(Greek: men, month; loqos, discourse)
A collection, arranged according to the months and days of the month, of long lives of the saints of the Greek Church. The principal compiler of these lives was Symeon Metaphrastes, who lived in the latter half of the 10th century. The name Menology is also given to a kind of calendar containing tables of scriptural lessons arranged according to the months and the feasts of the saints. The term, too, is at times used instead of Menaion, or again, for the historical accounts contained therein. Besides such usage of the word in the East, it has been applied in the west to a book, intended not for liturgical but for private use, generally arranged according to the months and days, which contains the eulogistic biographies of persons renowned for holiness although not in any sense canonized saints. Thus in some of the religious orders menologies were compiled in memory of their departed brethren who were especially noted for their holiness or learning.