The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

Martyrdom of Shenoufe


Summary


The account claims to be the first one recording martyrdom in Egypt.

ed. Reymond–Barns, p. 83, lines 2–4:
ⲧⲁ ⲧⲉ ⲧϣⲟⲣⲡⲉ ⲛⲁⲡⲟⲅⲣⲁⲫⲏ ⲛⲧⲁⲥϣⲱⲡⲉ ϩⲙ ⲡⲕⲁϩ ⲛⲕⲏⲙⲉ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ϩⲛ ⲛⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲇⲓⲟⲕⲗⲏⲧⲓⲁⲛⲟⲥ ⲡⲣⲣⲟ ⲛⲁⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲉϥⲟ
ⲛⲣⲣⲟ ϩⲛ ⲧⲁⲛⲧⲓⲟⲭⲓⲁ

'This is the first record which has been produced in Egypt concerning the saints in the days of Diocletian, the lawless emperor, while he was emperor in Antioch.'


It sets the introductory scene in Antioch, where Diocletian is advised to compose and proclaim his edict. The first martyr in Antioch is the son of the stratelates Basilides, *Eusebios (martyr of Antioch, S00740), who kicks the statue of Apollo with his foot instead of sacrificing to it and is immediately attacked with a sword by Diocletian and killed by his soldiers.

The edict is then taken to Egypt, where Culcianus was governor (hegemon) over Alexandria, Pompeius was governor (hegemon) over Peremoun (Pelusium), Hierocleianus was governor (hegemon) over Herakleiopolis (Hnes) and Arsinoe (Piom), as well as over Oxyrhynchus (Pemdje), while Arianus was governor (hegemon) over the Thebaid.

The edict is brought from Antioch to Alexandria by Arianus, the hegemon of the Thebais, to whom soldiers are given in Alexandria, as well as an assistant and commentariensis to record the trials and their result, named Julius (of Kbahs/Aqfahs, a town in the district of El-Minya). Both, Arianus and Julius together with their soldiers go by boat south into Egypt. They first reach a city called Chortasa (ⲭⲟⲣⲧⲁⲥⲁ) where they moor. Many men, women, and children proclaim themselves to be Christians there. A tribunal was held by the river and all the leading citizens of the district were seized, bishops and presbyters, such as *Philemon/Phileas (bishop of Thmouis, S00125), Antony (bishop of Atho, S00744), Plasse (S00745), the bishop of Athribis (ⲁⲧⲣⲩⲡⲉⲓ), and Eisidimos (S00746), the bishop of Tsimise at the encampment (ⲡⲁⲣⲙⲃⲟⲗⲏ) in the district of Alexandria. Many tortures were inflicted on them and great miracles and wonders wrought through them.

Apart from Shenoufe, there were eleven people, ten men and one woman, from Nempaiat (Nepaiat in the Mariotes), all from the same family (ed. Reymond-Barns, p. 86, lines 25–26: ⲛⲉⲟⲩⲛ ⲙⲛⲧⲟⲩⲉ ⲛⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲛⲙⲡⲁⲁⲧ ⲉϩⲉⲛⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛⲟⲩⲥⲩⲅⲅⲉⲛⲉⲓⲁ ⲛⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲛⲉ). Their names were: Shenoufe, Philemon, Apa Nile, Peter, John, Andreas, Phoibammon, Antony, Philip, Chermon, Hermias (Hermini), and Sophia. They were rich Christians and very pious, giving alms to the poor. They owned a great church of which they were in charge. Hearing about the miracles which the saints were performing at the tribunal of Arianus, they longed themselves for the crown of martyrdom. When Shenoufe spent the night in his church, he had a vision of Christ announcing what would happen to them. Christ himself compares Shenoufe and his eleven family members to the twelve apostles, and suggests that they should go to Arianus and become martyrs to receive the crown. Great miracles would come to pass through them, because he will appoint the archangel Michael to look after them and assist them in their contest. Once their bodies would be found hidden in the earth, Michael would assist them in the place where their bodies would find their final resting place. They would all be placed in a shrine together. But, he announces, their martyrdom will not take place in their hometown, but in the city of Bubastis, so that they will receive two crowns, one for being a stranger, and one for martyrdom. Julius of Kbahs (ⲕⲃⲁϩⲥ), the assistant and commentariensis will record their martyrdom and keep it in his house until it should be revealed.

