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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world


Coptic Wonders and Miracles of Apa *Phoibammon (soldier and martyr of Assiut, §S00080), recounted by 'Kolouthos, the Stylite' from Hermopolis, presenting Phoibammon as a great miracle worker at his established shrines at Touho (Middle Egypt) and Assiut (Upper Egypt), but also at a local cult site at Thone (Middle Egypt) as well as further afield, including Constantinople. Possibly written in the 6th c., presumably at Hermopolis (Middle Egypt).

Evidence ID

E00240

Type of Evidence

Literary - Hagiographical - Collections of miracles

Late antique original manuscripts - Parchment codex

Major author/Major anonymous work

Kolouthos the Stylite, The Wonders and Miracles of Apa Phoibammon

Kolouthos the Stylite, The Wonders and Miracles of Apa Phoibammon

Addressing his audience directly (Fol. 21r I,14–15; Fol. 29r II,26–35; and Fol. 30r I,2–8), the compiler claims to relate only some of the miracles which took place through Apa Phoibammon after his martyrdom (Fol. 21r I,16–27 and Fol. 30r I,3–8). He identifies himself as Kolouthos, the most humble stylite from Hermopolis (Fol. 29r II,34–29v I,2; and
Fol. 30r I,9–12):

ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲡⲉ ⲕⲱⲗⲟⲩⲑⲱⲥ ⲡⲉⲓⲉⲗⲁⲭⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲛⲥⲧⲩⲗⲗⲓⲧⲏⲥ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲧⲡⲟⲗⲓⲥ ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ
'I am Kolouthos, the least stylite from Hermopolis.'

ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲡⲉ ⲕⲟⲗⲟⲩⲑⲟⲥ ⲡⲉⲓⲉⲗⲁⲭⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲛⲥⲧⲩⲗⲗⲏⲧⲏⲥ ⲙⲙⲟⲛⲟⲭⲟⲥ
'I am Kolouthos, the least stylite monk.'



He assures his audience that he himself has witnessed these miracles directly, or has heard of them from other pious and trustworthy men (Fol. 30r I,12–23).

The framework of the miracle stories emphasises the location of the sanctuary as being the saint’s birthplace and home, relating how the name of the city and its status changed, and how the shrine came to be such an important and impressive one (21r I,28–21v II,33). It ends with the presenter claiming that these miracles which he himself either saw or heard about had the effect of making him venture to visit the shrine and worship the remains of Apa Phoibammon himself (29r II,26–29v I,9).

The collection comprises ten miracles (the edition of the text used here, Verrone 2002, counts eleven miracles by including the introductory story among the miracles), out of which three are healing miracles (1st, 5th, and 9th), three are punishing miracles (2nd, 6th, and 7th), three are protection and rewarding miracles (3rd, 6th 10th), and one is an animal miracle (8th).

The centre of his miraculous power is the saint’s burial place, a martyr shrine housing his physical remains, located in his former home town Touho known as Theodosioupolis (Taha el-Amida).


The introductory story (Fol. 21r I,28–21v II,33)
The emperor Theodosius I or II, led by divine providence, arrives at the city of Touho on the feast day of Phoibammon. Unaware of the occasion, he is surprised to be served a meal by complete strangers who seem to think him just a traveller, clearly unaware of his identity. He learns that this sharing of a meal is part of the celebration in honour of Phoibammon.

The emperor seizes the opportunity to worship the physical remains of the saint and to implore him to entreat Christ on his behalf to restore him to his former powers in the capital from which he had fled. In return he offers to rebuild the saint’s sanctuary in a much more elaborate and glorious way, befitting Phoibammon’s worthiness.

He then creates an amulet for himself to protect him on his return journey, Fol. 21v I, 31–35:


ⲡⲣⲣⲟ ⲇⲉ ⲁϥϫⲓ ⲛⲟⲩⲕⲟⲩⲓ ϩⲛ ⲛⲕⲩⲣⲓⲁ ⲉⲧϩⲙ ⲡⲉϥⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉϩⲃⲱⲱⲥ ⲁϥⲙⲟⲣⲟⲩ ⲉⲧⲟⲟⲧϥ ϩⲱⲥ ⲫⲩⲗⲁⲕⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ
'The emperor then took a piece from the bandages/grave-clothes (κειρία/κηρία) which were on his body and (a piece) from the shrouds/garments and he bound them to himself as a safeguard.'

Arriving back at the capital safely, Theodosius finds himself back in power, with his enemies vanished or defeated. Surprisingly, he does not order the rebuilding of the saint’s shrine in Egypt immediately. Next, his daughter falls ill, presumably as a result of his delay in fulfilling his promise to the saint who in turn starts to show his powers.


