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Ethiopic · Hagiography · The translation was carried out around 1400 by , a monk of , according to the colophon of the translation present in .

Synaxarion

Anonymous · betmas

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Work dossier · summary and historical context

Summary

The Ethiopic Synaxarion is a liturgical hagiographical collection of saints' lives arranged by day of the year, used in the Ethiopian Orthodox Täwaḥədo Church. It derives from the Copto-Arabic Synaxarion, adapted and expanded in Ethiopia from the 14th century onward. The core compilation dates to the 14th–15th centuries, with later additions. The present edition (betmas) is based on a 19th-century manuscript. The text is read daily in Ethiopian liturgy and has been translated into Amharic and English. This edition lacks critical apparatus on manuscript variants or the full Copto-Arabic source; textual divergences remain unmarked.

The Ethiopic Synaxarion is a key witness to the adaptation of Coptic hagiography in Ethiopia, illustrating the transmission of Christian literary traditions across linguistic and cultural boundaries. It remains central to Ethiopian Orthodox liturgy and piety, shaping the annual cycle of saint veneration. Its study illuminates the history of Ethiopian Christianity, manuscript culture, and the integration of Egyptian ecclesiastical heritage.

Historical context

The Geʿez Synaxarion was translated around 1400 CE by a monk of an unspecified monastery, according to the colophon of the translation present in the source manuscript. It is rooted in the Coptic tradition, with compilers identified as Abba Michael, bishop of Atrib and Malig, and Abba John, bishop of Burulus—Egyptian sees in the Nile Delta. The compilation date is given as 963 of the Era of the Martyrs (1246/1247 CE), anchoring its redaction in the 13th century. The text was adapted and expanded in Ethiopia from the 14th century onward, reflecting the liturgical and hagiographic needs of the Ethiopian Orthodox Täwaḥədo Church. The present edition is based on a 19th-century manuscript, indicating ongoing transmission and use. The Synaxarion prescribes daily reading of saints' acts and celebration of their commemorations, highlighting its liturgical function throughout the ecclesiastical year.

Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded

Annotation and terms

23 commentary units 5 structure5 background4 caution3 term3 reception2 dating1 transmission 0 derived notes 9 open questions 5 narrative
What the kinds mean

Pipeline notes

  • limitThe English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve.
  • registerRegister: hagiography in Geʿez; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them.
  • structurePassages: 5 narrative.
  • sourceSource edition: betmas — CC BY-SA 4.0 (per file); site footer states NC-SA - treat as NC