Shenoufe then prepared a large banquet for his family members and related his vision to them. They prayed together and went home, each to their separate families, but did not tell them what was about to happen. Before dawn, Shenoufe went to wake his family members and they secretly went to Chortasa where the governor Arianus was holding his tribunal by the river. They arrived and disturbed the proceedings, proclaiming that they were Christians wishing to fulfil their martyrdom. They verbally attacked the governor and were seized and put on board a ship, in order not to stir up the multitudes gathered at the tribunal.

First stop – Memphis with healing miracles performed by Shenoufe, as well as tortures, and recovering miracles performed on the saints.

They were first taken further south to the city of Memphis, where the governor moored to hold his next tribunal. He gave orders to have the saints brought to him. On their way from the ship they marched singing psalms, and the pillars along the street took on human voices, spoke and blessed the saints. The multitudes hearing this cast themselves down before Shenoufe and his family members and considered themselves blessed. A blind man who heard the crowd, came forth, cast himself down in front of Shenoufe and was healed. A crippled man seeing this miracle, came forth and was healed as well.

Once placed on the tribunal, the saints are treated with severe tortures after refusing to obey, but the archangel Michael appears and makes their tortures easily endurable. Shenoufe then attacks the governor and wounds him. Witnessing the governor's vulnerability, eighteen men step forward to confess their Christian faith. They join in an ad hoc mass martyrdom, all killed on the same day. Shenoufe and his family members sing psalms watching these martyrs being received in heaven. They themselves, however, are taken back to the ship to continue their journey further south.

Second stop – Tilog/Nilopolis. Here the boat moors, so the governor can visit the city of Arsinoe in the Fayum. There Shenoufe and his family members inspire further martyrdoms, perform further healing miracles in prison, resurrect a young boy, and are themselves fully restored by the archangel Michael after being tortured.

On board the ship, the saints receive a visit from Christ himself, accompanied by Michael and Gabriel, and a multitude of angels who encourage them to continue their contest in good faith.

Two men from Tilog, Elias and Pamoun, appear near the boat to hear that the saints had arrived. They were very rich men and went to bring loaves of bread to feed the imprisoned saints. Shenoufe announces to them that they are due for martyrdom themselves, as their names are written among the numbers of martyrs and their crowns laid out for them. The two men immediately confess their Christian faith loudly, so that the governor Arianus had them arrested, interrogated, tortured, and beheaded on the 16th day of Thoth (13 September).

Afterwards, Shenoufe and his family members are brought forward again. When asked to sacrifice, they refuse again and are put through a long list of tortures, until healed and restored completely by the touch of Michael’s rod, while a large crowd witnesses this miracle. In fear of an uprising, the officials take the saints from Tilog into the city of Arsinoe. There they are put into prison, so that a local festival can continue undisturbed by a tribunal. Praying in prison, they have another vision of Christ visiting and nourishing them with heavenly foods, encouraging them to be fearless. A prisoner suffering from a demon is healed due to the fear of Christ visiting in prison. When the prison guard sees this miracle, he entreats Shenoufe to help his daughter, stuck for days in the process of delivering a child [see the same situation in the Martyrdom of Apa *Epima, E02843] with physicians and magicians having given up on her. Shenoufe prays over a bit of oil with which the daughter is then anointed and immediately delivers a healthy boy, whom she names Shenoufe. This attracts all the sick and afflicted of the neighbourhood to the prison and all receive healing.