First Miracle (Fol. 21v II,33–22v I,5): The Demon of the Emperor’s Daughter (healing miracle)
The emperor is informed that one of his daughters is suffering from a demon who torments her. Theodosius reaches for the safeguard he had brought from Egypt, consisting of threads from the bandages and shroud around the body of Phoibammon, and places them on his daughter, Fol. 22r I,8–14:

ⲁⲡⲣⲣⲟ ϫⲓ ⲛⲛⲗⲁⲕⲙ ⲛϩⲃⲱⲱⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲕⲩⲣⲁⲓⲁ ⲉⲧⲛⲧⲟⲟⲧϥ ⲉⲛⲁ ⲡⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲛⲉ ⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ
ⲁϥⲕⲁⲁⲩ ⲉϫⲛ ⲧⲉϥϣⲉⲉⲣⲉ
'The emperor took the pieces of shroud and bandage (κειρία/κηρία) which he had, those belonging to the Holy martyr, saint Apa Phoibamon, and placed them on his daughter.'

The demon then addresses Phoibammon directly, complaining that Phoibammon has set him on fire and is trying to remove him from the comfortable home he has made for himself. The demon continues to point out to the saint that he has left him all of Egypt in which to act, but the saint still came all the way over here to cast him out, Fol. 22r I,24–28:


ⲁⲓⲕⲁ ⲕⲏⲙⲉ ⲛⲁⲕ ⲱ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲓⲥ ϩⲏⲏⲧⲉ ⲁⲕⲉⲓ ⲉⲡⲉⲓⲙⲁ ⲉⲕⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉⲛⲟϫⲧ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ
'I have left Egypt to you, Phoibamon; and behold, you have come here wishing to cast me out.'

The demon finally leaves the daughter, never to return, thanks to the power of Phoibammon, Fol. 22r I,31–II,1:

ⲁϥⲉⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛϩⲏⲧⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲙⲡⲉϥⲕⲧⲟϥ ⲉⲣⲟⲥ ϣⲁ ⲉⲛⲉϩ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲧϭⲟⲙ ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ ⲡⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲙⲡⲉⲭⲥ
'He came out of her and he never returned to her due to the power of saint Apa Phoibamon, the holy martyr of Christ.'

The emperor then speaks to his noblemen about all the wonders and miracles he had seen happening in Egypt due to Phoibammon. He adds the miraculous healing of his daughter to this account, pointing out that this healing miracle was only due to Phoibammon’s blessing. As a result, the noblemen in the capital worship the saint’s relics, which he had brought, Fol. 22r II,12–19:


ⲛⲧⲁ ⲡⲧⲁⲗϭⲟ ϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲧⲁϣⲉⲉⲣⲉ ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲡⲉⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲛⲟϭ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ
ⲛⲧⲙⲛⲧⲉⲣⲟ ⲁⲩⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ ⲉϫⲱⲟⲩ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲛⲟϭ ⲙⲡⲓⲥⲧⲓⲥ

'The healing took place for my daughter through the blessing of the holy martyr Apa Phoibamon. And all the noblemen of the kingdom worshipped them [= the relics] through great faith.'

The emperor then sends a faithful commander to Egypt to carry out the rebuilding of the martyr shrine of Phoibammon, providing him with a new burial cloth entirely made out of silk, Fol. 22r II,24–34:

ⲁϥⲧⲛⲛⲟⲟⲩϥ ⲉⲕⲏⲙⲉ ⲉⲕⲱⲧ ⲙⲡⲙⲁⲣⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ ϩⲓ ϯⲙⲏ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲙⲛ ⲟⲩⲛⲟϭ ⲛⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲡⲟⲩⲉϩⲥⲁϩⲛⲉ ⲙⲡⲣⲣⲟ
ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥϯ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲛⲟⲩⲕⲁⲓⲥⲉ ⲛϩⲟⲗⲟⲥⲓⲣⲓⲕⲟⲛ ⲉⲥⲧⲁⲓⲏⲩ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲛⲁϣⲉ ⲥⲟⲩⲛⲧⲥ ⲉⲙⲁⲧⲉ

'He sent him to Egypt to build the
martyrion of Saint Phoibamon with every honour and great glory according to the order of the emperor. He gave him a burial shroud entirely made out of silk, which was exquisite and extremely costly.'

Additionally, the city of Touho is renamed by the emperor’s command as Theodosioupolis.


