Epistles of Ignatius to Mary and John

Standard abbreviation: Ep. Ign. John Mary

Other titles: Correspondence of Ignatius with John the Evangelist and the Virgin Mary

Clavis numbers: ECCA 691

Category: Epistles

Related literature: Mary’s letters to the people of Messina and Florence, Golden Legend 36

Status: in progress by J. Gregory Given

Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Given, J. Gregory. “Epistles of Ignatius to Mary and John.” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/epistles-of-ignatius-to-mary-and-john/.

Created September 2022.

1. SUMMARY

Named Historical Figures and Characters: Anna (mother of Mary), Ignatius, Jesus Christ, John (son of Zebedee), Mary (Virgin), Salome (daughter of Anna).

Geographical Locations: Jerusalem.

2. RESOURCES

3. BIBLIOGRAPHY

3.1 Manuscripts and Editions

3.1.1 Arabic (Garšūnī  script)

Mardin, Chaldean Cathedral 12, fols. 170^v–171^r (18th cent.) ~ HMML

3.1.2 Greek

Athens, Ethnikē Bibliothēkē tēs Hellados, Μetochion tou Panagiou Taphou 476, fols. 110–111 (18th cent.)

3.1.3 Latin

List adapted from Thompson (Writings of Robert Grosseteste) with supplementation. The contents and order of the epistles are indicated (where such information is available) using the following sigla:

1: Ignatius and the brothers who are with him to John
2: Ignatius to John
3: Ignatius to Mary
4: Mary to Ignatius

Admont, Benediktinerstift, Cod. 614, fol. 33 (14th cent.)

Aschaffenburg, Hofbibliothek, Ms. 17, fol. 636^v

Bologna, Biblioteca comunale dell’Archiginnasio, A. 24, fol. 116^r (15th cent.). Order: 34.

Braunschweig, Stadtbibliothek, 157, fols. 56^v–57^r (15th cent.). Order: 12.

Brussels, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, MS 20132 (VDG 905), fols. 25^v–26^r (16th cent.). Order: 1234.

Brussels, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, MS 12014-41 (VDG 1387), fol. 289^v (14th cent.). Order: 34.

Brussels, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, MS 20026-27 (VDG 1312), fol. 107^r–107^v (13th cent.). Order: 1234.

Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College, MS 395, fols. 180^v–181^r (England, 1441). Order: 1234.

Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College, MS 445 (copy of MS 395; England, 1631). Order: 1234.

Cesana, Biblioteca Malatestiana, MS Piana 3.161, fol. 96^v (14th cent.). Order: 4312

Darmstadt, Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek, Hs 768, fols. 129^v–130^r (15th cent.). Order: 1234.

Dublin, Trinity College, D. 3. 11 (copy of Gonville and Caius 395; 17th cent.). Order: 1234.

Düsseldorf, Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek, Ms. B 25, fol. 1^r. Order: 134.

Fiecht, Benediktinerabtei Sankt Georgenberg-Fiecht, Cod. 132, fols. 2^v–3^r (15th cent.). Order: 3412.

Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Plut. 15 dex. 12, fol. 8^r–8^v (13th/14th cent.). Order: 3412.

Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Plut. 23.20, fols. 192^r–193^r (15th cent.). Order: 1234.

Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Strozzi 4, fols. 27^v–28^r (15th cent.). Order: 34.

Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Strozzi 18, fols. 140^v–141^r (15th cent.). Order: 1234.

Florence, Biblioteca Riccardiana, Ricc. 385, fols. 85^v–87^r (1473). Order: 1234.

Florence, Biblioteca Riccardiana, Ricc. 414, fols. 33^v–34^r (15th cent.). Order: 234.

Graz, Universitätsbibliothek, Ms. 457, fol. 19^v (14th cent.).

Heiligenkreuz, Zisterzienserstift, Cod. 41, fols. 192^r–193^v (1391). Order: 1234.

Jena, Thüringer Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek, Ms. El. f. 20, fol. 144^r–144^v (13th cent.) Order: 1234.

Klosterneuburg, Augustiner-Chorherrenstift, 205, fol. 1^r (15th cent.). Order: 34.

Koblenz, Landeshauptarchiv, Best. 701 Nr. 124, fols. 233^v–234^r (14th cent.). Order: 1234.

Koblenz, Landeshauptarchiv, Best. 701 Nr. 151, fols. 172^v–173^r (1470). Order: 3412.

Koblenz, Landeshauptarchiv, Best. 701 Nr. 185, fol. 164^v (1436). Order: 3412.

