911|p=292}} The notices given in the historical synaxaria are summaries of those in the great menologies, or collections of lives of saints, for the twelve months of the year.{{sfn|Delehaye|1911|p=292}} As the lessons in the Byzantine [Divine Office](/source/Divine_Service_(Eastern_Orthodoxy)) are mostly the lives of saints, the Synaxarion became the collection of short lives of saints and martyrs, but also of accounts of events, of famous visions seen by saints and even useful narratives whose memory is kept.{{sfn|Fortescue|1912}}Συναξαριστής των Δώδεκα μηνών του ενιαυτού», 1805-1807, στην Ι.Μ.Παντοκράτορος, εκδ.Βενετία, 1819 ==Definitions== The exact meaning of the name has changed at various times. Its first use was for the index to the Biblical and other lessons to be read in church. In this sense it corresponds to the Latin ''Capitulare'' and ''Comes''. Then the Synaxarion was filled up with the whole text of the [pericope](/source/pericope)s to be read. As far as the [Holy Liturgy](/source/Holy_Liturgy) was concerned this meant that it was essentially transformed into the "Gospel" and "Apostle" books. Synaxarion remained the title for the index to the other lessons. Without changing its name it was filled up with complete texts of these lessons.{{sfn|Fortescue|1912}} The mere index of such lessons is generally called ''menologion heortastikon'', a book now hardly needed or used, since the [Typikon](/source/Typikon) supplies the same, as well as other, information.{{sfn|Fortescue|1912}} Certain calendars extant in the Middle Ages were also called Synaxaria. [Krumbacher](/source/Krumbacher) describes those composed by [Christopher of Mytilene](/source/Christopher_of_Mytilene) and [Theodore Prodromus](/source/Theodore_Prodromus) (twelfth century).{{harvnb |Fortescue|1912}} cites Krumbacher "Gesch. der byzantin. Lit.", 2nd ed., Munich, 1897, pp. 738, 755 ==Examples== The oldest historical synaxaria apparently go back to the tenth century.{{sfn|Delehaye|1911|p=292}} There are a great number of medieval synaxaria extant in manuscript. They are important for Byzantine [heortology](/source/heortology) and church history. The short lives that form the lessons were composed or collected by various writers.{{sfn|Fortescue|1912}} Of these [Symeon Metaphrastes](/source/Symeon_Metaphrastes) is the most important. The accounts are of very varying historical value. Emperor [Basil II](/source/Basil_II) (976-1025) ordered a revision of the synaxarion, which forms an important element of the present official edition.{{harvnb |Fortescue|1912}} cites Analecta Bollandiana, XIV, 1895, p. 404. The synaxarion is not now used as a separate book; it is incorporated in the Menaia. The account of the saint or [feast](/source/Feast_day) is read in the [Orthros](/source/Orthros) after the sixth ode of the Canon. It is printed in its place here, and bears each time the name synaxarion as title. Synaxarion then in modern use means, not the whole collection, but each separate lesson in the Menaia and other books. An example of such a synaxarion (for St. Martin I, 13 April) will be found in [Nilles](/source/Nilles), op. cit., infra, I, xlix.{{sfn|Fortescue|1912}} Some surviving examples of regional Synaxaria are: *The Coptic Synaxarium- Also known as the ''Synaxarium Alexandrinum'', which is employed by the [Coptic Orthodox Church](/source/Coptic_Orthodox_Church). Publication was started by J. Forget in the ''Corp. script. orient.''. It was written using the Coptic language ({{langx|cop|ⲥⲩⲛⲁⲝⲁⲣⲓⲟⲛ}}){{cite web|author=Michael Ghlay - Alexandria - Egypt |url=https://st-takla.org/Full-Free-Coptic-Books/Synaxarium-or-Synaxarion/Synexarium-or-Synexarion-index.html |title=السنكسار | كتاب سنكسار القديسين الخاص بالكنيسة القبطية الأرثوذكسية - السنكسارات |publisher=St-Takla.org |date= |accessdate=2022-09-04}} before the adoption of Arabic as an official language of Egypt.