Second Miracle (Fol. 22v I,5–23r I,20): The Impious Thief (punishing miracle)
A pilgrim praying in the martyr shrine removed a small golden cross attached to necklaces adorned with small bells which were hanging from the coffin of Phoibammon. He took the cross to give to his son to wear as an amulet around his neck, Fol. 22v I,12–22:

ⲁϥⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲩⲕⲟⲩⲓ ⲛ⳧ ⲛⲛⲟⲩⲃ ⲉⲣⲉ ϩⲉⲛϩⲁⲗⲉⲥⲓⲥ ⲙⲏⲣ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲙⲛ ϩⲛϣⲕⲉⲗⲕⲓⲗ ⲉϥⲁϣⲉ ⲉⲧⲧⲁⲓⲃⲉ ⲙⲡⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ϫⲉ ⲁⲗⲏⲑⲱⲥ ϯⲛⲁϥⲓ ⲙⲡⲉⲓ⳧ ⲧⲁⲧⲁⲁϥ ⲉⲡⲙⲟⲧⲉ ⲙⲡⲁϣⲏⲣⲉ ϩⲙ ⲡⲉⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ

'He saw a small golden cross, to which necklaces with bells were affixed, suspended from the coffin of the holy martyr Apa Phoibamon. The man said, "Truly, I shall take this cross and put it around the neck of my son as a blessing of saint Phoibamon".'

He took it and went on his return journey. Once on the road he wished to look at it again, but could not find it anymore. Puzzled about the loss, he returned to the shrine and found the cross back in its original place from which he had taken it. In amazement he bowed before Phoibammon, but then could not raise his head again, as the saint had bound his hair to the coffin. He cried out and confessed in the presence of the entire crowd to the steward (
oikonomos) of the shrine what he had done. Only then was he released to the amazement of the crowd, who all worshipped the saint.


Third Miracle (Fol. 23r I,21–24v I,6): The Pious Peasant (reward miracle)
A very rich and well-known landowner in Hermopolis had a hired peasant who was very pious and annually gave a gold coin from his wages to the shrine of Phoibammon in Touho, Fol. 23r I,31–II,4:

ⲛⲉϣⲁϥⲃⲓ ⲛⲟⲩϩⲟⲗⲟⲕⲟⲧⲧⲓⲛⲟⲥ ⲛⲛⲟⲩϥ ⲧⲉⲣⲁⲙⲡⲉ ϩⲙ ⲡⲉϥⲃⲏⲕⲉ ⲛϥⲃⲱⲕ ⲉⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ ⲛⲧⲡⲟⲗⲓⲥ ⲧⲟⲩϩⲱ
ⲛϥⲧⲁⲁϥ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ϩⲁ ⲡⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ⲛⲧⲉϥⲯⲩⲭⲏ


'He used to take a
solidus every year from his wages and go to the shrine of saint Apa Phoibamon in the city of Touho and give it as an offering to the shrine for the salvation of his soul.'

He had done so faithfully for seventeen years. When he asked his master permission to follow the same procedure again – to travel to the martyr shrine, to pray, give his yearly donation of a gold coin, and to spend the night in the shrine of Phoibammon (Fol. 23v II,22–28) – his master refused to let him go on the grounds that the harvest was not yet brought in and the corn not yet threshed. In distress, the peasant called upon Phoibammon for help. The saint appeared to him in a dream, instructing him not to travel all the way from Hermopolis to Touho, but to come to his local shrine on the mountain of Thone instead, explaining that his powers work in the shrine of that monastery as well, since his name is attached to it, Fol. 23v I,19–32:

ⲁⲙⲟⲩ ⲉⲡⲉⲥⲏⲧ ⲉⲡⲙⲁ ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ ⲙⲡⲧⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲑⲱⲛⲉ ⲛⲅϣⲗⲏⲗ ⲛⲅϯ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲉⲣⲏⲧ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲅⲁⲣ ϯϩⲙ ⲡⲙⲁ ⲉⲧⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲟⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ
ⲡⲁⲣⲁ(ⲛ) ⲡⲉⲧϩⲓϫⲱϥ ⲕⲛⲁⲣ ⲑⲉ ⲟⲛ ϩⲱⲥ ⲛⲧⲁⲕⲉⲓ ⲉⲡⲙⲁ ⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉ ⲡⲁⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲟⲛ ⲛⲁϭⲟⲙ ⲙⲛ ⲡⲉⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲉⲭⲥ ⲓⲥ ϣⲟⲟⲡ
ϩⲙ ⲡⲙⲁ ⲉⲧⲙⲙⲁⲩ


'Come down to the place of Apa Phoibamon at the monastery/mountain of Thone and pray and give your vowed offering. For I am at that place as well. It is my name that is on it. You will proceed just as if you had come to the place where my body is. My powers and the blessing of Jesus Christ are also present at that place.'

The master then agrees to let his worker visit the local sanctuary instead.

