Work dossier · summary and historical context
The Synaxarium ibericum is an anonymous Old Georgian collection of short saints' lives arranged by the liturgical calendar, used in the Georgian Orthodox tradition. Surviving in manuscripts from the 10th–11th centuries, it represents a translation and adaptation of Byzantine synaxaria. The work evolved through centuries of compilation and redaction, serving Georgian monastic communities and influencing later hagiographical compilations. Its entries blend liturgical, devotional, and legendary elements, and the text lacks a critical apparatus, limiting its use for textual criticism.
The Synaxarium ibericum is a key witness to the reception and adaptation of Byzantine hagiography in the Georgian Orthodox tradition. It shaped Georgian liturgical practice and influenced later hagiographical compilations, reflecting the cultural and religious identity of medieval Georgia. Its study illuminates the transmission of Christian texts across linguistic and cultural boundaries.
The Synaxarium ibericum was produced in the Georgian Orthodox milieu, likely in monastic centers of Georgia or the Caucasus, between the 10th and 11th centuries based on the earliest surviving manuscripts. It reflects the translation and adaptation of Byzantine synaxaria into Old Georgian, a process that began after the Christianization of Georgia (4th c.) and intensified during the medieval period. The work was used liturgically in Georgian monasteries, where it structured daily commemorations of saints. Its anonymous compilation and redaction over centuries indicate a living tradition, with entries sometimes containing legendary or anachronistic details. The text's transmission is tied to the broader network of Eastern Christian hagiography, sharing sources with Greek and Syriac traditions but adapted to local Georgian saints and practices.
Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded
| Coptic | Rendering | Count | First |
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| no glossary terms recorded | |||