Julius, the assistant of the governor and commentariensis, himself goes to prison to be healed from a skin disease. In return he offers to set them free, but the saints only ask him to take care of their remains afterwards, since they are far away from their home and kin to attend to their funeral. Julius announces that he has already been given this order by an angel of God in a vision, and he promises to keep their records of martyrdom in his own house and to take care of their bodies after death. Julius is healed and the news of the healing miracles taking place in prison reaches the governor Arianus. In rage, he orders race-horses, in order to bind the saints onto them. On the way, the horses accidentally trample and kill a young boy. Shenoufe rushes forward, picks up the boy's internal organs and puts them back into place. He makes the sign of the cross over the boy, rubs his body, breathes three times on his face, and the boy comes to life again. Witnessing this miracle, 147 men of Arsinoe stepped forward and confessed their Christian faith. They are all beheaded on the same day.

Shenoufe is then accused of being a magician, which he denies, telling a story of a self-proclaimed magician, Astratole, who was himself only saved by the power of Jesus Christ, for which in turn he became a martyr. In a rage, the governor orders more tortures for Shenoufe and his family members, this time locked in the furnace of the public bath, from which they are saved by Michael, after a long prayer. They step out of the furnace completely unharmed. Multitudes witness this, but the governor puts them through another tribunal with yet more tortures alleviated by prayers. Their sister Sophia is singled out, interrogated and tortured, but her bleeding is stopped and her tormentors attacked. For fear of civil unrest, the governor is urged to take the stubborn saints to a different place, a village called Poubesti (Boubastis). On their way there, they pray and mock the governor and his idols.

Third and final stop – Boubastis where yet more martyrdoms take place, many more tortures are suffered from which the saints are restored by Michael, and visions of Christ are experienced. More healing miracles are performed by Shenoufe and the saint’s future cult is laid out in the manner of a final prayer.

In Boubastis there were already 83 saints apart from Shenoufe and his family members, who were brought forth to be interrogated. When they saw Shenoufe and his family members being restored by Michael after the tortures inflicted on them, these saints rose up against the governor. They confessed their Christian faith and overthrew the governor from his seat at the tribunal, while the crowds cheered and clapped. These 83 martyrs of Boubastis were burnt to death and cast into trenches and fulfilled their martyrdom on the 6th day of Phaophe (3 October).

More tortures follow for the main saints, praying for strength and receiving help through Michael, and thus appearing completely unharmed. They are imprisoned once again and have a visionary visit from Christ announcing the form of their death – being ground on a millstone, their remains scattered into trenches – and their future cult.

Ed. Reymond–Barns, p. 116, lines 18–21:
ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲙⲛⲛⲥⲁⲟⲩ ⲛⲟϭ ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓϣ ⲥⲉⲛⲁⲟⲩⲱⲛϩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛϭⲓ ⲛⲉⲧⲛⲥⲱⲙⲁ · ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲙⲁ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲛⲁⲕⲱ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲛⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ⲟⲩⲛ ϩⲉⲛⲛⲟϭ
ⲛϭⲟⲙ ⲙⲛ ϩⲛϣⲡⲏⲣⲉ ⲛⲁϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ⲛⲥⲉϯⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲏⲧⲛ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲛϩⲓⲥⲉ ⲛⲧⲁⲧⲉⲧⲛϣⲟⲟⲡⲟⲩ ⲉϫⲙ ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲛ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ

'But after a long time, your bodies will be revealed. The place where your bodies will be laid, many miracles and wonders will happen there and you will be honoured due to the suffering which you have endured for the sake of my holy name.'

Being brought onto the tribunal set up in the market place of Boubastis, the saints appear all shining as if drunk with wine. The saints attack the idols brought before them, destroying most of them, which enrages the governor deeply. He orders more tortures from which the saints are completely restored. Apa Philip, the tallest of the family members, then seizes the signa with the portraits of the emperors and breaks them into pieces. Then he overturns the governor from his throne and strikes him in the face.