On the way to the shrine of the monastery of Thone, the peasant meets the saint in the disguise of a soldier who tells him that he has just returned from that sanctuary himself. He gives the pious peasant a message for the steward of the monastery, instructing him to tell the steward: The soldier who stood next to you in the hour of the burning incense tells you to go to a certain corner in the altar room and to hand to the peasant whatever you shall find there.' When the peasant reaches the monastery, the steward realises who that 'soldier' is and finds a wine container in the said corner which he hands over to the peasant. The peasant gives his yearly offering, drinks from the wine, and spends the night in the shrine. Once back home, he finishes the wine with his family and as they wash the container, they find eighteen gold coins in it, one for each year that the peasant had made his offering. The peasant then realises too who the 'soldier' was whom he had met on the road.


Fourth Miracle (Fol. 24v I,7–25r I,32): The Thankful Patient (healing miracle)
A man from Hermopolis who had been very ill for a long time while no one could cure him, heard of the healing powers of Phoibammon. He implored the God of Phoibammon to cure him from his illness, promising to bring a container (lakon) of oil to the saint’s sanctuary in the city of Touho, if he were healed. Immediately, the man was healed through the intervention of Phoibammon. However, the man was unable to fulfil his promise, because the shrine of Phoibammon in Touho was too far away from Hermopolis for him to carry the oil. In his distress, Phoibammon appeared to the man in a night vision and instructed him to bring the container of oil to his sanctuary on the mountain of Thone instead, since his name was attached to it ,Fol. 24v II,20–31:

ⲡⲗⲁⲕⲟⲛ ⲛⲛⲉϩ ⲛⲧⲁⲕⲉⲣⲏⲧ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲉⲧⲁⲁϥ ⲉⲡⲁⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲉⲕϣⲁⲛⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲛϩⲧⲟⲟⲩⲉ ϫⲓⲧϥ ⲛⲕⲃⲱⲕ ⲉⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ ⲛⲑⲱⲛⲉ
ⲛⲅⲧⲁⲁϥ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲛ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲟⲛ ⲡⲉⲧϩⲓϫⲱϥ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲡⲉ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱ(ⲛ)

'The oil container you have promised to donate to my shrine (
topos), when you rise in the morning, take it and go to the topos of Apa Phoibamon at Thone and make the offering there, for it is my name that is attached to it. I am Phoibamon.'

The man followed the saint’s advice and brought the oil container to the saint’s shrine in Thone. He prayed in the shrine and while he spent the night there, the saint appeared to him in another vision, instructing him that his powers work not only where his body was buried (Touho), or his blood was shed (Assiut), but also wherever his name was attached (Thone), Fol. 25r I,4–25:


ⲁϥϫⲓ ⲙⲡⲗⲁⲕⲟⲛ ⲛⲛⲉϩ ⲁϥⲧⲁⲁϥ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ ⲛⲑⲱⲛⲉ ⲁϥϣⲗⲏⲗ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ⲉⲧⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲉϥⲛⲕⲟⲧⲕ ⲛϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲙⲁⲣⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲁⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ ⲟⲩⲱⲛϩ ⲛⲁϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩϩⲟⲣⲟⲙⲁ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ϯϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲕ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲕⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ ϫⲉ
ⲛⲑⲉ ⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉ ⲛⲁϭⲟⲙ ⲉⲛⲉⲣⲅⲉⲓ ϩⲙ ⲡⲙⲁ ⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉ ⲡⲁⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ϩⲛ ⲧⲡⲟⲗⲓⲥ ⲧⲟⲩϩⲱ ⲙⲛ ⲡⲙⲁ ⲛⲧⲁⲩⲡⲉϩⲧ ⲡⲁⲥⲛⲟϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ϩⲛ
ⲧⲡⲟⲗⲓⲥ ⲥⲓⲟⲟⲩⲧ ⲥⲉⲉⲛⲉⲣⲅⲉⲓ ⲟⲛ ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲉⲓⲙⲁ


'He took the oil container and donated it to the topos of Apa Phoibamon at Thone. He prayed there. And while the man was asleep in the martyr shrine, saint Apa Phoibamon appeared to him in a dream. He said to him, "I am telling you to make you believe that just as my powers work in the place where my body is, in the city of Touho, and in the place where my blood was shed, in the city of Assiut, they also work now in this place".'


