Abstract:
In Ethiopia, monasteries, Churches and private owners have a great role for the production,
preservation and use of manuscripts. These monasteries and Churches are centers for scribal
training. Manuscripts collected in monasteries, Churches and private libraries are not well
catalogued. This study was conducted to catalogue the manuscripts of Ṭayru Giyorgis Church,
South Gondar, in 2022. Ṭayru Giyorgis Church is the research area selected purposely. The
Church is founded by four elders of the locality in 1354 E.C during the reign of aṣe Säyfä ˀArˁəd.
Thus, the Church of Ṭayru Giyorgis survived four different destructions. The research method is
qualitative research apporoch and data sources are primary sources. The data were collected
using fieldwork and inventory. The data obtained from the fieldwork and inventory was analyzed
through narration. All Manuscripts of Church have their identification code numbers written in a
marker. All manuscripts are written on parchment in Gəˀəz and all are written using black and
red inks. In painting system, other inks are included. Some additional notes are written in
Amharic. A handsome picture is illustrated in the Vita of Goerge (ṬGC-03). Each manuscript
has one till three columns. Most manuscripts are 19th century hands whereas some are 20th. The
Vita of Goerge (ṬGc-03) is the mere manuscript written in 18th century. Each manuscript has its
own one hand writing. Except the Four Gospels (ṬGC-01), Lectionary for Passion Week (ṬGC-
04), Funeral Ritual I (ṬGC-05), Funeral Ritual II (ṬGC-06) and Synaxary, part II (ṬGC-09),
other manuscripts have more than one title. Therefore, they have multi functions. Colophon and
purchase notes are recorded in Synaxary, part II (ṬGC-09). In addition, colophon note is
recorded in the Vita of Goerge (ṬGC-03). This study is important to obtain the overall
information of Ṭayru Giyorgis Church manuscripts for further studies. Some manuscripts,
especially Funeral Ritual II (ṬGC-06) are endanged state. Thus, the responsible bodies should
entertain their roles to protect these manuscripts through building a store house to continue the
security of the manuscripts.