Synaxarion orSynexarion (pluralsSynaxaria,Synexaria;Greek:Συναξάριον, from συνάγειν,synagein, "to bring together"; cf.etymology ofsynaxis andsynagogue;Latin:Synaxarium,Synexarium;Coptic:ⲥⲩⲛⲁⲝⲁⲣⲓⲟⲛ;Ge'ez: ሲናክሳሪየም(ስንክሳር);Arabic:ٱلسِّنْكِسَارُ/ٱلسَّنْكِسَارُ/ٱلسِّنَكْسَارُ,romanized: As-sinkisār/As-sankisār/As-sinaksār[1][2][3]) is the name given in theEastern Orthodox,Oriental Orthodox andEastern Catholic Churches to a compilation ofhagiographies corresponding roughly to themartyrology of theRoman Church.
There are two kinds of synaxaria:[4]
The exact meaning of the name has changed at various times. Its first use was for the index to the Biblical and other lessons to be read in church. In this sense it corresponds to the LatinCapitulare andComes. Then the Synaxarion was filled up with the whole text of thepericopes to be read. As far as theHoly Liturgy was concerned this meant that it was essentially transformed into the "Gospel" and "Apostle" books. Synaxarion remained the title for the index to the other lessons. Without changing its name it was filled up with complete texts of these lessons.[5] The mere index of such lessons is generally calledmenologion heortastikon, a book now hardly needed or used, since theTypikon supplies the same, as well as other, information.[5]
Certain calendars extant in the Middle Ages were also called Synaxaria.Krumbacher describes those composed byChristopher of Mytilene andTheodore Prodromus (twelfth century).[7]
The oldest historical synaxaria apparently go back to the tenth century.[4] There are a great number of medieval synaxaria extant in manuscript. They are important for Byzantineheortology and church history. The short lives that form the lessons were composed or collected by various writers.[5] Of theseSymeon Metaphrastes is the most important. The accounts are of very varying historical value. EmperorBasil II (976-1025) ordered a revision of the synaxarion, which forms an important element of the present official edition.[8] The synaxarion is not now used as a separate book; it is incorporated in the Menaia. The account of the saint orfeast is read in theOrthros after the sixth ode of the Canon. It is printed in its place here, and bears each time the name synaxarion as title. Synaxarion then in modern use means, not the whole collection, but each separate lesson in the Menaia and other books. An example of such a synaxarion (for St. Martin I, 13 April) will be found inNilles, op. cit., infra, I, xlix.[5] Some surviving examples of regional Synaxaria are:
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Fortescue, Adrian (1912). "Synaxarion". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 14. New York: Robert Appleton Company. This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Delehaye, Hippolyte (1911). "Synaxarium". InChisholm, Hugh (ed.).Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 292.
