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E04363: Coptic document from Jeme (Upper Egypt) concerning the release from a debt which is turned into a donation, mentioning the monastery of Apa *Paulos, the anchorite, as well as institutions dedicated to *Kyrikos (child martyr of Tarsus, S00007), *Kosmas (probably the physician and martyr of Mesopotamia, S00385), and *Theodore (soldier and martyr of Amaseia and Euchaita, S00480); dated 13 September 698.

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posted on 2017-11-14, 00:00 authored by Bryan
CLT 1

A monk from Pshension in the district of the city of Koptos, now belonging to a monastery on the mountain of Jeme, addresses the monks Apa Daniel, Apa Iakobos and Apa Athanasios, superiors of the monastery of Apa Paulos concerning a donation of twenty gold solidi he made to their monastery for the salvation of his soul.

Lines 12–15 and 23–26 of the document read as follows:

ⲉⲓⲥϩⲁⲓ ⲉⲛⲛϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲙⲡⲙⲁⲕⲁⲣ(ⲓ)ⲟ(ⲥ) ⲁⲡⲁ ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ⲡⲁⲛⲁⲭⲱⲣⲓⲧⲏⲥ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲉⲧϩⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲇⲁⲛⲓⲏⲗ ⲡⲉ ⲙⲛ
ⲁⲡⲁ ⲁⲕⲱⲃⲟⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲧⲗⲟⲓⲡⲁⲥ ⲛⲛⲉⲩⲕⲉⲥⲛⲏⲩ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲛⲛⲏⲩ ⲙⲛⲛⲥⲱⲟⲩ ϩⲓ ⲡⲧⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲙⲡⲕⲁⲥⲧⲣⲟⲛ
ⲛϫⲏⲙⲉ

‘I am writing to the spiritual sons (successors) of the blessed Apa Paulos, the anchorite, this one who is now among the saints, namely to Apa Daniel, Apa Iakobos, and Apa Athanasios and also to the rest of their brothers and to those succeeding them on the holy mountain of Kastron Jeme.’

ⲁϯ ϫⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲛϩⲟⲗⲟⲕⲟⲧⲧ(ⲓⲛⲟⲥ) ⲛⲁⲩ ⲁⲙⲁⲣⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲣⲁⲛ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲧⲁⲣⲟⲩϫⲓⲧⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲟⲟⲧ ⲛⲥⲉⲧⲁⲁⲩ ⲛⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ ϩⲁ ⲧⲁⲯⲩⲭⲏ
ⲛⲧⲁⲗⲁⲓⲡⲱⲣⲟⲥ

‘I gave them twenty solidi. I adjured them in the name of God so that they would take them from me and would give them as charitable dispensation for my miserable soul.’

Signatures of witnesses include in line 128 a presbyter of (the church of) saint Kyriakos, and in lines 132–134 a presbyter of saint Kosma and saint Theodore.

Line 128:

++ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲍⲁⲭⲁⲣⲓⲁⲥ ⲡⲓⲉⲗⲁⲭ(ⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ) ⲙⲡⲣⲉⲥⲃ(ⲩⲧⲉⲣⲟⲥ) ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲕⲩⲣⲓⲁⲕⲟⲥ ϯⲱ ⲙⲙⲛⲧⲣⲉ +

‘I, Zacharias, the most humble priest of saint Kyriakos, I am a witness.’

⳨ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲡϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲛϣⲉⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲡⲓⲉⲗⲁⲭ(ⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ) ⲙⲡⲣⲉⲥⲃ(ⲩⲧⲉⲣⲟⲥ) ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲕⲟⲥⲙⲁ ⲙⲛ ⲫⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲑⲉⲟⲇⲱⲣⲟⲥ ϩⲙ ⲧⲉⲛϩⲟⲩⲣⲓⲁ ⲙⲡⲁⲕⲱⲑⲉⲟⲥ ϯⲟ ⲙⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ

Lines 132–134:

‘I, Eiot, the son of Shenoute, the most humble priest of saint Kosma and saint Theodoros in the area of Pakotheos, I am a witness …’


(Text and trans.: A. A. Schiller, slightly modified)

History

Evidence ID

E04363

Saint Name

Paulos the anchorite, monastic founder : S01654 Kyrikos/Cyriacus, child martyr of Tarsus (son of *Ioulitta/Julitta) : S00007 Kosmas and Damianos, brothers, physician martyrs of Syria : S00385 Theodore, soldier and martyr of Amaseia and Euchaita :

Saint Name in Source

ⲁⲡⲁ ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ⲡⲁⲛⲁⲭⲱⲣⲓⲧⲏⲥ ⲕⲩⲣⲓⲁⲕⲟⲥ ⲕⲟⲥⲙⲁ ⲑⲉⲟⲇⲱⲣⲟⲥ

Type of Evidence

Late antique original manuscripts - Papyrus sheet Documentary texts - Donation document

Language

  • Coptic

Evidence not before

698

Evidence not after

698

Activity not before

698

Activity not after

698

Place of Evidence - Region

Egypt and Cyrenaica

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Jeme

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

Jeme Hermopolis ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ Ashmunein Hermopolis

Cult activities - Places

Cult building - monastic

Cult activities - Places Named after Saint

  • Monastery

Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs

Bequests, donations, gifts and offerings

Bibliography

Text and translation: Schiller, A.A., Ten Coptic Legal Texts (New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1932). = CLT Till, W.C., Die koptischen Rechtsurkunden aus Theben (Vienna: H. Böhlaus, 1964) 22–27. = KRT

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    Evidence -  The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

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