Fifth Miracle (Fol. 25r I,33–26r II,35) : The Innocent Servant (reward miracle)
A master decided to take his favourite servant on a journey. While they were away, the silver bracelet of the master’s wife fell into a meat container. When she realised that she had lost her bracelet, the woman searched everywhere and questioned every member of her household. Since no one knew anything about it, she came to accuse the servant who was away of stealing her bracelet. Upon the master’s return this servant denied the accusation, but the couple decided to ask him to take an oath at the sanctuary of Phoibammon at Touho as the ultimate place of judgement. While the servant spent the night in the sanctuary, he had a vision of Phoibammon talking with *Serine [perhaps the saint with cult at Oxyrrhynchos, S00134] about all the different reasons pilgrims and suppliants had come to his shrine. When saint Serine inquired about the servant himself, whether he was guilty of stealing the bracelet or not, Phoibammon proclaimed that he was not, but explained that he would arrest him, if he swore an oath in his name, since there was some unfinished business of an earlier oath this servant had taken. Afterwards, when the master and mistress arrived to witness their servant’s oath, he refused to swear it, was dismissed, and went home. Later, when the meat containers in his former master’s house were being washed, the woman's bracelet was found. The couple realised their mistake and implored the servant to forgive them and return to them. They then went to the sanctuary of Phoibammon to honour the saint, Fol. 26r II,23–35:

ⲁⲩϥⲓ ⲛⲟⲩⲛⲟϭ ⲙⲡⲣⲟⲥⲫⲟⲣⲁ ⲙⲛ ⲟⲩⲁⲛϩⲟⲗⲟⲙⲁ ⲁⲩⲃⲱⲕ ⲉⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ ⲁⲩϣⲗⲏⲗ ⲁⲩϯ ⲙⲡⲉⲩⲉⲣⲏⲧ ⲁⲩⲕⲧⲟⲟⲩ
ⲉⲡⲉⲩⲏⲓ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲉⲓⲣⲏⲛⲏ ⲉⲩϯ ⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ϣⲁ ⲉⲛⲉϩ ϩⲁⲙⲏⲛ


'They took a large offering and provisions and went to the shrine of saint Apa Phoibamon. They prayed and gave their promised offering. They returned home in peace, glorifying the God of saint Apa Phoibamon and all the saints eternally.'


Sixth Miracle (Fol. 26v I,1–27r I,8): The Lamp Thief (punishing miracle)
A man visited a chapel of Phoibammon in Pshosh, located south of Antinoopolis, on the saint’s feast day,
Fol. 26v I,2–13:

ⲛⲉⲩⲛ ⲟⲩⲉⲩⲕⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲉⲁⲩϯ ⲡⲣⲁⲛ ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱ(ⲛ) ⲉϫⲱϥ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲁ ⲛϣⲁⲩⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ϫⲉ ⲡϣⲟϣ ⲛⲥⲁ ⲣⲏⲥ ⲛⲧⲡⲟⲗⲓⲥ ⲁⲛⲧⲓⲛⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲡⲡⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱ(ⲛ) ⲛⲉⲩⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲛⲟϭ ⲛⲥⲩⲛⲁⲝⲓⲥ ϩⲙ ⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲙⲙⲁⲩ

'There was a sanctuary (
eukterion) dedicated to Apa Phoibamon in a place named Pshosh, to the south of Antinoopolis. On the day of saint Apa Phoibamon a great gathering took place in that shrine (topos).'

When the man saw the furnishings in the sanctuary, he longed to steal from them. At night, the man stole a double nozzle bronze lamp and left, Fol. 26v I,24–29:

ⲁϥϭⲉⲡⲏ ⲁϥⲟⲩⲉϩ ⲡⲧⲟⲕⲁⲣⲁⲡⲧⲓⲟⲛ ⲉⲡⲉⲥⲏⲧ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲟⲩϩⲏⲃⲥ ⲡⲉ ⲉϥⲙⲟⲩϩ ⲙⲡⲥⲁ ⲥⲛⲁⲩ ⲛⲃⲁⲣⲟⲧ ⲉⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩϥ

'He hurried and took down the
tokaraption which is a lamp of fine bronze burning on two sides.'

He heard voices demanding that he bring back what he took. The man then tried to sell the lamp on his journey, but no one wanted to buy it from him. God and Phoibammon tormented him on the road and struck him with a severe illness, torturing him so much, that the man returned with the lamp to the shrine and bowed in front of the altar, beseeching the saint to forgive him for what he had done. The saint had mercy on him, and the man glorified him thereafter.


Seventh Miracle (Fol. 27r I,9–II,32): The False Oath (punishing miracle)
During the feast of Apa *Hatre in a village named Psahrshbbe, as the saints are in the habit of inviting each other to their celebrations, a suppliant at the shrine had a vision the night before the 16th of Phamenoth, the feast day of Hatre. He saw the two saints wearing gold crowns and mounted on their horses. Phoibammon informed Hatre that some people would bring a man to Hatre’s sanctuary the following day and cause that man to swear an oath in his name. If Hatre would not seize him for doing so, Phoibammon would, should the man dare to also swear the oath in his name.