{{cite web | url=https://www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium | title=السنكسار : Lives of Saints : Synaxarium - CopticChurch.net }} *The Ethiopian Synaxarium- which belongs to the [Ethiopian Orthodox Church](/source/Ethiopian_Orthodox_Church) was first published by [I. Guidi](/source/I._Guidi) in the ''Patrologia orientalis'', as well as by [E.A. Wallis Budge](/source/E.A._Wallis_Budge).{{Cite web |title=The Ethiopian Synaxarium |url=https://www.tewahedo.dk/litt/cached/The_Ethiopian_Synaxarium.pdf |website=www.tewahedo.dk}} *The Armenian Synaxarium of Ter Israel- which is used by the [Armenian Apostolic Church](/source/Armenian_Apostolic_Church){{cite web | url=https://vemkar.us/resources/the-haysumavurk-synaxarion-and-lives-of-the-martyrs/ | title=The Haysumavurk (Synaxarion) and Lives of the Martyrs – VEMKAR }} was published at [Constantinople](/source/Constantinople) in 1834, and again in ''[Patrologia Orientalis](/source/Patrologia_Orientalis)''. *The Georgian Synaxarium- There are also various [Georgian](/source/Georgian_Orthodox_Church) synaxaria, surviving in various complete states.[N. Marr](/source/Nicholas_Marr), ''Le Synaxaire géorgien. Rédaction ancienne de l'union arméno-géorgienne'', Paris 1926 (Patrologia Orientalis, 19, 5 = 95); G. Garitte, ''Le calendrier palestino-géorgien du Sinaiticus 34 (Xe siècle)''. Édité, traduit et commenté..., Bruxelles 1958 (Subsidia hagiographica, 30).{{sfn|Delehaye|1911|p=292}}{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7aTLEAAAQBAJ |title = The Georgian Synaxarium |isbn = 9781960069696|last1 = Curtin|first1 = D. P.|date = 1 Aug 2022|publisher = Dalcassian Publishing Company }} *The [Roman Martyrology](/source/Roman_Martyrology)- which is utilized by the [Roman Catholic Church](/source/Roman_Catholic_Church) for its calendar of saints.{{cite web | url=http://www.boston-catholic-journal.com/roman-martyrology-complete-in-english-for-daily-reflection.htm | title=Roman Martyrology, Complete, in English for Daily Reflection }} *[The Arab-Jacobite Synaxarium](/source/Synaxaire_Arabe-Jacobite)- which is composed in [Arabic](/source/Arabic_language) ({{langx|ar|السِّنْكِسارُ}}) and used by the [Syriac Orthodox Church](/source/Syriac_Orthodox_Church). ==See also== * [Calendar of saints](/source/Calendar_of_saints) * [Hagiography](/source/Hagiography) * [Paterikon](/source/Paterikon) * ''[Synaxarion of Constantinople](/source/Synaxarion_of_Constantinople)'' ==Notes== {{reflist}} ==References== ;Attribution *{{CE1913|first=Adrian |last=Fortescue |wstitle=Synaxarion |volume=14}} *{{EB1911|first=Hippolyte |last=Delehaye|author-link= Hippolyte Delehaye |wstitle=Synaxarium |volume=26 |page=292}} == Further reading == *[Stefano Antonio Morcelli](/source/Stefano_Antonio_Morcelli), ''Kalendarium ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae'' (Rome, 1788) Online on [Google Books](/source/Google_Books) : [https://books.google.com/books?id=t8_mAAAAMAAJ&pg=PR3 vol. 1]; [https://books.google.com/books?id=c_mAAAAMAAJ&pg=PP5 vol. 2] *[Hippolyte Delehaye](/source/Hippolyte_Delehaye), "Le Synaxaire de Sirmond," in ''[Analecta Bollandiana](/source/Analecta_Bollandiana)'', xiv. 396–434, where the terminology is explained; idem, ''Synaxarium ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae e codice Sirmondiano'' (Brussels, 1902), forming the volume ''Propylaeum ad acta sanctorum novembris''. == External links == {{Commons category|Synaxaria|Synaxarium}} * [http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/general/synaxarion_intro.aspx Introduction to The Synaxarion:] The Lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church, by Hieromonk Makarios of Simonos Petra, Mount Athos {{Eastern Orthodox liturgical books}} Category:Eastern Orthodox liturgical days Category:Christian hagiography Category:Eastern Christian liturgy Category:Saints' days Category:Church Slavonic literature Category:Eastern Orthodox liturgical books Category:Christian terminology --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Synaxarium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synaxarium) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synaxarium?action=history)). 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