Furious, the governor curses all Christians. For this blasphemy, Shenoufe causes him to lose the power of speech. He makes signs to his officials to entreat Shenoufe to undo his spell, all in the midst of large crowds witnessing this incident. Julius of Kbahs approaches Shenoufe on behalf of the governor. Shenoufe agrees on condition that the governor writes down that he acknowledges the power of Jesus Christ and that he is the true God. The governor agrees, putting all this down in writing which is read out aloud for everyone to hear. At that moment, Shenoufe makes a prayer, touches the mouth of the governor, and the governor is healed. Immediately, he wants to chastise the saints with additional tortures, but is convinced by his entourage that this would be unsafe in a place where the multitudes standing by were against him. So he writes down their names and the sentence, which is grinding to death between millstones, with their remains to be cast into trenches afterwards. Hearing this, the saints pray, and trumpets are heard, as Christ descends from heaven on a shining chariot accompanied by angels, ready to offer the reward for the suffering endured in his name. Shenoufe standing on the mill-wheel ready to be ground up, is asked what his wishes are. His answer lays out the saints’ future cult, and the Lord assures him that everything he wishes has already been granted.

ed. Reymond–Barns, p. 122, line 23–p. 123, line 12:
ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲉϩⲛⲁⲕ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲁⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣ ⲙⲡⲣⲕⲁ ⲡⲉⲛⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲉϩⲱⲡ ϩⲙ ⲡⲕⲁϩ ϫⲉ ⲛⲛⲉ ⲡⲉⲛⲣⲡⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ϩⲱⲡ ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲡⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣ
ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲁⲡⲁⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲟⲩⲱ ⲉϥⲥⲟⲃⲧⲉ ⲛⲁⲕ ⲛⲟⲩⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲉⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩϥ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲛⲉⲧⲛⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲟⲩⲱϩ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ϩⲙ ⲡⲓⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ· ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲙⲁ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲛⲁⲕⲁ
ⲛⲉⲧⲛⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ϯⲛⲁⲕⲱ ⲙⲡⲉⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲙⲛ ϯⲣⲏⲛⲏ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ⲙⲛ ϩⲛϩⲙⲟⲧ ⲛⲧⲁⲗϭⲟ ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲉⲣⲟ ⲡⲁϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲓⲥ
ⲡⲉⲭⲥ · ⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲉⲣϣⲁⲛ ⲟⲩⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲉⲓ ⲉⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲛⲁⲕⲱ ⲙⲡⲁⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ⲛϥϩⲉ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲡⲁⲣⲁⲡⲇⲱⲙⲁ ⲙⲛⲛ ⲟⲩⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲛϥⲉⲉⲓ ⲉϫⲙ
ⲡⲁⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛϥⲧⲱⲃϩ ⲙⲙⲟⲛ ⲙⲡⲁⲧⲉ ⲡⲣⲏ ϩⲱⲧⲡ ⲉⲕⲉⲕⲱ ⲛⲁϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲛⲧⲁϥⲁⲁϥ ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲡⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲉⲥⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲧⲉϩⲉ ⲡⲉϫⲉ
ⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲥⲩⲛⲁⲅⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲡⲣⲟⲥⲫⲟⲣⲁ ϩⲙ ⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲛⲁⲕⲱ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ⲙⲡⲁⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲉⲕⲉⲥⲩⲛⲁⲅⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ϩⲛ ⲧⲉⲡⲣⲟⲥⲫⲟⲣⲁ
ⲛⲧⲡⲉ · ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲕⲱⲱⲥ ⲛⲛⲉⲛⲥⲱⲙⲁ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲕⲁⲥⲉ ⲉⲕⲉⲥⲧⲟⲗⲓⲍⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲩⲯⲩⲭⲏ ϩⲛ ⲛⲉⲉⲛⲧⲏⲙⲁ ⲙⲡⲟⲩϫⲁ · ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲥϩⲁ ⲙⲡϫⲱⲱⲙⲉ
ⲛⲧⲉⲛⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲓⲁ ⲛϥⲟⲩⲱⲛϩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲡⲉⲛⲣⲡⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲕⲉⲥϩⲁ ⲙⲡⲉϥⲣⲁⲛ ⲉⲡϫⲱⲱⲙⲉ ⲙⲡⲱⲛϩ · ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁϯ ⲛⲛⲉⲛⲣⲁⲛ ⲉⲛⲉⲩϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲉⲩⲟⲩⲱⲛϩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲛⲉⲛⲣⲁⲛ ⲉⲕⲉⲡⲉⲓⲑⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ϩⲛ ⲛⲉⲩⲉⲡⲓⲑⲉ ⲛϩⲏⲧ · ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲙⲁ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲛⲁⲕⲱ ⲙⲡⲉⲛⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ⲉⲕⲉⲕⲁ ⲡⲉⲕⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲙⲛ ⲧⲉⲕⲉⲓⲣⲏⲛⲏ ⲉⲩⲙⲏⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ϣⲁ ⲉⲛⲉϩ ⲁϥⲟⲩⲱϣⲃ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲁ ϣⲛⲟⲩϥⲉ ϫⲉ ⲁⲗⲏⲑⲱⲥ ⲡⲁⲙⲉⲣⲓⲧ ϩⲱⲃ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲛⲧⲁⲕⲁⲓⲧⲓ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲁⲡⲁⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲟⲩⲱ ⲉϥⲭⲁⲣⲓⲍⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲁⲕ

'The saint said to him: "If it pleases you, my Saviour, do not let our body be hidden in the ground, so that our commemoration shall not be hidden." The Saviour said to him: "My father has already prepared a good place (topos) for you, to let your bodies dwell in it in this world. The place where your bodies will be put, I will permit blessing and peace there, as well as healing gifts." The saint said to him: "Hear me, my Lord Jesus Christ! If someone comes to the topos where my body will be placed and if he falls into transgression and sin and if he comes to my body and entreats us, before the sun sets, you shall forgive him the sin he has committed." The Saviour said to him: "So it shall be." The saint said to him: "Whoever will gather an offering in the topos where my body will be placed, you shall gather him in the offering of heaven. Whoever shall bury our bodies in a grave, you shall clothe their souls in the garments of salvation. Whoever shall write the book of our martyrdom and shall reveal our commemoration, you shall write his name in the book of life. Whoever will give our names to their children, revealing our names, you shall listen to them through their deep persuasion. The place where our body will be laid, you shall let your blessing and your peace remain there eternally." The Saviour answered and said to saint Apa Shenoufe: "Truly my beloved, everything which you have asked for, my father has already granted it to you."'


He then takes the saints’ hands and places them onto the grinding wheel. He encourages them to be fearless.

ed. Reymond–Barns, p. 123, lines 19–23:
ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲣⲣⲏⲧ ⲛⲟⲩⲉⲣⲏⲧ ⲉⲡⲉⲧⲛⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛϥⲁⲙⲉⲗⲉⲓ ⲉⲧⲙϫⲟⲕϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϯⲛⲁⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲙⲡⲉϥⲕϩⲃⲁ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩϭⲏⲡⲉ · ⲁⲩⲱ ϯⲛⲁⲧⲣⲉⲡⲉⲧⲛⲣⲁ(ⲛ) ⲣⲥⲟⲉⲓⲧ ⲱ ⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ϣⲛⲟⲩϥⲉ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲕⲕⲉⲥⲛⲏⲩ · ϯⲛⲁⲧⲣⲟⲩⲉⲓⲛⲉ ⲛϩⲛⲇⲱⲣⲟⲛ ⲉⲡⲉⲕⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ϩⲙ ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲛ · ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲙⲁ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲛⲁϯ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛⲁⲡⲟⲫⲁⲥⲓⲥ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ϯⲕⲱ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ⲛϩⲛϩⲙⲟⲟⲧ ⲛⲧⲁⲗϭⲟ

'Whoever shall make a vow with respect to your topos and shall be careless not to fulfil it, I will bring about his vengeance quickly. I will let your name be famous, saint Shenoufe, and also your brothers. I will cause gifts to be brought to your topos in my name. At the place where your sentence will be passed, I permit healing gifts.'