The following day, the man arrived and was made to swear his oath in the name of Hatre, and was not troubled by any consequences. But the man who had the vision of Phoibammon, told the assembly to let this man also swear his oath in the name of Phoibammon of Touho, so that the truth should be revealed. When he did so, Phoibammon immediately seized him and suspended him above the crowd. He tortured him until the man confessed that he was guilty of swearing a false oath. Afterwards he was forgiven and the name of Phoibammon glorified.



Eighth Miracle (Fol. 27r II,33–28r I,2): The Sheep Exposing the Snake (animal miracle)
During the saint’s feast, many important people came to the shrine to make a donation and attend the festive service, Fol. 27r II,33–18:

ⲁⲥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲟⲛ ⲛⲥⲟⲩⲁ ⲙⲡⲉⲃⲟⲧ ⲡⲁⲱⲛⲉ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲡϣⲁ ⲡⲉ ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ ⲁϩⲉⲛⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲛⲗⲁⲙⲡⲣⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲡⲧⲟϣ ⲧⲟⲩϩⲱ
ⲧⲡⲟⲗⲓⲥ ⲁⲩⲛⲡⲉⲩⲁⲛϩⲟⲗⲟⲙⲁ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲩϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲩϩⲙϩⲁⲗ ⲁⲩⲉⲓ ⲉⲡⲙⲁⲣⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ ϩⲉⲙ ⲡⲧⲣⲉⲩϫⲓ ⲇⲉ
ⲟⲩ(ⲛ) ⲙⲡⲁⲛϩⲟⲗⲟⲙⲁ ⲉϩⲟⲩ(ⲛ) ⲉⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲉⲁⲩⲕⲁⲁϥ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ϣⲁⲛⲧⲟⲩⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲛⲧⲥⲩⲛⲁⲝⲓⲥ ⲁⲩϣⲡⲏⲣⲉ ϣⲱⲡⲉ ϩⲙ ⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ


'On the first day of the month Pauni which is the feast (day) of saint Apa Phoibamon, important people from the district of the city of Touho brought their provisions and their children and servants and came to the martyr shrine (
martyrion) of saint Apa Phoibamon. When taking the provisions into the shrine (topos), they put them down, until they finished the service. But while they were attending the service, a great miracle took place through the saint.'

A large sheep that had been brought to the shrine attempted to break a container of wine. Though the servant of the sanctuary repeatedly tried to restrain it, the sheep kept resisting, wishing to destroy the container. Finally, the steward (
oikonomos) commanded the servant to stop restraining the sheep and to let it do the will of God. The sheep then broke the container of wine, and a large snake-like dragon came out. The people were all amazed and honoured the saint knowing that he had performed this great miracle.


Ninth Miracle (Fol. 28r I,3–29r II,25): The False Oath (healing miracle)
A man from the city of Assiut who had suffered from dropsy for eight years was finally brought to the saint’s shrine. He had spent much money on doctors before, but to no avail, and was now so swollen that his skin began to break and he approached death. He was lifted from his bed and carried to the martyr shrine (martyrion) of saint Apa Phoibamon in the city of Assiut where he was put down on the stone slab by the pillar on which the saint’s blood had fallen (Fol. 28r I,27–II,1). At that moment, a great miracle took place concerning one of the men who had carried the dropsical patient. That man had been possessed by an unclean spirit for nine years, which started protesting when the man entered the shrine. When the unclean spirit was about to take 'his host', the possessed man, outside, Phoibammon bound the man and cast out the unclean spirit. The entire crowd was amazed, and when the dropsical man saw what had happened, he beseeched the saint to heal him as well. While the man was sleeping in the shrine, Phoibammon appeared to him in a dream and asked him why he was so ill. The man confessed that he had sworn a false oath in the shrine in the saint’s name. He begged the saint for forgiveness and promised never again to swear a false oath. The saint forgave the man and his sickness healed. The man rose completely healed, rejoiced and confessed to the whole crowd what had happened to him. He remained serving in the martyr shrine for the rest of his life, Fol. 29r II,14–23:

ⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲧⲁ ⲡⲧⲁⲗϭⲟ ϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲁϥ ⲁϥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲉϥϯⲁⲕⲟⲛⲉⲓ ⲛϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲙⲁⲣⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲫⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ ϣⲁ ⲡⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲉϥⲙⲟⲩ
ⲉϥⲉⲩⲭⲁⲣⲓⲥϯ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉϫⲛ ⲡⲧⲁⲗϭⲟ ⲛⲧⲁϥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲁϥ


'The man who had obtained the healing lived as a servant in the martyr shrine (
martyrion) of saint Phoibamon until the day of his death, thanking God for the healing he had obtained.'


