E00109: Coptic Life of *Onnophrios, the Anchorite (Egyptian anchorite, 4th c., S00055), written probably in the 5th/6th c. in the Scetis (Lower Egypt), records a discussion with the saint concerning his future cult.

Paphnoutios of Scetis, Life of Onnophrios, the Anchorite

Papnoutios records a discussion he had with Onnophrios concerning his future cult, in which Onnophrios expressed his expectations for specific cult activities, while Papnouthios systematically lowered them from an actual offering in the saint’s name to the possibility of a mere utterance of three prayers:

ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲟⲛ ⲛⲁⲓ ϫⲉ ⲉⲕϣⲁⲛⲃⲱⲕ ⲉⲕⲏⲙⲉ ⲧⲁϣⲉⲟⲉⲓϣ ⲙⲡⲁⲣⲡⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲩⲥϯⲛⲟⲩϥⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲥⲛⲏⲩ
ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁϯ ⲛⲟⲩⲡⲣⲟⲥⲫⲟⲣⲁ ϩⲙ ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲛ ⲉⲩⲣⲡⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲓⲥ ϩⲱⲱϥ ⲛⲁⲛⲧϥ ϩⲛ ⲧϣⲟⲣⲡ ⲛⲟⲩⲛⲟⲩ ⲙⲡϣⲟ ⲛⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ
ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲇⲉ ⲡⲉϫⲁⲓ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲟⲩϩⲏⲕⲉ ⲡⲉ ⲉⲙⲛ [ϣ]ϭⲟⲙ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲉϯ ⲛⲟⲩⲡⲣⲟⲥⲫⲟⲣⲁ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲣⲁⲛ
ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁⲓ ϫⲉ ⲙⲁⲣⲉϥⲧⲙⲙⲉ ⲟⲩⲥⲟⲛ ⲛϩⲏⲕⲉ ϩⲙ ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲛ
ⲡⲁϫⲁⲓ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲟⲩϩⲏⲕⲉ ⲡⲉ ⲙⲛ ϣϭⲟⲙ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲉⲧⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲕⲛⲁⲛⲧϥ ⲁⲛ ⲉⲡⲇⲩⲡⲛⲟⲛ ⲛⲧϣⲟⲣⲡ ⲛⲟⲩⲛⲟⲩ ⲙⲡϣⲟ ⲛⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ
ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁ ϫⲉ ⲙⲁⲣⲉϥϯ ⲟⲩⲕⲟⲩⲓ ⲛⲥⲧⲟⲓ ϩⲙ ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲛ
ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲇⲉ ⲡⲉϫⲁⲓ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲟⲩϩⲏⲕⲉ ⲡⲉ ⲙⲛ ϣϭⲟⲙ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲉϯⲥⲧⲟⲓ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲣⲁⲛ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲧⲙⲛⲧϩⲏⲕⲉ ⲁⲓⲟ ⲡⲁⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲉⲧⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩϥ ⲙⲁⲣⲉ ⲡⲉⲕⲛⲁ ⲧⲁϩⲟⲛ ⲧⲏⲣⲛ ϫⲉ ⲡⲉⲧⲕⲛⲁⲁⲓⲧⲉⲓ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲛⲧⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛⲁⲧⲁⲁϥ ⲛⲁⲕ
ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁⲓ ϫⲉ ⲙⲁⲣⲉϥⲁϩⲉ ⲣⲁⲧϥ ⲛϥϫⲉ ϣⲟⲙⲛⲧ ⲛⲥⲟⲡ ⲛϣⲗⲏⲗ ⲉⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ϩⲙ ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡϫⲥ ⲓⲥ ⲛⲁⲛⲧϥ ⲉⲡϣⲟ ⲛⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ
ⲛϥⲕⲗⲏⲣⲟⲛⲟⲙⲉⲓ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ

'He said to me, "If you go to Egypt, proclaim my remembrance as a perfume to the brethren. He who shall make an offering in my name, as a remembrance of me, Jesus himself will bear him in the first hour of the thousand years."
But I said to him, "What if he is a poor man lacking the ability to make an offering in your name?"
He said to me, "Let him feed a poor brother in my name."
I said to him, "If he is a poor man lacking the ability to feed him, will you not bear him for the feast in the first hour of the thousand years?"
He said to me, "Let him offer a little incense in my name."
I said to him, "What if he is a poor man lacking the ability to offer incense in your name due to poverty? Indeed, my good father, let your mercy come upon us all, for that which you will ask from God, God will grant it to you."
He said to me, "Let him stand up and utter a prayer to God three times in my name. The Lord Jesus will bear him to the thousand years and he will take part in the inheritance together with all the saints."'

For a summary of the complete text, see $E0089.

Text: Budge 1914, p. 216, fols. 13b–14a. Translation: Gesa Schenke.