Lambach, Benediktinerstift, Cod. 45 (15th cent.). Order: 3412.

Leipzig, Universitätsbibliothek, Ms 379, fol. 154^v (13th cent.). Order: 1234.

Leipzig, Universitätsbibliothek, Ms 1541, fol. 20^v (15th/16th cent.). Order: 4.

London, British Library, Add. 21065, fol. 78^r–78^v (Italy, 1444). Order: 1234.

London, British Library, Add. 22767, fol. 75^r–75^v (15th cent.). Order: 34.

London, British Library, Add. 29984, fol. 161^r (Germany, 15th/16th cent.). Order: 234.

London, British Library, Harley 232, fol. 7^v (14th cent.). Order: 1234.

Mainz, Martinus-Bibliothek, Hs. 166 (15th cent.). Order: 1234.

Mainz, Wissenschaftliche Stadtbibliothek, Hs I 232, fol. 41^r.

Mantova, Biblioteca comunale Teresiana, MS 413 (D.II.7), fols. 85^r–86^r (15th cent.). Order: 1234.

Melk, Stiftsbibliothek, 163, pp. 28–29 (15th cent.). Order 3412.

Melk, Stiftsbibliothek, 406, pp. 360 (15th cent.). Order: 34.

Melk, Stiftsbibliothek, Cod. 791 (731, N 7 [1]), fols. 126^v–127^r (15th cent.). Order: 3412.

Melk, Stiftsbibliothek, Cod. 1092 (241, E 31), fol. 135^r–135^v (15th cent.). Order: 34.

Melk, Stiftsbibliothek, Cod. 1577 (77, B 44), pp. 85–86 (15th cent.). Order: 34.

Melk, Stiftsbibliothek, Cod. 1647 (658, L 88), 81^r (15th cent.). Order: 34.

Melk, Stiftsbibliothek, Cod. 1835 (416, H 32), p. 393 (15th cent.). Order: 34.

Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, E 69 sup., fols. 108^v–110^r (14th cent.). Order: 234.

Moscow, Russian State Library, Fonds 183, Nr. 1629, fol. 224^v (after 1429). Order: 34.

Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 468B, fol. 96^v (15th cent.). Order: 341.

Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 616, fols. 267^r–268^r (1560). Order: 3412.

Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 9556, fol. 62 (13th cent.). Order: 1234.

Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 7547, fol. 67 (15th cent.). Order: 3412.

Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 7666, fol. 229^r (15th cent.). Order: 34.

Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 7981, fol. 159 (15th cent.). Order: 3412

Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 14081, fol. 199^r (15th cent.). Order: 34.

Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 14089, fol. 286^v (1502). Order: 34.

Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 21237, fol. 195 (14th/15th cent.). Order: 1234.

Oxford, Bodleian Library, Canon. lat. class. 93, fol. 3^v (15th/16th cent.). Order: 234.

Oxford, Bodleian Library, Canon. Misc. 32, fol. 69^v–70^r (15th cent.). Order: 1234.

Oxford, Bodleian Library, Laud Misc. 171, fol. 140 (13th cent.). Order: 3412.

Oxford, Lincoln College, MS 101, fols. 48^v–49^r (15th cent.). Order: 3412.

Oxford, Magdalen College, MS 76, fol. 213^r–213^v (15th cent.). Order: 1234.

Padua, Biblioteca Universitaria, 1108, fols. 190^v–191^r (1572). Order: 34.

Padua, Biblioteca Universitaria, 1305, fols. 89^v–90^r (14th cent.). Order: 3412.

Padua, Biblioteca Universitaria, 1473, fols. 140^v–141^r (15th cent.). Order: 1234.

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, lat. 1150, fol. 45^v (15th cent.). Order: 34.

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, lat. 2049, fol. 226 (14th cent.). Order: 34.

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, lat. 3159, fol. 6 (15th cent.). Order: 4.

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, lat. 3522A, fols. 90^v–91^v (13th/14th cent.). Order: 342.

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, lat. 4154, fol. 214. (15th cent.). Order: 1234.

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, lat. 5030, fol. 425 (15th cent.). Order: 1234.

Pisa, Biblioteca Catharianiana 136, fol. 89^r–89^v (15th cent.). Order: 1234.

Prague, Národní knihovna České republiky, IV.B.11, fols. 336^v–337^r (15th cent.). Order: 2134.

Prague, Národní knihovna České republiky, IX.E.2, fols. 101b^v–101c^r (15th cent.). Order: 2134.