Tenth Miracle (Fol. 29r II,26–30r I,2): The Return of the Pilgrim’s Possessions (protection miracle)
Kolouthos, the stylite monk from Hermopolis, ends his selection of miracles with one he witnessed himself and which had the effect of making him go to visit the saint’s shrine in Touho in person. While on their journey to that shrine, a group of pilgrims from Antinoopolis with their animals and possessions were robbed of everything. The saint appeared in the form of a soldier accompanied by two angels. He raced after the gang of robbers scaring them so that they left the stolen goods and fled. He then led the pilgrims to the spot where their possessions were left.


Text: Verrone 2002.
Translation and summary
: Gesa Schenk

Liturgical Activities

Service for the saint

Festivals

Saint’s feast

Cult Places

Burial site of a saint - sarcophagus/coffin
Burial site of a saint - tomb/grave
Cult building - dependent (chapel, baptistery, etc.)
Cult building - monastic
Place of martyrdom of a saint
Martyr shrine (martyrion, bet sāhedwātā, etc.)

Activities accompanying Cult

Feasting (eating, drinking, dancing, singing, bathing)

Places Named after Saint

Monastery

Use of Images

Descriptions of images of saints

Non Liturgical Activity

Prayer/supplication/invocation
Vow
Vigils
Visiting graves and shrines
Bequests, donations, gifts and offerings
Oath

Miracles

Miracle after death
Punishing miracle
Healing diseases and disabilities
Miraculous protection - of people and their property
Revelation of hidden knowledge (past, present and future)
Material support (supply of food, water, drink, money)
Apparition, vision, dream, revelation
Miracle with animals and plants
Finding of lost objects, animals, etc.
Miraculous protection - of church and church property

Relics

Contact relic - wax
Contact relic - saint’s possession and clothes

Protagonists in Cult and Narratives

Crowds
Ecclesiastics - monks/nuns/hermits
Monarchs and their family

Cult Related Objects

Crosses
Precious material objects
Oil lamps/candles

Source

A complete manuscript, parchment codex Pierpont Morgan M582, fol. 21r–30v, from the monastery of the Archangel Michael in the Fayum, near Hamouli, produced between AD 822 and 913/4. It is the only manuscript of this text known so far. The emphasis placed by the author or compiler Kolouthos the Stylite, from Hermopolis, on the addition of the Hermopolite cult site Thone (in miracles three and four), suggests a Hermopolite origin of the text.

The same codex also includes Phoibammon's martyrdom account (see E00239 and E02109).


Discussion

The miraculous powers of Phoibammon centre on his shrine located in the city of Touho commonly known as Theodosioupolis (Taha el-Amida), located between Hermopolis and Kynopolis. This is his place of origin and burial and therefore the most important of his cult localities. From there his powers reach as far as the capital Constantinople where his relics keep the emperor Theodosios safe (introductory story) and perform a healing miracle on one of his daughters (Miracle 1). His cult building in Touho has been redesigned with imperial splendour by the emperor’s command and has resulted in many riches and exquisite attire for the saint himself.

The account of an emperor called Theodosius appears to be a garbled version of incidents in the reign of Theodosius I (eastern emperor 379-395). Theodosius was never forced to flee from his capital, but he left it twice (388-391 and 394-395) to fight against usurpers who had overthrown emperors in the West (Spanel 1991, p. 1964, is erroneous on this point).

Spanel thus points out that the miraculous powers of *Phoibammon began only eighty years after the martyr’s death, in his burial shrine in Touho, known then as Theodosioupolis. However, in the miracle stories themselves, it is the emperor who already relates to his noblemen in the capital all the great wonders and miracles he has seen in Egypt worked by Phoibammon (22r II,5–11). It therefore, seems to have merely been the choice of the compiler, Kolouthos the Stylite, to start his selection of miracles with the imperial one due to which not only the name, but the status of the location housing the shrine changed.

Theodosius II (408–450) has also been mentioned as a possible candidate, due to his reception by the Coptic church. He was popular with the Coptic Church largely due to his piety, and in contrast to his successor Marcian, who was responsible for the Council of Chalcedon (see the discussion in Watts, 2013). Also, the large basilica at Abu Mina was built by Arcadius and Theodosius II (Grant, 1998, 100–101). 

While about half of the miracles take place in or around the shrine in
Touho (Miracles 2, 5, 8, and 10), the other half mention and promote alternative cult places for Phoibammon (Miracles 3, 4, 6 and 9), while two take place at 'foreign' localities (Miracle 1 at Constantinople, Miracle 7 at the shrine of Hatre in a village named Psahrshbbe).

