A concise, scholarly look at how Christian lectionaries and evangelaries grew into the Western liturgical archive.
This book explains the origins and development of the lectionaries and evangelaries that shape Scripture readings in the Mass. It surveys centuries of practice, sources, and ceremonial use, with clear guidance for readers interested in liturgy and church history. The work is organized into four parts, tracing from early usage through the medieval period to the Roman Missal as we know it.
- See how early Christian communities adopted Scripture reading from Jewish practice.
- Learn how Gospel, Acts, and Epistle readings were gathered and distributed.
- Understand the differences between lectionaries, evangelaries, and related tables.
- Discover how ceremonies and book design reflected liturgical aims and devotion.
Ideal for students of theology, clergy preparing for liturgical study, and curious readers who want a solid, accessible history of how bible readings became a central church practice.