Prague, Národní knihovna České republiky, X.H.12, fol. 73^r–73^v (1472). Order: 2134.

Prague, Knihovna metropolitní kapituli, 1054 fols. 23^v–24^r (15th cent.). Order: 1234; fols. 69^v–70^r (15th cent.). Order: 1234.

Rome, Biblioteca Vallicelliana, MS D 21, fol. 246^r–246^v (15th cent.). Order: 234.

Salzburg, Stiftsbibliothek Sankt Peter, a. VI. 34, fol. 58^r–58^v (13th/14th cent.). Order: 1234.

San Gimignano, Biblioteca e Archivio Comunale, 41, fol. 150v (1459). Order: 1234.

Sankt Florian, Augustiner-Chorherrenstift, 126, fol. 6^r–6^v (14th cent) Order: 1234.

Sankt Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek, 454, p. 368 (13th cent.). Excerpts.

Siena, Biblioteca Comunale degli Intronati, E.IV.16, fol. 3^r–? (15th cent.)

Todi, Biblioteca Comunale «Lorenzo Leonii», 136 (Menestò: 86), fol. 98^v (13th cent.). Order: 1234.

Todi, Biblioteca Comunale «Lorenzo Leonii», 195 bis (Menestò: 94), fol. 180^v (16th cent.).

Tours, Bibliothèque municipale, MS 247, fol. 483^r–483^v (13th cent.). Order: 1234.

Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. lat. 524, fols. 155^r–156^r (15th/16th cent.). Order: 1234.

Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. lat. 672, fol. 50^r (13th cent.). Order: 1234.

Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Pal. lat. 1262, fol. 213^r–213^v (15th cent). Order: 12.

Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Cod. 695, fol. 87 (1344). Order: 3412.

Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Cod. 812, fols. 103–104 (13th cent.). Order 1234.

Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Cod. 930, fols. 216^r–217^v (1488). Order: 3421.

Vienna, Schottenkloster, Cod. 286 (Hübl no. 290), fol. 12v (1464). Order: 1234.

Würzburg, Universitätsbibliothek, M. ch. q. 156, fols. 270^r–271^r (15th cent.). Order: 3412.

Becket, Thomas. Vita et processus sancti Thome Cantuariensis martyris super ecclesiastica libertate. Paris: Johannes Philippi, 1495 (Latin text to the life and correspondence of Thomas Becket).

Cotelier, Jean-Baptiste. SS. Patrum qui temporibus apostolicis floruerunt; Barnabae, Clementis, Hermae, Ignatii, Polycarpi; Opera edita et inedita, vera et suppositicia. Una cum Clementis, Ignatii, Polycarpi Actis atque Martyriis. 2 vols. Antwerp, 1698.

Cureton, William. Corpus Ignatianum: A Complete Collection of the Ignatian Epistles, Genuine, Interpolated, and Spurious; Together with Numerous Extracts from Them, as Quoted by Ecclesiastical Writers Down to the Tenth Century; in Syriac, Greek, and Latin: An English Translation of the Syriac Text, Copious Notes, and Introduction. London: Rivington, 1849 (Latin text, pp. 156–57).

Diekamp, Franz, and Franz Xavier Funk. Patres Apostolici. 3rd ed. 2 vols. Tübingen: H. Laupp, 1913.

Dressel, Albert Rudolph Maximilian, and Constantin von Tischendorf, eds. Patrum Apostolicorum opera. Textum ad fidem codicum et Graecorum et Latinorum, ineditorum copia insignium, adhibitis praestantissimis editionibus, notis illustravit, versione Latina passim correcta, prolegomenis, indicibus instruxit Albertus Rud. Max. Dressel. Accedit Hermae Pastor ex fragmentis Graecis Lipsiensibus, instituta quaestione de vero eius textus fonte, auctore Constantino Tischendorf. Leipzig: Hinrichs, 1857. (Latin text, pp. 348–49, Mary’s letter to Ignatius excluded.)

Fabricius, Johann Albert. Codex Apocryphus Novi Testamenti. 3 vols. Hamburg: Schiller, 1703–1719 (discussion, vol. 1, pp. 834–41; edition of the Latin correspondence of Ignatius and Mary, vol. 1, pp. 841–44).

Funk, Franz Xavier. Opera patrum apostolicorum: textum recensuit, adnotationibus criticis exegeticis historicis illustravit, versionem latinam, prolegomena indicies addidit. 2 vols. Tübingen: Laupp, 1878–1881.