Term index

CopticRenderingCountFirst
no glossary terms recorded
LIT2375Synaxa:1 · narrativehigh
Source
First half of the year Commemorative notices for the month of Maskaram Introduction for Maskaram በስመ፡ አብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ወመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ አሐዱ፡ አምላክ፡ ንወጥን፡ በረድኤተ፡ እግዚኣብሔር፡ ወሠናይ፡ ሀብቱ፡ በጽሒፈ፡ መጽሐፈ፡ ስንክሳር፡ ዘበትርጓሜሁ፡ ጉባኤ፡ ዘቀድኅዎ፡ አበዊነ፡ ቅዱሳን፡ መምህራነ፡ ቤተ፡ ክርስቲያን። አብ፡ ክቡር፡ አባ፡ ሚካኤል፡ ኤጲስ፡ ቆጶስ፡ ዘሀገረ፡ አትሪብ፡ ወመሊግ። ወአብ፡ ክቡር፡ አባ፡ ዮሐንስ፡ ኤጲስ፡ ቆጶስ፡ ዘሀገረ፡ ቡርልስ። ወካልኣን፡ አበው፡ ቅዱሳን፡ ወክቡራን፡ እለ፡ አስተጋብእዎ፡ ለዝንቱ፡ መጽሐፍ፡ እምኵሎሙ፡ ገድላት፡ ዘመላእክት፡ ወሐዋርያት፡ ወነቢያት፡ ወሰማዕታት፡ ወሊቃነ፡ ጳጳሳት፡ ወጻድቃን፡ ወገዳማዊያን፡ ወመነኮሳት። ከመ፡ ይግበሩ፡ ተዝካሮሙ፡ ወያንብቡ፡ ገድሎሙ፡ ኵሎ፡ አሚረ፡ እም፩ ለመስከረም፡ እስከ፡ ተፍጻሜተ፡ ዓመት። ወኮነ፡ አስተጋብኦቱ፡ በ፱፻፷ወ፫ዓመት፡ ለሰማዕታት፡ ንጹሓን። ጸሎቶሙ፡ ወበረከቶሙ፡ የሀሉ፡ ምስሌነ፡ አሜን።
English
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one God. We begin with the help of the Lord and his good gift, the writing of the book of the Synaxarion, whose interpretation is "Collection," which our holy fathers, the teachers of the Church, compiled. The venerable father Abba Michael, bishop of the city of Atrib and Malig, and the venerable father Abba John, bishop of the city of Burulus, and other holy and venerable fathers who assembled this book from all the acts of the angels, apostles, prophets, martyrs, patriarchs, righteous ones, anchorites, and monks, so that their commemorations may be celebrated and their acts read every day from the first of Maskaram to the end of the year. And its compilation was in the year 963 of the pure martyrs. May their prayer and blessing be with us. Amen.
LIT2375Synaxa:2 · narrativemedium
Source
1st Maskaram Beginning of the year 's washing in the river Death of Death of Death of Commemoration of and Described by in , but not in . Feast of Decapitation of Commemoration of Commemoration of and Commemoration of the council of Alexandria under Commemoration of the earthquake in Egypt Commemoration of , , the martyrs of Tǝnkǝl Yāqoton and many martyrs of Persia Commemoration of Commemoration of Beginning of ʾaylul and šātabar in Commemoration of Commemoration of Sǝmʿon of the cell, , ʾArdāse, 150 of Antioch, ʾAntǝyā, Tāʾodros bishop of the grave of ʾƎldānu, Tewogolos
English
1st Maskaram Beginning of the year 's washing in the river Death of Death of Death of Commemoration of and Described by in , but not in . Feast of Decapitation of Commemoration of Commemoration of and Commemoration of the council of Alexandria under Commemoration of the earthquake in Egypt Commemoration of , , the martyrs of Tǝnkǝl Yāqoton and many martyrs of Persia Commemoration of Commemoration of Beginning of ʾaylul and šātabar in Commemoration of Commemoration of Sǝmʿon of the cell, , ʾArdāse, 150 of Antioch, ʾAntǝyā, Tāʾodros bishop of the grave of ʾƎldānu, Tewogolos
LIT2375Synaxa:3 · narrativemedium
Source
Commemoration of , different version in the second recension. Commemoration of Commemoration of Commemoration of in Commemoration of Commemoration of Commemoration of Yāʿqob the monk, ʾAtimos the bishop, Bāslis, ʾAronṭos, ʿĀdi, Rawǝrwā, Sawlās, Sawā Commemoration of Commemoration of Commemoration of ʾAgātu, Ṗeṭros, Yoḥannǝs, ʾAmon, ʾAmonā, Rafiqā Commemoration of 6 companions of Fāsiladas, in the second recension also of Dās, Gāgrā, Nāwlā, Ṗeṭros the monk and Commemoration of the 12 of Manāz Commemoration of Commemoration of
English
Commemoration of , different version in the second recension. Commemoration of Commemoration of Commemoration of in Commemoration of Commemoration of Commemoration of Yāʿqob the monk, ʾAtimos the bishop, Bāslis, ʾAronṭos, ʿĀdi, Rawǝrwā, Sawlās, Sawā Commemoration of Commemoration of Commemoration of ʾAgātu, Ṗeṭros, Yoḥannǝs, ʾAmon, ʾAmonā, Rafiqā Commemoration of 6 companions of Fāsiladas, in the second recension also of Dās, Gāgrā, Nāwlā, Ṗeṭros the monk and Commemoration of the 12 of Manāz Commemoration of Commemoration of
LIT2375Synaxa:4 · narrativemedium
Source
Commemoration of Commemoration of Commemoration of , , , , and Commemoration of Commemoration of the 14 730 men and 7 women with . Commemoration of the miracle of in Fǝrugyā. Commemorative notices for the month of Ṭǝqǝmt Commemorative notices for the month of Ḫǝdar Commemorative notices for the month of Tāḫśāś Commemorative notices for the month of Ṭǝrr Commemorative notices for the month of Yakkātit Second half of the year Commemorative notices for the month of Maggābit Commemorative notices for the month of Miyāzyā Commemorative notices for the month of Gǝnbot
English
Commemoration of Commemoration of Commemoration of , , , , and Commemoration of Commemoration of the 14 730 men and 7 women with . Commemoration of the miracle of in Fǝrugyā. Commemorative notices for the month of Ṭǝqǝmt Commemorative notices for the month of Ḫǝdar Commemorative notices for the month of Tāḫśāś Commemorative notices for the month of Ṭǝrr Commemorative notices for the month of Yakkātit Second half of the year Commemorative notices for the month of Maggābit Commemorative notices for the month of Miyāzyā Commemorative notices for the month of Gǝnbot
LIT2375Synaxa:5 · narrativehigh
Source
Commemorative notices for the month of Sane Commemorative notices for the month of Ḥamle Commemorative notices for the month of Naḥāse Commemoration of . Commemorative notices for the month of Ṗagʷǝmen
English
Commemorative notices for the month of Sane Commemorative notices for the month of Ḥamle Commemorative notices for the month of Naḥāse Commemoration of . Commemorative notices for the month of Ṗagʷǝmen
Citation. Tergwame, “Synaxarion”, LIT2375Synaxa:1, machine-draft, 2026. https://naxiai.com/christian/works/LIT2375Synaxa#s1
Colophon. Source: betmas · licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (per file); site footer states NC-SA - treat as NC · model: deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor · provider: Relace · cost: $0.0022 · generated 2026-11-15.