The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

Martyrdom of Apa Lakaron

Lakaron, a child-soldier at a division near Lykopolis (Upper Egypt), is brought before the governor Arianus holding court in the theatre of Lykopolis. The 14-year-old boy speaks rather freely and like an adult, refusing to sacrifice to the imperial gods, and insulting the emperor and his religious belief. For this Lakaron is repeatedly tortured and jailed. He is visited in prison by Christ, performs numerous miracles in prison, and is himself miraculously healed after each torture by the archangel Michael or by Christ himself.

Lakaron inspires many bystanders to convert to Christianity and become martyrs themselves. The verbal exchange in the courtroom depicts the governor with shorter speeches, the young saint in contrast speaks a lot. During one of his last tortures, Christ appears to him and takes him up to heaven to see what awaits him: his throne, his crown, his garment, and the company of saints. Prior to his execution by the sword, Lakaron offers a final prayer to Christ, laying out the parameters for his future cult. All he desires, and more, is granted to him, and the archangel is going to preserve his body.

ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲡⲓϩⲏⲅⲉⲙⲱⲛ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲉⲕⲭⲏ ϧⲉⲛ ⲟⲩⲏⲣ ⲛⲣⲟⲙⲡⲓ ⲁϥⲉⲣⲟⲩⲱ ⲛϫⲉ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲗⲁⲕⲁⲣⲱⲛ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ϯⲭⲏ ϧⲉⲛ ⲓⲇ ⲛⲣⲟⲙⲡⲓ ⲙⲫⲟⲟⲩ
ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲡⲓϩⲏⲅⲉⲙⲱⲛ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲟⲩ ⲧⲉ ⲧⲉⲕⲓⲟⲡⲏ ⲁϥⲉⲣⲟⲩⲱ ⲛϫⲉ ⲡⲓⲙⲁⲕⲁⲣⲓⲟⲥ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲟⲩⲙⲁⲧⲟⲓ

'The governor asked him: "How old are you?" Apa Lakaron answered and said to him: "I am 14 years old today." The governor asked him: "What is your occupation?" The blessed one answered and said: "I am a soldier".'

After the first round of tortures, Lakaron is thrown into prison where he is visited by Christ who assures him that he will be with him through all his tortures and his suffering until he enters the heavenly Jerusalem to be in the company of the other saints.

Ϯⲱⲣⲕ ⲙⲙⲟⲓ ⲙⲙⲓⲛ ⲙⲙⲟⲓ ϫⲉ ⲭⲛⲁⲉⲣϣⲁⲓ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲛⲏ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ ⲛⲧⲏⲓ ϧⲉⲛ ⲓⲗⲏⲙ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲧⲫⲉ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲡⲉⲕⲣⲁⲛ ⲛⲁϭⲓⲱⲟⲩ ϩⲓϫⲉⲛ ⲡⲕⲁϩⲓ ⲧⲏⲣϥ
ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲧⲉⲕⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲓⲁ ⲛⲁϣⲱⲡⲓ ⲛⲥⲱⲓⲧ ϧⲉⲛ ⲡⲓⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ ⲧⲏⲣϥ

“I myself swear that you will be celebrating with these saints of mine in the heavenly Jerusalem. Your name will be glorified in the entire world and your martyrdom will become famous through all the world.”

When Lakaron is thrown into prison again, after the next round of tortures, he has become famous throughout the city of Lykopolis and people come to him in prison to ask for his intercession. The first s a woman whose beast of burden died while ploughing the field. Lakaron gives her a rod (ϣⲃⲱⲧ) with which to tap the animal on the head in the name of Christ and the God of saint Lakaron, and the animal became alive again.

The second miracle is a healing miracle the saint performs on a fellow prisoner who is suffering under a deamon.

The third miracle concerns an official locked up in prison over the mishandling of public taxes. When the official saw how the saint had healed the man possessed, he asked the saint to baptise him to make him a Christian too. For lack of water, the saint made the sign of the cross on the ground with his right thumb and water came pouring out of the ground for his baptism.

Lakaron then heals a woman in prison who was likewise possessed by a deamon and a man whose arm had been cut off. The saint stretched out his finger and made the sign of the cross, and the lost arm of the man returned.

The governor then calls the saint back for more tortures from which the archangel Michael saves the saint, and heals his wounds to make him look as if he had never been hurt by the torturers (quaestionarii) at all. They in turn remove their armour and declare themselves to be Christians too. The governor in rage has a ditch dug and filled with fire, into which the former torturers then hurl themselves and receive the immortal crown.

During the next set of tortures, the archangel turns the instruments against the governor instead, so that he is hurt himself and begs the saint to heal him. This he does, but afterwards the governor claims that it was not the God of Lakaron, but Apollo and Artemis who healed him.

