A The '''lectionary''' is the book that contains scripture containing the [[Holy Scripture|Scripture]] readings (pericopes[[pericope]]s) that are appointed to be read in church services according to the cycles of the Liturgical Year in the services of the Churchliturgical year. The lectionary goes back at least to the 4th fourth century, and some of the oldest Greek manuscripts of the [[New Testament ]] that have survived are [http://www.skypoint.com/~waltzmn/Lectionary.html Byzantine Lectionarieslectionaries].

The oldest form of the Lectionary is to have lectionary had the Scripture text of Scripture with the beginning and ending of each pericope noted in the margin. This is still essentially the format of the Slavic [[Gospel Book|Gospel]] and [[Apostolos|Apostol]]. Contemporary Byzantine Lectionaries lectionaries reflect a further development, in which each pericope is printed in the order in which it is read in the Church Year, and its church year. Its beginning is included in the text, and the ending is a clear break.