Remarks on the Textual Contribution of the Coptic Codices preserving the Canons of Saint Basil, with Edition of the Ordination Rite for the Bishop (Canon 46)

An important discovery made by the Polish Archaeological Mission in Sheikh Abd el-Gurna has improved our knowledge of the manuscript tradition of the Canons attributed to Basil of Caesarea: a new Coptic papyrus manuscript has come to light, which at present is preserved in the National Museum of Alexandria, identified as Coptic Ms 1. The Canons were known so far through the following witnesses: a number of Arabic manuscripts, one of which was translated in German by Rie- del, but not edited; a quotation of Canon 1 in a Coptic liturgi- cal manuscript of paper (published by J. Dresher); a number of fragments belonging to different Coptic codices, edited and inedited, and in particular two leaves from a lost papyrus codex coming from Deir Bala’izah (n. 31), with the text of Canon 36 (published by P. E. Kahle); some Chester Beatty leaves (ms 819C, ff. 1-8) from a parchment codex (Canons 48-96) likely deriving from the White Monastery (inedited); the Turin Codex XIII, which is constituted by a good number of fragmentary leaves partially edited by F. Rossi. The aim of this contribution is to discuss the textual value of the dif- ferent witnesses, trying to assess the significance of the new manuscript discovery, with reference to the Arabic tradition. This will be the occasion to provide the unknown text of some passages of this important canonical writing.