Lakaron is then accused of using magic and to be a magician, and is subjected to even more tortures. During these, he prays to Christ who comes to him and takes him to heaven for a short preview of his rewards.

ⲡⲓⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣ ⲇⲉ ⲁϥⲱⲗⲓ ⲙⲫⲏ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ ⲉⲡϣⲱⲓ ⲉⲛⲓⲫⲏⲟⲩⲓ ⲁϥⲧⲁⲙⲟϥ ⲉⲡⲱⲣⲁⲛⲓ ⲉⲡⲱⲣⲁⲛⲓⲟⲛ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲧⲫⲉ ⲁϥⲉⲣⲁⲥⲡⲁⲍⲉⲥⲑⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲛⲏ
ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲁϥⲧⲁⲙⲟϥ ⲉⲡⲉϥⲑⲣⲟⲛⲟⲥ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲡⲉϥⲭⲗⲟⲙ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲧⲉϥⲥⲧⲟⲗⲏ ⲛⲱⲟⲩ

'The saviour picked the saint up to the height of the heavens. He made him aware of the heavenly realm in the heaven. He had him exchange greetings with all the saints and he made him aware of his throne, his crown, and his glorious garment.'

Afterwards the saint is brought back to his tortures, but Christ puts his limbs back together and heals him, as if he never had suffered anything.

The governor then challenges him to perform a public miracle by turning the governor’s sandal back into the animal it once was; then he would believe in the Christian God himself. Lakaron acts accordingly and a calf appears where the sandal had been. The governor has the calf killed and Lakaron mocked as a magician. The governor then has a physician (ⲥⲏⲓⲛⲓ) brought in to cut out the saint’s tongue so that he no longer has to listen to him. The saint, however, continued to speak with a spiritual tongue (ⲟⲩⲗⲁⲥ ⲙⲡⲛⲁⲧⲓⲕⲟⲛ) against which the governor would be powerless. In return, the governor has sacrificial meat stuffed into the saint’s mouth by force, but the latter’s speaking does not stop.

After another night in prison, the saint is subjected to further tortures and hung from a column for three days. The archangel appears after the saint’s prayers and takes him down to meet his torturers unharmed. They in turn, remove their armour and declare themselves to be Christians. The saint made a sign of the cross on the ground with his right hand and water for their baptism appeared. As Christians they were then beheaded immediately, on the 1st day of the month Thoth (29 August).

The governor then turned to the saint and passed his sentence, death by the sword. When the soldiers took him to the place of his execution, he asked them to have a moment to pray. A large crowed appeared and the saint made his final prayer. The Saviour appeared unnoticed by the crowds and promised to fulfil the saint’s last wishes.