For people living in Hermopolis, where Kolouthos the stylite, who presents these miracles, seems to reside, the journey north to the city of Touho seems to have been too far in many cases (to take time off from work during the harvest, as in Miracle 3, or to carry a large container of oil, as in Miracle 4). For the inhabitants of Hermopolis, Phoibammon himself promotes an alternative shrine by suggesting a visit to his cult place on the mountain of
Thone instead, proclaiming that his powers work there just as well as they do in Touho, or in Assiut, simply because his name is attached to that locality and thus his powers and the blessing of Jesus Christ are also present there (Miracles 3 and 4). This cult locality seems to belong to a monastery, as the term ⲧⲟⲟⲩ 'mountain/monastery' of Thone would suggest, and has been identified with Tuna el-Gebel (Hermopolis). For the identification of Thône as Tuna el-Gebel, see Kessler 1981, 19, 108.

This promotion of a cult place lacking any relics seems to be in line with what appears to have been a general attempt in the 6th century, when the desire for and dependency on relics became somewhat excessive. Gregory the Great, for example, tries to convince his readers in
Dialogues 2.38 that the powers of the saints can also work quite independently from their relics. This might offer a clue as to the date of the original composition of the text.

Another alternative cult place is located close-by across the Nile from Hermopolis, in
Pshosh, south of Antinoopolis, where a chapel (eukterion) is mentioned to have impressed a thief with its riches, one desirable item being a bronze double-nozzle lamp (Miracle 6).

Healing miracles take place also in
Assiut, at a martyr shrine (martyrion) where the pillar at which the saint’s blood was shed is located (Miracle 9).

But even in shrines of other saints, such as the one of Apa Hatre in a village called
Psahrshbbe, Phoibammon of Touho acts as the most powerful one, who would not let a false oath go undetected, but exposes evil doing on Hatre’s feast day (Miracle 7).

Phoibammon’s own shrines at Touho, Thone, Assiut, and Pshosh function not only as centres for medical healing, but as ultimate places of judgement, where unfulfilled vows are detected and no false oaths go unnoticed. Evil in any form is exposed through the saint and treated severely and successfully. The cult proceedings at these different localities mentioned in the text (Touho, Thone, Assiut, Pshosh, and Psahrshbbe, the shrine of Hatre) always seem to be the same: votive offering, praying/beseeching, and spending the night at the shrine to receive a vision of the saint. During the saint’s feast day, a festive service taking place is mentioned as well (Miracles 6 and 8).

As a result of successful healing, a former patient, a rich man from Assiut, decides to remain in the local shrine as a servant for the rest of his life (Miracle 9). For this typical phenomenon of lifelong servitude in the cult place following a miracle healing, compare the Coptic child donation and self-donation documents from the cult
topos of Phoibammon on the mountain of Djeme (E00179E00205). There too, life-threatening illnesses are caused by a false oath sworn to the saint, who punishes the culprits (or their children) with an illness. Only after repentance can healing be obtained.


Bibliography

Edition and translation:
Verrone, K.E., "Mighty Deeds and Miracles by Saint Apa Phoebammon: Edition and Translation of Coptic Manuscript M 582 ff. 21r–30r in the Pierpont Morgan Library" (Dissertation, Brown University, 2002).

Further reading:
Grant, M., From Rome to Byzantium: The Fifth Century A.D. (London: Routledge, 1998). 

Kessler, D.,
Historische Topographie der Region zwischen Mallawi und Samalut (Wiesbaden: L. Reichert, 1981).

Spanel, D.B, "Phoibammon of Preht, Martyr," in: A.S. Atiya (ed.),
The Coptic Encyclopedia (New York: Macmillan, 1991), vol. 6, 1963–1965.

Uljas, S., "The Martyrdom of St Phoibamon of Preht, Pierpont Morgan Codex M 582, ff. 1r–20v," in: M. Müller and S. Uljas (eds.),
Of Martyrs and Archangels, vol. 1, (forthcoming).

Watts, E., "Theodosius II and his legacy in anti-Chalcedonian communal memory," in: C. Kelly (ed.),
Theodosius II: Rethinking the Roman Empire in Late Antiquity (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013), 269–284.

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.


Record Created By

Gesa Schenke

Date of Entry

5/3/2015

Related Saint Records
IDNameName in SourceIdentity
S00080Phoibammon, soldier and martyr of Assiutⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛCertain
S00133Hatre, Egyptian martyr with a shrine in the village of Psahrshebbeⲁⲡⲁ ϩⲁⲧⲣⲉCertain
S00134Sirenos/Serenos, saint with martyr shrine at Oxyrhynchosⲁⲡⲁ ⲥⲓⲣⲓⲛⲏUncertain


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