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E04145: Coptic ostracon from western Thebes (Upper Egypt) with a letter written by a monk saluting Apa *Sourous (most likely the head of the monastery of Apa Phoibammon, S01584) as a holy man/saint; datable to the first half of the 8th century.

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posted on 2017-10-12, 00:00 authored by gschenke
O.Frange 42

The letter was written by the monk Frange, possibly as a model letter or an exercise, addressing a monastic authority. It features polite greetings and honours Sourous, most likely the superior at the monastery of Apa Phoibammon on the mountain of Jeme, as a saint, presumably a living saint/holy man.

⳨ ϩⲁⲑⲏ ⲙⲉⲛ ⲙⲡⲁϣⲁϫⲉ
ⲛⲉⲗⲁⲭ(ⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ) ⲉⲥϩⲁ ⲉϣⲓⲛⲉ ⲉⲧⲉⲕ-
ⲙⲛⲧⲉⲓⲱⲧ · ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉ̣ⲕ̣-
ⲥⲛⲏⲩ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲙⲙⲁⲛⲟⲩ[ⲧⲉ]
ⲉⲧϩⲁϩⲧⲏⲕ ⲁⲩⲱ ϯϣⲓⲛ̣ⲉ̣
ⲉⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲥⲟⲩⲣⲟⲩⲥ
ⲉⲙⲁⲧⲉ ⲁⲣⲓ ⲧⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ ⲛⲅⲣ
ⲡⲁⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ϩⲙ ⲡϥⲓ ⲉϩⲣⲁ
ⲛⲛⲉⲕϭⲓϫ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲧⲁⲁⲥ
ⲙⲡⲁϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲛⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲙⲙⲁ<ⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ>

'Before my most humble message, I write greeting your holy paternity and all your pious brothers who are with you. I salute saint Apa Sourous exceedingly. Be so kind and remember me in the raising of your holy hands.
Give it (this message) to my pious paternal lord.'


(Text: A. Boud'hors and Ch. Heurtel, trans.: G. Schenke)

A complete record of the text is available at:

http://papyri.info/ddbdp/o.frange;;42

History

Evidence ID

E04145

Saint Name

Sourous, Apa Sourous, superior and holy man at the monastery of Apa Phoibammon on the mountain of Jeme : S01584

Saint Name in Source

ⲁⲡⲁ ⲥⲟⲩⲣⲟⲩⲥ

Type of Evidence

Late antique original manuscripts - Ostracon/Pot-sherd Documentary texts - Letter

Language

  • Coptic

Evidence not before

700

Evidence not after

750

Activity not before

700

Activity not after

750

Place of Evidence - Region

Egypt and Cyrenaica

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Thebes

Place of evidence - City name in other Language(s)

Thebes Hermopolis ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ Ashmunein Hermopolis

Cult activities - Places

Cult building - monastic

Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs

Prayer/supplication/invocation

Source

The ostracon inv. O.291918 is a fragment of an amphora and was found during a season of the Belgian excavation at the Theban necropolis. It is part of the archive of the monk Frange who inhabited the tomb of Amenemope (TT29) in the Valley of the Kings.

Bibliography

Text and French translation: Boud'hors, A., and Heurtel, C., Les ostraca coptes de la TT 29. Autour du moine Frangé (Études d'archéologie thébaine 3; Brussels, 2010), 62–63.

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    Evidence -  The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

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