Coptic Encomion on *Viktor (martyr of Egypt, son of Romanos, S00749), preserving a vision of the saint on a cloud, as well as the end of his martyrdom and the building of his many shrines in which healing miracles took place when his name was invoked; written probably in the 6th/7th c., preserved in a manuscript of the 9th/11th c.
E01715
Literary - Sermons/Homilies
Late antique original manuscripts - Parchment codex
K 09446, p. 135/136:
This fragment preserves the story of young Viktor’s birthday party at which his mother gave him a garment that aroused the emperor Diocletian’s envy.
K 09447, p. 139/140:
The saint appears to Diocletian and his entourage on a shining cloud rebuking them and urging them to turn to God, before disappearing into heaven.
The text of these fragments shows similarities to E01851.
K 09448, p. 141/142:
This fragment preserves a short account of the saint’s trial in Alexandria, his subsequent martyrdom elsewhere in Egypt, and the building of shrines in which one would invoke his name to receive healing.
ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲧⲉⲩⲛⲟⲩ ⲁⲩⲉⲛⲧϥ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲣⲁⲕⲟⲧⲉ · ⲁⲩⲡⲁⲣⲁⲇⲓⲇⲟⲩ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲙⲡⲇⲟⲩⲝ · ⲁϥϯ ⲛⲁϥ ⲛϩⲛⲁϣⲏ ⲛⲃⲁⲥⲁⲛⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲉϥⲑⲩⲥⲓⲁⲍⲉ : ⲙⲛⲛⲥⲱⲥ ⲁϥⲧⲛⲛⲟⲟⲩϥ ⲉⲣⲏⲥ ϩⲛ ⲕⲏⲙⲉ · ⲁϥϫⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲡⲉϥⲁⲅⲱⲛ · ⲁϥϫ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲗⲟⲙ ⲛⲁⲧⲧⲁⲕⲟ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲓⲥ ⲡⲉⲭⲥ :··
‘And immediately, they brought him to Alexandria. He was handed over to the dux. He (the dux) inflicted many tortures on him; (yet) he did not sacrifice. Afterwards, he sent him south into Egypt. He completed his contest and received the imperishable crown through Jesus Christ.’
ⲛⲧⲉⲓϩⲉ ⲟⲛ [ⲛⲉⲩ]ⲕⲱⲧ ⲛⲁϥ ⲛⲟⲩⲙⲏⲏϣⲉ ⲛⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ϩⲛ ⲭⲱⲣⲁ ⲛⲓⲙ · ⲛⲥⲉⲉⲡⲓⲕⲁⲗⲉⲓ ⲙⲡⲉϥⲣⲁⲛ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲱⲟⲩ : ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲉϥϣⲟⲟⲡ ⲛⲑⲉⲣⲁⲡⲓⲁ ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲛⲁⲉⲡⲓⲕⲁⲗⲉⲓ ⲙⲙⲟϥ :··
‘In this way, [they were] building him a multitude of shrines in each [area of the] country and invoking his holy name in them. And it [the holy name] became healing to anyone who would invoke him.’
Text: W. C. Till, KHML I, 51
Translation and summary: G. Schenke
Martyr shrine (martyrion, bet sāhedwātā, etc.)
Cult building - unspecified
Non Liturgical ActivityPrayer/supplication/invocation
Composing and translating saint-related texts
Transmission, copying and reading saint-related texts
MiraclesMiracle after death
Miracle during lifetime
Assumption/otherworldly journey
Healing diseases and disabilities
Source
Three leaves of a fragmentary parchment codex housed at the papyrus collection in Vienna. Layout and script of the manuscript suggest a 9th/11th century date.K 09446, p. 135/136:
K 09447, p. 139/140
K 09448, p. 141/142
The same codex seemingly also included a collection of miracles associated with his martyr shrine of which two parchment leaves survive (E01850):
K 09442, p. 19/20
K 09443, p. 47/48
Discussion
Bibliography
Edition and German translation:Till, W.C., Koptische Heiligen- und Martyrlegenden. Vol. 1 (Rome: Pont. institutum orientalium studiorum, 1935), 48–55.
Gesa Schenke
5/9/2016
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00749 | Viktor, martyr of Egypt, son of Romanos; and companion martyrs | Certain |
|---|
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Gesa Schenke, Cult of Saints, E01715 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E01715