ⲁϥⲉⲣⲟⲩⲱ ⲛϫⲉ ⲡⲓⲙⲁⲕⲁⲣⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲗⲁⲕⲁⲣⲱⲛ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲡⲁϭⲥ ⲉⲓⲉⲣⲉⲧⲓⲛ ⲙⲙⲟⲕ ϫⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲕⲭⲱ ⲙⲡⲁⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲉⲧⲁⲕⲟ ϧⲉⲛ ⲡⲓⲕⲁϩⲓ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲉⲕⲉⲣⲱⲓⲥ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲉϥⲟⲩⲟϫ ⲛⲥⲉⲕⲱⲧ ⲉϫⲱϥ ⲛⲟⲩⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲛⲏ ⲉⲑⲛⲁⲕⲱⲧ ⲙⲡⲁⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲉⲕⲉϯ ⲛⲱⲟⲩ ⲛⲧϣⲉⲃⲓⲱ ⲛⲛⲟⲩϧⲓⲥⲓ
ϧⲉⲛ ⲓⲗⲏⲙ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲧⲫⲉ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲛⲧⲉⲕⲟⲡⲟⲩ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲛⲏ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ ⲛⲧⲁⲕ ⲉϣⲱⲡ ⲁⲣⲉϣⲁⲛ ⲟⲩⲁⲓ ϯⲣⲏⲧ ⲉⲡⲁⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲉϥϫⲟⲕϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲉⲕⲉⲥⲙⲟⲩ
ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲡⲉϥⲏⲓ ⲧⲏⲣϥ ⲱ ⲡⲁϭⲥ ⲙⲡⲉⲛⲑⲣⲉ ϩⲗⲓ ⲛⲭⲓⲙⲱⲛ ⲟⲩⲇⲉ ϩⲗⲓ ⲛⲧⲉⲃⲛⲱⲟⲩⲓ ϣⲉ ⲉϧⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲁⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲛⲉ ϭⲱϧⲉⲙ ⲛⲛⲱⲓⲕ ⲟⲩⲇⲉ
ⲡⲛⲁ ⲛⲁⲕⲁⲑⲁⲣⲧⲟⲛ ϧⲱⲛⲧ ⲉϧⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲓⲙⲁ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲛⲁⲭⲱ ⲙⲡⲁⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛϧⲏⲧϥ ⲁⲣⲉϣⲁⲛ ⲟⲩⲁⲓ ⲉϥϣⲱⲛⲓ ϧⲉⲛ ϫⲓⲛϣⲱⲛⲓ ⲛⲓⲃⲉⲛ ⲓⲉ ⲟⲩⲁⲓ ⲉⲣⲉ ⲟⲩⲇⲉⲙⲱⲛ ⲛⲉⲙⲁϥ ⲓ ⲉϧⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲁⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲉϥⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ ⲉϫⲉⲛ ⲡⲁⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲉⲕⲉⲉⲣⲭⲁⲣⲓⲍⲉⲥⲑⲉ ⲛⲱⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲓⲧⲁⲗϭⲟ ⲫⲏ ⲉⲑⲛⲁⲥϧⲁⲓ
ⲛⲧⲁⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲓⲁ ⲱ ⲡⲁϭⲥ ⲉⲩϣⲉⲛⲉⲣⲫⲙⲉⲩⲓ ⲛⲁϥ ⲉⲕⲉⲫⲱϧ ⲙⲡⲓⲭⲓⲣⲟⲅⲣⲁⲫⲟⲛ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲛⲉϥⲛⲟⲃⲓ ⲛⲧⲉⲕⲛⲁϩⲙⲟⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲁ ⲛⲓϫⲟⲣϫ ⲉⲧϩⲱⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲡⲓⲇⲓⲁⲃⲟⲗⲟⲥ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲛⲧⲉⲕⲭⲱ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲡⲉⲕⲛⲁⲓ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲧⲉⲕϩⲓⲣⲏⲛⲏ ⲙⲏⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϧⲉⲛ ⲡⲟⲩⲙⲁⲛϣⲱⲡⲓ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲉⲕⲉⲣⲱⲓⲥ
ⲉⲣⲱⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲉⲕⲥϧⲁⲓ ⲙⲡⲟⲩⲣⲁⲛ ⲉⲡϫⲱⲙ ⲙⲡⲱⲛϧ ⲉⲕⲉⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲉⲟⲩⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲃⲉⲛ ⲉⲑⲛⲁⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ ⲉⲧⲁⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲓⲁ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲛⲏ ⲉⲑⲛⲁϯ ⲛⲟⲩⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ
ϧⲉⲛ ⲡⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲡⲁⲉⲣⲫⲙⲉⲩⲓ ⲉⲕⲉϯ ⲛⲱⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲟⲩⲃⲉⲭⲉ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲛⲧⲉⲕϫⲱⲕ ⲛⲛⲟⲩⲉⲧⲏⲙⲁ ⲛⲱⲟⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲧⲉⲕⲛⲁϩⲙⲟⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲁ
ⲡⲉⲧϩⲱⲟⲩ ⲛⲓⲃⲉⲛ ⲟⲩⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲃⲉⲛ ⲉⲑⲛⲁϣⲉⲡ ϧⲓⲓ ⲛⲧⲟⲩⲓ ⲉⲡⲁⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲥⲉⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ ⲉϫⲉⲛ ⲡⲁⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲉⲕⲉϫⲱϣ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲛⲁⲓ ⲉϩⲣⲏⲓ ⲉϫⲱⲟⲩ
ⲛⲧⲉⲕⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲉⲣⲱⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲉⲕⲭⲱ ⲛⲱⲟⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲛⲟⲩⲛⲟⲃⲓ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ϩⲱ ⲡⲁⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣ ⲉⲕⲉϯ ⲛⲏⲓ ⲛⲟⲩⲙⲧⲟⲛ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲟⲩⲁⲛⲁⲡⲁⲩⲥⲓⲥ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ
ⲡⲉⲕⲛⲓϣϯ ⲛⲛⲁⲓ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ϧⲁ ⲡⲓⲧⲁⲗⲉⲡⲱⲣⲟⲥ ⲫϯ ⲡⲙⲁⲓⲣⲱⲙⲓ ⲡⲓⲣⲉϥϯⲃⲉⲭⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲃⲉⲛ ⲉⲑⲛⲁϩϯ ⲉⲣⲟⲕ

