Mar Sabbas Greek157

Mar Sabbas Greek MS 157 of The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian also dates to the 10th century.

Thirty of its 229 folios are dedicated to St. Isaac’s Homilies. At left is shown the first of the Ascetical Homilies in this collection, which begins at mid-page, at the cross, and corresponds to Homily 4 in our edition, which begins with the words “The soul that loves God finds rest only in God.” Saint Isaac’s name is written vertically in the right margin, indicating where the homilies begin.

Three of the MSS mentioned in our Introduction – this one, Lavra 335, and Koutloumousiou 12 – begin with this homily, and one, Paris 370, begins with Homily 3. It is possible that the Latin translation of the Ascetical Homilies, all copies of which begin with Homily 4, were made from a manuscript family represented by one of these MSS.

The microfilm of this MS was made by the Library of Congress, and the reference for it is: Manuscripts in the Libraries of the Greek and Armenian Patriarchates in Jerusalem, Microfilm 5017, St Sabas Greek 157, Library of Congress Microfilm Reading Room, Washington, DC.