Christian Cyclopedia

(Gk. “section”). 1. Section of the Bible appointed to be read in ch. It is not possible to trace a clear connecting pattern bet. readings in the ancient synagog and those in Christian chs.

2. The oldest known pericopal system of the W ch. is ascribed to Jerome.* It was variously modified till ca. the time of Charlemagne,* when the selections became standardized. But further changes occurred in course of time, e.g., when RCm introd. Corpus* Christi in the 13th c. on the Thursday after Trin. and the festival of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the 18th c. on the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi; this resulted in the hist. gospel pericope being read in Luth. and Angl. chs. 1 week ahead of the RC pattern, though the epistle pericopes are usually the same. More modern times have seen the appearance of many more pericopal systems, e.g., those of Eisenach, Württemberg, Nassau, Thomasius,* K. I. Nitzsch,* and the Synodical* Conf. See also Lectionary.