(_b_) The same lection precisely was adopted among the Syrians by the Melchite Churches,(376)—(the party, viz. which maintained the decrees of the Council of Chalcedon): and it is found appointed also in the “Evangeliarium Hierosolymitanum.”(377) In the Evangelistarium used in the Jacobite, (i.e. the Monophysite) Churches of Syria, a striking difference of arrangement is discoverable. While S. Luke xxiv. 36-53 was read at Vespers and at Matins on Ascension Day, _the last seven_ verses of S. Mark’s Gospel (ch. xvi. 14-20) were read _at the Liturgy_.(378) Strange, that the self-same Gospel should have been adopted at a remote age by some of the Churches of the West,(379) and should survive in our own Book of Common Prayer to this hour! (_c_) But S. Mark xvi. 9-20 was not only appointed by the Greek Church to be read upon Ascension Day. Those same twelve verses constitute the third of the xi “_Matin Gospels of the Resurrection_” which were universally held in high esteem by the Eastern Churches (Greek and Syrian(380)), and were read successively on Sundays at Matins throughout the year; as well as daily throughout Easter week. (_d_) A rubricated copy of S. Mark’s Gospel in Syriac,(381) _certainly older than _A.D. 583, attests that S. Mark xvi. 9-20 was the “Lection for the great First Day of the week,” (μεγάλη κυριακή, i.e. Easter Day). Other copies almost as ancient(382) add that it was used “at the end of the Service at the dawn.” (_e_) Further, these same “Twelve Verses” constituted the Lesson at Matins for _the 2nd Sunday after Easter_,—a Sunday which by the Greeks is called κυριακή τῶν μυροφόρων, but with the Syrians bore the names of “Joseph and Nicodemus.”(383) So also in the “Evangeliarium Hierosolymitanum.” (_f_) Next, in the Monophysite Churches of Syria, S. Mark xvi. 9-18 (or 9-20(384)) was also read at Matins on _Easter-Tuesday_.(385) In the Gallican Church, the third lection for _Easter-Monday_ extended from S. Mark xv. 47 to xvi. 11: for _Easter-Tuesday_, from xvi. 12 to the end of the Gospel.(386) Augustine says that in Africa also these concluding verses of S. Mark’s Gospel used to be publicly read _at Easter tide_.(387) The same verses (beginning with ver. 9) are indicated in the oldest extant Lectionary of the Roman Church.(388) (_g_) Lastly, it may be stated that S. Mark xvi. 9-20 was with the Greeks the Gospel for the Festival of S. Mary Magdalene (ἡ μυροφόρος), July 22.(389)