Evangelistarium (Rps 3311 I)

Evangelistarium (The Lectionary) is the oldest hand-written lectionary in Polish libraries from 11th century.[2]

Evangelistarium
National Library of Poland
Typecodex, evangelistary
Date11th century
Language(s)Latin
Size15,5x10 cm, 151 leaves
AccessionRps 3311 I[1]

The manuscript was written around the A. D. 1000, but a few of the ornaments having been added in the second quarter of the 11th century.[3] It was written in the borderlands of France and Flanders, as indicated by the West Frankish and Anglo-Saxon influences seen in its ornamentation.[2] The history of The Lectionary is unknown.[3] It was probably purchased in 18th century for the Załuski Library, the first Polish National Library.[3][2] After the Kościuszko Insurrection the codex was carried away to St. Petersburg together with the collections of the Załuski Library.[3] Under the terms of the Treaty of Riga (1921), it was returned and placed in the National Library of Poland.[2] In 1939, as a reaction to the beginning of World War II it was evacuated to Canada, from where it returned with other treasures in 1959.[3] From May 2024, the manuscript is presented at the permanent exhibition in the Palace of the Commonwealth.[4][2]

The manuscript is a combination of an evangelium and an evangelistary.[3] The first part contains readings for the Mass in Biblical order, followed by Gospel readings arranged in the order of the liturgical year.[3] The manuscript consists of 151 pages, measuring 15,5x10 cm.[1] It contains three full-page miniatures with images of the Evangelists and initials with plant and animal motifs.[2][3] In older literature the manuscript, now described as an evangelistarium, was indetified as a lectionary.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Evangelistarium". Polona. National Library of Poland. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Makowski & Sapała 2024, p. 74.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h More precious than gold 2003, section ″The Lectionary″.
  4. ^ "Palace of the Commonwealth open to visitors". National Library of Poland. 2024-05-28. Retrieved 2024-06-11.

Bibliography

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