Biblical Allusions And Citations In The Syriac Theotokia According To The Ms Syr. New Series 11 Of The National Library Of Russia, St Petersburg

The Theotokion is a short hymn dedicated to the Mother of God. From the eighth century onwards the Theotokia were placed in the liturgical books of the Greek Church. Sometime later, Greek Theotokia were translated into other languages, Syriac, Arabic, Slavonic, for liturgical use in other Chalcedonian churches. St Petersburg manuscript Syriac New Series 11, the only separate and almost complete collection of Syriac hymns to the Mother of God, can also be assigned to the same stage of development of the Syriac text of the Theotokia. The history of the Theotokia is marked by evidence of penetration of Melkite Greek and Syriac texts into the West Syrian tradition. It is represented by tkspt', also divided into eight modes attested in West Syrian collections of hymns dating from the beginning of the eleventh century.Keywords: St Petersburg; Syriac Theotokia; tkspt'