Eccl. (Also in Lat. form.) [ad. eccl. L. lectiōnāri-um, f. L. lectiōn-em LECTION: see -ARY. Cf. F. lectionnaire.] A book containing ‘lessons’ or portions of Scripture appointed to be read at divine service; also, the list of passages appointed to be so read.
1780. T. Warton, Life Sir T. Pope (ed. 2), 337, note. [The] lectionary contained all the lessons, whether from scripture, or other books, which were directed to be read in the course of the year.
1790. R. Porson, Lett. to Travis, 153. A Gallic Lectionary, which is reputed to be now about 1200 years old, and contains the entire epistle of John, except the three heavenly witnesses.
1802. Ranken, Hist. France, II. ii. 197. They should be furnished with a mass-book, a lectionarium, or book of lessons.
1846. Maskell, Mon. Rit., I. p. xxv. Among the Lambeth MSS. there is an English Lectionary.
1865. Ld. Lyttelton, in Englishman’s Mag., Feb., 167. The question of our Lectionary generally, or of the selection of Lessons to be read in Church on Sundays and on other days.
1872. O. Shipley, Gloss. Eccl. Terms, s.v. Missal, Before the offices were combined in a single volume, several books were necessary, the Sacramentary, Lectionary, Antiphonary, and others.
