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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


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


Coptic joint funerary inscription on marble probably from the monastery of Apa Ieremias at Saqqara (Lower Egypt) with an invocation to the typical group of saints celebrated at Saqqara: Apa *Ieremias, Apa Enoch, and Ama Sibylla (saints of Saqqara, S00773), *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033), and *Michael (the Archangel, S00181); possibly of the 8th/9th century.

Evidence ID

E01248

Type of Evidence

Inscriptions - Funerary inscriptions

KSB 1 480

ⲡⲓⲱⲧ ⲡϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲡⲉⲡⲛⲁ
ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ϩⲁⲙⲏⲛ
ⲡⲉⲛⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲓⲉⲣⲏ-
ⲙⲓⲁⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲉⲛⲱⲭ
ⲁⲙⲁ ⲥⲓⲃⲩⲗⲗⲁ // ⲧⲉⲛ-
ⲙⲁⲁⲩ ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ ⲙⲓⲭⲁⲏⲗ
ⲡⲉⲛⲥⲟⲛ ϩⲏⲗⲓⲁⲥ
ⲡⲉⲩϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲁϥⲙⲧⲟⲛ
ⲛⲥⲟⲩ ϣⲟⲙⲛⲧ
ⲛⲧⲱⲃⲉ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲉⲓⲣⲏ-
ⲛⲏ ϩⲁⲙⲏⲛ ⲡⲉⲛⲥⲟⲛ
ⲙⲁⲕⲁⲣⲉ ⲁϥⲙⲧⲟⲛ ⲙ-
ⲙⲟϥ ⲛⲥⲟⲩ ϥⲧⲟⲟⲩ
(ⲛⲭⲓ)ⲁϩⲕ ⲡⲉⲛⲥⲟⲛ
ⲡⲁⲡⲁ ⲃⲓⲕⲧⲱⲣ
. . . . . . . . . . . .

“Father, Son, (and) Holy Spirit. Amen. Our Father Apa Ieremias with Apa Enoch, (and) Ama Sibylla, our Mother Mary, (and) Michael!
Our brother Elias, their son, has gone to rest on day three of the month Tybi in peace. Amen.
Our brother Makare has gone to rest on day four of the month Choiak.
Our brother Papa Biktor …”

Translation: Gesa Schenke

Non Liturgical Activity

Prayer/supplication/invocation

Source

The marble plaque belongs to the Egyptian Museum at the Vatican.


Discussion

Apa Jeremias, Apa Enoch, and Ama Sibylla are frequently referred to as the Saqqara triad of saints. For the typical features and similarities with other burial inscriptions from Saqqara see E01247.


Bibliography

Edition:
Hasitzka, M.R.M.,
Koptisches Sammelbuch I (KSB I) (Vienna, 1993), 171–172.


Record Created By

Gesa Schenke

Date of Entry

7/4/2016

Related Saint Records
IDNameName in SourceIdentity
S00033Mary, Mother of Christⲧⲉⲛⲙⲁⲁⲩ ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁCertain
S00181Michael, the ArchangelⲙⲓⲭⲁⲏⲗCertain
S00773Ieremias, Enoch and Sibylla, saints of Saqqaraⲡⲉⲛⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲓⲉⲣⲏⲙⲓⲁⲥ, ⲁⲡⲁ ⲉⲛⲱⲭ, ⲁⲙⲁ ⲥⲓⲃⲩⲗⲗⲁCertain


Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Gesa Schenke, Cult of Saints, E01248 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E01248