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Heritage, Manuscripts, Syriac - Saturday, April 7, 2012 0:02 - 3 Comments
MS Vatican Syriac 22 & MS Vatican Syriac 17: Syriac Manuscripts copied in South India
1. Introduction
There are many documents available from 14th century onwards which gives precise
MS Vatican Syriac 22, the oldest known Syriac MS from India, contains a lectionary of the Pauline Epistles according to the Peshitta version. It was copied in 1301 AD ( 1612 A Gr) in Estrangelo Script at Cranganore, South India by a deacon named Zakharya bar Joseph bar Zakharya at the Church dedicated to Mar Quriaqos .
MS Vatican Syriac 17 was completed on 6th March 1510 AD (1821 A Gr) and copied by Mar Jacob “ Bishop of Hindo”, who arrived in South India in 1504 AD. According to the colophon, this was copied in the blessed and famous place Cranganore, South India at the Church of Saint Thomas. It contains the complete Estrangelo Script New testament. This is the oldest extant locally copied New Testament in India.
1. MS Vatican Syriac 22
| Folios | Dimension | Lines | Columns | Language | Copied by | Copied at |
| 94 | 35 ½ X 24 ½ cms | 22 | 2 | Estrangelo Script | Zakharya bar Joseph bar Zakharya | Church of Mar Quriaqos, Cranganore, South India |
a) About the MSS
This MS is a volume of 94 folios, of these 1 folio is from a rebound of 16th century. According to the colophon of the MS Vatican Syriac 22, this was copied on 1301 AD in Cranganore ( 1612 A Gr) at the Church dedicated to Mar Quriaqos . This MS is written in Estrangelo Script by a very young decon named Zakharya bar Joseph bar Zakharya who was just 14 at the time of writing. This is the oldest known Syriac MS copied in India. Though from the manuscripts it is evident that the scribe Zakharya knows Syriac very well, Zakharya is very apologetic about his knowledge of Syriac in the MS.1
- J P M Van Der Ploeg, The syriac manuscripts of Saint Thomas Christians [↩]
- “THE VARTHAMANAPPUSTHAKAM” written by Cathanar Thomman Paremmakkal
- “Christianity in India- a History in ecumenical perspective” by HC Perumalil and ER Hambye
- “The Arrival of the Portuguese in India and the Thomas Christians under Mar Jacob 1498-1552” by Dr. Mathias Mundadan
- Sixteenth Century Churches – Churches belonging to Catholics and Syriac Orthodox ( 1818 AD-Statistics)
- ‘The Thomas Christians’ by Placid Podipara
- Margam Kali – History, Theme, Early References and Modern Developments
- ‘The Indian Christians of St. Thomas’ by Dr. Leslie Brown
- ‘Jornada of Dom Alexis de Menezes: A Portuguese account of the Sixteenth century Malabar’ edited by Dr. Pius Malekandathil
- Letters of St. Thomas the Apostle to Edessa from India
- Prelates of Nasranis till the Synod of Udayamperoor- List of early Bishops till 1599 AD
- Hymns of Saint Ephraem (Ephrem) the Syrian, on Apostle Thomas and India
- Analogical review on Saint Thomas Cross- The symbol of Nasranis-Interpretation of the Inscriptions
- Save Syriac
- Museum- Christian Cultural Centre Golden Jubilee Museum at Pala
- Focus III- Cheppad St. George Church
- ‘The Nazranies’ by Prof. George Menanchery
- Role, Characteristics, List and Tomb of Archdeacons (Arkadiyakons) of Saint Thomas Christians
- St.George- Geevarghese Sahada traditions and rituals among Nasranis
- Hindu Traditions of St. Thomas –Thondacchan and the Four Silver Coins
- The Mural tradition of Kerala Churches
- Focus II- History, Munnu Noyambu and Kappalottam – Marth Mariam Church, Kuravilangad
- The Muziris Heritage Project- News
- Focus I- Ramapuram twin churches, Role, History & Rituals
- Church feast and festivals in Central Kerala-Kottayam
- Palm Sunday ( Kuruthola Perunnal), Maundy Thursday( Pesaha), Good Friday (Dukha Velli) and Easter among Saint Thomas Christians of India
- ‘The Syrian Christians of Kerala, Demographic and Socio-Economic Transition In The Twentieth Century’ by K. C. Zachariah
- SRITE- Project for Preserving the Manuscripts of the Syrian Christians in India
- ‘Glimpses of Nazraney Heritage’ by Prof George Menachery
- Glimpse from History-Gondophares, Roman and Venetian gold coins
- ‘The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India’- Volume II , Chief Editor Prof.George Menachery
- ‘The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopedia of India’- Volume I -Prof. George Menachery
- ‘Origin of Christianity in India’ by Dr.Benedict Vadakkekara
- Arrival of Thomas of Cana ( Bishop Thomas of Cana ?), History and references about Southist Community (Thekkumbhagar – Knanaya )
- Arrival of Mar Sabrisho and Mar Piruz, Earliest Reports, Copper Plates, Katheeshangal,Christians & Churches at Quilon
- The Edicts, Copper Plates and Privileges- Quilon (Tarisapalli) plates, Thazhekad edict, Iravi Kortan plate and Cana Thomman plate
- Early references about the Apostolate of Saint Thomas in India, Records about the Indian tradition, Saint Thomas Christians & Statements by Indian Statesmen
- Surviving MSS- Old Testament Manuscripts, Psalms and New Testament Manuscripts of Christians of Saint Thomas
- Kerala Syrian Christian, Apostle in India, The tomb of the Apostle, Persian Church, Syond of Diamper – Coonan Cross Oath, Subsequent divisions and the Nasrani People
- Mission of Pantaenus in India and Saint Bartholomew, the Apostle in India
- Population Statistics and Demography of Saint Thomas Christians, Churches with historical references
- Ancient Churches with traditional dates of foundation & Stone Crosses of Kerala- Saint Thomas Cross, Nazraney Sthambams and other Persian Crosses
- Divisions and Rite of the Churches- Syro Malabar Church, Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church ,Malankara Orthodox Syriac Church, Thozhiyur Church, Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, Syro Malankara Church, Chaldean Syrain Church.
- Some of the traditions and rituals among the Syrian Christians of Kerala
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