The Nomocanon of Metropolitan ‛Abdīšō‛ bar Brīkā of Nisibis (d. 1318) is one of the most important sources for the canon law of the East-Syrian Church. In canon 1 of the council held in the year 1318, under the Catholicos Timothy II, this collection was proclaimed the authoritative canon code of the Church of the East. For its importance, this collection is comparable with the Nomocanon of Gregory Bar Hebraeus, a parallel work for the West Syrians. Until today, it remains the binding legal collection of the East Syrian Church. The Nomocanon was the subject of numerous studies and publications.

Manuscript Trichur 64 is the oldest known manuscript of this work. It was written during the lifetime of the author and, as such, is of special importance. At the same time it is the oldest dated manuscript in the library in the Metropolitan Palace of the Church of the East in Trichur.

This volume is introduced by Hubert Kaufhold, who is preparing the critical edition of the Nomocanon. His introduction contains the most precise and exhaustive information to date on ‛Abdīšō‛, the Nomocanon, and the Trichur manuscript collection. The volume was edited by István Perczel, who conducted several expeditions in Kerala, in order to digitize and catalogue the Indian Syriac Manuscripts.