Evidence ID
E00347Saint Name
Severos, bishop of Antioch (465–538) : S00262Saint Name in Source
ⲥⲉⲟⲩⲏ̅ⲣⲟⲥType of Evidence
Documentary texts - Papyri
Literary - Magical texts and amuletsEvidence not before
600Evidence not after
799Activity not before
600Activity not after
799Place of Evidence - Region
Egypt and CyrenaicaPlace of evidence - City name in other Language(s)
Hermopolis
ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ
Ashmunein
HermopolisCult activities - Places
Cult building - unspecifiedCult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs
Visiting/veneration of living saintCult Activities - Miracles
Fertility- and family-related miracles (infertility, marriages)Cult Activities - Protagonists in Cult and Narratives
Other lay individuals/ peopleSource
Text written on a small piece of papyrus, dated on the basis of its script to the 7th/8th century, housed at the Institute for African Studies and Egyptology in Cologne under inventory number 10211. There is no record of where in Egypt the papyrus was found.Discussion
This example of an oracle question is one of many posed through saints, but the only one so far attested for a Saint Severos. It is unclear who this Severos is, but since Severos, the former bishop of Antioch, became such an important figure in Egypt, so much so that he features in the diptychs of the Coptic church, dating back to at least the 7th century, it is not unlikely that he may be the one in question and that a shrine dedicated to him existed at which oracle questions could be posed.
Answers to such oracle questions were obtained by phrasing two opposite statements as answers to the same question. Both would then be handed into the shrine, but only one of them would be brought back out to the petitioner. The version received back was then considered to be the answer to the question and the correct way to proceed. Thus it is to be assumed that this Cologne papyrus text was accompanied by a sister piece when handed into the saint’s shrine, most likely reading: 'God of saint Severos, if it is NOT time for me to marry Anastou, you shall bring it out to me. Lord!' Receiving the latter version, no marriage would have taken place.
Among such oracle questions posed to other saints, those concerning marriage matters were particularly frequent.
For oracle questions addressed through *Kollouthos see E01000.Bibliography
Edition:
Schenke, G., "Das Orakel des Heiligen Severus," Archiv für Papyrusforschung 57:1 (2011), 65–72.