Giles, John A. Codex apocryphus Novi Testamenti: The Uncanonical Gospels and Other Writings, referring to the First Ages of Christianity; in the Original Languages: Collected Together from the Editions of Fabricius, Thilo, and Others. 2 vols. London: Nutt, 1852 (Latin text, vol. 2, pp. 516–18).

Legarde, Paul de, ed. Die lateinischen übersetzungen des Ignatius. Göttingen: Dieterich, 1882 (Latin text with critical apparatus, pp. 155–56)..

Lightfoot, Joseph Barber, ed. The Apostolic Fathers, Part II. S. Ignatius. S. Polycarp. Revised Texts with Introductions, Notes, Dissertations, and Translations. 2nd ed. 3 vols. London: Macmillan, 1889 (discussion at vol. 1, pp. 76–79; 233–37; edition of the Latin, vol. 3, pp. 69–72).

Migne, Jacques-Paul. Patrologiae cursus completus: Series graeca. Vol. 5. Paris: Cerf, 1857 (Latin text with critical apparatus, pp. 941–46).

Nicolaus of Gora. Postilla super epistulas sancti Pauli. Cologne: Johann Koelhoff der Ältere, 1478 (Latin text added at the end of the edition of Nicolaus’s commentary).

Petermann, Julius Heinrich. S. Ignatii Patris apostolici quae feruntur epistolae una cum ejusdem martyrio: collatis edd. Graecis versionibusque Syriaca, Armeniaca, Latinis. Leipzig: Vogel, 1849 (Latin text, pp. 437–41).

Plummer, Alfred. The Epistles of S. John, with Notes, Introduction and Appendices. Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1886 (pp. 191–93).

Russel, Richard. SS. Patrum Apostolicorum. Barnabae, Hermae, Clementis, Ignatii, Polycarpi, opera genuina; una cum Ignatii & Polycarpi Martyriis, versionibus antiquis ac recentioribus, variantibus lectionibus, selectisque variorum notis illustrate. Accesserunt S. Ignatii Epistolae, tum interpolatae, tum supposititiae. 2 vols. London: Gulielmum Russel, 1746.

Ussher, James. Polycarpi et Ignatii Epistolae. Quibus praefixa est, non de Ignatii solum et Polycarpi scriptis, sed etiam de apostolicis constitionibus et canonibus Clementi Romano tributis, Iacobi Usserii dissertation. Oxford: Licfield, 1644.

Voss, Isaac. Epistolae Genuinae S. Ignatii Martyris; quae nunc primum lucem vident ex bibliotheca Florentina. Adduntur S. Ignatii Epistolae quales vulgo circumferunter. Adhaec S. Barnabae Epistola Accessit universis translation vetus. Amsterdam: Blaeu, 1646 (Latin text, pp. 113–14).

Zahn, Theodor. Ignatii et Polycarpi. Epistulae martyria fragmenta. Vol. 2 of Patrum Apostolicorum Opera. Edited by Oscar van Gebhardt, Adolf von Harnack, and Theodor Zahn. Leipzig: Hinrichs, 1876 (Latin text, pp. 297–300).

3.2 Modern Translations

3.2.1 English

Roberts, Alexander, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, eds. Ante-Nicene Fathers. Vol. 1. Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1885 (pp. 122–26).

Given, J. Gregory, trans. “Correspondence of Ignatius with John the Evangelist and the Virgin Mary.” Pages 509–24 in vol. 3 of New Testament Apocrypha: More Noncanonical Scriptures. Edited by Tony Burke with Brent Landau. 3 vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2016–2023 (translation based on the edition of Lightfoot).

Stewart, Alistair. Ignatius of Antioch: The Letters. Popular Patristics 49. Yonkers, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2013 (translation based on the edition of Lightfoot, pp. 255–57).

3.3 General Works

Gibbings, Richard. Roman Forgeries and Falsifications: Or, an Examination of Counterfeit and Corrupted Records; With Especial Reference to Popery. Part 1. Dublin: Grant and Bolton, 1842 (see pp. 16–24).

Lookadoo, Jonathan. “Expanding the Narrative: The Reception of Ignatius of Antioch in Britain, ca. 1200–1700.” Church History 89 (2020): 1–23 (see pp. 11–13).

Thomson, S. Harrison. The Writings of Robert Grosseteste, Bishop of Lincoln: 1235–1253. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1940 (see pp. 58–62).

Vinzent, Markus. Writing the History of Early Christianity: From Reception to Retrospection. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2019 (see pp. 402–409).

Zahn, Theodor. Ignatius von Antiochien. Göttingen: Perthes, 1873 (see pp. 81–82).