Codex Coislinianus - History

History

The codex was probably written in the 6th century at the library in Caesarea, later coming into the possession of the monastery of the Great Lavra on Mount Athos, but its value appears to have been overlooked. Leaves of the codex were used as raw material for the production of new volumes. In 975 some leaves, now known as Fragmenta Mosquensia, were used to cover a volume of Gregory Nazianzen at Mount Athos. In the 12th century Fragmenta Taurinensia were used in Nicetas' catenae to the Psalterium, in 1218 another part, now named as Fragmenta Coisliniana, were used with the same purpose.

As a result, leaves of the codex were scattered in several places of the monastery, from where they were collected on several occasions by people from France, Russia, and Italy. The first was Pierre Séguier (1588–1672), who bought 14 leaves which, known later as Fragmenta Coisliniana, and became a part part of the Fonds Coislin. They were held in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. In 1715 Bernard de Montfaucon published text of these 14 leaves. He made a few mistakes corrected by Tischendorf (in 1865). Tischendorf observed in Paris additional passage. Montfaucon used the manuscript for his palaeographical studies.

After the fire of St. Germain-des-Prés in 1793 only 12 leaves were found, the other two have been transferred to Saint Petersburg. From 1795 until the present it has been held by the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Fragmenta Mosquensia were brought to Moscow in 1665. They were examined by Matthaei. The last was Porphiryj Uspenski, who took one leaf from the monastery.

The codex is located in eight places, in seven libraries, in six cities in Europe. The bulk of the surviving leaves (22 leaves) are held in two collections in Paris, both in the National Library of France (Suppl. Gr. 1074, and Coislin 202). Eight leaves have not left the Great Lavra. Nine leaves are held in Ukraine or Russia, three each in Kiev (Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine), Saint Petersburg and Moscow (Hist. Mus. 563, and Russian State Library, Gr. 166,1). Finally, two leaves are held in Turin.

Henri Omont published the part of the codex known to him. Another part of the codex housed at Athos was published by Kirsopp Lake, in 1905. It is cited in the printed editions of the Greek New Testament since Tischendorf's edition.

The manuscript is cited in all critical editions of the Greek New Testament (UBS3, UBS4, NA26, NA27). In NA27 it belongs to the witnesses consistently cited of the first order.