After this, Christ returns to heaven, Ama Sophia spreads out her hands in a final prayer, asking to be worthy of the same fate as her male family members’ future and cult. This causes the governor to have pity on her and he tries to win her over to save her life. He offers her his only son in marriage together with great honours and riches, but she refuses and all twelve family members are ground to death under the wheels of the mill. Multitudes come to see them and took their blood from the wheels and put it onto their various diseases, being healed immediately, the blind, lame, deaf, dumb, and lepers, in accordance to the promise of Christ to his saints.

The governor orders their remains to be thrown in a trench to the south of the village. When this is done, the place shakes three times causing terror and disturbance among those in the area. Even the governor is terrified and continues his voyage further south to the Thebaid.

Finally, Julius, the commentariensis claims in the first person to have written their records and to have kept them in his house in Kbahs in order to have the blessings of the saints with him at all times. He claims not to have added or taken anything away from this account, but to have produced it according to what had happened and to what he witnessed himself.

He says that he continued working as a commentariensis for the governor and taking care of the saints, until the death of Diocletian brought about the change through the new emperor Constantine. This is when he, Julius together with his wife Eustochia, his son Eucharistus, his sister Eucharistia and all his servants ensured that the saints still locked up in prison all over the country were released. He took most of them to his house. His wife washed the saints’ feet, and they cared for them in every way, though many of them died due to the terrible conditions in which they had been kept, untreated after terrible tortures, until he found them. Julius buried them in his storehouses and workshops, so that their grace would stay with his family. Those who were strong then went back to their homes and families.

Julius claims neither to have sacrificed nor to have been put under pressure and claims to have installed his assistants at every courtroom in the country to ensure the proper recording of the saints’ memorials (ὑπόμνημα). Julius further claims to have written them down in Roman characters and to have kept these records in his private house to ensure the blessings of the saints to remain with him.

ed. Reymond–Barns, p. 127, lines 10–13 :
ⲁϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ⲉϩⲣⲁ ⲁⲕⲣⲓⲃⲟⲥ ⲁⲥϩⲁⲥⲟⲩ ⲛⲥⲩⲙⲓⲟⲛ ⲛϩⲣⲟⲙⲁⲕⲟⲛ ⲁⲕⲁⲁⲩ ⲛϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲁⲏ ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥ ⲉⲣⲉⲡⲉⲩⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲙⲛ ⲡⲉⲩϩⲙⲟⲧ ϣⲱⲡⲉ
ⲉϥⲙⲏⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲛⲁⲙⲁ ⲛϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ϣⲁ ⲛⲅⲉⲛⲉⲁ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲕⲁϩ·

'I remained and accurately wrote them (the saints’ memorials) in Roman script. I kept them (the memorials) in my house, so that their (the saints’) blessing and their grace would remain at all my dwelling places through to all generations on earth.'


At the end of the martyrdom it is stated that in addition to the twelve family members, a number of 895 souls became martyrs through them.


Text: Reymond-Barns 1973.
Translation and summary: Gesa Schenke.

Martyr shrine (martyrion, bet sāhedwātā, etc.)

Composing and translating saint-related texts

Miracle during lifetime
Miracles experienced by the saint
Specialised miracle-working
Punishing miracle
Power over elements (fire, earthquakes, floods, weather)
Power over objects
Miraculous sound, smell, light
Apparition, vision, dream, revelation
Power over life and death
Healing diseases and disabilities
Changing abilities and properties of the body

Women
Children
Ecclesiastics - bishops
Soldiers
Officials
Other lay individuals/ people
Crowds
Angels
Torturers/Executioners

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Discussion

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