'The blessed Apa Lakaron answered and said to him:
"My Lord, I ask you that you shall not leave my body to be lost in the earth, but that you will guard it, so that it will be safe, and that one will build a martyr shrine (martyrion) above it.
Those who will build my martyr shrine, may you glorify them in exchange for their troubles in the heavenly Jerusalem and may you count them among the saints of yours!
If someone makes a vow at my shrine (topos) and fulfils it, may you bless him together with his entire household!
My Lord, do not let any storm or animal enter my shrine! No one defiled by adultery nor an unclean spirit shall approach this place in which my body will be placed!
If someone suffering any illness, or someone with a daemon enters my shrine and worships over my body, may you grant them healing!
The one who will write my martyr story (martyria), my Lord, if one remembers him, may you separate this writer from his sins and may you preserve them from the evil snares of the devil, and may you let your blessing and your mercy, and your peace remain at their entire dwelling place! May you guard them and write their name in the Book of Life!
May you bless everyone who will hear my martyr story and those who will offer a festive meal (agape) on the day of my commemoration! May you give them their wages and fulfil their requests and may you preserve them from any evil!
Anyone who will suffer hardship and will come to my shrine and will worship over my body, may you pour forth your mercy upon them and bless them and forgive them their sins! I myself, my Saviour, may you grant me relief and a rest according to your great mercy! I am the least, merciful God, giver of wages to anyone who will believe in you".'

ϧⲉⲛ ⲡϫⲓⲛⲑⲣⲉϥϫⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲛⲁⲓⲥⲁϫⲓ ⲛϫⲉ ⲡⲓⲙⲁⲕⲁⲣⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲗⲁⲕⲁⲣⲱⲛ ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲡⲓⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ϭⲣⲟ ⲙⲙⲟⲕ ⲁⲩⲕⲏⲛ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲛϫⲉ ⲛⲉⲕϧⲓⲥⲓ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ϯⲱⲣⲕ ⲙⲙⲟⲓ ⲙⲙⲓⲛ ⲙⲙⲟⲓ ϫⲉ ⲛⲏ ⲉⲧⲁⲕϫⲟⲧⲟⲩ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ϯⲛⲁϫⲟⲕⲟⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲏ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲉⲣⲡⲟⲩⲙⲉⲩⲓ ϯⲛⲁⲁⲓⲧⲟⲩ ϯⲛⲁⲭⲱ
ⲛⲛⲁⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲟⲥ ⲉⲩⲣⲱⲓⲥ ⲉⲡⲉⲕⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲙⲡⲓⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲡⲓⲉϫⲱⲣϩ ⲉⲩϭⲓ ⲙⲡⲉⲣⲫⲙⲉⲩⲓ ⲛⲛⲏ ⲉⲑⲛⲁⲓ ⲉⲡⲉⲕⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲉⲩⲓⲛⲓ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲛⲏⲓ ϯⲛⲁⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲉⲫⲟⲩⲁⲓ ⲫⲟⲩⲁⲓ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲡⲉϥⲙⲡϣⲁ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲧⲁϥϫⲟⲧⲟⲩ ⲛⲁϥ ⲛϫⲉ ⲡⲓⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣ ⲁϥⲉⲣⲁⲥⲡⲁⲍⲉⲥⲑⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲁϥϩⲱⲗ ⲉⲡϣⲱⲓ ⲉⲛⲓⲫⲏⲟⲩⲓ ϧⲉⲛ
ⲟⲩⲱⲟⲩ

'When the blessed Apa Lakaron had completed these words, the Saviour said to him: "Be victorious, for all your sufferings have ended. I myself swear that all the things you have said, I will fulfil them. And the things you have not remembered, I will do them (too). I will install my angels guarding your body by day and by night and receiving the commemoration from those who will come to your shrine (topos) and bringing it to me. I will bless each one according to his worthiness." After the Saviour had said these things to him, he greeted him and flew up high to the heavens in glory.'

ⲁϥϫⲱⲕ ⲛⲧⲉϥⲟⲙⲟⲗⲟⲅⲓⲁ ⲉⲑⲛⲁⲛⲉⲥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲥⲟⲩ ⲓⲇ ⲙⲡⲓⲁⲃⲟⲧ ⲡⲁⲟⲡⲏ

'He fulfilled his good confession on day 14 of the month Phaophi.'

The place where he had been decapitated was then illuminated and a sweet smell emanated due to the number of angels who had arrived to take his soul up to the heavens.


Summary and translation: Gesa Schenke

Martyr shrine (martyrion, bet sāhedwātā, etc.)

Composing and translating saint-related texts
Transmission, copying and reading saint-related texts

Miracle at martyrdom and death
Miracle during lifetime
Miracles experienced by the saint
Specialised miracle-working
Miracles causing conversion
Power over elements (fire, earthquakes, floods, weather)
Miracle with animals and plants
Power over objects
Healing diseases and disabilities
Miraculous sound, smell, light
Invisibility, bilocation, miraculous travels

Women
Unbaptized Christians
Soldiers
Officials
Physicians
Crowds
Other lay individuals/ people

Source

Discussion

Bibliography