Edgbaston, University of Birmingham, Mingana Syr. 48

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Physical description: paper, 21.8 × 17 cm, 147 fol., 1 col.

Language(s): Syriac and Garšūnī

Date: 1906, but based in part on a MS from 1757 (fols. 142^v–143^v)

Provenance: the deacon Matthew, son of Paul, in Mosul based on an earlier manuscript (colophon reproduced fol. 143^v) originating in the village of Baith Khudaidah.

Contents:

West Syriac Life of Mary featuring:

Protevangelium of James (as book 1, fols. 1^r–6^v, and book 2, fols. 6^v–10^v)

Vision of Theophilus (as book 3, fols. 10^v–29^r)

Infancy Gospel of Thomas (as book 4, fols. 29^v–32^v)

Six-Books Dormition of the Virgin (as book 5, fols. 32^v–58^v, and book 6, fols. 59^r–71^v)

Legend of the Thirty Pieces of Silver (fols. 144^r–145^r; in Garšūnī)

Additional Contents: Ps.-Ephrem, On the Malice of the Jews against Mary and Joseph (71^v–76^v); On the Death and Burial of the Virgin by Jacob of Serug (76^v–80^r); Timothy of Gargar, On the Departure of Mary (80^r–87^r); a Miracle of Mary in Homs (87^r–90^r), a Miracle of Mary in Egypt (90^v–95^r), a memra by Jacob of Serug on Mary the Theotokos (95^r–101^v), an anonymous memra on the Merits, Life and Miracles of Mary (102^r–121^r), an anonymous memra on the Praises of Mary (121^r–136^v), and three letters that came down from heaven (126^v–134^v); a miracle of the Virgin attributed to Cyril of Jerusalem (135^r–142^v, in Garšūnī); and another miracle “performed by Our Lady Mary the Saint in the days of Calif Ma’mun” (145^v–150^r, in Garšūnī).

Catalogs:

Mingana, Alphonse. Catalogue of the Mingana Collection of Manuscripts Now in the Possession of the Trustees of the Woodbrooke Settlement, Selly Oak, Birmingham. 3 vols. Cambridge: W. Heffer & Sons, Ltd., 1933 (vol. 1, cols. 133–37).

Other online databases: University of Birmingham, Mingana Collection

Entry created by Tony Burke, York University ([email protected]), 19 October 2016.