Coptic will of Jacob, head of the monastery of Apa *Phoibammon (soldier and martyr of Assiut, S00080) at Deir el-Bahari (Upper Egypt), specifying a duty to care for the lamp of the holy topos; datable to the second half of the 7th c.
E00236
Documentary texts - Will
Late antique original manuscripts - Papyrus sheet
P.KRU 65
Following bishop Abraham of Hermonthis (E00237), Apa Viktor, and Apa Petros (E00233), all heads of the monastery of Apa Phoibammon through succession determined by the will of its superior, Jacob follows in this line (lines 35–37) and produces his own will. His successor is to be Viktor, son of Theodoros (line 38 and 45), for the entire duration of his life. He is to be the legal owner of all the monastery’s common property. His duties are administrative as well as liturgical, especially with respect to the care for the lamp of the holy topos. In addition, he is responsible for the giving of alms to the poor, and for the celebration of the days of commemoration for each one of the holy fathers (lines 63–66).
The care for the lamp is mentioned in lines 64–65:
ⲡⲣⲟⲟⲩϣ ⲛⲡϩⲏⲃⲥ ⲛⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲡⲣⲟⲥ ⲧⲥⲩⲛⲏⲑⲉⲓⲁ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲧϭⲟⲙ ⲛⲡⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓϣ ⲡⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓϣ
'the care for the lamp of the holy topos, according to what is customary and necessary from time to time'
Text: W. E. Crum and G. Steindorff.
Translation: G. Schenke.
Cult building - monastic
Places Named after SaintMonastery
Non Liturgical ActivityBequests, donations, gifts and offerings
Source
Fragmentary papyrus document with the beginning of the text missing, housed at the British Museum in London, number 78.Discussion
There can be no certainty over this, but the lamp referred to was probably the one kept burning in front of the saint’s shrine.Bibliography
Edition:Crum, W.E., and Steindorff, G., Koptische Rechtsurkunden des achten Jahrhunderts aus Djeme (Theben) (Leipzig, 1971), 193-200 (P. KRU 65).
German Translation:
Till, W.C., Die Koptischen Rechtsurkunden aus Theben (Vienna: H. Böhlaus, 1964), 152-158.
For a full range of the documentary evidence on Phoibammon:
Papaconstantinou, A., Le culte des saints en Égypte des Byzantins aux Abbassides (Paris: CNRS, 2001), 204–214.
Gesa Schenke
19/12/2014
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00080 | Phoibammon, soldier and martyr of Assiut | ⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ | Uncertain |
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